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This study aims to investigate situational (emotions) and individual factors (peace attitude and personality) on decision making, by using the prisoner's dilemma paradigm. The study involved 104 participants. The positive, neutral and negative emotional states were induced by watching a video. The prisoner's dilemma tasks were administered immediately after the video. Participants were divided into two groups, one with high and one with low levels of peace attitude, and an analysis of repeated measures of variance was subsequently applied. Results show how situational factors, such as exposure to positive rather than negative emotions, increase cooperative rather than competitive choice. For the individual factor of the peace attitude results showed that peaceful people prefer cooperation. This study suggests that both situational factors (emotions) and individual factors (attitude to peace) influence cooperative decision-making choices. Future research should further evaluate the role of situational and individual factors together and their interactions. This work seems to suggest that to achieve a more peaceful society interventions should be made involving both situational and individual factors. With reference to individual factors, learnt behaviors including the peace attitude has to become so automatized that it can overcame any negative emotions induced by the setting. Understanding the developmental pathways that can influence individual factors to consistently choose peace is important so as to promote a stable culture of peace across several levels of observation., Author(s): Rosa Angela Fabio [sup.1] , Valentina Romeo [sup.2] , Chiara Calabrese [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) https://ror.org/05ctdxz19, grid.10438.3e, 0000 0001 2178 8421, Department of Economy, University of Messina, , Via [...]

The positivity effect can be defined as an age-related attentional preference for positive information. Previous research has investigated the positive effect through explicit measurements. To our knowledge, no study examined both implicit and explicit measurements. The main aim of the present study was to examine the positivity effect in older adults compared with younger adults, using both implicit and explicit measures. Fifty-nine younger (23 males and 36 females), age range 20-35, and 55 elderly (21 males and 34 females), age range 68-89, healthy adults participated in this study. As an explicit measure of the positivity effect, the index of optimism measured with the Life Orientation Test was used; as an implicit measure of the positivity effect, the Implicit Association Test was used. The results indicated that the older adults showed a higher optimism index than the younger adults. Also, the older adults showed a higher standardized difference on positive emotions compared with negative emotions, whereas the younger group showed an opposite trend. the present study confirms previous findings on positivity effect in the older adults and contributes preliminary evidence that suggests the positivity effect can be observed also when the experimental tasks do not explicitly address participants how processing the information and the task elicits an automatic processing of information., Author(s): Michela Panebianco [sup.1] , Tindara Caprì [sup.2] , Mariateresa Panebianco [sup.1] , Rosa Angela Fabio [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.10438.3e, 0000 0001 2178 8421, Department of Clinical and Experimental [...]

The main aim of the present study was to examine the effects of psychosocial and cognitive stress on executive functions and automatic processes in healthy subjects. To achieve these purposes, we investigated whether cognitive stress impaired the controlled processing underlying cognitive flexibility, working memory and initial letter fluency performances, and whether social stress impaired both performance of executive processes and of semantic fluency. We employed the psychosocial stress paradigm in which cognitive assessment was superimposed on cognitive and social stressors soon after their introduction and was carried out concurrently while they were present. With reference to cognitive stress, we employed the dual-task paradigm that involves a primary task (performances related to executive functions and automatic task) and a secondary task (focusing attention and memorizing items in another cognitive task). Eighty-eight healthy subjects, between 18 and 30 years, participated in this study. They were randomly divided into three groups: two groups undergoing a stress procedure, respectively a cognitive stress group and a social stress group, and a control group. Results indicated that stress impaired cognitive flexibility, working memory and verbal fluency. Cognitive flexibility was affected to a greater extent by psychosocial stress than cognitive stress. This study suggests that the negative effects of stress on cognitive flexibility may be a consequence of the interplay between controlled and automatic processes., Author(s): Rosa Angela Fabio [sup.1] , Giulia Picciotto [sup.1] , Tindara Caprì [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.10438.3e, 0000 0001 2178 8421, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, [...]

The purpose of this two-phase study was to validate the giftedness checklist of Sommer, Fink, and Neubauer (2008) in the Italian context, in both the version for teachers and for parents. The first phase was conducted with a sample of 570 children, 392 parents, and 136 teachers, with the aim of exploring the instrument factor structure, and analysing its psychometric properties. In the second phase, ratings provided by teachers and parents on the instrument were examined to investigate whether the instrument successfully discriminates between gifted and non-gifted students. Results indicate the usefulness of the instrument in the identification of giftedness.

Media usage is pervasive in young children and in parents. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of media usage on family functioning. To measure media usage we used the Media Usage Questionnaire (MUQ). To measure the family functioning we used the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES IV), in which balanced scores (cohesion and flexibility) reveal a healthy functioning, and unbalanced scores reveal a dysfunctional functioning (disengagement, enmeshment, rigidity and chaos). Both instruments were administered to a sample of 80 families with children aged from 1 to 8 years. Results indicated that family functioning was balanced when both parents and young children showed low levels of digital device usage, whereas family functioning was dysfunctional when parents showed high levels of media usage and they allowed children high usage too. The results are discussed in terms of implications for the analysis of risk of altered family functioning., Author(s): Tindara Caprì [sup.1] , Maria Cristina Gugliandolo [sup.1] , Giancarlo Iannizzotto [sup.2] , Andrea Nucita [sup.2] , Rosa Angela Fabio [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.10438.3e, 0000 0001 2178 8421, [...]

BACKGROUND: Social media platforms have become integral to modern society, facilitating diverse content interactions for individuals. The widespread use of social media has sparked intriguing inquiries into its impact on self-perception and individual well-being. This study investigated the phenomenon of social media appearance preoccupation and its complex relationship with psychosocial factors such as self-esteem, well-being, appearance-related anxiety, depression, and anxiety, considering both the rich-get-richer hypothesis and the poor-get-richer hypothesis. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: A sample of 401 Italian participants, aged 18 to 54, completed the demographic questionnaire, the Social Media Appearance Preoccupation Scale (SMAPS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI), the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Y2 (STAI-Y2). RESULTS: The results suggest a complex relationship between psychosocial factors and social media appearance preoccupation (SMAP). While higher levels of self-esteem and well-being were associated with lower levels of SMAP, indicating a protective effect against appearance preoccupation on social media, there was a positive correlation between appearance-related anxiety, leisure hours of media use, and SMAP. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the multifaceted nature of SMAP and its associations with various psychosocial factors. Overall, these results provide partial support for the theory of the poor-get-richer hypothesis, suggesting that individuals experiencing heightened levels of appearancerelated anxiety may turn to social media as a coping mechanism, potentially exacerbating their psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the role of a growth mind-set of intelligence in influencing the level of engagement toward healthy behaviors in older individuals, as well as related health outcomes. A sample of 100 healthy older adults joined the study. Their beliefs about intelligence (growth vs. fixed mind-set), general health, cognitive functioning, and level of engagement toward healthy behavior were assessed using four different assessment tools. Data confirmed a significant positive relationship between an intelligence growth mind-set and the willingness to adhere to healthy behaviors. Moreover, results suggest that a growth mind-set of intelligence leads to better physical and cognitive health. This study provides some evidence to support the idea that a growth mind-set can affect the process of becoming older by increasing the willingness to adhere to healthy behaviors. These beliefs could be used to implement better approaches to promote adherence to healthy behaviors in older individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive therapeutic method that modulates cortical excitability and shows promising results for treating disorders of consciousness (DoCs). Robotic verticalization training (RVT) has been shown to enhance motor and cognitive recovery. This study evaluates the effects of an innovative approach combining RVT with tDCS in individuals with DoCs. Methods: Twenty-four subjects with DoCs, particularly those with chronic minimally conscious state (MCS) due to vascular or traumatic brain injury, participated in a quasi-randomized study at the Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Neurolesi (Messina, Italy). Participants were divided into either a control group (CG) receiving RVT alone or an experimental group (EG) receiving combined tDCS and RVT. Both groups underwent treatments five times weekly for four weeks, with tDCS/sham sessions over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) lasting 20 min before Erigo training sessions, which lasted 45 min. Results: The findings indicate that combining tDCS with Erigo® Pro RTT could lead to greater improvements in cognitive functioning and P300 latency compared to the CG. Conclusions: These results suggest that the integrated approach of tDCS with RVT could offer significant benefits for patients with MCS, highlighting its potential to enhance cognitive recovery, such as reducing P300 latency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop and validate the Sustainable Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ), a comprehensive tool for assessing environmentally sustainable behaviors among Italian adults. Drawing on established theories and scales, the SBQ was refined through a two‐part study. Study 1 involved reviewing the literature, selecting items, and conducting exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on responses from 219 participants. This process resulted in a four‐factor structure: "purchase behavior and awareness," "reusing and recycling," "reducing," and "walking" and "use of public transport." Study 2, comprising 432 participants, confirmed the four‐factor structure through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and established the SBQ's convergent validity with Intention Sustainable Behavior (ISBQ) and Environment Sustainable Value and Norms (ESVN) measures. The SBQ demonstrated robust internal consistency, providing a reliable instrument for assessing sustainable behaviors. This research contributes to the field by offering a psychometrically sound questionnaire for evaluating sustainable behaviors among Italian adults and further understanding their role in promoting environmental conservation and well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With reference to the rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) framework model, the purpose of the present study was to develop a multidimensional scale regarding dysfunctional beliefs of young people, and to clarify its factor structure. In line with this purpose, the dysfunctional beliefs questionnaire (DBQ) was developed. It is composed of four subscales measuring self-criticizing, catastrophizing, demandingness and frustration intolerance. Results reveal that the DBQ shows a good four-factor structure that represents the four subscales of the theoretical framework model. Furthermore, this result demonstrates adequate internal consistency reliability and supports the validity of the DBQ in terms of construct convergent (assessed with the personality belief questionnaire) and divergent validity (assessed with intelligence and coping strategies). Findings also show that dysfunctional beliefs are negatively correlated with intelligence and blunting coping and partially correlated with monitoring coping. Clinical implications and the potential utility of examining the combined influence of other cognitive factors are highlighted., Author(s): Rosa Angela Fabio [sup.1] , Tindara Caprì [sup.1] , Caterina Buzzai [sup.1] , Rossella Campana [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.10438.3e, 0000 0001 2178 8421, Cognitive Empowerment Laboratory, Department of [...]

Gaining the attention is the first key step to enhance learning. In Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as the most prevalent deficit in school age, the learners face some impairment in attention that requires appropriate intervention. An environment that embedded Pedagogical Agent in computer-assisted instruction (CAI) has been designed to support learning through gaining and guiding attention to relevant information for these students. This study investigated how much the presence of pedagogical agent can improve learning in ADHD students. The learning environment was integrated with a pedagogical agent, named Koosha, as a tutor and motivator. This study employed a pretest and posttest experimental design with a control group. The statistical population was 30 boy students with ADHD in primary school from the North of Iran. The participants were randomly assigned to work with either an agent presenting a multimedia program or without an agent in mathematics. The results (Analysis of covariance -ANCOVA) suggested that experimental and control groups show a significant difference in mathematics achievement. According to this research, using the pedagogical agent can enhance the learning of ADHD students; so it can be considered as a valid school-base intervention for these students.

Vascular dementia, the second most common type of dementia, currently lacks a definitive cure. In the pursuit of therapies aimed at slowing its progression and alleviating symptoms, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) emerges as a promising approach, characterized by its non-invasive nature and the ability to promote brain plasticity. In this study, the primary objective was to investigate the effects of a two-week cycle of tDCS on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and neurophysiological functioning in thirty patients diagnosed with vascular dementia. Each participant was assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group, which received anodal tDCS to stimulate DPCFL, and the control group, which received sham tDCS. Neurophysiological functions were assessed before and after tDCS using P300 event-related potentials (ERPs), while neuropsychological function was evaluated through a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The results showed a reduction in P300 latency, indicating a faster cognitive process; an increase in P300 amplitude, suggesting a stronger neural response to cognitive stimuli; and a significant improvement in MMSE scores compared to the control group, indicating an overall enhancement in cognitive functions. These findings suggest that tDCS could represent a promising therapeutic option for improving both neurophysiological and cognitive aspects in patients with vascular dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]