[Differences in coping strategies of preadolescents with and without exposure to the L'Aquila (Central Italy) 2009 earthquake]. / Differenze nella scelta delle strategie di coping in preadolescenti esposti e non esposti al sisma dell'Aquila del 6 aprile 2009.

OBJECTIVES: to assess the presence of a characteristic coping strategy profile in a wide sample of preadolescents following a traumatic exposure (i.e., L'Aquila earthquake). DESIGN: we have investigated the coping strategies through the Brief-Cope Coping Orientation towards Problems Experienced - new Italian version (COPE-NVI) devised to measure coping strategies on five levels: problem-oriented coping strategies, avoidance strategies, social-support strategies, positive attitude, transcendent orientation. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 129 preadolescents exposed (75 females and 54 males) and 107 non-exposed to the trauma (54 females and 53 males), age-ranged 11-14 years, coming from L'Aquila and from another Italian region far away from the epicentre of the earthquake. The trauma exposure was assessed through a checklist considering the presence of negative factors such as death of relatives and friends and displacement from home. Participants were tested collectively at school during school time in accordance with their teacher. An exclusion criterion was the presence of psychic disorders following or preceding the trauma. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: the need to develop a diagnostic protocol including coping measures aim to planning preventive actions for avoiding post-traumatic diseases. RESULTS: the trauma exposure without consequent psychiatric disorders causes a high heterogeneity within coping dimensions, such phenomenon does not happen in the non-exposed group. Coping strategies are not affected by age and gender, but only by the exposure to the trauma. Furthermore, death of relatives/friends and displacements from home predict the use of specific coping strategies (i.e., social-support strategies and transcendent orientation). CONCLUSION: coping is a dynamic process of adjustment to critical events that requires to direct cognitive and behavioural resources. The trauma exposure modifies coping strategies and dimensions. This study shows the importance to use coping tools for helping people in using positive and active resource of coping.

Case report: KETOLAND the psychoeducation program for ketogenic diet.

Glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome (GLUT1DS) is a rare neurological disorder characterized by a wide spectrum of symptoms: epilepsy, movement disorders and neurocognitive impairment. The gold standard treatment for GLUT1DS are ketogenic dietary therapies (KDTs), specifically classical ketogenic diet (CKD). Despite the benefits, CKD often represents a challenge for patients and their families since meal preparation is extremely demanding and deviates a lot from normal diet. To assure an optimal compliance to CKD a psychological support for parents and patients with GLUT1DS is highly recommended. Specifically, a psychoeducational intervention that ameliorates the knowledge about the illness and its therapy improves treatment' s adherence and efficacy. The aim of this case report is to investigate the effectiveness of a psychoeducational program, partially implemented through telepsychology, based on the theoretical model of Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT) to support KDT knowledge and adherence in a patient with GLUT1DS who presented a worsening of her clinical picture due to a sparse knowledge of KDTs principles which determined a low adherence. Thus, with this case report we propose a model of intervention with psychoeducation in a patient with a complex chronic disease.

Temperament and Social-Emotional Difficulties: The Dark Side of Learning Disabilities.

The authors compared the relations between general psychological difficulties and dimensions of temperament in children with and without learning disability (LD). The main aim was to analyze whether and to what extent children's temperament dimensions contribute to their general psychological difficulties when LD diagnosis, age, and gender are taken into account. Participants were 52 elementary school children 7-11 years old (M age = 8.61 years, SD = 1.21 years). Twenty-six of them had been diagnosed with LD. Six teachers rated their pupils with and without LD in relation to their general psychological difficulties (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and temperament dimensions (Italian Questionnaires of Temperament). In children with LD, the main dimensions of temperament with the power to predict general psychological difficulties (i.e., emotionality and social orientation) concern these students' relationships with others (teachers and peers). The findings of the current study draw educators' and practitioners' attention to the fact that children's temperamental characteristics may affect how they experience their LD, with significant implications for their later social adjustment.

Perceived self-efficacy and coping styles related to stressful critical life events.

OBJECTIVE: The study examined the personal resources, Self-efficacy and Coping Strategies, in a sample of pre-adolescents who experienced an emotionally and socially critical event, such as the earthquake of the 6(th) of April 2009, related to age and gender. METHODS: 198 pre-adolescents, 84 girls and 114 boys (Age Mean 12 years), attending Secondary School in L'Aquila meso-seismic area. The emotional, behavioural and social capacities have been assessed with specific questionnaires administered collectively ten months after the earthquake. RESULTS: Multidimensional analyses produced differentiated profiles according to gender and age: self-efficacy-perception and coping strategy profiles, based on quartiles calculations, revealed the difficulties of the subjects in estimating their ability to cope with the world of relations and emotions after the critical event. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention could be specific to the cognitive, emotional and relational state of children and adolescents and differentiated before (prevention), during (intervention) and after the event (intervention and prevention).