Relationship of Internet gaming disorder with dissociative experience in Italian university students.

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to investigate the prevalence of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) among Italian university students and (b) to explore the associations between the former and dissociative phenomena. The sample included 221 college students, 93 males and 128 females, aged between 18 and 25 (M = 21.56; SD = 1.42). They were asked to state their favourite games choice and were administered a demographic questionnaire, the APA symptom checklist based on the diagnostic criteria of IGD in the DSM-5, the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale Short Form (IGD9-SF) and the Italian version of dissociative experience scale for adolescents and young adults. The different game types used are distributed as follows: Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (30%), flash games (26%), multiplayer games (24%), and online gambling (23%). The results of the study showed a high incidence of Internet gaming disorder risk in college students (84.61%). Specifically, our data confirmed the literature on the incidence of the male gender bias among online players (M = 28.034; SD = 2.213). Thirty-three subjects (31 male and 2 female) on 221 (14.9%) matched five or more criteria for clinical diagnosis of IGD. The data showed a positive correlation between Internet gaming disorder risk and some dissociative experiences: depersonalisation and derealisation (AbII/item6 r = .311; DD/item6 r = .322); absorption and imaginative involvement (AbII/item2 r = .319; AbII/item8 r = .403) and passive influence (PI/item3 r = .304; PI/item4 r = .366; PI/item9 r = .386). This study shedded light on psychopathological aspects that preceded the spread of IGD and encourages the implementation of a programmatic plan of preventative interventions by Italian public institutions, to prevent and tame the spreading of such addictive behaviours.

Major pathogenic mechanisms in vascular dementia: Roles of cellular stress response and hormesis in neuroprotection.

Vascular dementia (VaD), considered the second most common cause of cognitive impairment after Alzheimer disease in the elderly, involves the impairment of memory and cognitive function as a consequence of cerebrovascular disease. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion is a common pathophysiological condition frequently occurring in VaD. It is generally associated with neurovascular degeneration, in which neuronal damage and blood-brain barrier alterations coexist and evoke beta-amyloid-induced oxidative and nitrosative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammasome- promoted neuroinflammation, which contribute to and exacerbate the course of disease. Vascular cognitive impairment comprises a heterogeneous group of cognitive disorders of various severity and types that share a presumed vascular etiology. The present study reviews major pathogenic factors involved in VaD, highlighting the relevance of cerebrocellular stress and hormetic responses to neurovascular insult, and addresses these mechanisms as potentially viable and valuable as foci of novel neuroprotective methods to mitigate or prevent VaD. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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.

Prevalence and clinical features associated to bipolar disorder-migraine comorbidity: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and clinical features associated with bipolar disorders (BDs)-migraine comorbidity have been reported inconsistently across different studies, therefore warranting a systematic review on the matter. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement searching major electronic databases for documents indexed between January, 2000 and July, 2014. Eligible studies were those including quantitative data on prevalence rates and clinical features associated to BD-migraine comorbidity; case reports excluded. Three authors independently conducted searches, quality assessment of the studies and data extraction. RESULTS: Several cross-sectional studies, and a handful of retrospective follow-up studies or non-systematic reviews assessed the prevalence and/or the clinical correlates of migraine-BD comorbidity. High prevalence rates and a significant burden of BD-migraine comorbidity were common findings, particularly in case of BD-II women (point-prevalence rates up to 77%), migraine with aura (up to 53%) and/or cyclothymic temperament (up to 45% of the cases). LIMITATIONS: Some of the biases encountered in a few studies accounted by the present review may nonetheless have hampered the generalizability of the overall conclusions drawn herein. CONCLUSIONS: BD-migraine comorbidity may comprise of a sub-phenotype of BDs requiring patient-tailored therapeutic interventions to achieve an optimal outcome. Specifically, additional studies including longitudinal follow-up studies are aimed in order to shed further light on the actual prevalence rates and clinical features associated to BD-migraine comorbidity, with a special emphasis towards the clinically suggestive potential connection between mixed features, bipolar depression, migraine, and increased risk for suicidality. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42014009335.

Factor structure and reliability of the Arabic adaptation of the Hypomania Check List-32, second revision (HCL-32-R2).

OBJECTIVE: To assess the psychometric properties of the Arabic adaptation of the Hypomania-Check-List 32-item, second revision (HCL-32-R2) for the detection of bipolarity in major depressive disorder (MDD) inpatients suffering a current major depressive episode (MDE). METHOD: The "Bipolar Disorders: Improving Diagnosis, Guidance, and Education" Arabic module of the HCL-32-R2 was administered to mother-tongue Arabic MDE inpatients between March 2013 and October 2014. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Fourth edition (DSM-IV) diagnoses were made adopting the mini-international neuropsychiatric interview, using bipolar disorder (BD) patients as controls. RESULTS: In our sample (n=500, of whom, BD-I=329; BD-II=70; MDD=101), using a cut-off of 17 allowed the HCL-32-R2 to discriminate DSM-IV-defined MDD patients between "true unipolar" (HCL-32-R2(-)) and "sub-threshold bipolar depression" (HCL-32-R2(+)) with sensitivity=82% and specificity=77%. Area under the curve was .883; positive and negative predictive values were 93.44% and 73.23% respectively. Owing to clinical interpretability considerations and consistency with previous adaptations of the HCL-32, a two-factor solution (F1="hyperactive/elated" vs. F2="irritable/distractible/impulsive") was preferred using exploratory and confirmatory factors analyses. Item n.33 ("I gamble more") and n.34 ("I eat more") introduced in the R2 version of the HCL-32 loaded onto F1, though very slightly. Cronbach's alphas were F1=.86 and F2=.60. LIMITATIONS: No cross-validation with any additional validated screening tool. Inpatients only sample; recall bias; no systematic evaluation of eventual medical/psychiatric comorbidities, current/lifetime pharmacological history, or record of severity of current MDE. CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, the HCL-32 fairly discriminated between MDD and BD-I but not BD-II, therefore soliciting for replication studies for use in Arabic-speaking depressed inpatients.

Mental health, COVID-19 burden and quality of life of kidney transplant recipients two years after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Few studies have evaluated the psychological distress of COVID-19 in kidney transplantation and the psychological impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on kidney transplant recipients is not yet well understood. The present study aimed to investigate the change in symptom burden and health-related quality of life in the two years after initial assessment, by outlining the change over time of symptoms at 12 and 24 months of follow-up. Methods: This is a follow-up study. We performed a study published in 2021 (phase 1 of COVID-19); of the 89 kidney transplant recipients evaluated in this study, 60 completed the 12 months follow-up (March 2021 June 2021, phase 2 of COVID-19) and 57 completed the 24 months follow-up (March 2022 June 2022, post COVID-19). The same tools as in previous study were administered: the ad hoc questionnaire on emotional state and psychophysical well-being during COVID-19, the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire (MHQ) to provide a simple and rapid quantification of the psychological and somatic symptoms and the Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) was used to assess health-related quality of life. Results: Compared to the first and second phase of COVID-19, the mean score of quality of life variables were higher in the post COVID-19 phase; thus the recipients physical health, mental health and their perception of their general health improved. Regarding the psychopathology variables the levels of Anxiety, Depression and Phobia in the Post COVID-19 phase decreased, while the Somatization score was higher. Lastly, burden of COVID-19 scores in the third phase, significantly decreased. Discussion: Our study highlights a significant association between mental health and the burden of COVID-19 pandemic in kidney transplant recipients. This study showed, a significant worsening, over time, of some specific symptoms, such as somatization and phobias. However, the results showed that depressive symptoms improved during the study period. Long-term monitoring of kidney transplant recipients therefore remains fundamental. These results confirmed the need to provide integrated multidisciplinary services to adequately address the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of the most vulnerable subjects.

Impact of Attachment Style and Temperament Traits on the Quality of Life of Patients with Psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with manifestations that go beyond the visual manifestation, and include psychological aspects. Some mental disorders or personality traits in psoriasis patients have also been highlighted, such as a negative or problematic attitude towards life, impulsive or avoidant behavior, and lower satisfaction with life. The aim of our cross-sectional study was to explore the associations between adult attachment, temperament, and quality of life of patients with psoriasis. METHODS: A sample of 75 patients with psoriasis was evaluated with the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) to study adult attachment, the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, and San Diego Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A) to study temperament traits, and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) to study the impact of dermatological diseases on patients' lives. RESULTS: Depressive, cyclothymic, and irritable temperaments were found to be significantly positively associated with a need for approval and preoccupation with relationships subscales of the ASQ. The severity of skin disease effect on the patient's life was higher in women than in men. Moreover, a statistically significant effect of the need for approval subscale of the ASQ was found. The positive correlation between the severity of skin disease effect on the patient's life with a need for approval was statistically significant and stronger in women than in men. CONCLUSIONS: A better understanding of the impact of mental comorbidities on psoriasis and vice versa places an ever-greater responsibility on dermatologists involved in the management of psoriasis to recognize these problems and collaborate with psychologists and psychiatrists to help these patients.

Internal jugular veins out flow in patients with multiple sclerosis:a catheter venography study.

PURPOSE: To investigate an examiner-independent catheter venography protocol that could be used to reliably diagnose venous outflow abnormalities in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency and to determine whether venous angioplasty is effective in the treatment of these abnormalities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 313 patients with MS and 12 patients with end-stage renal disease underwent echo-color Doppler sonography and catheter venography of the internal jugular veins (IJVs) to evaluate contrast medium clearance time. In patients with venous outflow anomalies, balloon angioplasty of the IJVs was performed. RESULTS: A contrast medium clearance time cutoff value of 4 seconds or less provided the maximal combination of sensitivity and specificity for the right IJV (sensitivity, 73.4%; specificity, 100%) and left IJV (sensitivity, 91.4%; specificity, 100%). IJVs with a clearance time between 4.1 and 6 seconds had moderate delayed flow (MDF), and IJVs with a clearance time longer than 6 seconds had severe delayed flow (SDF); 89% of patients showed MDF/SDF through at least one IJV, 79% showed MDF/SDF through both IJVs, and only 5% showed normal flow in both IJVs. Balloon angioplasty was immediately able to improve flow in at least one IJV in 69% of patients, but venous flow was normalized in both veins in only 37% of patients; SDF persisted after angioplasty in 32% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of abnormal delayed flow through IJVs in patients with MS. Venous angioplasty was effective in only a minority of patients with SDF.

The relationship between drive to thinness, conscientiousness and bulimic traits during adolescence: a comparison between younger and older cases in 608 healthy volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence represents one of the critical transitions in the life span and is characterized by a tremendous pace in growth and change that is second only to that of infancy. Both biological and psychological changes occurring during early adolescence may also influence the definition of subsequent late adolescence or early adulthood physiological or (psycho)-pathological features, including bulimia nervosa (BN) whenever occurring. Therefore, a pre-emptive assessment of suggestive psychological traits, including bulimic ones, during early and late years of adolescence, is recommended and represents the goal of the present study. METHODS: Six hundred and eight healthy volunteers attending mid- or high school, aged 14-19 years, were consecutively enrolled at multiple sites in Eastern Sicily, Italy. A systematic psychological assessment was performed, including McCrae and Costa' BigFive, the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI), Bisantis's Assertivity test and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents. Demographic and general characteristics, including the body mass index, were also recorded. Based on hierarchical considerations, cases were then divided into 'younger' ('early' years, 14-16) and 'older' ('late' years, 17-19) adolescents. RESULTS: Upon descriptive and Pearson's correlation analyses, the following EDI constructs 'drive to thinness' and 'bulimia' scored significantly higher (both p = <.001) in 'early' vs. 'late' cases. Conversely, BigFive 'conscientiousness' was higher in older subjects vs. early cases (p = <.003). As expected, 'drive to thinness' positively correlated with BN both in early (r = .31) and late (r = .50) cases. In the 'late' group, age correlated with conscientiousness (r = .206) while BN correlated with drive to thinness (r = .505); finally, a negative correlation was observed with regard to consciousness and BN (r = -.19). CONCLUSIONS: Despite intrinsic methodological limits, our preliminary findings confirm that the transition between early and late years of adolescence is a critical phase of life span, with the consolidation of 'conscientiousness' eventually playing a protective role towards the onset of bulimic traits. If confirmed by replication studies, ideally providing long-term follow-ups too, an early acknowledgement of bulimic traits may play a major predictive role for subsequent BN, ultimately contributing to more effective pre-emptive interventions as well.

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.

Nonadherence to Immunosuppressants Among Transplant Recipients: Emotional Intelligence as a Predictive Factor During COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: To evaluate the association between emotional intelligence and fear of COVID-19 on self-reported adherence, based on a cross-sectional design. Patients and Methods: Transplants recipient of both sexes aged 23-75 years old were evaluated at the Organ Transplant Unit, University Hospital of Catania, Italy. Data were analyzed using frequency, descriptives, Spearman and Pearson correlations, Chi-square goodness of fit test, and linear regression. Self-reported adherence was estimated with the Basel Assessment of Adherence with Immunosuppressive Medication Scale (BAASIS). Emotional intelligence and fear of COVID were, respectively, measured with the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) and Multidimensional Assessment of COVID-19 Related Fears Scale (MAC-RF). This was a cross-sectional study of kidney transplant recipients. In reporting this study the authors followed the STROBE guidelines. Results: A correlation was found between EIS and MAC and between EIS and adherence but there was no correlation between MAC and adherence. A linear regression model was also conducted using a stepwise method, which indicated that EIS was a significant predictor of adherence (p <0.05). Conclusion: This study was found that EIS is a predictor of adherence to treatment in transplant patients. Fear of COVID, while positively correlated to EIS, is not correlated to the adherence's outcome, possibly due to the proper follow-up performed to the patients. Indeed, according to these results, we suggest to provide good follow-ups with recipients, with interviews also based on self-regulation and awareness.

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.

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.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Emotional Impact on Healthcare Professions.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in March 2020, has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people around the world in just a few months, putting at great risk the commitment of healthcare workers unprepared to manage a worldwide phenomenon at great risk. In the early stages especially, medical staff had to deal with the pandemic at the expense of their physical and mental health, putting them particularly at risk for experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study aims to analyze the psychopathological aspects associated with PTSD, focusing on the emotional impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare professionals compared with a control group. The sample analyzed over 2 months, from March to May 2021, included 214 participants into two groups, i.e., healthcare professionals (N = 107) and a control group (N = 107). The online assessment instrument used consisted of an anonymous questionnaire, assembled ad hoc with demographic information and different standardized assessment scales (e.g., Fear of COVID-19 scale, Profile of Mood States, and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey), while a further section of the survey used the DSM-5 criteria to investigate Posttraumatic stress disorder (e.g., COVID-19-PTSD). The results reported that healthcare professionals had a consistent perception of stress (mean = 26.18, SD = 14.60), but not at a level significantly higher than other categories of workers (mean = 25.75, SD = 14.65; t = 0.20, p = 0.84). However, they showed less emotional disturbance than the control sample, better anxiety management skills, and lower levels of depressive disorder and mental confusion. Specifically, the healthcare professionals showed a condition of emotional exhaustion (T = 0.64, D = 0.74, A = 0.62, S = 0.75, C = 0.64) and depersonalization (T = 0.41, D = 0.52, A = 0.49, S = 0.60, C = 0.40), which is common in the burnout syndrome. In conclusion, the results obtained are useful in understanding the determinants of the emotional involvement of healthcare professions and the risk of burnout syndrome and, therefore, for planning activities and support paths for these workers who are particularly at risk during prolonged and pervasive crises, such as the pandemic.

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.

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.

Quality of Life and Mental Health in Kidney Transplant Recipients During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in mental distress such as phobic anxieties, depressive reactions, hypochondriac concerns, and insomnia. Among the causes are risk of infection and prolonged isolation. This study aimed to analyze psychopathological variables and dysfunctional lifestyles related to adequate therapeutic compliance in kidney transplant recipients. Methods: Eighty-nine kidney transplant recipients were evaluated using an online protocol including a questionnaire concerning habits, lifestyle and psychophysical well-being in the COVID-19 period, the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire (MHQ) and the SF-36 Health Survey to evaluate the perception of their physical and emotional health. Results: Of these recipients, 28.6% reported changes in their emotional state. Sleep quality deteriorated for 16.1%. Anxiety (M = 5.57, r = 0.33; p < 0.05) and phobia (M = 6.28, r = 0.26; p < 0.05) correlated with concerns related to physical health. There was no negative impact on relational and socialization aspects, which were likely well compensated by the use of remote technologies such as video phone calls, Zoom meetings and use of computers (r = 0.99; r = 0.80; p < 0.05). Conclusions: It would be interesting to maintain this remote visit and interview mode to monitor, on a clinical and psychological level, kidney transplant recipients in subsequent follow-ups (12-18 months), to check for any psychopathological disorders and/or changes in their resilience capacity in the Coronavirus emergency.

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.

Psychiatric and psychological evaluation in living donor kidney transplantation: a single center experience.

Background: Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is the treatment of choice for end stage renal disease. LDKT involves complex psychosocial issues, which remain partially unexplored. Methods: The study involved all potential living donors and recipient pairs consecutively referred for psychosocial evaluation from the nephrologist. Clinical and sociodemographic variables including prior psychiatric history, previous and current use of psychopharmacological therapy, motivation and information about the transplant procedure were collected. Study participants completed the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) to assess psychopathological distress. Results: Fifty-three donor/recipient pairs underwent psychiatric and psychological evaluation. Seven subjects (13%) in the recipient group and 13 subjects (25%) in the donor group reported a history of psychological distress and/or psychiatric conditions. A psychiatric diagnosis was confirmed in 4 recipients (7.5% of the study sample, including autism spectrum disorder, histrionic personality disorder, and anxiety-depressive disorders) and 5 donors (9%, including narcissistic personality disorder in one case and anxiety-depressive disorders). SCL-90-R GSI mean scores were 0.3 ±0.3 and 0.2 ±0.2 for the recipient and donor groups, respectively. Overall, 8 couples (15%) suspended the living donation pathway before transplantation. Four couples were excluded for a new onset medical condition. The psychological and psychiatric evaluation excluded one candidate. One couple dropped out before completing the scheduled exams. One recipient refused to undergo crossover renal transplantation, while 1 donor candidate withdrew her consent for transplantation at the end of the evaluation process. Conclusions: Limited but significant psychopathological distress in donors and recipients supports the usefulness of psychiatric and psychological competencies within the transplant team.