"Can I Have More Than This?" The Role of Romantic Relationship Quality, Maximization Style, and Social Media Addiction in Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Symptoms.

Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (ROCD) is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder that manifests in the relationship domain, such as romantic relationships. Within romantic relationship, ROCD symptoms could be focused on flaws perceived on the relationship itself (ROCD relationship-centered) or on the partners' quality (ROCD partner-focused). These symptoms are associated with negative relationship outcomes, such as low relationship satisfaction. However, no studies have yet addressed the role of relationship quality in the context of ROCD. Furthermore, previous studies have shown the detrimental role of social media use and maximization style in obsessive-compulsive symptoms and the romantic relational domain; however, the associations with ROCD symptoms have not yet been explored. Thus, this study aimed to close this gap examining the associations between ROCD symptoms (relationship-centered and partner-focused) and relationship quality, social media addiction, and maximization style. A total of 211 participants currently involved in a romantic relationship (71.1 percent female, mean age = 30.4 ± 11.54 years) participated in the study. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses revealed that relationship quality, social media addiction, and maximization style emerged as being significantly associated with relationship-centered and partner-focused ROCD symptoms. The results highlighted potential risk factors for ROCD symptoms in romantic relationships, namely relationship quality, social media addiction, and maximization style. These psychological dimensions could be identified as possible targets in the assessment and treatment of ROCD symptoms.

Agreement and discrepancies in patient-clinician reports of DSM-5-TR section III maladaptive personality traits: A study on a mixed outpatient sample.

The assessment of personality pathology based on dimensional models may improve self-other agreement, but previous research mainly adopted a categorical approach and overlooked the role of the person of the therapist. Our study examined patient-clinician agreement in a mixed sample of Italian outpatients using the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) and the PID-5-Informant Form (PID-5-IRF). Moreover, the role of clinician personality traits on agreement was preliminary explored. Sixty-eight outpatients (51.4% male, M = 30.30, SD = 12.05 years) and their treating clinicians (N = 22; 77.3% female, M = 43.77 ± 8.45 years) entered the study. Patients completed the PID-5, whereas clinicians filled-in the PID-5-Brief Form (PID-5-BF) and the PID-5-IRF for each patient they involved. A multilevel Bayesian analysis showed that rank-order agreement was large for domains (mean r = .60) and moderate for facets (mean r = .44). As regards mean-level agreement, patient ratings on cognitive/perceptual dysregulation, distractibility, eccentricity, and emotional lability were higher than clinician ratings, whereas patients' scores on depressivity were lower than clinicians' ones. Scores on the PID-5-BF detachment positively predicted agreement on anhedonia, anxiousness, depressivity, distractibility, separation insecurity, and suspiciousness, while scores on the PID-5-BF negative affectivity, antagonism, and disinhibition negatively predicted agreement on few specific facets. Current findings suggest that clinician personality traits may contribute to agreement on maladaptive personality traits, but areas of discrepancies remain in case of low observable internal ones. Since patient-clinician agreement is crucially involved in therapeutic alliance, further research on this issue is highly encouraged. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Triarchic Model of Psychopathy and Intimate Partner Violence: An Empirical Study on the Italian Community.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious and recurrent phenomenon in many societies with severe physical and psychological consequences. In the present study, we aimed to explore the role of triarchic dimensions of psychopathy (disinhibition, boldness, and meanness) across gender in this occurrence. A questionnaire on inflicted (self) and experienced (partner) IPV and the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure were administered to a sample of 1,149 individuals from the Italian community. In general, self and partner IPV were moderately correlated. Bayesian regression analysis showed that disinhibition was positively correlated to both self and partner IPV (psychological and physical). In addition, boldness was negatively associated with perpetrated psychological IPV. Interactions by gender showed that meanness was positively related to perpetrated IPV in women (psychological and physical), whereas men with disinhibition features inflicted more physical violence than women. A high externalizing tendency (i.e., disinhibition) is therefore an important correlate of both perpetrated and reported IPV; moreover, boldness was associated with less psychological violence in general, whereas the effect of meanness depended on the gender of the individuals involved. Interestingly, the association between IPV and self-reported delinquent activities was low in magnitude (Spearman's Rho around .20) suggesting limited overlap between these two constructs.

Measuring pandemic-related anxiety and confidence in care in chronic patients using the Psychological Consequences of a Pandemic Event (PCPE) questionnaire.

The COVID-19 pandemic has determined a considerable increase in psychological distress worldwide. Compared with the general population, patients with chronic conditions experience higher stress levels due to the increased risk of worse health outcomes from COVID-19 infection. Worries and fear of contagion could cause them to avoid going to their health facilities for medical examinations, which results in higher risks of morbidity and mortality. The present study aimed to develop and validate the Psychological Consequences of a Pandemic Event (PCPE) self-report questionnaire, and to assess the psychological effects of exposure to a pandemic on mood and on treatment adherence appropriate for patients with chronic diseases. Data were analysed with Rasch analysis after an Exploratory Factor Analysis and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. We identified a final set of 10 items, divided into two independent factors labelled "pandemic-related anxiety" and "confidence in care". Finally, we transformed the raw scores of both factors into two interval scales (two rulers) that met the requirements of the fundamental measurement. The PCPE questionnaire has demonstrated to be a short and easy-to-administer measure, with valid and reliable psychometric properties, capable of assessing pandemic-related anxiety and confidence in care in patients with chronic clinical conditions.

The Trap of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Italian Adolescents Fare Well at First, Maybe Thanks to Protective Trait Expression.

Abundant research indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has been negatively affecting mental health in adolescence. Few works, however, benefit from data from the same sample before and after the onset of the pandemic. The present longitudinal study involved a non-clinical group of 136 Italian adolescents (Mage = 16.3 years ± 1.08, 67% girls) to investigate their psychological response to the first lockdown and explore the role of a protective trait (i.e., Positivity) in moderating the effect of Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) on internalizing symptoms before and during the COVID-19 outbreak. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing psychopathological symptoms, psychological well-being, IU, and Positivity on three separate occasions: October 2019 (T1), January 2020 (T2), and April 2020 (T3). The results showed that internalizing and externalizing symptoms as well as psychological well-being did not vary significantly over time. Positivity was found to significantly moderate the relationship between IU and internalizing symptoms at T3 (i.e., during the COVID-19 lockdown) only. Overall, our findings suggest that the teenagers' good adjustment to the initial phase of the pandemic might have been associated with the enhanced weight of the Positivity trait, which may have encouraged a positive attitude towards self, life, and the future.

Nitrogen Distribution in Annual Growth of 'Italia' Table Grape Vines.

Little information is available about nitrogen (N) content and its concentration in table grape vines. Knowledge of the quantity of N accumulated by the vine organs during the season could support sustainable fertilization programs for table grape vineyards. The aim of the present study was to determine the N content and its concentration in different annual organs, including summer and winter pruning materials, clusters at harvest, and fallen leaves at post-harvest. Specifically, biomass and N were analyzed at six phenological growth stages (flowering, berry-set, berry growth, veraison, ripening, and harvest) from 2012 to 2015. Nitrogen concentration was highest (>40 g/kg d.w.) in the leaves of the secondary shoots at flowering, whereas values >30 g/kg were measured in the leaves of the primary shoots. Nitrogen concentration in the clusters at harvest was 5.3-7.6 g/kg with an accumulation of 18.6-25.4 g/vine in the seasons. The decrease of N content in the primary leaves after flowering indicated a remobilization toward the clusters, which acted as a stronger sink. Later in the season (veraison-ripening), leaves translocated N to permanent organs and primary stems. Pruned wood and fallen leaves accounted for the largest N removal from the vine after clusters, 6.0-7.9 and 9.2-10.2 g/vine, respectively. With regard of the vine annual biomass, the growth followed a sigmoidal model reaching 7300-7500 g of d.w./vine at harvest. Vine leaf area, including both primary and secondary leaves, peaked at veraison (17-21 m2). Vines accumulated ≅35 g/vine of N at harvest, not considering the N removed with the intense summer pruning practices (≅7 g/vine) and the fraction mobilized toward the storage organs (10-15 g/vine). The overall N required by the vine was around 50-55 g/vine, which corresponded to ≅80 kg of N/ha in a vineyard with 1500 vines and a yield of 40 t/ha. Summer and winter pruning practices removed 29-31 g/vine of N which will be partly available (to be considered in the fertilization schedule) for the vine in the successive years if pruned residues were incorporated and mineralized in the soil.

Co-treatment of fruit and vegetable waste in sludge digesters: Chemical and spectroscopic investigation by fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

In a previous work co-digestion of food waste and sewage sludge was performed in a pilot apparatus reproducing operating conditions of an existing full scale digester and processing waste mixed sludge (WMS) and fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) at different organic loading rates. An analysis of the relationship among bio-methane generation, process stability and digestate phytotoxicity was conducted. In this paper we considered humification parameters and spectroscopic analysis. Humification parameters indicated a higher not humified fraction (NH) and a lower degree of humification (DH) of FVW with respect to WMS (NH=19.22 and 5.10%; DH=36.65 and 61.94% for FVW and WMS, respectively) associated with their different chemical compositions and with the stabilization process previously undergone by sludge. FVW additions seemed to be favourable from an agronomical point of view since a lower percentage of organic carbon was lost. Fourier transform infrared spectra suggested consumption of aliphatics associated with rising in bio-methane generation followed by accumulation of aliphatics and carboxylic acids when the biogas production dropped. The trend of peaks ratios can be used as an indicator of the process efficiency. Fluorescence intensity of peak B associated with tryptophan-like substances and peak D associated with humic-like substances observed on tridimensional Excitation Emission Matrix maps increased up to sample corresponding to the highest rate of biogas production. Overall spectroscopic results provided evidence of different chemical pathways of anaerobic digestion associated with increasing amount of FVW which led to different levels of biogas production.

Chemical and spectroscopic characterization of organic matter during the anaerobic digestion and successive composting of pig slurry.

In this work, anaerobic digestion of pig slurry and successive composting of the digestate after centrifugation were studied by means of chemical analysis, FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy as excitation-emission matrix (EEM). Chemical analysis highlighted the organic matter transformation occurring during the processes. A decrease of volatile solids and total organic carbon were observed in the digestate with respect to the fresh pig slurry as a consequence of the consumption of sugars, proteins, amino acids and fatty acids used by microorganisms as a C source. Water Extractable Organic Matter (WEOM) was obtained for all samples and fractionated into a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic fraction. The highest WEOM value was found in the pig slurry indicating a high content of labile organic C. The digestate centrifuged and the digestate composted showed lower hydrophilic and higher hydrophobic contents because of the decrease of labile C. Total phenolic content was lower in the digestate with respect to fresh pig slurry sample (36.7%) as a consequence of phenolic compounds degradation. The strong decrease of total reducing sugars in the digestate (76.6%) as compared to pig slurry confirmed that anaerobic process proceed mainly through consumption of sugars which represent a readily available energy source for microbial activity. FTIR spectra of pig slurry showed bands indicative of proteins and carbohydrates. A drop of aliphatic structures and a decrease of polysaccharides was observed after the anaerobic process along with the increase of the peak in the aromatic region. The composted substrate showed an increase of aromatic and a relative decrease of polysaccharides. EEM spectra provided tryptophan:fulvic-like fluorescence ratios which increased from fresh substrate to digestate because of the OM decompostion. Composted substrate presented the lowest ratio due to the humification process.