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The success of Freudenberger's term burnout (1974), initially used for a clinical picture of air traffic controllers, can have different interpretations. On the one hand, the context in which it was introduced is emphasised with reference to the automation of work linked to the evolution of technology (Berg-Beckhoff et al., 2017; McInerney et al., 2012; Olaude et al., 2013; Ten Hoeven et al., 2016), today representing an opportunity for clinical practice and disease management (Cilli et al., 2022). On the other hand, it can be understood in the light of predisposing personological characteristics, particular traits prior to the phenomenon, as in the case of trait anxiety, psychological health, behaviours related to abuse (Louwen et al., 2023; Merlo et al., 2013, 2020a, 2020b; Yang Hayes, 2020).

The topic is not new with reference to previous Editorials of MJCP (Settineri, 2022; Settineri Femminò, 2019; Settineri Merlo, 2022) and this time it takes its cue from a reflection, resulting from the recent annual assembly of the College of Professors and Researchers of Clinical Psychology. In fact, in the last assembly, the Council dealt with the work of the three commissions that are engaged in teaching, research and the third mission precisely.

Recently, there is a growing interest in scientific dissemination. This is due, as highlighted in other contributions (Beck et al., 2019; Loi Di Guardo, 2015; Montesinos, 2008; Settineri Merlo, 2022), to choices made by both university institutions and individual scientists.

Among the urgent measures for the implementation of the PNRR of Law no. 79 of 29 June 2022, the word "frontal lesson" has been replaced by "for teaching in the various forms provided". In fact, the rule establishes the acquisition of a habit dictated by the change over time and the resolution of some misunderstandings on the number of hours to be covered by university teachers.

In the last ten years Italian universities, adapting to the changes deriving from globalization, have rethought their role classically linked to teaching and research. In a vision of meaning, these last missions are joined by a last one, a horizon that includes the relationship between universities and the outside world.

The main purposes of this public publishing service are centred on the dissemination of research, so that we all should remember that the three academic missions are inseparable.

More than 18 months have passed since the editorial dedicated to fear of contamination (Settineri Merlo, 2020a) which, like all public health editorials, has reflected on current events. Reflections on the relationship with that special object that is the disease characterized by its time and its spaces (today minor due to its global characteristics). The disease object is "special" for its complexity value that we can summarize in a multifactoriality that involves both intellectual and emotional processing. This involves risks of dispersion, a concept that is well suited to the word identity both individual and social.

Background: Defense mechanisms serve as mediators referred to the subjects’ attempt to manage stressors capable of threatening their integrity. Mature defense mechanisms represent the high adaptive group, including suppression, which allows the subject to distance disturbing contents from consciousness. In line with general defensive intents, suppression would preserve stable mood states, as in the case of euthymia. Clinical issues usually disturb homeorhesis, so that the study of subjects’ suppressive tendencies would suggest possible existing relations among defense mechanisms, mood states, and clinical issues. The study highlighted the significant existing relations among factors such as suppression, euthymia, mood states, and clinical psychological phenomena.Methods: The observation group was composed of 150 participants, 51 males (34%) and 99 females (66%), aged from 25 to 30 years old, with a mean age of 26.63 years old (SD = 1.51). The study was conducted through the use of measures related to subjects’ characteristics, euthymia, psychological flexibility and psychological well-being (Euthymia Scale), suppression (Suppression Mental Questionnaire), well-being (Who-5), and compassion (ProQol-5).Results: The performed analyses consisted of descriptive statistics, correlations, differences, and regressions among the considered variables. Starting from the first hypothesis, SMQ factors appeared to be significantly and positively correlated with Euthymia factors, rather than Regression in the Ego service (-). In line with the previous result, significant and positive correlations emerged among SMQ and Well-being (WHO-5) variables, maintaining an inverse relation with Regression in the Ego service. Significant differences emerged between male and female groups concerning SMQ total score and rationalization, with higher male group scores. Finally, significant dependencies emerged among the selected predictors (SMQ variables) and Compassion satisfaction.Conclusion: The emerged results highlighted significant relations among the considered variables so that it was possible to highlight the common directions assumed by suppression variables, well-being, and euthymia. Moreover, suppression appeared as a significant predictor with a causal role in clinical satisfaction. The results that have emerged allow us to consider defenses through an empirical perspective, useful to suggest an extension to other groups, phenomena, and conditions.

Dear readers, the present is above all a thanksgiving to who directly or indirectly participate in the life of the Journal, including Authors and the Editorial Team. In this editorial there are three considerations on Clinical Psychology.

Problematic Internet Use (PIU) is a dysfunctional behavior associated with prolonged Internet use, which results of negative impact on different aspects of life. Several studies confirmed these negative effects, unlike others that highlighted the benefits of the Internet on psychosocial well-being. The use of standard, valid and reliable tools for PIU assessment could resolve these disputes and also have relevant clinical implications. This study aims to validate the Italian version of the Internet Behaviors Scale and verify its psychometric properties on our sample. The tool is composed of 38 items grouped three factors: Social aspects, Negative impact and Competence and convenience aspect. The study involved 397 subjects, 257 females (64.7%), 138 males (34.8%) and 2 of other geneder (0.5%, not declared), aged 18 to 31 years old (mean = 20.42; SD = 2,72). Factor analyses consisting of Varimax rotation method, Kaiser normalization, Bartlett’s test of sphericity and internal consistency were performed. The results confirmed the good psychometric properties of the Internet Behaviors Scale - Italian Version. Factor analysis showed the validity of the three factors and satisfactorily explained the total variance. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients indicated high internal consistency for each factor. The use of this tool could be useful in the clinical setting, in order to understand the use of the Internet by users and its impact on psychosocial well-being.

Background: The health professionals are involved in the paths of care for patients with different medical conditions. Their life is frequently characterized by psychopathological outcomes so that it is possible to identify consistent burdens. Besides the possibility to develop pathological outcomes, some protective factors such as resilience play a fundamental role in facilitating the adaptation process and the management of maladaptive patterns. Personal characteristics and specific indexes such as burdens and resilience are essential variables useful to study in-depth ongoing conditions and possible interventions. The study was aimed at highlighting the presence and the relations among factors as personal variables, burdens, and resilience, to understand health professionals' specific structure and functions.Methods: The observation group was composed of 210 participants, 55 males (26.2%), and 155 females (73.8%), aged from 18 to 30 years old with a mean age of 25.92 years old (SD = 3.33). The study considered personal characteristics of the subjects, such as age, gender, years of study, days of work per week, hours of work per week, and years of work. Our study had been conducted with the use of measures related to burdens (Caregivers Burden Inventory) and resilience (Resilience Scale for Adults).Results: The performed analyses consisted of descriptive statistics, correlations, and regressions among the considered variables. Several significant correlations emerged among personal characteristics, CBI, and RSA variables. Specifically, age and work commitment indexes appeared to be significantly related to the development of burdens, differently from the years of study. Significant correlations emerged among personal and RSA variables, indicating precise directions for both domains. Age and gender were identified as predictors to perform multivariate regression analyses concerning CBI factors. Significant dependence relations emerged with reference to all CBI variables.Conclusion: Pathological outcomes and resilience factors represent two sides of the health professionals' experiences, also known as “invisible patients.” Greater knowledge about present conditions and future possibilities is a well-known need in literature so that the current analyses considered fundamental factors. In line with state of the art, future studies are needed in order to deepen elusive phenomena underlying maladjustment.

The aim of the last MJCP editorials was to establish a bridge between scientific research, teaching and public engagement in accordance with the production of the Journal, which is one of the activities of the University of Messina. With this piece we want to point out the institution in the two channels for the degree in Medicine and Surgery in the first year of the course, 2020-21, of an Integrated Course (IC) called Medical Humanities (MH), already promoted by the College of the Italian Coordinators of the Degree Courses in Medicine and Surgery.

The coronavirus pandemic (Covid 19) will cause momentous changes in world history. "Let's change road" is the reflection of one of the greatest living philosophers who I had the honor of knowing, on the occasion of the awarding of an honorary degree by our University. The memory of this event is aroused by the reading of Morin's essay, which starts from a short biography: from the changes that occurred in his life to the hope of achieving happiness. A writing that reflects the current condition of the pursuit of happiness by humanity and in particular by the victims of this pandemic, who have been deprived of the last caress.

Background: Problem gambling could progressively grow in a period of isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic to the possibility of gambling directly from home. Objectives: This pilot study highlights if the problem gambling, during a period of isolation such as that of COVID-19, can be explained by personality or sociodemographic characteristics, therefore it investigates the emotional and impulsive characteristics of problem gamblers and examines whether those who are adults, those who have more years of study or who work are less likely to have problem gambling. Methods: A total of 200 subjects completed an online survey to examine the associations between problem gambling, alexithymia, and impulsiveness. The standardized tools used were the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Results: Problem gambling was positively correlated with male gender, TAS-20 total score, difficulty describing feelings, externally-oriented thinking, attentional, and nonplanning impulsiveness. Furthermore, there was a significant inverse correlation between higher SOGS scores and fewer years of study. Multivariate analysis showed that age, gender, years of study, BIS-11 total score, attentional impulsiveness, and nonplanning impulsiveness were predictors of gambling. Conclusions: The results of this exploratory research suggest that in a period characterized by a pandemic, problem gambling is associated with some personality and sociodemographic characteristics. Moreover, age, male gender, low levels of study and impulsive characteristics play a decisive role in problem gambling.

I thank you for your letter concerning the pathology linked to the phantom limbs and for the related relationship with the pain that this mental representation arouses (Orrù et al., 2020). The issue adequately falls within the intentions of the MJCP letters to the Editor such as those summarized by Peh Ng (2010).

The purpose of this editorial is suggested by two themes born at different times, but both current. The first is linked to the didactic experiences dictated by the necessary strategies to cope with covid19. The second issue is related to technological innovation in teaching, born in a more remote time, which represented a possibility of continuity in teaching.

As this editorial is being written, the pandemic of covid-19 in Italy and the rest of Europe, is becoming more and more serious. Besides the epidemiological aspect that does not immediately fall within the aims of the Journal, there is the various pathological fallout on the subjects mediated by the mass media. The resonance and the consequences of this phenomenon will have been made visible at a later time, considering the necessary suspension of most of the healthcare services as of now.

In Romania, as anywhere in the world, postpartum depression is considered to be the most frequent health problem in the postpartum period. Unfortunately, as it will be later explained, in Romania, in the majority of cases, patients, their families and relatives (as well as the medical staff in charge of the patient) treat the postpartum depression and its serious possible implications superficially. Therefore and especially in order to precisely establish the perception of postpartum depression and its consequences in a targeted population, but also to evaluate indirectly the level of importance given to it by doctors (as well as the other healthcare professionals), we have designed in the year of 2019 in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of "St.Pantelimon" Emergency Clinical Hospital from Bucharest a populational study that anonymously interviewed 112 pregnant women hospitalized in the clinic between 24.02.2019 and 25.03.2019. Our interview was mostly generated by an extensive master study that was conducted in the clinic on this topic, but after seeing the results we have considered it mandatory to summarize and publish them.

First of all, we would like to thank Walsh & Foster (2020) for their intent to consider the prejudice (stigma) towards psychopathologies, which remain meritorious on the plane of social and human commitment. The introduction underlined how at the basis of the stigma there are figures such as contamination, fear and disgust understood as the removal of an object that is considered dangerous. The historical perspective, bringing British tradition to the wider Western European history, falls within the current style, even if the monumental work of Foucault (1961) was not mentioned. The reference is to the habit of considering only the most recent literal contributions, always overlooking classical fundamental papers, which were viewed as obsolete.

The study presents an exploratory investigation of the function of the kiss and is aimed at validating a quantitative psychological instrument useful to highlight its ontogenesis. The construction of the questionnaire identified possible 25 items with the aim of analysing the origin of the meaning processes related to kiss, starting from the relationships with the main caregivers. In this sense, the items were constituted starting from the subject’s representations regarding parental desires, to move to secondary relationships and to the introduction of the term "third" in their dynamics of affectivity projection. The study involved 227 subjects with a male prevalence (M=53,3%) and aged between 18 and 42 years old (Mean= 23,84; SD= 3,47). The weight of such items demonstrated to be representative of the kissing signification experiences along the psycho-affective development stages were reported. Through the factorial exploratory analysis, three factors were identified, called respectively "kiss desire origin", "Objectual kiss" and "Thirdness".

The seat of our Journal is representative of a legend, the myth of Scylla and Charybdis that as it is known were Sirens. We take this cue to indicate the difficulty of men in oscillating between two tendencies, both fascinating and dangerous. The first reference is to privilege articles widely citable in the statistical sense of trend: the utility is obvious, the highest classifications, those that will make the difference.

Objectives: Analyse the practice of art therapy in adolescence, with particular reference to traumatic and difficulties in affective regulation. Methods: Application of the photo novel as an expressive and therapeutic technique, finalized to the achievement of Self-awareness and integrated identity. Results: Art therapy is a practice that allows the emergence of traumatic experiences and emotional contents, difficult to express through verbal production. This technique can be particularly effective with adolescents, for their identity and in Self-construction. Conclusions: Art therapy is effective in education and psychotherapy. Given the high presence of adolescents with possible traumatic experiences and difficulties in emotional expression, it would be desirable to use Art Therapy as a support tool in the school environment.

The institutional purpose of Clinical Psychology is essentially applicative, at least from how it can be deduced from the current state of the declaratory. A movement is taking place, analogous to other sectors, which as a basic method adopts the scientific approach which consists in classifying, perhaps clustering, through a process of similarity, what the researchers of clinical psychology produce.

BackgroundThe function of emotions, beginning from the proto-emotions, is the adaptation to the environment. This is based on the Homeorhesis, the equilibrium due to the adaptive operation of excitement and the dissipation of emotions. The object relations of the participants foresee the practice of defense mechanisms in a continuum that goes from the consciousness to the oneiric activities. The predominant and maladaptive use of defense mechanisms in the psychosomatic phenomenology, can be identified with deficits in emotional awareness, with the impossibility to manage excitement and dissipation of emotions foreseen by the oneiric phenomena.MethodsThe observation group is composed by 140 participants, 56 males (43%) and 84 females (57%),with pathological-functional disorders of psychosomatic domain. The study had been conducted with the use of measures related to the conscious defense of suppression (Suppression Mental Questionnaire), to the emotional awareness linked to the psychosomatic phenomena (Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research Structured Interview-DCPR-SI) and to the states of perturbation and conservation of oneiric activities (The Manheim Dream Questionnaire-MADRE).ResultsSignificant inverse correlations emerged among rationalization, repressive function and illness Denial, as for the suppression mental questionnaire factors and irritable mood, but for Regression in the service of the Ego; inverse and significant correlations emerged among suppression, repressive function, rationalization and gastrointestinal psychosomatic outcomes and among suppression, repression and cardiological psychosomatic outcomes. Regarding alexithymia, a positive correlation emerged with rationalization and inverse with Regression in the service of the Ego. Positive correlations emerged between illness denial and overall emotional tone, for disease phobia and meaningfulness and for cardiological psychosomatic outcomes and nightmare distress and recurring nightmares.ConclusionThe study of such outcomes due to a prevalent defensive style based on suppression, suggest the identification of a key phenomenon, which translates into maladjustment that goes from functional disorders to parasomnia. The bridge established by the obfuscation of conscious contents until the manifestations of disturbance of ancient activities such as oneiric ones, expresses the need to transform an emotional maladaptive style, in line with classic literature and the current state of art.

The following are reflections of a clinical psychologist and a psychotherapist; first of all it’s important to remember that the task of the disciplinary sector is to find applications of the clinical report, hence the gaps, that other scholars will find, derive from the precise professional context that does not intend to avoid drawing on other knowledge to improve the care in suffering; also the therapeutic plan, of a clear analytical inspiration, wants to obtain from the culture those necessary cues for the amplifications that make the original psychotherapy according to the thought of C.G Jung.

The Suppression Mental Questionnaire System (mobile App, Web-Services, Cloud...) acts as a bridge among dynamic psychology, the cognitive studies, and modern information and telecommunication technologies (ICT). The adoption of digital tools speeds clinical investigations on defense mechanisms and makes clinical trials easier by reducing needed effort for manual scoring. It also enables faster and deeper research practices, also more appropriate to the times by enabling the real-time transfer of the results to digital archives for statistical and psychometrical purposes. Reliability of the scale was evaluated by using Cronbach's alpha; this numerical coefficient of reliability was calculated for the three factors and for the two psychodiagnostic tools. The digital tool melts together scalability and availability provided by the mobile application, power and flexibility provided by Web 2.0 portal. The statistical analysis show a good reliability of the scale and of different factors. Differences related to the factors are considered possible on the basis of the current literature.Mobile Operating Systems, Internet, Web 2.0, and the considerable computing capabilities provided by Clouds are powerful combinations of tools able to provide real-time Open Data/Results to scientists and users, and to spread up the use of the questionnaire all over the world.

Background: First clinical services in psychology have been established for educational purposes when Witmer founded its Psychological Clinic. Over the years, the educational dimension played a significant role in the development of new evaluation methods and intervention strategies for the pursuit of positive mental health. The present review aims to capture developments that have been considered emerging applications of clinical psychology in school and educational settings. Methods: We conducted a search of the literature on Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science. The following search terms were used and combined: “clinical”, “psychology”, “educational”, and “school”. Results: A total of 18 research articles were included and analyzed in the current review. A number of studies showed that school-based positive psychology interventions were effective not only in reducing symptoms of psychological distress (somatization, depression, and anxiety) but also in increasing levels of positive mental health (a sense of individual growth, self-esteem, self-efficacy and optimism). As to studies on evaluation methods, the WHO-5 and the psychological well-being subscale from the Kellner Symptom Questionnaire were found to be clinically valid self-rating scales for the assessment of positive mental health in children and adolescents. Conclusion: Studies demonstrated that promoting positive mental health is more beneficial in the long term than simply treating symptoms of psychological distress. In clinical psychology, time has come to move from a traditional psychopathology-based perspective to a positive clinical approach to be used for innovative interventions and assessment strategies in school and educational settings.

The aim of the research is to measure the relations and the directions of two modalities to study the approach to objects and learning. An observation group of 213 subjects, 93 males (43,7%) and 120 females (56,3%), (average of 24,73 years old; SD 2,28) all students from the V year Medicine and Surgery from the University of Messina, were involved. The evaluation was carried out with The Kolb's LSI II (Italian Adaptation) and the Mayers-Bryggs Type Indicator. Descriptive and correlational analysis were carried out. Significant correlations emerged respectful to the Jung's introversion and extraversion (Hp 1), so that we assist to a positive correlation among every style. Referring to Learning Styles and the Jung's functions (Hp 2), significant positive and negative correlations emerged, but for AE. Significant and negative correlations emerged for judging functions, AC and RO (Hp 3). Negative correlations were highlighted by the relation among the two Leaning Styles groups and judging functions (Hp 4). The study could provide an integrative way to consider the teaching activity and the curricula . The relations suggest that the awareness of the students about their learning and adaptation process can provide a viable mode to satisfy their desires.

Objective: To evaluate the existential distress through simple measurements of the emotional state, health and well-being of doctors involved in outpatient and ward activities. Method: an observation group of 77 physicians with male prevalence (58.4%), between the ages of 26 to 67 years old (mean 46.30 years; SD = 11.1). The mean of the length of service is 18.71 years (SD = 10.50); data collection took place through an initial questionnaire, an instrument referring to the emotional and affective state (POMS, McNair et al, 1992), the motivation at work scale MAWS (Gagnè, 2010, the Italian version Galletta et al, 2011), scales related to well-being (GHQ-12, 2000) and health (WHO, 1998) Results: half of the participants in the study work during the night shift (50.6%), another percentage suffer from medical pathologies (41.6%) and follow drug therapies regularly (33.8%); significant positive correlations emerged among some MAWS scales (autonomous motivation, ego ideal - item 7,8, motivation for medical work - item 3,4) and psychological well-being; significant positive correlation between the POMS force scale and psychological well-being, among some POMS scales (Tension or Anxiety, Depression or Dejection, Fatigue or Inertia, Confusion or Bewilderment, Anger or Hostility, Vigor or Activity, Total score) and psychological distress and suffering; significant negative correlations among the POMS scales (Tension or Anxiety, Depression or Dejection, Anger or Hostility, Fatigue or Inertia, Confusion or Bewilderment, Total score) and psychological well-being, among the POMS , Vigor or Activity, psychological distress and suffering. Conclusions: in the field of work and the medical profession, the experience of this study refers to the importance of conscious and deep autonomy, as a possibility to adhere to the humanistic experience of the profession; the states of slight maladjustment can turn out to be particularly counterproductive, such as maladaptive psychopathological phenomena.

Objective: the study identifies the presence of the signs of depression, teasing and self-esteem in obese female adolescents compared to a control group. Methods: the studied group consisted of female subjects (N= 106 obese adolescents and 106 control group) aged from 12 to 18. In the study, the subjects were administered measures of body image, Montgomery Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS), Scale of perceived Teasing, Self-Liking (SL) and Self-competence (SC) to appraise self-esteem. Results: the comparative assessment highlighted that obese adolescents are significantly depressed. Regarding the teasing, the adolescents were affected from a physical viewpoint. A significant difference also emerged in relation to self-esteem. Conclusion: the emotional consequences should be carefully weighed in consideration of the possible psychopathologies that may arise, i.e. mood signs. In relation to the signs, the prevention with psychological interventions is important for eating disorders and improve psychosocial health.

Background. Thalassemia is a chronic disease that can lead to an impact on psychological functioning and social behavior of patients. However, still little is known about the specific psychological aspects of the disease, such as the degree of tension, life satisfaction and affective control, especially in adult patients. Aim. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether patients with thalassemia have specific psychological pattern relating to the dimensions of tension, satisfaction and quality of life, management of affection. Method. We evaluated 31 patients with thalassemia major and intermedia (19 women and 12 men) aged between 18 and 50 years (M = 34 + 16), belonging to the Complex Unit of Medical Genetics. For the evaluation were used the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q) and the Rorschach test. Results. The findings show an inverse relationship between the levels of self-reported tension and the affective control indicators at Rorschach. Life satisfaction, instead, seems to vary according to the severity of the disease - major vs. intermediate - and the type of therapy. Conclusions. An understanding of the psychological mechanisms involved in thalassemia, both self-reported and projective, can contribute to a wider patient takeover, by considering the subjective aspects related to the psychological and socioemotional well-being, fundamental in the care compliance.

The study of desire at Rorschach implicate the phenomenological study of images conveyed by responses, at least those in which a clear portrait can be considered as forms of consciousness and of Ego manifestation. The optic to involve the portraits of desire with the Rorschach practice proposes that the meeting point is the affectivity related to desire. It reorganizes the Ego and allows the comparison between different human conventions. The article presents some portraits of desire, thus the study consists in the attempt to highlight how these portraits can be identified through pareidolia. The clinical reality of adolescent Gender Dysphoric patients appears as an area in which desire prevails over the symptom’s symbology and becomes clear and explicit from the first contact. The study therefore proposes that the peculiarities of desire, may allow a study in depth about more complex intrapsychic representations such as those of the Self and the Body, whose articulation is provided as an outcome the bad endurance (dysphoria) of a physic not experienced as own.

The work is aimed at studying three points of view, whose convergences and conflicts deepen the theme of the symbol, where the same faces to the psychic life full of meaning. The process of signification of objects in fact, provides an opportunity for knowledge of the psychic life of the subjects. As the product of mind, therefore, the attention falls, from semiotics, on the meanings of the dynamic psychology, whether it is psychoanalysis or analytical psychology. In this sense, from a phenomenological and semiotic approach, based on Peirceiane mode of existence of the sign, the analysis continues with the theme of the return of the Freudian symbol to converge to the common and different aspects of Jungian analytic theory. The convergent products of the different approaches, in fact, provide the ability to grasp what regardless of theory and hermeneutics, remains in the clinical context through the possibility of profound contact with the subject.

The ability to understand Learning Styles, provided by Kolb’s studies, suggests that the instrument can be used on the Italian population in a translated and adapted form. In this study, correlational and factorial re-analysis, in line with the psychometric evidence in the literature, shows how the four scales, Abstract Conceptualization (AC), Concrete Experience (CE), Reflective Observation (RO), Active Experimentation (AE), come together as in the original Kolb’s hypothesis, in a bipolar dimension. The assessment of the Learning styles applied to the students of Medicine and Surgery, is interesting for the many different approaches into medical science and different professional choices.

to a dental context. The dental treatment itself may provoke excitation and aggressive response relating to multiple sources of motivation that have been examined by the literature. The hypothesis to test in the present paper is to what extent dental anxiety can be explained by looking at patients’ characteristics solely or by considering latent aggressiveness that could be manifested before and during the dental treatment. The results of the study should give some indications to dentists to better understand the presence of a greater or lesser anxiety associated with orthodontic treatment in order to provide an appropriate assistance and, eventually, to help patients in developing coping strategies. As a consequence, it should be clear how intervening on each component of dental anxiety and/or aggressiveness may have a positive impact on the outcome of dental treatment.

Several studies have been focused on the quality of life of caregivers caring for patients with exclusively physical or mental diseases, but little is known about the differences related to the burden experienced. This study had as its subject the burden of caregivers and their quality of life involved in helping patients with diseases (1) physical, (2) mental and (3) both pathological conditions. We interviewed 294 caregivers of outpatients undergoing physiotherapic, psychiatric and neuroriabilitative treatment. The evaluation was carried out with three instruments: an informative questionnaire, the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) and the Quality of Life Index (QoL -I). Results show that both the burden and the quality of life are significantly worse for caregivers who care for patients with both physical and mental diseases. Caregivers most disadvantaged are those who indicate as a reason of care the sense of duty rather than the affection. Finally, the sons and daughters, differently from the parents, showed a greater burden of required time and a lower quality of life. The investigation of the motivational aspects of the caregivers and the increased knowledge of the differences between the emotional experience of parents and children can contribute to the definition of more specific psycho-educational interventions and support.

Authors postulate that the difference between suppression and repression, highlighted in particular by the Societè Psychanalitique de Paris, enables the development of a quantitative instrument, since suppression is a defense accessible to consciousness and therefore quantifiable like scales and questionnaires. The idea of constructing a questionnaire, included the identification of thirty variables having somehow a plausible relationship with this mechanism. The factor exploratory analysis were identified three factors, named respectly “repressive function”, “regression to the ego service” and “rationalization”, the first of which is the closest to the theoretical construct postulated.

This paper highlights the clinical signs of suicidal risk behaviour assessing a Rorschach protocol. A 21-year-old female with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and a history of suicide attempt, is assessed upon an accurate clinical and personality evaluation with the Rorschach projective method. Authors discuss by a clinical and psychoanalytical perspective the role of projective identification and the suicidal risk signs in a Rorschach protocol, for appropriate diagnosis, manage and prevent of this phenomenon.

This text deals with the issue and the image of Medusa as a polyvalent symbol. Its power has been analyzed from different sides, such as myth, symbol of dreams, attractive image and cultural ritual, symbol of possession of a complex for the psyche in the cleft between the head and the body. The relevant aspects of this reflection find their foundation in the psychological clinic, in the psychopathology of affections and emotions, petrified expression of anger that has not been processed, in defense mechanisms of isolation of affect.