The relationship between personality and bullying among primary school children: the mediation role of trait emotion intelligence and empathy

Background/Objectives: Several studies have shown that personality traits are a benchmark in research field of bullying prevention, while others have highlighted that the socio-emotional skills are important to prevent a wide range of maladjusted behaviors, suggesting that the investment in their developing may mediate the effects of personality dispositions. The present study aims to clarify if socio-emotional attitudes can mediate the relationships between personality traits and bullying. Methods: Five sequential mediation models are tested using the Big Five personality traits as focal predictors, bullying as the outcome, and trait emotional intelligence and empathy as causally chained mediators, involving 199 primary school children (8-10 years) through the Bullying Prevalence Questionnaire, the Big Five Questionnaire for children, the Emotional Intelligence Index and the Empathy-Teen Conflict Survey. Results: Data showed that openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness were inversely related to bullying, and that the causal chain of TEI-empathy negatively and completely mediated the relationship between emotional instability and bullying and negatively and partially mediated the relationship between openness and bullying. Conclusions: These results suggest that TEI and empathy mediate the relationship between personality traits and bullying, reducing the risk of being involved in bullying perpetration. (AU)

The relationship between personality and bullying among primary school children: the mediation role of trait emotion intelligence and empathy.

Background/Objectives: Several studies have shown that personality traits are a benchmark in research field of bullying prevention, while others have highlighted that the socio-emotional skills are important to prevent a wide range of maladjusted behaviors, suggesting that the investment in their developing may mediate the effects of personality dispositions. The present study aims to clarify if socio-emotional attitudes can mediate the relationships between personality traits and bullying. Methods: Five sequential mediation models are tested using the Big Five personality traits as focal predictors, bullying as the outcome, and trait emotional intelligence and empathy as causally chained mediators, involving 199 primary school children (8-10 years) through the Bullying Prevalence Questionnaire, the Big Five Questionnaire for children, the Emotional Intelligence Index and the Empathy-Teen Conflict Survey. Results: Data showed that openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness were inversely related to bullying, and that the causal chain of TEI-empathy negatively and completely mediated the relationship between emotional instability and bullying and negatively and partially mediated the relationship between openness and bullying. Conclusions: These results suggest that TEI and empathy mediate the relationship between personality traits and bullying, reducing the risk of being involved in bullying perpetration.

An fMRI investigation on image generation in different sensory modalities: the influence of vividness.

In the present fMRI study the issue of the specific cortices activation during imagery generation in different sensory modalities is addressed. In particular, we tested whether the vividness variability of imagery was reflected in the BOLD signal within specific sensory cortices. Subjects were asked to generate a mental image for each auditory presented sentence. Each imagery modality was contrasted with an abstract sentence condition. In addition, subjects were asked to fill the Italian version of the Questionnaire Upon Mental Imagery (QMI) prior to each neuroimaging session. In general, greater involvement of sensory specific cortices in high-vivid versus low-vivid subjects was found for visual (occipital), gustatory (anterior insula), kinaesthetic (pre-motor), and tactile and for somatic (post-central parietal) imagery modalities. These results support the hypothesis that vividness is related to image format: high-vivid subjects would create more analogical representations relying on the same specific neural substrates active during perception with respect to low-vivid subjects. Results are also discussed according to the simulation perspective.

Pathophysiology of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is a condition in which the reflux of gastric contents into the oesophagus provokes symptoms or complications and impairs quality of life. Typical symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease are heartburn and regurgitation but gastro-oesophageal reflux disease has also been related to extra-oesophageal manifestations, such as asthma, chronic cough and laryngitis. The pathogenesis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is multifactorial, involving transient lower oesophageal sphincter relaxations and other lower oesophageal sphincter pressure abnormalities. As a result, reflux of acid, bile, pepsin and pancreatic enzymes occurs, leading to oesophageal mucosal injury. Other factors contributing to the pathophysiology of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease include hiatal hernia, impaired oesophageal clearance, delayed gastric emptying and impaired mucosal defensive factors. Hiatal hernia contributes to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease by promoting lower oesophageal sphincter dysfunction. Impaired oesophageal clearance is responsible for prolonged acid exposure of the mucosa. Delayed gastric emptying, resulting in gastric distension, can significantly increase the rate of transient lower oesophageal sphincter relaxations, contributing to postprandial gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. The mucosal defensive factors play an important role against development of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, by neutralizing the backdiffusion of hydrogen ion into the oesophageal tissue. While the pathogenesis of oesophageal symptoms is now well known, the mechanisms underlying extra-oesophageal airway manifestations are still poorly understood. Two hypotheses have been proposed: direct contact of gastric acid with the upper airway and a vago-vagal reflex elicited by acidification of the distal oesophagus, leading to bronchospasm. In conclusion, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease can be considered as the result of a complex interplay of factors, all promoting the contact of gastric acidic contents with the oesophageal mucosa, leading to different degrees of oesophageal damage.

Almohadillas articulares (knuckle pads). / Articular knuckle (knuckle pads)

Se presenta un caso de almohadillas articulares primarias con asiento en manos y pies en un paciente de 22 anos de edad. Es tratado con infiltraciones con corticoides sin resultados positivos. Se realizan comentarios con respecto a su clinica e histopatologia

Almohadillas articulares (knuckle pads). / Articular knuckle (knuckle pads)

Se presenta un caso de almohadillas articulares primarias con asiento en manos y pies en un paciente de 22 anos de edad. Es tratado con infiltraciones con corticoides sin resultados positivos. Se realizan comentarios con respecto a su clinica e histopatologia