Investigating the Buffering Effects of Greenery on the Adverse Emotional, Mental and Behavioral Health during the Pandemic Period.

In light of the adverse emotional, mental and behavioral outcomes caused by the pandemic period, this research analyzed the associations between emotional distress and poor health outcomes and the buffering effects of greenery on these outcomes. An online cross-sectional survey between June-November 2021 was distributed among 1314 young Italian adults. Bivariate associations and multivariate regression analyses were applied to the data. Findings showed that emotional distress was positively related to poor mental health outcomes and to some of the unhealthy behaviors. In addition, green pathways differently impacted on health: the indoor features confirmed buffering effects on adverse emotional and mental health responses, whereas the outdoor features played no salutogenic role. In conclusion, whereas the outbreak period of the pandemic has led to the rediscovering/reinforcement of the attachment to nature to cope with negative affective states, the successive waves characterized by selected limitations and new living rules of social adaptation may have brought about a reduced affinity toward nature. Target interventions in terms of biophilic design for indoor environmental sustainability are needed in order to increase the innate human-nature connection and thus to promote public health.

Associations between Personality Traits and Basal Cortisol Responses in Sailing Athletes.

There is a paucity of literature regarding the psycho-physiological profiles of sailors on board. This study aimed at providing empirical evidence on the individual differences between bowmen and helmsmen taking into account a biopsychological perspective. To this purpose, sailors' profiles were examined by focusing on the association between personality traits and basal cortisol. The sample was composed of 104 athletes (Mage = 21.32, SD = 0.098; F = 35%), who fulfilled a self-reported questionnaire including a socio-demographic section and the Big Five questionnaire. Cortisol samples were collected on the day before the competition, within 30 min after awakening. T-test analysis showed significant differences on cortisol levels: bowmen obtained higher levels on cortisol responses compared to helmsmen. No differences emerged on personality traits between athletes' roles. Bivariate associations showed positive associations of cortisol responses with extraversion and conscientiousness in bowmen, whereas no significant associations of cortisol with personality traits were found in helmsmen. Regression analyses confirmed that sex and extraversion predicted higher level of cortisol responses. Results were discussed in terms of a bio-psychosocial theoretical approach and provided findings on the relationships between personality trait and the hypothalamus-pituitary adrenal (HPA) system in dinghy sailors. Suggestions for a more suitable selection of sailor roles were given to coaches in order to improve athletes' performance.

Social comparison orientation and fear of missing out as mediators between self-concept clarity and problematic smartphone use.

The present study sought to provide empirical evidence for the sequential mediating role of social comparison orientation and fear of missing out (FoMO) in the relationship between self-concept clarity (SCC) and problematic smartphone use (PSU) within the framework of the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model. A sample of 474 Italian participants (Mage = 29.48; 52.7% females) completed a battery of self-report instruments including the Self-Concept Clarity Scale, the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation, the Fear of Missing Out Scale, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and structural equation modelling analyses were conducted. Results confirmed the hypothesized relationships and indicated that SCC was negatively associated with PSU use and that this association was partially and sequentially mediated by social comparison orientation and FoMO. Both mediators could therefore be considered as proximal factors of PSU. Implications and further research suggestions are provided.

Measuring and Assessing Fluctuating and Authentic-Durable Happiness in Italian Samples.

On the basis of the self-centeredness and selflessness model, a new instrument assessing two distinct dimensions of happiness, fluctuating and authentic-durable, was developed. The current research aimed at examining the factor structure of the Italian version of the instrument, its psychometric properties and construct validity. To this end, two studies were carried out. Study 1 (N = 544) examined different measurement models, from unidimensional to multidimensional, from a fully symmetrical bifactor solution to a bifactor (S-1) solution. Findings indicated better and adequate fit indices for the last model. Using various samples (n = 1274) Study 2 confirmed the bifactor (S-1) structure and analysed psychometric properties, convergent and divergent validity and temporal stability of the instrument. Findings generally gave evidence of the multidimensional conceptualization of the construct, good levels of reliability values and adequate convergent validity of both scales. Discriminant validity showed mixed results from no association of age with authentic-durable happiness to weak and negative association with fluctuating happiness. Test-retest reliability displayed an adequate value of correlation coefficient for the two set scores of the authentic dimension and a value below the recommended cut-off criteria for the fluctuating dimension, where significant differences in the mean scores emerged. Future studies should aim to replicate the results of this research and attempt to overcome its limitations.

Examining Procrastination among University Students through the Lens of the Self-Regulated Learning Model.

Generally considered as a prevalent occurrence in academic settings, procrastination was analyzed in association with constructs such as self-efficacy, self-esteem, anxiety, stress, and fear of failure. This study investigated the role played by self-regulated learning strategies in predicting procrastination among university students. To this purpose, the relationships of procrastination with cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies and time management were explored in the entire sample, as well as in male and female groups. Gender differences were taken into account due to the mixed results that emerged in previous studies. This cross-sectional study involved 450 university students (M = 230; F = 220; Mage = 21.08, DS = 3.25) who completed a self-reported questionnaire including a sociodemographic section, the Tuckman Procrastination Scale, the Time Management Scale, and the Metacognitive Self-Regulation and Critical Thinking Scales. Descriptive and inferential analyses were applied to the data. The main findings indicated that temporal and metacognitive components play an important role in students' academic achievement and that, compared to females, males procrastinate more due to poor time management skills and metacognitive strategies. Practical implications were suggested to help students to overcome their dilatory behavior.

Selfitis Behavior: Assessing the Italian Version of the Selfitis Behavior Scale and Its Mediating Role in the Relationship of Dark Traits with Social Media Addiction.

Research on selfie-related behavior has recently flourished. The present study expands theoretical and empirical work on phenomenon by assessing the psychometric properties of the Selfitis Behavior Scale among an Italian sample and by examining its unexplored mediating role in the relationships between dark triad traits and social media addiction. A total of 490 participants (53.1% females) completed a self-report survey including socio-demographics, the Selfitis Behavior Scale (SBS), the Short Dark Triad Scale (SD3), and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS). Results showed the SBS had a five-factor structure with good psychometrics properties in terms of reliability coefficients and measurement invariance across gender. In addition, findings from the path model supported the mediating role of selfitis behavior in the relationships of narcissism and psychopathy with social media addiction. Machiavellianism was found to be unrelated to selfitis behavior and social media addiction. The model shed light into the previous inconsistent findings on the associations between dark triad traits and social media addiction by taking into account the key role of selfitis behavior as an underlying mechanism. The findings may explain individual differences in personality traits associated with co-dependence (i.e., the combination of the dependence on self and others and social media addiction).

The Psycho-Physiological Profile of Adolescent Elite Sailors: Testing a Three-Way Moderation Model.

The present study aimed at extending the work on individual differences, in the relationship between personality traits and the cortisol response, by examining the interaction effects of sex and the role category of Italian adolescent elite dinghy sailors. Seventy athletes completed a self-reported questionnaire including socio-demographic data, information about the role played on board (helmsmen or bowmen) and the Big Five Questionnaire-2. Salivary cortisol samples were collected at 30 min after awakening the day before competitions. Main findings from bivariate correlations showed positive associations among cortisol levels, extraversion and consciousness in both male and female bowmen groups. The moderation and moderated moderation analyses further indicated (1) a three-way interaction effect in the relationship between extraversion and salivary cortisol, (2) a marginal significant three-way interaction effect in the relationship between neuroticism and salivary cortisol, and (3) no other personality dimensions were significantly predictive of the outcome variable. Our results provided evidence not only about sex differences, but also about the role played on board by the sailors in the linkages between personality traits and the biomarker of the trait component of HPA axis functioning.

Orientations to Happiness between the Dark Triad Traits and Subjective Well-Being.

Previous research investigated the linkage between the Dark Triad traits and subjective well-being, but the factors explaining individual differences in terms of cognitive strategies for achieving happiness remained poorly understood. This study (N = 460) examined the indirect effects of orientations to happiness in the link between dark personality traits and subjective well-being in terms of life satisfaction and positive emotion. Participants completed a questionnaire comprising the Dark Triad Questionnaire, the Orientations to Happiness scale, the Satisfaction with Life scale, and the PANAS. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and partial correlations, and structural equation model were applied to the data. Zero-order and partial correlations showed no significant associations of Machiavellianism and psychopathy with subjective well-being measures, and positive associations of narcissism with the three orientations to happiness and the two dimensions of subjective well-being. Indirect effects indicated that the bright side of narcissism sought the pursuit of the emotional component of SWB by adopting engaging activities. Further studies should replicate our findings.

A latent profile approach for the study of internet gaming disorder, social media addiction, and psychopathology in a normative sample of adolescents.

BACKGROUND: For a small minority of individuals, the overuse of digital technologies has been associated with negative factors, including psychological distress and psychopathological symptoms. Two technology-based addictions - internet gaming disorder (IGD) and social media addiction (SMA) - have been found to be related to comorbid disorders and impulsivity especially in adolescents and emerging adults' populations, but results in this field are inconclusive. PURPOSE: Using the latent profile analysis (LPA), this study identified different profiles of adolescents characterized by unique patterns of psychopathological risks, and similar levels of impulsivity, IGD, and SMA. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A total of 643 participants (312 males; Mage =16.02 years) were divided into three age groups (early, mid-, and late adolescence). They completed a battery of scales comprising: Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale for Adolescents, and Symptom Checklist-90-R. RESULTS: LPAs revealed distinct profiles across early, mid- and late adolescence with regards to the psychopathological variables taken into account. Specifically, only two profiles were identified in the 14-15 year age group, whereas three profiles emerged in the 16-17 year age group. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted that the profiles identified in each age group differed in terms of psychopathological risk (low, medium and high), showing instead similar (and non-clinical) scores in technology-based addictions and impulsivity. Results could be useful in designing prevention and intervention programs in youth showing similar patterns for technology-based addictions, but different levels of psychopathological symptoms.

The Use of Digital Technologies, Impulsivity and Psychopathological Symptoms in Adolescence.

Background and aims: Past research on the associations between psychopathological symptoms and technological-based addictions, i.e., Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and Social Media Addiction (SMA), showed contradictory results in adolescents and adult populations. The present study investigated correlations between adolescents' psychopathological risks and impulsivity, IGD and SMA. Methods: A sample of 656 participants (338 males; Mage = 16.32 years) was divided into three age groups (early, mid-, and late adolescence) and completed a battery of scales comprising the (i) Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form, (ii) Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, (iii) Barratt Impulsiveness Scale for Adolescents, and (iv) Symptom Checklist-90-R. Results: The significance of the correlations was not corroborated in the basic tables. Significant associations appeared only in the adolescent subgroups, sometimes for bivariate and sometimes for partial correlations and with different patterns of associations between males and females. Moreover, both technological addictions were correlated with impulsiveness in bivariate and partial correlations. Discussion and conclusions: Following a developmentally-oriented approach to determine the patterns of associations between technological behavioral addictions and psychopathology in the specific sub-phases of early-, mid- and late-adolescence, this exploratory research showed how these associations might change depending on the developmental phase and gender of the individual. Future research is needed to provide empirical evidence of specific emotional-psychopathological correlations.

Assessment of the Italian Version of the Internet Disorder Scale (IDS-15).

Much research has focused on the validation of psychometric tools assessing Internet addiction. One of the newest measures is the Internet Disorder Scale (IDS-15) based on the modified IGD criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This study aimed at investigating the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the IDS-15 by examining the construct and the concurrent and the criterion-related validity and by identifying the taxonomy and the patterns of Internet users. A sample of 471 participants (Mage = 24.72 years, SD = 8.66; 256 males) was recruited from secondary schools, universities, and gaming halls. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the four-dimensional second-order structure and the three levels of the measurement invariance across gender. The reliability and the validity of the scale were confirmed, and the LPAs provided four classes of Internet users on the basis of the scores obtained in all four dimensions of the scale. The psychometric robustness of the Italian version of the IDS-15 was clearly demonstrated. Cross-cultural research should expand and generalize the present findings.

Exploring Individual Differences in Online Addictions: the Role of Identity and Attachment.

Research examining the development of online addictions has grown greatly over the last decade with many studies suggesting both risk factors and protective factors. In an attempt to integrate the theories of attachment and identity formation, the present study investigated the extent to which identity styles and attachment orientations account for three types of online addiction (i.e., internet addiction, online gaming addiction, and social media addiction). The sample comprised 712 Italian students (381 males and 331 females) recruited from schools and universities who completed an offline self-report questionnaire. The findings showed that addictions to the internet, online gaming, and social media were interrelated and were predicted by common underlying risk and protective factors. Among identity styles, 'informational' and 'diffuse-avoidant' styles were risk factors, whereas 'normative' style was a protective factor. Among attachment dimensions, the 'secure' attachment orientation negatively predicted the three online addictions, and a different pattern of causal relationships were observed between the styles underlying 'anxious' and 'avoidant' attachment orientations. Hierarchical multiple regressions demonstrated that identity styles explained between 21.2 and 30% of the variance in online addictions, whereas attachment styles incrementally explained between 9.2 and 14% of the variance in the scores on the three addiction scales. These findings highlight the important role played by identity formation in the development of online addictions.

Decisional Procrastination in Academic Settings: The Role of Metacognitions and Learning Strategies.

Nowadays, university students suffer from a broad range of problems, such as educational underachievement or the inability to control themselves, that lead to procrastination as a consequence. The present research aimed at analyzing the determinants of decisional procrastination among undergraduate students and at assessing a path model in which self regulated learning strategies mediated the relationship between metacognitive beliefs about procrastination and decisional procrastination. 273 students from Southern Italy filled out a questionnaire composed by: the socio-demographic section, the Metacognitive Beliefs About Procrastination Questionnaire, the procrastination subscale of the Melbourne Decision Making Questionnaire, and the Anxiety, the Time Management, and the Information Processing subscales of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory. Results showed that the relationship between negative and positive metacognitive beliefs about procrastination and decisional procrastination was mediated only by time management and anxiety. Such findings underlined the crucial role played by learning strategies in predicting the tendency to delay decisional situations and in mediating the relationship between metacognitive beliefs about procrastination and decisional procrastination.

Social networking addiction, attachment style, and validation of the Italian version of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale.

Aim Research into social networking addiction has greatly increased over the last decade. However, the number of validated instruments assessing addiction to social networking sites (SNSs) remains few, and none have been validated in the Italian language. Consequently, this study tested the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), as well as providing empirical data concerning the relationship between attachment styles and SNS addiction. Methods A total of 769 participants were recruited to this study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multigroup analyses were applied to assess construct validity of the Italian version of the BSMAS. Reliability analyses comprised the average variance extracted, the standard error of measurement, and the factor determinacy coefficient. Results Indices obtained from the CFA showed the Italian version of the BSMAS to have an excellent fit of the model to the data, thus confirming the single-factor structure of the instrument. Measurement invariance was established at configural, metric, and strict invariances across age groups, and at configural and metric levels across gender groups. Internal consistency was supported by several indicators. In addition, the theoretical associations between SNS addiction and attachment styles were generally supported. Conclusion This study provides evidence that the Italian version of the BSMAS is a psychometrically robust tool that can be used in future Italian research into social networking addiction.

Validation of the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale - Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) in an Italian-speaking sample.

Background and aims The inclusion of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in Section III of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has increased the interest of researchers in the development of new standardized psychometric tools for the assessment of such a disorder. To date, the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale - Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) has only been validated in English, Portuguese, and Slovenian languages. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to examine the psychometric properties of the IGDS9-SF in an Italian-speaking sample. Methods A total of 757 participants were recruited to the present study. Confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group analyses were applied to assess the construct validity. Reliability analyses comprised the average variance extracted, the standard error of measurement, and the factor determinacy coefficient. Convergent and criterion validities were established through the associations with other related constructs. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine an empirical cut-off point. Results Findings confirmed the single-factor structure of the instrument, its measurement invariance at the configural level, and the convergent and criterion validities. Satisfactory levels of reliability and a cut-off point of 21 were obtained. Discussion and conclusions The present study provides validity evidence for the use of the Italian version of the IGDS9-SF and may foster research into gaming addiction in the Italian context.

The Revised Identity Style Inventory: Factor Structure and Validity in Italian Speaking Students.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure and convergent and discriminant validity of scores on an Italian translation of the Revised Identity Style Inventory (ISI-5) with samples of 237 adolescents (50 males, M age = 18.04, SD = .86) and 268 university students (42 males, M age = 22.71, SD = 3.70). Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated that a three-factor solution provided a good fit, which was invariant across age and sex groups. The theoretically relationships between scores on the ISI and scores on measures of reasoning and identity processes, identity commitment, and social desirability were partially consistent, thus further studies are needed to give more evidence to the convergent and discriminant validity.

Validation of the Rational and Experiential Multimodal Inventory in the Italian Context.

The unfavorable relations of the Rational and Experiential Inventory Experiential scale with objective criterion measures and its limited content validity led Norris and Epstein to propose a more content-valid measure of the experiential thinking style, the Rational and Experiential Multimodal Inventory (REIm), in order to assess the several facets of a broader experiential system consisting of interrelated components. This study aimed to provide the Italian validation of the inventory by examining its psychometric features, its factor structure (Study 1, N = 545), and its convergent and discriminant validity (Study 2, N = 257). Study 1 supported the 2- and 4-factor solutions, and multi-group analyses confirmed the invariance measurement across age and gender for both models. Study 2 provided evidence for both the convergent validity by supporting the theoretical associations among Rational and Experiential Multimodal Inventory scores and similar and related measures, and the discriminant validity by showing associations between the two thinking styles and a different but conceptually related construct, i.e., identity formation. No associations between Rational and Experiential Multimodal Inventory scores and social desirability were found. The Italian version of the Rational and Experiential Multimodal Inventory showed satisfactory psychometric properties, thus confirming its validity.

The Role of Metacognition in Pathological Gambling: A Mediation Model.

Pathological gambling involves multitudinous costs related to financial, legal, and public health care aspects, as well as to specific psychological disorders. Despite the overall evidence suggesting that comorbid disorders represent a risk factor for pathological gambling, there is scant evidence on the appropriate treatments for gamblers with such disorders. In this context, metacognitive therapy is an interesting approach because it considers psychological disorders as a result of the activation of perseverative cognitive processes and attentional strategies in response to inner events. Several studies report that metacognition is associated with different psychological problems. This study investigated the relationship among comorbid disorders, metacognition, and pathological gambling. 69 pathological gamblers at the first hospital admission and 58 controls drawn from general population (matched for age, gender, education) completed a battery of self report instruments: Symptom Checklist-90-R, Metacognition Questionnaire 30, South Oaks Gambling Scale. Compared to controls, pathological gamblers showed higher level of comorbid symptomatology and metacognition. Correlation analyses showed that: comorbid symptomatology and metacognition were positively and significantly correlated with pathological gambling; metacognition was positively and significantly associated with comorbid symptomatology. Mediation analysis indicated that dysfunctional metacognitive strategies could have an indirect effect on pathological gambling mediated by concurrent psychological disorders. These findings provide some implications for gambling treatment programs: pathological gamblers should be screened for psychiatric disorders, and metacognitive therapy could be considered a correct treatment of pathological gamblers. Metacognitive therapy might lead to the reduction of the pathological gambling by the diminishing of the concurrent psychological disorders.

Factores motivacionales relacionados con la agresividad en las artes marciales / Motivational factors related to aggression within martial arts context / Factores motivacionais relacionados com a agressividade nas artes marciais

La finalidad del trabajo fue analizar un modelo de mediación en donde la orientación motivacional, la motivación autodeterminada y la deportividad eran factores predictivos de la agresividad. Practicantes de artes marciales italianos (N = 366; Medad = 29.53 años, DE = 9.107; Hombres = 325, Mujeres = 41) completaron un cuestionario para medir la orientación motivacional, la motivación autodeterminada, la deportividad y la agresividad. El path analysis confirmó el modelo hipotetizado: la motivación autodeterminada media la relación entre la orientación motivacional y deportivad y esta última media la relación entre la motivación y la agresividad. Los resultados sugieren que se debería intervenir sobre los factores motivacionales para prevenir la agresividad entre los atletas

This study was aimed at testing a meditational model in which goal orientation, self-determined motivation, and sportspersonship were predictive factors of aggressiveness. Italian martial artists (N = 366; Mage = 29.53, SD = 9.107; Men = 325, Female = 41) were asked to fill in a questionnaire assessing sport orientation, sport motivation, sportspersonship, and aggressiveness. The path analysis supported the hypothesized model: self-determined motivation mediates the relationship between motivational orientations and sportspersonhip, which in turn mediates the relationship between motivation and aggressiveness. The results suggest considering these motivational factors in order to plan interventions to prevent aggressiveness among athletes

finalidade do trabalho foi analisar um modelo de mediação no qual a orientação motivacional, a motivação auto-determinada e odesportivismo eram factores preditores da agressividade. Praticantes de artes marciais italianos (N = 366; Midade= 29.53 anos, DP= 9.107; Homens =325, Mulheres = 41) completaram um questionário para medir a orientação motivacional, a motivação auto-determinada, o desportivismo e aagressividade. A path analysis confirmou o modelo testado: a motivação auto-determinada medeia a relação entre a orientação motivacional e odesportivismo que por seu turno medeia a relação entre a motivação e a agressividade. Os resultados sugerem que se deveria intervir sobre os factoresmotivacionais para prevenir a agressividade entre os atletas

Abnormal distribution of sarcoglycan subcomplex in colonic smooth muscle cells of aganglionic bowel.

Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is a development disorder of the enteric nervous system in which the altered innervation explains the inability of the aganglionic segment to relax. Impairment of cytoskeleton in SMC of aganglionic bowel has been shown. Sarcoglycan subcomplex (SG) may support the development and maintenance of muscle cells. We examined the SG subunit expression in colonic aganglionic and ganglionic specimens obtained from patients with HD. Full-thickness bowel specimens were obtained from six patients with HD. Six normal colon specimens were used as controls. Immunofluorescent analysis and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction evaluation were performed for alpha-, beta-, gamma-, delta- and epsilon-SG. In control colon, the indirect immunofluorescence showed a strong staining pattern of beta- gamma- delta- and epsilon-SG while a weak positivity of alpha-SG was recorded. In aganglionic bowel, immunofluorescence intensity values documented a significant lack of epsilon-SG while an enhanced alpha-SG, coupled to a loss of epsilon-SG, was recorded in ganglionic bowel in HD-affected patients. Our observations underscore the assumption that non-neuronal elements of the colon might play a key role in the pathogenesis of HD and loss of epsilon-SG might critically alter the cytoskeleton in the aganglionic bowel segment. Up-regulation of alpha-SG is probably an acquired phenomenon to reinforce the sarcolemma and to perform a forceful contraction in dilated ganglionic HD-affected colon, related to chronic pseudo-obstruction, contributing to the intestinal dysmotility that persists in 20% of patients after resection of the aganglionic bowel.