Attachment and parental bond: impact on psychopathology, mental health and quality of life of hemodialysis patients: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Attachment theory represents a reference model for understanding better how pre-existing personality factors can influence the coping with some chronic conditions. The onset of a chronic disease can represent a "threat" to the relationships between the subject and parental figures according to the type of bond that already exists. The aim of our study was to explore attachment styles in a sample of hemodialysis patients, hypothesizing that a secure attachment bond can constitute a protective factor for the quality of life and mental health in this type of patients. DESIGN: We used a cross-sectional design. METHODS: Fifty hemodialysis patients were given the following tests: Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) to assess attachment styles, Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) to assess parental bonding, Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36) for perceived quality of life and Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire (MHQ) to detect key psychological symptoms and relevant traits. RESULTS: The results showed that secure attachment style correlated with good general health (r = 0.339; p < 0.05), good mental health (r = 0.547; p < 0.001) and mental component scale (r = 0.373; p < 0.05) of SF-36. Secure attachment was also significantly associated with mental health (B = 1.104; p = .002) of the SF-36. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirmed the positive role of a secure attachment style for adequate psychological health. Early identification of patients with dysfunctional attachment styles will make it possible to offer them targeted interventions to improve their ability to accept, adapt and manage the disease and to maintain adequate psychological well-being.

The Roles of Anxiety and Self-Esteem in the Risk of Eating Disorders and Compulsive Buying Behavior.

In contemporary society, following the sudden changes that occur, different forms of addiction are becoming popular. Of note are the new addictions and concepts of poly-dependencies that involve common behaviors and trap people who suffering from them in a vicious circle. The main goal of this study is to investigate the possible mediating role that self-esteem had between trait anxiety and two specific new addictions: compulsive buying behavior and eating disorders. Furthermore, it was verified through a multigroup analysis that trait anxiety had a greater effect on eating disorders in a group of compulsive consumers. Three-hundred and fifty-two participants (67.9% women) were enrolled to participate in this study. The results showed that there was a direct effect of trait anxiety on eating disorders and on compulsive buying behavior; self-esteem mediated the effect of trait anxiety on eating disorders and compulsive buying behavior with specific differences; multi-group analysis showed differences in anxiety's effect on eating disorders between compulsive and non-compulsive consumers; the group of compulsive consumers revealed a significant and stronger effect of trait anxiety on eating disorders in all domains identified. Further research is recommended to better understand the predictors of these disorders and to contribute to a more effective preventive intervention.

Comparing the Relative Importance of Predictors of Intention to Use Bicycles.

The use of bicycles for active commuting is an important target to reach because of the importance of increasing physical activity among the population and improving the air quality in cities. Among the models that have been utilized in previous studies, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) has shown good results in terms of the total variance obtained. However, establishing the relative importance of the TPB variables is difficult. In the present study, which was carried out in the Italian context, the authors sought to establish the weight of the proposed variables based on the dominance analysis approach. Considering the initiatives, which the Italian government carries out, and the particular period in which the study was developed, the authors included two variables in addition to the classical factors: financial incentives and daily commuting habits. A survey was administered to 294 Italians (222 females and 72 males, from 18 to 77 years old) through social networks from July to September 2020. The results have shown how the main predictor of bicycle use was use habits, followed almost at the same level by financial incentives and attitude, while norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC) present low relative importance among the variables considered. Limits of the study have been discussed, and suggestions for future research have been proposed.

Attitudes towards lockdown, trust in institutions, and civic engagement: A study on Sicilians during the coronavirus lockdown.

Italy was the first European country to be affected by the Covid-19. To limit the contagion, an emergency protocol was triggered on March 10, 2020, which imposed a lockdown for 69 days. Many Italians considered the restrictions imposed by the government excessive and unnecessary. We hypothesized that agreement with government restrictions and compliance with imposed rules was positively correlated with trust in institutions, civic engagement, and the sense of community. To this end, during the lockdown period, we administered an online questionnaire to 189 Sicilians. The results showed that trust in institutional organizations and the attitude component of civic engagement facilitate the approval of limitations imposed during the lockdown period and the acceptance of future restrictions. Unexpectedly, the behavioral component of civic engagement leads to the rejection of restrictions and behaviors that could contain a further spread of the virus. Indeed, participants who declared that they were engaged in beneficial actions for their community disapproved of the measures already adopted and were unwilling to adopt future behaviors to limit the spread of the virus.

Relationships Between Anxiety, Perceived Vulnerability to Disease, and Smartphone Use During Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in a Sample of Italian College Students.

Introduction: As of March 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared a "pandemic" by the WHO. This has led to the need for governments around the world to implement restrictive containment and isolation measures to stem the spread of the virus; these measures have included social distancing, isolation, and quarantine. The fear of contagion has been indicated as one of the causes of stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia in the general population. With respect to the response of young people to the pandemic, the category of University students deserves further attention. The sudden change in "University" habits (i.e., poor interaction with teachers and colleagues, disturbing learning environment, and difficulty in adapting to online learning), the consequent loss of a social network, and the economic problems in their families have seriously affected the psychophysical well-being of University students. The aim of this study was to explore, in a sample of Italian University students, the relationships among anxiety, perceived vulnerability to disease, and smartphone use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A sample of 194 volunteer college students (i.e., 86 males and 108 females) aged between 18 and 30 years (M = 21.74; SD = 2.39) were recruited to participate in this study. Participants were recruited through an online questionnaire sent to students of the University of Catania, Italy, and distributed from September 2020 to January 2021. The volunteer participants were given an online protocol that included the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) for the evaluation of fear, the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease (PVD) for the evaluation of perceived vulnerability to disease, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) for the evaluation of trait and state anxiety, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version for Adolescents and Young Adults (SAS-SV) for the evaluation of use, abuse, or addiction of smartphone use. Results: The fear of COVID-19 did not reach an intensity such as to be defined as serious (i.e., fear score: 15.53) in the whole sample. Both men and women showed a high risk of smartphone addiction (i.e., score of males: 28.33 and score of females: 26.88) in SAS-SV. University students showed moderate trait and state anxiety [i.e., a score of 51.60 in Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI) and a score of 47.21 in State Anxiety Inventory (SAI)] in STAI. In addition, students showed moderate perceived vulnerability to disease (i.e., a score of 51.51) in PVD. The results showed that fear of COVID-19 and trait anxiety appear to be the predictors of SAI and PVD but not the predictors of risk of smartphone addiction (SAS-SV). Conclusions: The data highlighted the presence of a perception of vulnerability to infections in subjects in which there was also a moderate anxiety, both state and trait, associated with the fear of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is hoped that a large part of the population will soon be vaccinated, including University students, and therefore, it would be desirable to carry out further assessments in the post-vaccine phase to highlight any differences in the state of anxiety and the perception of vulnerability to infections. The possible positive role of the use of smartphones in maintaining social contacts should also be emphasized.

Relations Between Mood States and Eating Behavior During COVID-19 Pandemic in a Sample of Italian College Students.

The fear of contagion during the COVID-19 pandemic has been indicated as a relevant cause of psychological pathologies occurring in this period. Food represents a compensating experience, distracting from the experiences of uncertainty, fear and despair, causing alterations in eating habits and behaviors. The study aims at evaluating the relations between fear of a pandemic, mood states and eating disorders in Italian college students, taking into account gender differences. During the lockdown for the pandemic, a sample of 469 college students equally distributed by gender, was recruited online using a questionnaire including the FCV-19S for the assessment of fear of COVID-19, the profile of mood states (POMS) for the evaluation of different emotional states, the eating disorder inventory-2 (EDI-2) and the binge eating scale (BES) to evaluate the presence of the levels of eating disorders. As expected, all emotive states measured by POMS (tension, depression, anger, tiredness, confusion) resulted significantly correlated with the fear of COVID-19. Women were more exposed to fear of COVID-19 showing greater tension, fatigue, depression and confusion, and a significantly higher total mood disturbance score than males. Regarding the EDI-2 and BES variables, tension and anxiety resulted significantly correlated also with bulimic behavior, while depression with interoceptive awareness, impulsivity, and binge eating behaviors, without gender differences. In conclusion, the negative impact of the fear of COVID-19 on the emotional profile and eating behavior suggests the need to implement strategies against psychological distress during the pandemic emergency, and to design psycho-educational interventions aimed at modifying the lifestyle for preventing risks of mental disorders fostering health-oriented behaviors.

Online Videogames Use and Anxiety in Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Videogames use has constantly increased among children and adolescents, with uncertain consequences on their health. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of videogames use and addiction in a sample of Italian children during the COVID-19 pandemic and their association with anxiety symptoms. One hundred and sixty-two children (M/F:78/84; age range: 8-10 years; average age 9.4 ± 0.7 years) completed the Videogame Addiction Scale for Children (VASC), the Test of Anxiety and Depression (TAD) and the Children's Anxiety Meter-State (CAM-S). Demographic variables and data on the access to electronic tools and games preferences were also collected. Overall, 96.3% of the study participants stated to have access to one or more device. They reported a low risk of videogame addiction (VASC score (mean ± SD): 46.7 ± 15.4), a moderate level of trait anxiety (TAD score (mean ± SD): 135 ± 16.8) and a low state anxiety (CAM-S score (mean ± SD): 2.2 ± 2.1). Males reported to spend more time on videogames, to perceive higher self-control and to be more influenced by reinforcement mechanisms; females described higher levels of trait anxiety. In the regression analysis, state anxiety was a predictor of videogame use and addiction (p = 0.01). Further research is needed to confirm these data and to maximize the developmentally positive effects of videogames and preventing the negative consequences.

The role of mood states in cyberbullying and cybervictimization behaviors in adolescents.

Cyberbullying is an intentional aggressive behavior repeatedly perpetrated by a single person or a group against a peer who can not easily defend, characterized by the use of electronic forms of contact. This phenomenon is a public health concern with serious implications for adolescents' mental health. We aimed to investigate the role of gender, age, and subjective self perceived mood states in cyberbullying and victimization (being a victim of cyberbullying) behaviors. A total of 554 adolescents (293 males and 261 females, age 15.27; SD = 2.21) completed the Florence Cyber-Bullying Cyber-Victimization Scales (FCBVSs) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Older age and male gender were associated to both cyberbullying and victimization.The aggressiveness/anger (A) and confusion/bewilderment (C) factors measured by the POMS were predictors of all types of cyberbulliyng and cybervictimization behaviors; the tension/anxiety (T) factor was a predictor of all cyberbullying behaviors and of the FCBVSs impersonification subscale of cybervictimization. Subjective specific mood states may contribute to both cyberbulliyng and victimization behaviors, suggesting the potential benefit of preventive strategies addressing the recognition and management of mood states in adolescents.

Relationship of Internet Gaming Disorder with Psychopathology and Social Adaptation in Italian Young Adults.

Internet addiction is currently considered a worldwide problem, with a possible impact on mental health. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of internet gaming disorder (IGD) among Italian young adults and to explore its association with psychopathological symptoms. Our sample included 566 young adults (324 males/242 females; age: 22.74 ± 4.83 years). Participants were asked to state their favorite games and complete the following questionnaires: the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale Short Form (IGD9-SF); the APA symptom checklist, based on DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for IGD; the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90 R); and the Social Adaptation Self Evaluation Scale (SASS). Use of video games was common among study participants (95% of the sample). Thirty subjects (5.3% of the sample) matched criteria for a clinical diagnosis of IGD. Data showed a positive correlation between higher use of online games and higher levels of depression (r = 0.501), anxiety (r = 0.361) and psychoticism (r = 0.431), and lower family and extra-family relationships (r = -0.383). At linear regression analysis, somatization (p = 0.002), depression (p = 0.001) and sleep disturbances (p = 0.003) were predictors of IGD diagnosis. IGD was significantly associated to mental health distress. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the problematic consequences of online gaming.

Effects of religious orientation and state secularism on pre-implantation genetic diagnosis.

This study aimed to test the associations of religious orientation (extrinsic, intrinsic, and quest) and secularism of state with individuals' attitudes towards the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis of embryos. Moreover, we tested the mediating effects of secularism of state on the relationship between religious orientations and attitudes towards this issue related to embryos. Participants were 312 Catholic Italians that completed a questionnaire containing measures of investigated constructs. Results showed that attitude towards pre-implantation genetic diagnosis negatively correlated with intrinsic religious orientation and positively with extrinsic religious orientation and secularism. Moreover, results indicated that secularism mediated the relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic orientation and attitude towards pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. Taking together these results indicate that real endorsement with religion is associated with the refusal of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis because intrinsic religious orientation is related to the desire for state laws to follow religious principles; on the other hand, the use of religion for utilitarian reasons is associated to the acceptance of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis in order to have a religious state and then maintain Catholics' privileges.

Dataset on the relationship between psychosocial resources of volunteers and their quality of life.

This paper presents data examining the relationship between Professional Quality of Life (Compassion, Satisfaction, and Trauma), Sense of Community (Attachment, Social Bonds, and Satisfaction of Needs), Perceived Self- Efficacy in Voluntary Social and Health Care Organization, Perceived Collective Efficacy in Voluntary Social and Health Care Organization, Religious orientation (Extrinsic, Intrinsic, and Quest), and Perceived Social Support (Family, Friends, and Organization). The sample consists of 105 volunteers, who completed a questionnaire containing measures of construct investigated. Participants are all members of a Catholic organization that offers voluntary help to poor and vulnerable people. This community of volunteers is present throughout Italy with dozens of group homes, reception shelters for homeless people, soup kitchens, rehab centres, and open families hosting children, disabled people and elderly people in foster care. Participants, living in various Italian cities, were contacted by email and asked to complete an online questionnaire individually. All participants were informed that their responses would remain confidential. Sample demographics, descriptive statistics, and correlations among measures were provided.

Dataset on the relations between religious and secular attitudes.

This article presents data that examines the relationship between Religious orientation (Extrinsic, Intrinsic, and Quest), Religious fundamentalism, Secularism of state, Attitudes toward pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, Attitudes toward embryonic stem cells research, Attitudes toward same-sex marriage, Attitude towards adoption by same-sex couples, and Social desirability. The sample consists of 312 Italians, who completed a questionnaire containing measures of investigate construct. Participants were contacted in various places and asked to complete a questionnaire individually. Only participants who said they were Italian and Catholic were included in this dataset. All participants were informed that their responses would remain confidential. Sample demographics, descriptive statistics, and correlations among measures were provided.

Facial Expressions and the Ability to Recognize Emotions from the Eyes or Mouth: A Comparison Between Children and Adults.

The authors sought to contribute to the literature on the ability to recognize anger, happiness, fear, surprise, sadness, disgust, and neutral emotions from facial information. They aimed to investigate if-regardless of age-this pattern changes. More specifically, the present study aimed to compare the difference between the performance of adults and 6- to 7-year-old children in detecting emotions from the whole face and a specific face region, namely the eyes and mouth. The findings seem to indicate that, for both groups, recognizing disgust, happiness, and surprise is facilitated when pictures represent the whole face. However, with regard to a specific region, a prevalence for children was not found between the eyes and mouth. Meanwhile, for adults, would seem to detect a greater role of the eye region. Finally, regarding the differences in the performance of emotions recognition, adults are better only in a few cases, whereas children are better in recognizing anger from the mouth.

Validation of the Italian version of the dissociative experience scale for adolescents and young adults.

BACKGROUND: The Dissociative Experience Scale for adolescent (A-DES), a 30-item, multidimensional, self-administered questionnaire, was validated using a large sample of American young people sample. We reported the linguistic validation process and the metric validity of the Italian version of A-DES in the Italy. METHODS: A set of questionnaires was provided to a total of 633 participants from March 2015 to April 2016. The participants consisted of 282 boys and 351 girls, and their average age was between 18 and 24 years old. The translation process consisted of two consecutive steps: forward-backward translation and acceptability testing. The psychometric testing was applied to Italian students who were recruited from the Italian Public Schools and Universities in Sicily. Informed consent was obtained from all participants at the research. All individuals completed the A-DES. Reliability and validity were tested. RESULTS: The translated version was validated on a total of 633 Italian students. The reliability of A-DES total is .926. It is composed by 4 subscales: Dissociative amnesia, Absorption and imaginative involvement, Depersonalization and derealization, and Passive influence. The reliability of each subscale is: .756 for dissociative amnesia, .659 for absorption and imaginative involvement, .850 for depersonalization and derealization, and .743 for passive influence. CONCLUSIONS: The Italian version of the A-DES constitutes a useful instrument to measure dissociative experience in adolescents and young adults in Italy.

The Role of Secularism of State on the Relationship Between Catholic Identity, Political Orientation, and Gay Rights Issues.

In discussions of regulations governing same-sex marriage and adoption by gays and lesbians, the issue of state secularism is often called into question. This study aims to test the mediating effects of state secularism on the relationship between Catholic identity, political orientation, and gay civil rights. Participants were Catholic Italians who completed a questionnaire measuring the constructs under investigation. Results showed that state secularism mediates the effects of Catholic identity and political orientation on attitudes toward same-sex marriage and adoption by gays and lesbians.

Facial Expressions and Ability to Recognize Emotions From Eyes or Mouth in Children.

This research aims to contribute to the literature on the ability to recognize anger, happiness, fear, surprise, sadness, disgust and neutral emotions from facial information. By investigating children's performance in detecting these emotions from a specific face region, we were interested to know whether children would show differences in recognizing these expressions from the upper or lower face, and if any difference between specific facial regions depended on the emotion in question. For this purpose, a group of 6-7 year-old children was selected. Participants were asked to recognize emotions by using a labeling task with three stimulus types (region of the eyes, of the mouth, and full face). The findings seem to indicate that children correctly recognize basic facial expressions when pictures represent the whole face, except for a neutral expression, which was recognized from the mouth, and sadness, which was recognized from the eyes. Children are also able to identify anger from the eyes as well as from the whole face. With respect to gender differences, there is no female advantage in emotional recognition. The results indicate a significant interaction 'gender x face region' only for anger and neutral emotions.

Effects of basic human values on host community acculturation orientations.

Although literature provides evidence for the relationship between values and acculturation, the relationship between host community acculturation orientations has not yet been investigated. In this study we tested the effects of four high-order values (openness to change, self-transcendence, conservation, and self-enhancement, devised according to Schwartz's model) on host community acculturation orientations towards immigrants (devised according the interactive acculturation model) in the public domain of employment and the private domain of endogamy/exogamy. Participants were 264 Italian University students, who completed a questionnaire containing the Portrait Values Questionnaire, a measure of personal values, and the Host Community Acculturation Scale, aimed at measuring Italian acculturation strategies towards three groups of immigrants: Immigrants (the general category), Chinese (the valued immigrant group), and Albanians (the devalued immigrant group). Results showed that personal values are related to the adoption of acculturation orientations: In particular, the values that mostly impacted on acculturation orientations were self-transcendence and conservation. Values concerning self-transcendence encourage the adoption of integrationism, integrationism-transformation, and individualism and reduce the adoption of assimilationism, segregationism, and exclusionism. Values concerning conservation encourage the adoption of assimilation, segregation and exclusion orientations and reduce the adoption of both types of integrationism and individualism. Minor effects were found regarding self-enhancement and openness to change.

Pronorm and antinorm deviants: a test of the subjective group dynamics model.

The authors replicated the study by D. Abrams, J. M. Marques, N. Bown, and M. Henson (2000, Study 2), performed to test the subjective group dynamics model (J. M. Marques, D. Abrams, D. Paez, & C. Martinez-Taboada, 1998). Participants were students enrolled in the psychology department at an Italian university. The present study considered the relationship between students and professors, and the attitude object was limited enrollment for admission to the department. Participants evaluated either in-group or out-group members. Findings replicated those of Abrams et al., except the in-group pronorm deviant was perceived to be less typical and evaluated less positively than the normative members. This finding suggests that, during an intergroup conflict, perception of the typicality of deviants exaggerating the in-group norms--and thus their evaluations--may increase as long as deviance is not perceived to be too accentuated.