Short report: social identification, quality of professional life and emotional maladjustment in healthcare providers during the first wave of the COVID-19 emergency.

This research analyzed the effect of professional, organizational and care-unit identifications on both healthcare professionals' quality of professional life and mental health. This research was done in a local hospital in a region of northern Italy which was one of the first regions to be impacted by the first wave of the pandemic. Using a cross-sectional research, a web-based questionnaire was sent to the healthcare professionals. Professional quality of life, professional identifications as well as emotional maladjustment in terms of stress, anxiety and depression were measured. Results indicated that professional and care unit identification were positively linked to increased compassion satisfaction and reduced burnout. Professional identification was negatively associated with secondary traumatic stress as well, while care unit identification was positively associated with vicarious trauma. The negative dimension of the professional quality of life had positive relations with emotional maladjustment. Professional and care unit identifications appeared to have an indirect effect via professional quality of life on maladjustment.

[Quality of professional life of working with asylum seekers: compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress in reception professionals]. / La qualità della vita professionale di chi lavora con i richiedenti asilo: Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout e Secondary Traumatic Stress negli operatori dell'accoglienza.

SUMMARY: In the last years, in Italy, Extraordinary Reception Centres have been set up to meet the primary and secondary needs of asylum seekers landing on the Mediterranean coast. After the opening of the ERCs, a new professional body, the reception professionals, has been formed in the national territory. According to the context and the goals of the ERC, at the beginning no specific training was required, so their professional profile derived from the different background. Considering their institutional task, such as facilitating the reception and the full care of asylum seekers, the reception professionals are daily involved in the relationship with the respondents and exposed to their traumatic stories or symptoms. In fact, asylum seekers are people who are often deeply traumatized by past experiences, by the journey, but also disoriented and unprepared for the complex experience of reception and integration, wich influence the climate and quality of professional life of reception professionals. As happen in helping professionals continuously exposed to stressful or traumatic events, also in the work of helping for and welcoming asylum seekers there is a high risk of developing the negative symptoms associated with Burnout and vicarious trauma. Although, in the last twenty years, the quality of professional life has been extensively studied in several areas, there are no studies that explore this issue among professionals in the field of reception. In this study, the questionnaire ProQOL 5 was submitted to the reception professionals of the Extraordinary Reception Centres of Parma and its province, actively involved in helping relationship with asylum seekers, with the aim of defining the state of psychosocial well-being and their quality of professional life. Although it has been shown that on average reception professionals report good satisfaction in carrying out their work, three profiles have emerged. The first group reports a higher level of Burnout, the second group a greater Compassion Satisfaction and the third group, instead, a higher level of Burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress. The data obtained allow to partially fill a gap in the literature. Moreover, the results suggest the need of interventions of prevention and management of organizations, in order to promote the psychosocial well-being of this emerging professional body.

The psychosocial determinants of adherence to home-based rehabilitation strategies in parents of children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Involving parents of children with cerebral palsy (C-CP) in home exercise programmes (HEP) is globally practiced strategy closely linked to improved physical performance and functional outcomes for the child. Nevertheless, non-adherence to HEP is increasing at an alarming rate, and little is known about the factors influencing adherence to HEP (AHEP) especially in parents of C-CP. This systematic review aimed to identify the factors enhancing AHEP among parents of C-CP to reinforce the efficacy of rehabilitation practices proposed by health professionals, researchers, and educators. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted searches in PubMed, Scopus, CINHAL, PsycINFO, and Embase for articles published up to March 2023, that investigated the factors influencing AHEP among parents of C-CP. A narrative synthesis was conducted using the search results and pertinent material from other sources. RESULTS: Overall, non-adherence rates to HEP were moderate to high, ranging from 34% to 79.2%. Strong evidence suggests that factors enhancing AHEP fall into three categories: child-related (such as younger age and better gross motor function [GMF]), the caregiver-related (including high self-efficacy and knowledge, strong social support, low levels of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, and a low perception of barriers), and the physiotherapist-related. For the latter category, the parent's perception of a supportive and collaborative relationship with the therapist is one of the conditions most favourably influences AHEP. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight that factors influencing AHEP are multifactorial. Some, such as GMF or the economic and social conditions of the family, are challenging to change. However, the relationship between therapist and parent is an aspect that can be strengthened. These results underscore the importance of substantial training and psychosocial support for therapists to enhance their awareness and competence in building supportive relationship with parents.

Intergroup biases of the intermediate-status group: the effect of stability and instability of social stratification.

In two studies, the effect of instability of social stratification on intergroup behaviour of the intermediate-status group was investigated. In both studies, participants were categorised in the intermediate-status group. In Study 1, perceived instability was measured. Results show that the more social stratification was perceived as stable, the more intermediate-status group members were biased against the high-status group. Biases against both high- and low-status groups tended to become similar as social stratification was perceived as more unstable. In Study 2, instability was manipulated in upward and downward conditions. Results showed that, in the upwardly unstable condition, intermediate-status group members were more biased against high-status group, while in the downwardly unstable condition they were more biased against the low-status group.

Promotion of Resilience in Migrants: A Systematic Review of Study and Psychosocial Intervention.

This systematic review aimed to contribute to a better and more focused understanding of the link between the concept of resilience and psychosocial interventions in the migrant population. The research questions concerned the type of population involved, definition of resilience, methodological choices and which intervention programmes were targeted at migrants. In the 90 articles included, an heterogeneity in defining resilience or not well specified definition resulted. Different migratory experiences were not adequately considered in the selection of participants. Few resilience interventions on migrants were resulted. A lack of procedure's descriptions that keep in account specific migrants' life-experiences and efficacy's measures were highlighted.

Perceptions of Safety and Stress Among Health Professionals: The Role of Care Unit Identification as a Protective Factor During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The present study aimed to investigate the role of motivational process and coping resources in health professionals during the COVID-19 emergency examining the role of Care Unit Identification and safety climate perception as resources that can help nurses to cope with stressors. A cross-sectional research design was used and 218 nurses completed a self-report questionnaire measuring: Perception of safety, Care Unit identification, Work Engagement, Psychological Distress, and Burnout. Results revealed that Work Engagement was significantly related with Burnout (b = -0.209, 95%CI [-0.309; -0.109]) and Distress (b = -0.355, 95%CI [-0.529; -0.18]) especially when the Care Unit identification is high (b = -0.303, 95%CI [-0.448; -0.157] and b = -0.523, 95%CI [-0.772; -0.275], respectively). The safety perception was positively related to Work Engagement (b = 0.315, 95%CI [0.198; 0.433]) and had an indirect effect on psychological Distress (b = -0.112, 95%CI [-0.181; -0.042]) and Burnout (b = -0.066, 95%CI [-0.105; -0.027]). High levels of both Care Unit identification and perception of safety, along with personal work engagement, appear to protect nurses from burnout and psychological distress. Findings suggest that the effort to improve teamwork identification and ensures an adequate degree of perceived safety for healthcare professionals need to be maintained and reinforced as they positively impact nurses' wellbeing.

Social hierarchies and intergroup discrimination: the case of the intermediate status group.

The study of status differences between groups has been an important topic in intergroup relations research. In this work, status differences are typically operationalized in dyadic terms: i.e., high versus low status. Based on the social identity approach, we conducted a minimal group experiment to investigate intergroup behaviours in a three-group social hierarchy (high, intermediate, and low status; N=187). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups and allocated resources in either limited or not limited resource conditions. Among others, results showed that participants in the intermediate status group were equally biased against both out-groups when resources were limited, while they were more biased against the high than the low status group when resources were unlimited. The results point to distinct psychological processes that operate in intermediate status groups.