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The lockdown period in Italy, due to Covid-19 government restrictions, caused sedentary behavior and a reduction in physical activity, with an increase in body weight and a change in body perception. Body image includes beliefs about one’s appearance. Women tend to exhibit poor body image compared to men; if we consider adolescence, this difference tends to be greater. In addition, only a small percentage of adolescents believe their body image to be adequate. Given that adolescence represents one of the periods with the highest level of physical change, including changes in weight, height, and body shape, we wanted to study how self-efficacy can be affected by body image. Studies have shown that self-efficacious students tend to be more persistent in the face of unexpected difficulties, particularly important in the current pandemic conditions. In our study, we analyze the relationship between the variation of perceived weight after two months of lockdown, and Self-efficacy, mediated by body image perception in a sample of Italian adolescents. Simple mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS 3.5 for SPSS 27. Two-hundred and fifty high school students from northern Italy took part in the study (82% female, with a mean age of 16 years ±1,43). The data confirmed a partial mediation effect of body image perception. These results highlight how body image assumes significance for one of the most relevant developmental tasks for adolescents related to evaluation and self-perception affecting their self-efficacy, which is also a predictor of their academic achievement. We hope that studies like these can support the importance of interventions aimed at promoting well-being among adolescents, specifically regarding aspects of physical and motivational self-evaluation.

Background: A positive transition to adulthood entails developing the individual and social skills needed to cope with critical situations. The &ldquo, My Health Diary&rdquo, program was designed as a school-based and teacher-led intervention focusing on the active engagement of 12- to 13-year-old pre-adolescents. The study analyzes the role of several primary variables (psychological well-being, psychosomatic symptoms, health status), secondary variables (health-risk behaviors, prosocial behavior, academic success, physical and verbal aggression), and mediator variables of emotional and social skills in terms of empathic and social self-efficacy, and satisfaction with school. Methods: Sixty schools were involved, divided into control groups (N = 29) and intervention groups (N = 31). The program was administered only to the intervention group. Of the 2306 students at the baseline, 2078 were still involved at post-intervention 6 months later. Results: The program was not found to have significant effects on the primary outcome variables and most of the secondary variables. For the mediators, however, the association was stronger for the girls in the intervention group, and there was a statistically significant difference in the empathic skills shown by girls, who reported higher levels than boys. Conclusions: The program was found to have encouraging effects on some mediators and in enhancing socio-relational and emotional skills among pre-adolescents.

In everyday life, older adults may often find difficulties to deal situations requiring the performance of different actions simultaneously. This study investigates the walking per-formance during dual-task conditions and the possible relationship with fear of falling in a group of older adults living in a long-term care setting. Fifteen older adults (average age M = 79±10 years) carried out a walking test in single-task and the same test in different dual-task conditions. Data on the fear of falling were collected. Results showed a reduction of walking speed under dual-task condition. Moreover a performance decline over the time was observed. Significant correlations were observed between dual-task conditions and fear of falling. The results underline the difficulties during dual-task condition in old age and the relationship with the fear of falling. This information may be useful for the development of specific physical and cognitive interventions.

The main goal of this study was to compare Northern and Southern Italian emerging adult university students, regarding the importance attributed to criteria for adulthood and the levels of life and education satisfaction. Self-report questionnaires were filled by 475 Northern and Southern Italian University students (Age M = 22.91, 76% females, n = 359). Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that Southern emerging adults were more likely to place importance on family capacities, norm compliance, interdependence and role transitions as criteria for achieving adulthood than Northern emerging adults. Regarding gender differences, females were more likely to believe in the importance of norm compliance than males, while males were more likely to espouse the importance of legal transitions. Finally, emerging adults from the North reported higher levels of life satisfaction than their Southern counterparts. We interpreted these findings in light of socio-economical and gender socialization differences among Northern and Southern Italian emerging adults.

Mattia Roppolo,1,2 Anna Mulasso,1 Robbert J Gobbens,3,4 Cristina O Mosso,1 Emanuela Rabaglietti1 1Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy; 2Department of Developmental Psychology, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; 3Faculty of Health, Sports and Social Work, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; 4Zonnehuisgroep Amstelland, Amstelveen, the Netherlands Background: Over the years, a plethora of frailty assessment tools has been developed. These instruments can be basically grouped into two types of conceptualizations – unidimensional, based on the physical–biological dimension – and multidimensional, based on the connections among the physical, psychological, and social domains. At present, studies on the comparison between uni- and multidimensional frailty measures are limited.Objective: The aims of this paper were: 1) to compare the prevalence of frailty obtained using a uni- and a multidimensional measure; 2) to analyze differences in the functional status among individuals captured as frail or robust by the two measures; and 3) to investigate relations between the two frailty measures and disability.Methods: Two hundred and sixty-seven community-dwelling older adults (73.4±6 years old, 59.9% of women) participated in this cross-sectional study. The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) index and the Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI) were used to measure frailty in a uni- and multidimensional way, respectively. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, and the Loneliness Scale were administered to evaluate the functional status. Disability was assessed using the Groningen Activity Restriction Scale. Data were treated with descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, correlations, and receiver operating characteristic analyses through the evaluation of the areas under the curve.Results: Results showed that frailty prevalence rate is strictly dependent on the index used (CHS =12.7%; TFI =44.6%). Furthermore, frail individuals presented differences in terms of functional status in all the domains. Frailty measures were significantly correlated with each other (r=0.483), and with disability (CHS: r=0.423; TFI: r=0.475). Finally, the area under the curve of the TFI (0.833) for disability was higher with respect to the one of CHS (0.770).Conclusion: Data reported here confirm that different instruments capture different frail individuals. Clinicians and researchers have to consider the different abilities of the two measures to detect frail individuals. Keywords: functional decline, older adults, health outcomes, active aging, indexes selection&nbsp

Functional aging processes are characterized by a loss of performance capabilities for most physiological systems, such as aerobic endurance and lower body strength, which are important for independent living and active aging. The present study examines the direction of influence between aerobic endurance and lower body strength over time in Italian sedentary older adults. A three-wave longitudinal model was tested using cross-lagged analysis for 202 individuals aged over 65 years (mean = 73.92, SD = 5.84; 140 females). Analysis revealed that aerobic endurance and lower body strength decline over time. In addition, greater aerobic endurance positively affected lower body strength over time; however, the converse was true only during the first period (first 6 months). These findings emphasize the importance of these relationships for the design and implementation of effective physical intervention for older adults.

The motivation to perform physical activity is a crucial factor in achieving a persistent active lifestyle. However, motivation decreases with increasing age from childhood to adolescence. The promotion of physical activity in educational settings might be an important tool to increase motivation and, consequently, to decrease sedentary behavior. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of a 4-month school-based walking intervention on motivation to participate in physical activity among Italian middle-school students. This study included 276 students (mean age 13 ± 1 years, 41.3% female). A total of 138 students (intervention group) participated in a brief walking intervention that was added to their routine daily school activity, while a convenience sample of 138 students performed the routine daily school activity. The activity consisted of walking one kilometer outside of school buildings during the morning break. Motivation data were collected before and after the walking breaks using the Participation Motivation Questionnaire (PMQ). Controlling for age, significant interactions between group and time were observed in the “Social Status” [F(1,273) = 4.851; p = 0.028], “Team” [F(1,273) = 6.015; p = 0.015] and “Energy Release” components [F(1,273) = 8.527; p = 0.038]. Specifically, a significant decrease in the “Social Status” components of the PMQ and an increase in the “Team” and “Energy Release” components were observed in the intervention group. On the contrary. control group showed an increase in “Social Status” and a decrease in the “Team” and “Energy Release” components. Within this developmental context, incorporation of the walking activity helped to modify the motivational orientation towards physical activity to include more intrinsic factors, which were related to the possibility of remaining with classmates and peer groups and releasing a surplus of energy.

Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the association between fear of falling (FOF), dual-task ability during a mobility task, and the activities of daily living (ADL) in a sample of older adults.\ud \ud Methods: Seventy-six older adults (mean age M = 70.87 ± 5.16 years) participated in the study. Data on FOF (using the Falls Self-Efficacy Scale-International), walking ability during both single- and dual-task performances and ADL were collected.\ud \ud Results: Mediation analysis demonstrated the mediation effect of dual-task ability (β = 0.238, p = 0.011) between FOF and ADL level (β = 0.559, p < 0.001). Moreover, significantly lower performances were observed during dual-task condition [F (2, 73) = 7.386, p < 0.001], and lower ADL levels were also found in older adults with FOF [F (2, 73) = 13.734, p < 0.001].\ud \ud Conclusion: The study underlines the relationship between FOF, dual-task ability and ADL level. These results could be used to develop specific intervention programmes for successful ageing.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of dancing activity based on different dance styles, in groups as well as with a partner, on mobility performance, quality of life and social engagement in a sample of older adults. One hundred and sixty-three older adults (mean age, 70 years; SD = 4 years) participated in a supervised dancing activity programme for 16 weeks. The dancing activity included different dance routines and was progressive in terms of motor complexity. Data on mobility, health-related quality of life and social engagement were collected before and after a 16-week training period. Significant improvements in mobility, quality of life and social engagement were noted in single as well as dual-task performance after the intervention. Our results emphasise the benefit of a 16-week dance training on multidimensional features, including physical and psychosocial domains, which are important for successful ageing.

Item does not contain fulltext This study examined the direct association between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms (i.e. inattention and hyperactivity symptoms) and children’s experience of best friend conflicts, and the mediating role of aggression, emotional and behavioural instability, exploring possible gender differences. The sample consisted of 334 children (52 % female; M age = 9.38, SD = 0.89) attending primary schools in northwest Italy. ADHD symptoms were measured with a questionnaire completed by teachers whereas others variables were assessed a self-report questionnaire completed by the children. Analyses revealed that inattention and hyperactivity symptoms were differently associated with best friend conflicts according to gender. Among boys, only hyperactivity symptoms were associated with best friend conflicts whereas among girls only inattention symptoms contributed to best friend conflicts. Aggression and emotional and behavioural instability were found to mediate these associations for both genders. These findings suggest that to understand fully the association between ADHD symptoms and best friend conflicts it might be helpful to consider the different manifestations of that association by gender, whilst also considering behavioural and emotional dimensions of children’s psychosocial adjustment.

This study aimed to identify the key physical abilities (aerobic endurance, gait speed, balance, strength) and psychological variables associated with the level of basic (BADL) and instrumental (IADL) activities of daily living in an autonomous community-dwelling elderly population in Italy. 135 elderly people (63% women; mean age = 73.3, SD = 5.5) were included in the study. Stepwise regression was performed to verify the association between these variables and the level of BADL and IADL in the elderly participants. Results showed that balance (β = −0.21, p < 0.01) and perception of physical functioning (β = 0.32, p < 0.0001) were the key individual variables related to BADL scores, and IADL score was associated with perception of physical functioning (β = 0.30, p < 0.0001) and upper limb strength (β = 0.21, p < 0.05). The results demonstrate a relationship between physical functioning and ADL, both real physical functioning and perceived physical functioning.

The present study investigated the stability of friendship nominations over the course of a school year as a function of early adolescents’ and their classroom best friends’ internalizing symptoms (i.e., depression, anxiety, and somatization). Sample consisted of 156 early adolescents (57.1% female; [Formula: see text] age = 12.62; SD = 0.62) involved in 78 same-sex best friendship dyads. We assessed best friendship (classroom) nominations at beginning (T1) and end (T2) of the school year. Results of longitudinal analyses performed with the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model indicated adolescents’ and their classroom best friends’ depressive symptoms predicted lower stability of best friendships over time, whereas best friends’ somatization emerged as a predictor of higher friendship stability. In addition, positive dyadic friendship quality predicted greater stability over time. These findings highlight the importance of employing a dyadic framework when examining the role of internalizing symptoms in friendship stability.

Tobacco and marijuana smoking are very popular in adolescence and there is a high rate of comorbidity between them, even in young adulthood. Parental support and control may hinder involvement in the use of these substances by promoting conventional values among adolescents.The present study investigates the relations between family functioning (parental support and control) and psychoactive substance use (tobacco and marijuana smoking) and determines whether these relationships are mediated by personal values (in terms of disapproval of deviance and beliefs about the importance of school, health and religion).175 Italian late adolescents (17 to 20 years old) participated in this two-wave longitudinal study. Data were collected at school through an anonymous questionnaire.Greater parental control and support were directly associated with lower adolescent tobacco and marijuana use; adolescent acceptance of conventional values mediated the association between parenting and adolescent marijuana use.Findings emphasize the influence of family relationships throughout adolescence. The transmission of conventional values to adolescents may be a critical mechanism through which parenting protects adolescents from substance use, especially marijuana use.

In last years, the incorrect eating habits, the physical inactivity and the consequent sedentary behavior among children are one of the main problems for the Western society that may negatively affect the psychological well-being during childhood. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations among eating habits, physical activity levels, including sedentary behavior, and self-perception during childhood. Hundred twenty-one children of primary schools participated (mean age 8.95 ± 0.78 anni; F = 48.33%) in the study. The participants drew up the «Self-Description Questionnaire» (SDQ) and a self-report questionnaire concerning the life style of the children, about their alimentary, physical habits and sedentary. Hierarchical multiple regressions analyses highlight that age, gender, eating habits, phisical activity and sedentary levels explained the 16.8% variance for physical ability perception (R2 = 0.168; F(5.111) = 4.474; p = 0.001) and the 14.3% variance for global self-perception (R2 = 0.143; F(5.113) = 3.768; p = 0.003). The study underlines the contribution of eating habits and physical activity on the perception of physical abilities, the physical appearance and the global self-perception. The results underline as intervention projects in the schools might improve the life style and therefore increase the self-perception, an important aspect for the child’s psychological well-being.

Anna Mulasso, Mattia Roppolo, Emanuela Rabaglietti Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy Purpose: Frailty is a condition characterized by loss of functional reserve and altered homeostatic capacity. The aging process is related with complex indicators of physiological state. This study aims, with a preliminary mediation model, to reveal the possible role of mediator of health perceptions variability in the relationship between frailty and disability. Patients and methods: A longitudinal study (100 days) was performed. Data from 92institutionalized older adults were used in the analysis. Frailty was assessed in baseline using the Italian version of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe – Frailty Instrument; health perceptions were assessed on a daily basis by three visual analog scale questions; and disability was measured in baseline and post-test using the Katz Activities of Daily Living questionnaire. The product-of-coefficient mediation approach was used to test direct and indirect effects of frailty. Results: Results showed that daily variability of health perceptions plays the role of mediator between frailty and disability. In all the steps, statistically significant results were found. Conclusion: This preliminary result may indicate that physical frailty increases the variability in health perceptions contributing to disability. Keywords: functional decline, loss of autonomy, variability, health outcomes, dynamic systems

Contains fulltext : 102553.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Driven by existing socialization theories, this study describes specific friendship contexts in which peer influence of alcohol misuse and depressive symptoms occurs. In the fall and spring of the school year, surveys were administered to 704 Italian adolescents (53 % male, M (age) = 15.53) enrolled in Grades 9, 10 and 11. Different friendship contexts were distinguished based on two dimensions referring to the level (i.e., best friendships and friendship networks) and reciprocity (i.e., unilateral and reciprocal) of the relationships. Social network and dyadic analyses were applied in a complementary manner to estimate peer socialization effects across the different friendship contexts. Results showed that within friendship networks both male and female adolescents' alcohol misuse was affected by friends' alcohol misuse, regardless of whether the relationship was reciprocated or not. Conversely, peer socialization of depressive symptoms only emerged within very best friendship dyads of female adolescents. Findings suggest that the effects of peer socialization depend on the friendship context and specific types of behaviors. The theoretical and methodological implications of the findings are discussed. 17 p.

The present study aims at verifying whether participation in a physical activity programme has positive effects on the daily life autonomy and vitality of elderly people living in residential care facilities by the mediation of their physical well- being. Fifty-one institutionalised individuals took part in the study. The control group included 11 people (84.26, ± 7.4 years), whereas the experimental group was made up of 40 people (85 ± 6.6 years). The experimental group was involved in a physical activity programme twice a week. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire, the Activities of Daily Living Scale, and the Tinetti Test were administered to the participants. The linear regression method as well as Sobel’s formula were used for the analysis. The results show that participation in a physical activity programme has positive effects on autonomy in bathing and on the participants’ sense of vitality due to the mediation of physical functioning. These results confirm the importance of physical activity for the elderly populations living in residential care facilities.

The present study investigated regulatory self-efficacy (RSE) as a predictor of friendship and adolescent alcohol intoxication and as a moderator of peer socialization processes related to alcohol intoxication. The longitudinal sample included 457 Italian adolescents (262 females and 195 males) ranging in age of 14 to 20 years (M = 16.1 years of age). Sociometric and behavioral data were collected at the beginning and end of the academic school year. Actor-based models were applied to simultaneously estimate selection and socialization processes accounting for interdependencies among friends' drinking behaviors. The results indicated that adolescents did not select friends with similar levels of alcohol intoxication or RSE, but adolescents did adopt their friends' drinking behaviors. RSE was negatively associated with adolescent drinking behaviors and moderated socialization processes related to alcohol use, with adolescents reporting higher levels of RSE being less likely to adopt their friends' drinking behaviors than adolescents with lower levels of RSE.

We investigated (in 95 Italians aged 19–29, of both genders, and who were all facing the transition to job): (1) the relationships between job precariousness, life satisfaction (LS), and the perception that the reality is comprehensible, manageable and meaningful (sense of coherence—SOC—Antonovsky 1987); (2) the potential buffering effect of SOC versus job precariousness on LS. The findings showed that (a) young adults with a higher level of education perceive less LS and higher manageability, and youths with a precarious job perceive reality as less controllable, manageable and meaningful; (b) manageability is positively related with satisfaction with close relationships and meaningfulness is positively related with LS in general; (c) meaningfulness also buffers the effect of job precariousness on satisfaction for close relationships; among precarious workers there is a curvilinear relationship with LS: youths with intermediate meaningfulness also show higher LS with respect to both low and high meaningfulness.

This experimental study aimed to analyse the effects of an aerobic activity intervention delivered by specially trained instructors to a sample of Italian older people living in a residential care facility. We assessed intervention effects on general health perception, perception that one's health represents a limitation for moderate and heavy physical activity, and positive and negative self-perception. The 36-item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) was administered at pre-test and post-test to a sample of 22 older people (ten in the control group and 12 in the intervention group) of both genders with an average age of 80.6 years. The findings showed that: (a) the perception that one's health can limit moderate and heavy physical activity decreased significantly in the older people belonging to the intervention group between pre- and post-test, while it increased in the control group; (b) positive self-perception was found to be stable in the intervention group, while it decreased in the control group; and (c) there was no interaction between group and time with respect to both general health perception and negative self-perception. The exercise programme seemed to have a particularly positive effect on older people's beliefs about their ability to master successfully the activities of daily living such as walking and moving objects.

The two sides of children positive development, that is physical and psychological health, have been most often investigated separately. We explored the relationships between not being overweight, respecting relational rules, regularity of eating behavior (eating breakfast) and involvement in active (e.g. playing in team sport) or sedentary (e.g. playing at videogames) leisure activities shared with friends. The study was conducted among 272 Italian children (52% female; M age = 6.85 yrs) using a multi-informant design (children, parents and teachers of physical activity). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that regularity of eating breakfast (informed by parents) was associated to lower levels of Body Mass Index (BMI) values (objectively measured) in girls. Involvement in sedentary leisure activity with friends (informed by children) was negatively associated with respecting relational rules (evaluated by teachers of physical activity) in boys. Thus, more or less active leisure activity and more or less healthy eating behaviour have some potential relevance for present and future general adjustment of boys and girls, and not only for their physical condition. Implications for educational interventions are discussed.

Modelli di relazioni con i coetanei e adattamento psicosociale in adolescenza: una ricerca cross-nazionale e longitudinale - The study is aimed at constructing a typology of patterns of peer relationships in Italy and the Netherlands and at investigating the longitudinal relationships with beliefs and expectations about relationships and school, psychological discomfort and antisocial and risky behaviour. 439 adolescents of both gender, aged from 15 to 20 years participated at the study. We described four patterns of 158 peer relationships: Isolated (dimension of network, time spent with friends and support perceived by friends were all low), Deep (only perceived support was high; more frequent among girls in both countries), Superficial (only quantitative aspects were high; more frequent among boys), Integrated (both quantitative and qualitative aspects). We found both stability (higher among Superficial and Integrated) and change (higher among Isolated and Deep). The Isolated showed the lowest beliefs and expectations and involvement in risk behaviours, the Deep and the Superficial showed intermediate levels of both beliefs and risk behaviour, and the Integrated showed the highest levels. We also found a great similarity in the links among relational models, beliefs, psychological discomfort and risk behavior in Italian and Dutch adolescents. However, when adopting the same relational model, the Italians perceived higher sense of alienation and depressive feelings and were more involved in lying and disobedience than the Dutch.

Jessor et al.’s (2003) model of relationships among protective factors (models protection, controls protection, support protection), risk factors (models risk, opportunity risk, vulnerability risk), and adolescent risk behavior (delinquency, problem drinking, marijuana use, tobacco use, sexual activity) was investigated in adolescent samples of both genders from Italy (n = 488, M age = 17 years) and the Netherlands (n = 480, M age = 17 years). After accounting for sociodemographic variables, risk and protective factors and their interactions accounted for 46–52% of additional variation in risk behavior. Although levels of risk, protection, and risk behavior differed by country and by sex, the association of risk and protective factors with risk behavior was similar for Italian and Dutch youth and for boys and girls. Controls protection (e.g., intolerance of deviancy, parental control and disapproval, friends’ disapproval) and models of risk (family and peer models of risk behavior) had the strongest associations with adjustment. Additionally, controls protection moderated the influence of models risk among the Italians while support protection buffered vulnerability risk among the Dutch. These data support the utility of the explanatory model in these national contexts.

Few studies have explored the combination of individual and contextual conditions that influence psychological health among older people. This study aimed to analyse the sense of coherence (SOC) in a sample of Italian senior citizens in relation to gender, educational level, living arrangements and former employment, when controlling for age. The short version of the SOC scale (Antonovsky 1987), which has items for the ‘comprehensibility’, ‘manageability’ and ‘meaningfulness’ components, was administered to a sample of 198 senior citizens of both genders and with an average age of 68.5 years. The findings showed that: (a) senior citizens with a higher level of education and who had retired from jobs with a high level of responsibility perceived reality as more controllable, manageable and meaningful; (b) with greater age, the perception that life's challenges are worth facing decreased; and (c) there was an interaction between living arrangements and education level,viz. those with higher education, and those with lower education living with a spouse or partner, perceived reality as more meaningful and their life challenges as worth facing. It is important to investigate further the activities that help maintain a high sense of coherence throughout the life span, and to design social policies that support senior citizens who live alone, because they appear psychologically weaker than others.

This study distinguishes different patterns of friendship quality in terms of support from and conflict with friends, and reciprocity. Associations between friendship patterns and adolescents' adjustment (self-perception, expectations for the future, depressive feelings, sense of alienation, lying, disobedience, and aggression) were hypothesized to be moderated by family stress and friendship reciprocity. The sample comprised 622 adolescents of both genders, aged 14 to 20 years. We administered a questionnaire, including the Friendship Quality Scale and a peer nomination, twice at a 6-month interval. We identified two patterns of stable friendships: high (47%) and low (37%) quality. In two other groups, friendship quality changed over time, either from low to high (7%), or from high to low (9%). Of all adolescents, 58% had reciprocal and stable friends and 42% had unilateral friends. Under conditions of high family stress, supportive friendships do not have a positive effect on expectations for success and sense of alienation. Reciprocal friendship promotes higher levels of lying and disobedience but also protects against aggression. Summarizing, the effects of friendship quality can be moderated, either diminishing or exacerbating it, by other context factors.

This study investigated the association between physical functioning and activities of daily living (ADL) of elderly people, taking into account the role of cognitive, psychological, and social factors. We administered physical, cognitive, psychological, and social instruments to investigate the level of basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADL and IADL). The analysis showed that physical functioning was the only individual factor that was significantly linked with the level of BADL and IADL. This study underlines that physical functioning is the main individual characteristic directly associated with the level of BADL and IADL in old age.

This cross-sectional study examined 804 adolescents, boys and girls, aged from 14 to 19 years, attending different types of high schools in the northwest of Italy; the questionnaire “Me and My Health” (Bonino, 1996) was used to collect data. The main goals were: (i) to investigate the relationship between active and passive forms of sexual harassment and violence and the relationship between pornography (reading magazines and viewing films or videos) and unwanted sex among adolescents; (ii) to explore the differences in these relationships with respect to gender and age; and (iii) to investigate the factors (pornography, gender and age) that are most likely to promote unwanted sex. The findings showed that active and passive sexual violence and unwanted sex and pornography were correlated. However, reading pornographic material was more strongly linked to active sexual violence, while being a boy was found to be protective against passive sexual violence. Nevertheless, some effects of viewing pornographic...

This study examined the longitudinal relationship between friendship quality (positive and negative) and school achievement among 228 school-age children (51% girls, M = 8.09, SD = 0.41). A three-wave cross-lagged analysis was used to determine the direction of influence between these domains across school years. Findings revealed that: (a) school achievement in second grade decreased negative friendship quality in third grade; (b) school achievement in second grade predicted positive friendship quality in third grade; (c) positive friendship quality in third grade predicted school achievement in fourth grade. The protective role of school achievement against peer relationship impairment and the reciprocal relationship between positive friendship quality and school achievement were underlined. Implications for educational practices for Italian primary schools are discussed.

The study aims to evaluate the effects of a physical activity program and a cognitive training program on the long-term memory and selective attention of older adults by comparing the effects of the activities. Twenty-four older adults participated in a physical activity program, 24 in a cognitive training program, and 24 were considered the control group. The physical activity and the cognitive training had a significant effect on long-term memory but no difference between the interventions was found. Only the physical activity improved selective attention. Physical activity programs appear to be the most effective interventions in the promotion of older adults cognitive functions.

This study examines the role of both ease of communication with parents and co-rumination with one's best friend in the link between depressive symptoms and self-harm in a sample of Italian adolesc ...

This pilot study identified the effect and the feasibility of neuromotor training in a group of ageing women living in a long-term care setting. Thirty-five older women (mean age, 84.18 years; SD = 5.92 years) participated in the study. Twenty women were in the intervention group, and 15 women were in the control group. Data on mobility, activities of daily living (ADL) and fear of falling were collected before and after the 16-week training period. The neuromotor training program was based on concepts from motor control and motor learning. All participants completed the training program, and no adverse events occurred. The intervention group showed steady and significant improvements in mobility, ADL and fear of falling after the intervention, but the control group did not exhibit significant changes. Moreover, mediation analysis demonstrated the role of mobility as a mediator between participation in physical training and fear of falling.

We explored the phenomenon of the transition to adulthood, focusing on how young people cope with various developmental tasks in relation to their expectations, future projects, fears and indecision in two Italian regional areas characterized by different trends in youth employability, higher educational attainment and family formation process. We measured self-perceived adulthood, self-reported satisfaction, independence, perceived support regarding personal relationships and practical and economical issues, personal projections and future life’s choices. We also explored the perception of self-fulfillment for the future concerning personal goals in life, such as in the spheres of work, studies and economic autonomy together with expectations for the quality of personal relationships. One hundred and sixty nonworking university students (M age = 22.6; SD = 2.77; range = 19–35) from the Universities of Turin and Palermo took part in this study. Sub-groups differed on self-perceived adulthood, self-reported satisfaction, independence, perceived support and self-fulfillment. Psychological and economic independence from the family of origin was most perceived by the participants from Turin who reported a higher degree of satisfaction regarding their choice of studies and their future perspective of self-fulfillment at work. Young people from Palermo highlighted personal relationships as an important source of perceived support.

Background: There is still a question of whether online friendship predicts changes in face-to-face friendship (Reduction Hypothesis) or face-to-face friendship predicts changes in online friendship (Compensation Hypothesis) during adolescence. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare these two hypotheses to determine which comes first: online friendship or offline friendship. Method: Eighty adolescent girls between the ages of 14 and 19 years (mean, 16.07 years; standard deviation, 1.28 years) on a non-traditional school track completed self-report questionnaires. Two wave longitudinal models were tested with the use of cross-lagged analysis to compare the hypotheses. Results: Analysis showed that negative face-to-face friendship quality predicted online friendship but that the opposite was not true. Conclusions: The study’s findings underlined the compensation role of online friendship for girls with poor or unsatisfactory offline social worlds. The implications of this information and suggestions for clinicians and professionals to use to enhance adolescent social skills and to promote appropriate use of the Internet will be discussed.

The purpose of this study was (a) to identify the criteria Italian and Dutch emerging adults consider important to achieve adulthood; (b) to compare Italian emerging adults' criteria with the criteria espoused by Dutch emerging adults; and (c) to examine how these criteria might differ on the basis of the working status (temporary job contract vs. permanent job contract) of the participants. Participants included 111 Italian (M = 25 years) and 151 Dutch (M = 22 years) university working students. Results revealed that (a) on average, Italian and Dutch emerging adults agreed upon the same order of importance for the criteria of adulthood presented to them; (b) Italian participants, more than Dutch participants, considered particularly important for defining the adult status the criteria related to family capacities; and (c) taking into account the working status of the participants, the answers differed only approaching significance. These findings have important implications for future research as they evidence that emerging adults experience their path to adulthood differently depending on their nationality. Specifically, the main contribution of this study is to have tested such hypotheses in a cross-national manner where contextual and individual differences are both taken into account.

Using self-determination theory (SDT), this study simultaneously investigated the relationships between intrinsic motivation, psychological factors (sport enjoyment, social self-efficacy), and sociorelational factors (perceived coaching behaviors) by subsequently testing whether psychological factors mediate the relationships between social-relational factors and intrinsic motivation. One hundred and twentyseven early adolescent females from several teams of the Italian Volleyball Society completed a self-report questionnaire. Results showed that female athletes’ intrinsic motivation was associated with a) sport enjoyment and b) perceived coaching behaviors (e.g., training and instruction, social support). Second, results showed that training-and-instruction coaches’ leadership style affected intrinsic motivation via the females’ enjoyment in sport. This study provided further insights into unknown associations among psychological, sociorelational factors and intrinsic motivation, highlighting the innovative role of sport enjoyment as a key factor for sustaining intrinsic motivation. Original and useful behavioral suggestions will be given to the coaches in order to sustain female athletes’ sport enjoyment and their intrinsic motivation.

This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the contributions of family functioning (in terms of support and control) to the development of civic engagement in term of personal values (i.e., values related to health, school, religion, and disapproval of deviance) as well as participation in groups that pursue cultural, religious-volunteer, and sport goals. The study controlled for sociodemographic factors, such as parental level of education and integrity of the family. Two waves of data were collected among 175 Italian late adolescents at a one-year interval. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that the average level of parental support positively related to both health value and religion value; increased parental control positively related to health value and disapproval of deviance; and average levels of both parental support and control positively related to religious-volunteer group. However, increased parental support negatively related to participation in a cultural group. The discussion focused on the important role of the family in current Italian society for youth socialization in regard to civic engagement. Language: en

The influence of peers on adolescent sexual behaviours is an important but understudied phenomenon. Past studies have predominantly concentrated on the potential negative influences of peer norms on risky sexual behaviours, but they have seldom investigated the underlying processes behind such influences. This study explored the direct associations between adolescent sexual activity and friends' support, levels of disagreement with friends and friends' modelling for sexual activity. We also investigated the potential mediating role of the perception of peer influence for sexual activity and of the perception of being too young to have initiated sexual activity among these associations. This study was conducted among 328 Italian adolescents (56% female; 30% sexually active; aged 15–19 years; mean age = 16.23 years) using a two-wave longitudinal design. Linear and logistic regression analyses revealed that level of disagreement with friends and sex activity modelling by friends were both positively associat...

This study aimed at assessing the efficacy of a physical activity intervention on a group of older elderly individuals living in residential care facilities, in terms of the functionality of their upper limbs, hands, and fingers. It also aimed at determining if the coaches’ level of self-efficacy can contribute to the efficacy of the physical activity program. The project involved 44 institutionalized older persons: Their mean age was 84.3 (SD = 7.4) in the experimental group and 85 (SD = 6.6) in the control group; they were all self-sufficient. Seven female coaches, with degrees in physical education and an average age of 29 (SD = 4.4), conducted the physical activity program for 16 weeks. The participants were pre- and post-tested for hand and finger strength with dynamometers. The coaches’ level of perceived self-efficacy was assessed through a self-reported questionnaire (Caprara, 2010). The results obtained by using non-parametric statistical techniques, due to the small sample size, confirmed that the physical activity intervention had positive effects on the fine manual dexterity of the elderly in the experimental group, and the high level of self-efficacy perceived by the coaches influenced the effects of the physical training. The results emphasize the importance of setting realistic objectives, and prove that the choice and training of coaches is fundamental for physical exercise practiced in a condition of frailty, such as that of older people living in residential care facilities.

This study aimed to investigate the follow-up effects of certain characteristics of children’s friendships, such as similarity and cohesion with friends as represented by the children through drawing, as well as the breadth of their friendship networks as perceived by children. Participants were 115 children who were 6 to 9 years old (M = 7.09.14, SD = 0.41; 51 % female), attending two primary schools in northwest Italy. We used children’s drawings and self-reported measures to investigate friendship at both dyadic and network levels. Multiple logistic regressions indicated that mean score of similarity was positively associated with friendship network while an increase in cohesion was negatively associated with friendship network at follow-up. These associations did not vary by sex and stability or change of drawn friend. The paper contributes to the knowledge on the subject of friendship among children, especially in light of its focus on the associations between the components of friendship and the friendship network. Findings demonstrated that boys and girls are much more similar than expected.

The present study aims at investigating the changes between pre-test and post-test in mobility function, balance, and gait after a physical activity program in a sample of elderly people. Forty-four individuals living in residential care facilities were recruited, with a mean age of 85 (SD = 6.6) in the control group and 84.26 (SD = 7.4) in the intervention group. We collected baseline and post-test measurements for the Tinetti Test. The findings showed that the physical activity intervention had a positive effect on physical functions. There was a statistically significant change between the means of the two groups over time; the intervention groups showed a stable condition with respect to overall mobility function, balance, and gait while the control group showed decreased performance at the post-test. These results underline that even in critical conditions, relatively simple training may promote a more positive adjustment to old age.

The present study aimed to investigate the differences pre- and post-test after introducing an aerobic program of physical activity in the psychological and physical self-reported condition (feelings of depression, perception that one’s own health limits physical activities, negative self-perception, and execution of activities of daily living) of a group of elderly Italians deemed to be slightly compromised based on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE: median 23) and living in a residential care facility in northern Italy. The self-reported measures were drawn from the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and the Italian short version of Scale of basic Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). The participants were 17 elderly people of both genders (10 women and 7 men), with a median age of 85.56 years. The findings (we used non-parametric statistical techniques) showed that: 1) dropping activities/interests (due to feelings of depression) and taking a bath/shower autonomously (from activities of daily living) improved in women; 2) perceiving health as a limitation to moderate physical activity and feeling really down (based on negative self-perception) improved in men. These results underscore the importance of considering gender differences when evaluating the relationships between participation in physical activity and the psychological and physical condition of the elderly.

Mattia Roppolo,1,2 E Saskia Kunnen,2 Paul L van Geert,2 Anna Mulasso,1 Emanuela Rabaglietti1 1Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy; 2Department of Developmental Psychology, Rijksuniversiteit of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands Abstract: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a person-centered concept. The analysis of HRQOL is highly relevant in the aged population, which is generally suffering from health decline. Starting from a conceptual dynamic systems model that describes the development of HRQOL in individuals over time, this study aims to develop and test a quantitative dynamic systems model, in order to reveal the possible dynamic trends of HRQOL among older adults. The model is tested in different ways: first, with a calibration procedure to test whether the model produces theoretically plausible results, and second, with a preliminary validation procedure using empirical data of 194 older adults. This first validation tested the prediction that given a particular starting point (first empirical data point), the model will generate dynamic trajectories that lead to the observed endpoint (second empirical data point). The analyses reveal that the quantitative model produces theoretically plausible trajectories, thus providing support for the calibration procedure. Furthermore, the analyses of validation show a good fit between empirical and simulated data. In fact, no differences were found in the comparison between empirical and simulated final data for the same subgroup of participants, whereas the comparison between different subgroups of people resulted in significant differences. These data provide an initial basis of evidence for the dynamic nature of HRQOL during the aging process. Therefore, these data may give new theoretical and applied insights into the study of HRQOL and its development with time in the aging population. Keywords: older adults, dynamic systems model, nonlinear equations, simulated trajectories, validation

El objetivo general de este estudio es investigar, mediante un diseño longitudinal de dos años, los efectos en el tiempo de determinados componentes de la competencia social y emocional de los niños (por ejemplo, el comportamiento prosocial y la falta de autorregulación del comportamiento) y las características de la amistad en términos de cualidades positivas y negativas, y del tamaño de la red de amigos. En el estudio participaron 177 niños (6-9 años, M=7.10, SD=0.38; 48% mujeres) que, a T1, asisten a segundo curso de dos escuelas primarias en el Noroeste de Italia. Los modelos de ecuaciones estructurales indicaron que el comportamiento prosocial se asocia positivamente, tanto con la calidad positiva de la amistad, como con el tamaño de la red de amistad: los niños que obtuvieron una puntuación superior en conducta prosocial, también obtuvieron mayores puntuaciones en calidad positiva de la amistad y en el número de amigos, con respecto a los otros. Por otra parte, la falta de autorregulación del comportamiento se asoció positivamente con la calidad negativa de la amistad, lo que significa que los niños con mayor puntuación en falta de autorregulación también fueron superiores en la calidad negativa de las amistades, como el conflicto. Estas asociaciones no variaron por géneros.