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Alongside the concept of risk-taking (RT), the construct of creativity often appears in scientific lit- erature. However, the study of their relationship has been conducted unsystematically, with both theoret- ical (definition of the constructs) and methodological (different assessment methods) difficulties. Some studies consider risk as a predictor of creativity, while others consider the opposite direction, which often leads to contrasting results. The present systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to systematize results on this topic and investigate reasons for these conflicting results. Fifteen studies were included from an initial N = 1009 (from three scientific databases). Theoretical and methodological considerations that may explain the mixed results have been investigated in depth. They can be summarized as follows: 1) the difficulty in clearly defining the multidimensional constructs of creativity and risk, 2) the heterogeneity of the instruments used in the studies, and 3) the possible effect of cultural differences. Despite this, much of the evidence in the literature has supported the hypothesis that people with lower creative ability tend to avoid risky situations and decisions, preferring the status quo, while people with higher creative skills tend not to flinch from challenging situations. Theoretical, methodological future directions and the prac- tical application of these main findings are discussed.

The maintenance of psychological well-being (PWB) in the older adult population is a pivotal goal for our rapidly aging society. PWB is a multicomponent construct that can be influenced by several factors in the lifespan. The beneficial role of divergent thinking (DT) and cognitive reserve (CR) in sustaining older subjects’ PWB has been scarcely investigated so far. The present study aims to investigate the relationships between DT, CR, and PWB in a sample of 121 healthy older adults (61 females; M age: 73.39 ± 6.66 years; M education: 11.33 ± 4.81 years). The results highlight that better DT performance predicts higher CR, which mediates an indirect positive effect of DT on emotional competence, one of the PWB factors. It follows that DT and CR can be considered protective factors in aging, and their effects go beyond cognitive functioning, revealing a positive effect even on some PWB components. The practical implications regarding targeted health interventions for prevention in the older adult population to support well-being and promote healthy aging are discussed.

Promoting active and successful aging has become crucial to improve quality of life in later adulthood and reduce the impact of cognitive decline. Increasing evidence suggested that the ability to think creatively (e.g., via divergent thinking), similar to cognitive reserve, could represent a beneficial factor against the negative effects of aging. However, there is still little evidence investigating the relationships between divergent thinking, cognitive functions, and cognitive reserve in late adulthood. The present study explored these relationships in a sample of 98 individuals ranging from 61 to 88 years old (mean age: 72.44 6.35). Results showed that visual, but not verbal, divergent thinking was affected by aging. Interestingly, visual divergent thinking performance was predicted by both the cognitive component of crystallized intelligence and cognitive reserve. Only the crystallized component of intelligence was found to mediate the aging effect on visual divergent thinking performance. These results suggest that in later adulthood a potential shift strategy to prior knowledge and semantic components over executive and control components of cognition could underlie a preserved ability to think divergently and, plausibly, creatively. Limitations of the study and implications for successful aging are discussed.

Thinking in a creative way, and in particular the ability to think “divergently”, is crucial for the elaboration and implementation of new and functional strategies and may represent a crucial component in promoting wellbeing and autonomy in ageing. Structural and functional changes due to ageing may affect this ability, leading to a progressive cognitive decline. However, several activities (i.e. mental, physical, social etc) may contribute to increasing lifelong cognitive reserve (CR) which represents a protective factor against cognitive decline. According to literature, divergent thinking (DT), that is a multi-component construct that includes both executive and memory processes, stimulates several cognitive domains, representing an important component of cognitive reserve in older adults. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between DT, CR and psychological wellbeing in ageing. We collected measures of visual and verbal DT, CR, perceived well-being, and depression in a sample of 95 healthy Italian older adults (age: M=73.2; DS=6.48; educational level: M=10.8; DS=4.20; 54 women). Results pointed out that figural DT is negatively correlated with depression and positively correlated with CR. As expected, significant positive correlations emerged between CR and wellbeing scores. Mediation analysis showed that participants’ perceived wellbeing is significantly predicted by the figural DT and CR interaction. Figural and verbal DT differentially impact CR, and therefore on wellbeing, suggesting potential novel implications for the promotion of active ageing and for clinical interventions addressed to patients affected by cognitive impairments.

When the COVID-19 crisis struck, banks using internal-rating based (IRB) models quickly recognized the increase in risk and reduced lending more than banks using a standardized approach. This effect is not driven by borrowers’ quality or by banks in countries with credit booms before the pandemic. The higher risk sensitivity of IRB models does not always result in lower credit provision when risk intensifies. Certain features of the IRB models – the use of a downturn Loss Given Default parameter – can increase banks’ resilience and preserve their intermediation capacity also during downturns. Affected borrowers were not able to fully insulate and decreased corporate investments.

(1) Background: Psychological well-being (PWB) is a multidimensional construct which is a key protective factor against chronic diseases in older adults. Numerous psychological and cognitive factors can influence older people’s PWB. However, while most studies have explored the effect of general cognition, only a few investigated the role of specific cognitive functions such as the efficiency of executive functions. Thus, the present study aimed to directly explore the relationships between PWB, age, and the core executive functions (namely working memory, flexibility, and inhibition). (2) Methods: A sample of 51 healthy older adults (age range: 60–88) were enrolled and tested both for PWB (by Ryff’s psychological well-being scale) and the core executive functions (by the Digit span backward, the Trail Making Test, and the Stroop test). (3) Results: Age and inhibitory skills are negatively correlated to the personal growth subscale of the PWB scale. Moreover, a hierarchical regression analysis showed that inhibition, but not working memory and flexibility, predicted the sense of continued growth and development (personal growth) of older adults, even after controlling for age and educational levels. Limitations and implications for future research and prevention interventions are discussed.

Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic has abruptly catalysed a shift towards remote assessment in neuropsychological practice (tele-neuropsychology, t-NPs). Although the validity of t-NPs diagnostics is gaining recognition worldwide, little is known about its implementation in Italy. The present review by the Italian working group on tele-neuropsychology (TELA) aims at describing the availability, psychometric properties, and feasibility of t-NPs tools currently available in Italy. Methods: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. This work was pre-registered on the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42021239687). Observational studies reporting telephone-, videoconference- or web-based assessment of cognition/behaviour in Italian both healthy participants (HPs) and patients were included. Bias assessment was performed through ad hoc scales. Results: Fourteen studies were included from an initial N = 895 (4 databases searched). Studies were subdivided into those focused on psychometric properties and those characterized by a predominant applied nature. The majority of studies addressed either adult/elderly HPs or neurological/internal patients. Multi-domain screening tools for cognition, behaviour, mood/anxiety and quality of life were the most represented. Findings regarding validity, reliability, sensitivity, specificity and clinical usability were reported for cognitive screenings — the telephone- and videoconference-based Mini-Mental State Examination and the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status. Discussion: Positive albeit preliminary evidence regarding psychometric properties and feasibility in both clinical and non-clinical populations of Italian t-NPs brief screening tools are herewith provided. Further studies exploring clinical usability of t-NPs and psychometric properties/feasibility of tests for the in-depth assessment of specific cognitive domains are necessary.