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Quality of life concerns individual (physical and psychological health), interpersonal (social relationships) and contextual (environment) aspects, which are both subjective and objective. In considering contextual characteristics, empirical findings have demonstrated that people's relation to their living environment is a key issue for their well-being. However, until now literature has paid little attention to population density as an element affecting quality of life. The present study aimed at assessing the predictive role of population density on the several domains of quality of life, along with socio-demographic characteristics and physical diseases. Participants were 344 subjects living in the Northern Italy area. A questionnaire with WHO Quality of Life Brief Scale, a checklist of chronic diseases and a socio-demographic form was used to collect data. Results showed that population density influences psychological, relational and environmental quality of life. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.

Introduction: The notion that personality disorders (PD) are not discrete but rather continuous pathologies and that their diagnosis is not only structural but also dimensional has been increasingly gathering consensus. Starting from this consideration, a number of authors have already suggested the utility of developing a system of PD classification in adolescence (Westen et al., 2003). The aim of the present work is to verify whether, and to what extent, the Rorschach test could lead to an assessment index for implicit PD in adolescence. Methods: The instruments administered the Rorschoch test (Exner CS) and clinical inteiviews, both of which were used to reach a diagnosis of PD according to the DSM-IV-TR (APA, 2000). The participants were 60 psychopathological adolescents with Axis II diagnosis, mean age 15 years, who were paired off with a non-clinical control group of 203 adolescents matched for age and gender. Data analysis was conducted by determining the variables that differentiated between the two groups in a statistically significant way and by carrying out a factor analysis to identify any latent dimensions: validity analyses were carried out on the latter. Results: From the results a possible concise index has emerged able to satisfactorily discriminate between the two groups of participants. It gathers six Rorschach variables that affect a personality disposition characteristic of DP. Conclusions: The discussions and conclusions of the present work make reference to clinically applicable new hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY. Introduction: The present contribution intends to examine the construct of organizational relational climate as a therapeutic treatment factor in residential treatment settings. In these settings quality of environment, emotional atmosphere and living itself become the subject of community work. In this sense the therapeutic educational group becomes a treatment instrument. The objective is then to devise a questionnaire that may function as a sort of 'thermometer' to measure the health/discomfort of the work group. Methods: Starting from previous research studies, an ad hoc questionnaire was administered to 173 therapeutic community operators working all over Italy. Data analyses focused mainly on validation procedures that led to the construction of the final version of the instrument. Results: Based on these statistical procedures, the final version of the question- naire is composed of 30 items from which three factors emerge. Conclusions: The data proceeding from the research seem comforting as to the ability of the instrument to examine the functioning aspects of educational groups in Therapeutic Communities. That seems to lay the foundations for a further course of reflections and possible interventions through supervision and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]