From One's Heart to the Mind of Others: A Study in School-Aged Children.

Studies have shown a significant association between effective parasympathetic modulation of the heart and processes linked to social cognition. Particularly, Quintana and colleagues documented a relation between vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) and performance on a theory of mind (ToM) task, namely, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), in a sample of university students. The purpose of the present study was to test whether such result would extend to a sample of school-aged children (7-9 years old) using the child version of the RMET. In addition, the Eyes Test Revised was administered as it is more suitable to evaluate ToM during childhood. Results supported the positive association between vmHRV and ToM abilities, replicating and extending previous results obtained in young adults. The current study adds to the existing literature pointing to HRV as a putative biomarker of social cognition abilities.

Social Anxiety and Drunkorexia Behaviors among Adolescents and Young Adults: The Moderating Role of Resilience.

Background: Existing evidence showed that social anxiety represents a significant factor in eating disorders. However, to our knowledge, no prior study has examined the association between social anxiety and drunkorexia behaviors. Objectives: The present study aimed at exploring the relationship between social anxiety and drunkorexia behaviors, and investigating resilience as a moderator of this relationship. Participants were 333 adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years (Mage=18.26, SDage= 1.55; 66% females) who completed an online survey. Results: The results indicated that drunkorexia behaviors were positively correlated to three dimensions of social anxiety; however, only fear of negative evaluation had a significant predictive effect. In addition, resilience only moderated the relationship between fear of negative evaluation and drunkorexia behaviors, such that youths reporting high fear of negative evaluation and low resilience showed greater drunkorexia behaviors, whereas youths reporting high resilience showed no correlation between fear of negative evaluation and drunkorexia behaviors. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of drunkorexia interventions and preventive measures aimed at strengthening youths' resilience and ability to effectively manage stress and social anxiety (i.e., fear of negative evaluation).

Body image impact on quality of life and adolescents' binge eating: the indirect role of body image coping strategies.

PURPOSE: The role of body image in adolescent binge eating is widely confirmed, albeit the various facets of this relationship are still mostly unexplored. Within the multidimensional body image framework, this study hypothesized the indirect effects of three body image coping strategies (positive rational acceptance, appearance fixing, avoidance) in the expected relationship between the perceived impact of body image on individuals' quality of life and binge eating symptoms. METHODS: Participants were 715 adolescents aged 15-21 years (49.1% girls) recruited in Italian schools. An anonymous self-report online survey was administered. A multiple mediation model was tested. RESULTS: A more positive perceived impact of body image on quality of life was a negative predictor of adolescents' binge eating, controlling for individual levels of body satisfaction. Three indirect effects were found in this relationship: on one hand, the positive body image impact reduced binge eating via increasing positive rational acceptance (M1), and via reducing avoidance (M2); on the contrary, the positive body image impact also enhanced binge eating via increasing appearance fixing (M3). CONCLUSIONS: The body image impact on quality of life can be alternatively protective-when adaptive coping is solicited, and maladaptive strategies are reduced-or a risk factor, which may increase binge eating by soliciting appearance fixing. LEVEL III: Evidence obtained from cohort or case-control analytic studies.

Problematic alcohol use in young adults during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy.

This study investigated the individual and contextual correlates of problematic alcohol use among young adults during COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. Participants were 1533 young adults aged 18 to 26 (Mage = 23.12, SDage = 2.11; 73.2% women), who completed an online survey during national lockdown. Inclusion criteria for this study were the age-range (18-26 y. o.), and living in Italy during COVID-19 lockdown. Participants with low or very low socioeconomic levels (vs. higher levels) were more at risk for problematic alcohol use, as well as participants who lived alone or with roommates/friends during lockdown. Conversely, participants who spent the lockdown with their family or partner were less at risk for problematic alcohol use. Finally, participants who had their job suspended due to pandemic (vs. other job conditions) were more at risk for problematic alcohol use during lockdown. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.

Food and alcohol disturbance among young adults during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy: risk and protective factors.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 lockdown measures have had a significant impact on risk behaviors as alcohol use and disordered eating. However, little is known about a serious health-risk-behavior named "food and alcohol disturbance" (FAD), characterized by engaging in dysfunctional eating on days of planned alcohol consumption. The aim of the present study was to investigate potential factors that may have put young adults at risk or protected against FAD during the COVID-19 lockdown. METHODS: A sample of 447 young adults (280 females, 167 males; range 18-26) completed an online survey during the country's nationwide lockdown composed of self-reported measures assessing FAD behaviors, alcohol consumption, compensatory behaviors, eating and weight concerns, social support, emotion regulation strategies, and living arrangement. RESULTS: Our findings showed that FAD was significantly and positively correlated to alcohol consumption, use of laxatives, self-induced vomiting, eating and weight concerns, and expressive suppression, and negatively correlated to social support and living with family. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that alcohol consumption, eating concern, and expression suppression positively predicted FAD, while social support and living with family were negative predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that during the COVID-19 lockdown, preoccupation with eating and the use of expressive suppression may have increased vulnerability to FAD; conversely, perceived social support and living with family may have been a source of protection against this dysfunctional behavior. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, descriptive study.

Binge eating and binge drinking behaviors: the role of family functioning.

Binge eating and binge drinking are two of the most common health-risk behaviors among young people showing to frequently co-occur in nonclinical samples of adolescent boys and girls. The present study examined the role of different dimensions of family functioning in binge behaviors among adolescents. One thousand and twenty young to late adolescents (507 girls and 517 boys) with ages ranging from 16 to 22 years participated in the study and completed a survey of self-report measures. Our findings showed that adolescents who binge eat and drink and adolescents who only binge eat perceived a lower quality of family functioning with lower levels of cohesion, flexibility, communication, satisfaction and higher degree of disengagement compared to adolescents who do not binge and adolescents who only binge drink. Only adolescents who engage in both binge behaviors reported higher levels of chaotic style compared to other binge groups. Furthermore, living in families poorly flexible, highly disengaged and with communication problems among members resulted as risk factors for binge eating behavior. Results suggest the importance for prevention programs to be based on an integrated approach focused on improving family environment such as the ability in changing family structure to deal effectively with developmental problems and defining clear home rules adolescents may stand on.

Exploring the association between psychological distress and drunkorexia behaviors in non-clinical adolescents: the moderating role of emotional dysregulation.

PURPOSE: Although drunkorexia seems to represent a new form of eating disorder, it shares several features with traditional eating disorders. However, very little is known about the association between drunkorexia and a widely studied correlate of eating disorders, such as psychological distress and about mechanisms underlying this association. The present study aimed to investigate the relation between symptoms of anxiety and depression and drunkorexia, and to explore the role of emotional dysregulation as moderator of this relationship. METHODS: The sample was composed of 402 adolescents (222 females, 180 males; range 15-21) who completed self-reported measures: Drunkorexia Motives and Behaviors Scale, which assesses different behaviors and motivations associated with drunkorexia, Emotional dysregulation scale from the Eating Disorder Inventory-3, reflecting difficulties regulating emotions, and Anxiety and Depression scales from the Symptom CheckList-90 Revised, assessing general signs of anxious and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Anxious symptomatology resulted a significant statistical predictor of drunkorexia behaviors (ß = .28, p = .001). Furthermore, emotional dysregulation moderated the relation between anxiety and drunkorexia; specifically, a positive relation was found both at medium levels (ß = .22, p = .007) and at higher levels of emotional dysregulation (ß = .38, p = .000), whereas at lower levels of emotional dysregulation, this association became nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that adolescents who experience both elevated anxiety and emotional dysregulation may be more likely to turn to drunkorexia to reduce their unregulated negative affect in the absence of more adaptive emotion regulation strategies. Implications for intervention and prevention programs are discussed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, descriptive study.

Psychological characteristics and eating attitudes in adolescents with drunkorexia behavior: an exploratory study.

PURPOSE: Drunkorexia represents an emerging phenomenon that is still understudied especially among adolescents. The present study aimed to investigate the relation between drunkorexia and psychological characteristics relevant and commonly associated with existing forms of eating disorders. METHODS: The sample was composed of 849 adolescents (513 boys, 334 girls, 2 unknown; range 14-22) who completed a survey composed of Compensatory Eating and Behaviors in Response to Alcohol Consumption Scale and Psychological scales of the Eating Disorders Inventory-3. RESULTS: Our findings highlighted that drunkorexia was associated with low self-esteem, personal alienation, interoceptive deficits, emotional dysregulation, and asceticism. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that difficulties with emotion regulation and ascetic tendencies were significant predictors of drunkorexia among adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the importance for programs preventing drunkorexia to be focused on training adolescents in using more adaptive strategies to manage emotions and accepting both emotional and physical signals without feeling guilty or threatened. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, descriptive study.

Autonomic response to the Adult Attachment Projective in anorexia nervosa.

PURPOSE: Cardiovascular complications associated with anorexia nervosa (AN) are well recognized. Whether a wide array of studies has investigated autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning at rest in people with AN, few is yet known on their reactivity ability during stress conditions. The aim of the current study is testing ANS reactivity to a stressful task activating attachment system among adolescents with AN. METHODS: Heart rate (HR) and its variability, as derived by high-frequency-heart rate variability (HF-HRV), were continuously assessed while 13 AN patients and 12 healthy controls (HCs) responded to a set of attachment-related drawings (Adult Attachment Projective, AAP). RESULTS: Findings showed that patients with AN displayed a stronger parasympathetic activity, as indicated by generally a lower heart rate (HR) during the entire task and a higher HF-HRV for drawings eliciting dyadic interactions compared to HCs. CONCLUSION: The study findings suggest a novel understanding of cardiovascular functioning in AN. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, descriptive study.

Metacognition, emotional functioning and binge eating in adolescence: the moderation role of need to control thoughts.

PURPOSE: Binge eating is predicted by emotion dysregulation and poor emotional awareness. Dysfunctional metacognition is also implied in several eating disorders, but research has not yet investigated the interactions among emotional and metacognitive processes involved in binge eating. The present study investigated the relation between metacognition and binge eating in a sample of adolescents, testing the interaction effect between the need to control thoughts and the lack of emotional awareness on binge eating. METHODS: Participants were 804 adolescents (age range 15-20; 49.7% female), who completed self-report instruments assessing binge eating, emotion regulation, and metacognition. RESULTS: Binge eating was predicted by gender, BMI, emotion dysregulation, lack of emotional awareness, and dysfunctional metacognition dimensions (cognitive confidence and need to control thoughts). An important moderating effect was found, whereby the relationship between binge eating and lack of emotional awareness was only significant for individuals with a high need to control thoughts. CONCLUSIONS: Results described emotional and metacognitive functioning in binge eating adolescents, suggesting that the need to control thoughts is a risk factor, whereas good metacognitive competencies are protective from binge eating, even in presence of poor emotional awareness. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

Hemodynamic Profiles of Functional and Dysfunctional Forms of Repetitive Thinking.

BACKGROUND: The ability of the human brain to escape the here and now (mind wandering) can take functional (problem solving) and dysfunctional (perseverative cognition) routes. Although it has been proposed that only the latter may act as a mediator of the relationship between stress and cardiovascular disease, both functional and dysfunctional forms of repetitive thinking have been associated with blood pressure (BP) reactivity of the same magnitude. However, a similar BP reactivity may be caused by different physiological determinants, which may differ in their risk for cardiovascular pathology. PURPOSE: To examine the way (hemodynamic profile) and the extent (compensation deficit) to which total peripheral resistance and cardiac output compensate for each other in determining BP reactivity during functional and dysfunctional types of repetitive thinking. METHODS: Fifty-six healthy participants randomly underwent a perseverative cognition, a mind wandering, and a problem solving induction, each followed by a 5-min recovery period while their cardiovascular parameters were continuously monitored. RESULTS: Perseverative cognition and problem solving (but not mind wandering) elicited BP increases of similar magnitude. However, perseverative cognition was characterized by a more vascular (versus myocardial) profile compared to mind wandering and problem solving. As a consequence, BP recovery was impaired after perseverative cognition compared to the other two conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Given that high vascular resistance and delayed recovery are the hallmarks of hypertension the results suggest a potential mechanism through which perseverative cognition may act as a mediator in the relationship between stress and risk for developing precursors to cardiovascular disease.

Persuasion in school-aged children: How does it change if the persuadee is the mother or the peer?

The present study was designed to verify how school-aged children's persuasive tactics changed if the persuadee was the mother or the peer. One hundred and forty-nine children at two grade levels (4th and 5th) were enrolled in the study. Persuasive strategies were investigated using pictures representing two common situations in which each child had to convince his/her playmate and his/her mother to obtain a toy. As predicted, with mothers children engaged more frequently in strategies aimed at encouraging cognitive reappraisal of the situation and offering guarantees. Conversely, with the peers, children adopted a greater variety of persuasive strategies, engaging in lower-order tactics. Implications and limitations of the study were discussed.

Is cyberbullying related to trait or state anger?

Anger is a powerful emotion shared by victims and bullies in both physical and electronic forms of bullying. However, little is known about the specific roles of trait anger and state anger in involvement in bullying episodes. The purpose of this study was to verify which component of anger, trait or state, is more strongly related to physical and cyberbullying and victimization. Students between the ages 11-19 (N = 716, 392 female, 324 male) completed the state trait anger expression inventory-2 child and adolescent and a measure of victimization and bullying. Results for cyberbullying suggested a major vulnerability among bullies and victims to experience anger as a personality trait as well some links between state anger, cyberbullying and cybervictimization. Moreover, the outward, explosive expression of anger appears to be common among cyber and physical bullies. Implications for intervention programs are discussed.

Aggressive and Withdrawn Behaviour at School through the Lens of Teachers and Peers: A Qualitative Study.

We explored teachers' understanding of children with aggressive or socially withdrawn behaviour in their classes and we associated our findings with a status of rejected, neglected, or popular, as provided by peer nominations. Five kindergarten and elementary school teachers scored their 143 pupils with the Child Behaviour Checklist for Withdrawal and Aggression. Subsequently, only those children whose scores were 1 standard deviation above the mean for withdrawal or for aggression were included in the final sample (n = 46; Mage = 6.5 years, SD = 1.7; age range = 4-9 years). The final sample included 31 children (21.67%; females = 16) who were assessed as displaying withdrawn behaviour, and 15 (10.48%; females = 5) displaying aggressive behaviour. An open-ended semi-structured interview was administered to teachers, who described children with socially withdrawn behaviour as introverted and untalkative, children with aggressive behaviour as hostile, rule-breaking and highly active, and children with socially withdrawn or aggressive behaviour as isolated, even though different reasons were provided. The results of the sociometric status in children with socially withdrawn or aggressive behaviour are discussed.

Exploring the relationship between identity status development and alcohol consumption among Italian adolescents.

The main aim of this study was to explore the relationship between identity statuses and alcohol use and misuse in adolescence. A sample of 440 Italian students completed the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status-Version 2 (EOM-EIS-II) and the Alcohol Addiction Scale of the Shorter Promise Questionnaire (SPQ-ALC). The results suggested that problematic alcohol use during early and middle adolescence is associated with developmentally less sophisticated identity development. Foreclosed and diffused adolescents were classified as binge drinkers and heavy drinkers. The latter reported a higher mean dependence score than other identity groups. The risk and mediating factors about alcohol misuse and dependence are provided.

Individualism-Collectivism and COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors in Young Adults: The Indirect Effects of Psychological Distress and Pandemic Fears.

Stemming on the theoretical framework of individualism-collectivism, this study aims to interpret COVID-19 prevention behaviors in young adults in the light of cultural orientations, hypothesizing the mediating role of two pandemic affects (i.e., fear for COVID-19 consequences and psychological distress during pandemic). Participants were 296 young adults living in Italy (Mage = 23.96, SDage = 3.04; 79.7% women), who completed an online anonymous survey. Data were gathered from December 2020 to May 2021. A path analysis model explored direct and indirect relationships among study variables. Psychological distress significantly reduced the compliance with prevention measures, whereas pandemic fears increased it. The collectivistic orientations (Vertical Collectivism and Horizontal Collectivism) positively predicted prevention behaviors via increasing pandemic fears. The egalitarian dimensions (Horizontal Individualism and Horizontal Collectivism) were positive predictors of compliance via reducing psychological distress during pandemic. Finally, Vertical Individualism was a risk factor that negatively predicted prevention behaviors both directly and indirectly, via increasing psychological distress. The results provide new insights into the emotional mechanisms that link individualism and collectivism orientations to COVID-19 prevention behaviors, with interesting implications for public health policies, prevention, and future research.

Love in Quarantine: Sexting, Stress, and Coping During the COVID-19 Lockdown.

Introduction: This study investigated the relationships of pandemic-related stress and coping strategies with different kinds of sexting (i.e., experimental, risky, and emotional) during the COVID-19 lockdown in the Italian context. Methods: A sample of 1929 emerging adults (Mage = 24.17, SDage = 2.75; 71.6% girls) completed an online survey about their sexting behaviors during the national lockdown in Italy. Data were gathered in April/May 2020, from 6th to 11th week of home confinement due to COVID-19 pandemic. Hierarchical regression and mediation analyses were performed. Results: Pandemic-related stress directly predicted only risky and emotional sexting. Experimental and emotional sexting were positively predicted by social support, and negatively predicted by turning to religion. Risky and emotional sexting were positively predicted by avoidance, and negatively predicted by problem solving. Adaptive coping (i.e., social support) mediated the relationships from pandemic-related stress to both experimental and emotional sexting. Maladaptive coping (i.e., avoidance and problem solving) mediated the relationships from pandemic related-stress to risky and emotional sexting. Conclusions: Sexting was a coping tool during COVID-19 lockdown, showing both adaptive and maladaptive facets. Policy Implications: Findings suggest new directions for implementing programs of sexual education and safer Internet use targeted to young people.

Re-enactment of intended acts from a video presentation by 18- and 24-month-old children.

We used the Re-enactment of intention paradigm to investigate whether children would re-enact what an adult intended to do in a video presentation as they do when presented with a live demonstration (Meltzoff in Dev Psychol 31(5):838-850, 1995). Unlike the 18-month-old infants studied by Meltzoff (Dev Psychol 31(5):838-850, 1995), the 18- and 24-month-olds in the current study did not frequently imitate unsuccessful goal-directed actions presented in a video model. Children who performed better in the task also tended to share more of their attention with the experimenter during co-viewing of the video. Performance on the Re-enactment of intention task was positively related to categorization score, an independent measure of cognitive functioning.

The Floor Effect on the ABAS-II in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The present study aimed at enhancing the assessment of adaptive behavior in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder trough the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-Second Edition. To overcome the limits underpinning floor effect, which are commonly observed with the traditional methods, the statistical Hessl method and its revision by Orsini, Pezzuti and Hulbert was adopted. The results showed a more variation using the former method compared to the latter: a greater impairment in Social versus Leisure skills emerged. Regarding the Conceptual domain, a greater deficit in Functional Academics was observed. In the Practical domain, we found a greater impairment in Self-Care skills. Conversely, Home Living skills appeared as a strength compared to other skills. The results are discussed in reference to literature.

A model to understand COVID-19 preventive behaviors in young adults: Health locus of control and pandemic-related fear.

This study investigated COVID-19 preventive behaviors in young adults, exploring the predictive roles of health locus of control and pandemic fear. A sample of 188 Italian young adults (Mage = 22.76, SDage = 1.95; 85% girls) completed an anonymous online survey assessing preventive behaviors, health locus of control styles (i.e. internal, chance, powerful others), and two dimensions of pandemic fear. Fear for COVID-19 consequences-but not general fear for contagion-significantly predicted prevention behaviors, and it also moderated the relationships between each health locus of control style and preventive behaviors. Our findings have relevant implications for research and social policies.