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Background: Erotic fantasies are the most common sexual experiences and provide valuable clinical material for understanding individual and relational emotional dynamics. The primary objective of this study is to validate the Sexual Desire and Erotic Fantasies questionnaire (SDEF) Part 3–Inventory of Erotic Fantasies. This questionnaire was designed to be a sex-positive and inclusive measure of the content of erotic fantasies, accessible to individuals of all gender identities, sexual orientations, relationship/romantic status, and sexual behaviors. Methods: The SDEF3 was completed by 1773 Italian participants (1105 women, 645 men, and 23 participants identifying as other genders). Two factorial structures were presented and discussed: a 20-dimension structure for clinical and explorative use and a 6-dimension structure for research purposes. Results: The six-factor version was preferred due to its robust statistical properties and its ability to differentiate between sexually clinical and functional men and women, based on cut-off scores from the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Differences in the frequency of themes in fantasies between gender and sexual orientation were reported and discussed. Conclusions: The current study indicates that the SDEF3 is a valuable and comprehensive measure for assessing various scenarios related to fantasizing activity. It has potential applications in both clinical practice and scientific research.

Hypersexuality is a complex behavioral dysfunction concerning the excess of sexual activities. In this study, we aim to investigate the role of attachment styles, post-traumatic and depression symptoms in hypersexual behavior.We recruited through an online platform a snowball convenience sample of 1025 subjects (females: n=731; 71.3%; males: 294; 28.7%; age: 29.62±10.90) and we administered them a sociodemographic questionnaire, with a psychometric protocol composed by the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI) to assess hypersexuality, the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) for the attachment styles, the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) to evaluate the trauma and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) for depression.We found a significant and predictive impact of preoccupied and fearful attachment styles on hypersexual behavior (β=.116; p.0001 and β=.121p.0001, respectively). The categorical analysis of RQ confirmed also statistically significant differences between secure attachment style with fearful and preoccupied ones in terms of HBI levels (secure=30.01±10.79; preoccupied=35.50±14.46; fearful=36.57±13.50). Moreover, we found that depression symptoms and the total score of ITQ also resulted predictive for hypersexuality (β=.323; p.0001 and β=.063; p.04). However, in our model, depression and post-traumatic symptoms played a mediation role between insecure attachment and hypersexual behavior.This study found a fundamental role of insecure attachment styles, post-traumatic and depression symptoms in the development of problematic sexuality. Hypersexual behavior is related in a causal manner with an insecure attachment style, fearful and preoccupied attachment, particularly. Nevertheless, the traumatic core of personality together with depression symptoms could play a mediation role towards the hypersexual behavior.

The present study aimed at understanding the personality features of mothers and fathers engaged in parental alienation—a family dynamic in which one parent behaves in a way that foments a child’s unfounded emotional rejection of the other parent. The process is considered a complex form of child psychological maltreatment, with significant negative consequences. In cases of conflictual separation and divorce, parental alienation can be difficult—yet important—to identify. In this context, use of psychological assessment to understand parents’ personality characteristics may facilitate the early identification of parental alienation and related abuses. A comparative analysis of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 profiles of 41 couples engaged in parental alienation and 39 control couples (i.e., not involved in parental alienation) was used to assess the personality characteristics of mothers and fathers engaged in parental alienation. The results indicated that mothers who were classified as alienating presented a faking-good defensive profile, denied hostile and negative impulses, blamed others for their problems, and displayed excessive sensitivity. On the other side, fathers who were classified as targets of alienating behaviors were adapted to chronic depressive states, social isolation, and interpersonal conflict. The results suggest that the personality profile of parents involved in parental alienation may provide useful insight for custodial cases, prevent further abuse, and contribute to improving psychological and rehabilitative programs. Clinical and forensic implications are discussed.

The Sexual Inhibition Scales and Sexual Excitation Scales (Janssen et al., 2002a), based on the dual control model by Bancroft and Janssen (2000), are part of a 45-item self-report questionnaire evaluating individual tendencies to sexual inhibition or excitation according to three factors: two inhibition factors, SIS1, threat of performance failure, and SIS2, threat of performance consequences, and one excitation factor, SES. In this paper, we aimed to validate and explore psychometric properties of the SIS/SES in a sample of 2260 Italian men and women aged 18 to 75 years. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the three-factor structure proposed in the original version of the scales fit with our sample. Moreover, our data confirmed the results of the original validation sample: Women scored higher on the SIS and lower on the SES than men did, but no significant differences appeared in the factor scores by age group, except for a gender × age interaction, where younger women had higher SIS2 scores. The SIS/SES appeared to be an effective, appropriate cross-cultural measurement of human sexuality in Italian samples, also shedding light on sexual arousal differences in women and men in our country. We also discuss clinical and therapeutic aspects.

Dall'inizio del lockdown si è verificato un aumento di violenze familiari. Il maltrattamento infantile è un fattore di rischio che può predire comportamenti genitoriali disfunzionali. Genitori con bassi livelli di stabilità emotiva e di burnout genitoriale possono compiere abusi sui figli. Secondo la letteratura, genitori emotivamente stressati possono ripetere i medesimi abusi esperiti nell'infanzia. Tramite una survey online somministrata durante le prime settmane di lockdown, abbiamo analizzato in un ampio campione di madri (N = 767) l'associazione tra esperienze precoci di abuso verbale subite, stabilità emotiva, burnout genitoriale e ostilità verbale verso i figli. I risultati mostrano che esperienze precoci di abuso verbale predicono l'adozione di comportamenti verbalmente abusanti verso i figli e che la stabilità emotiva e il burnout genitoriale mediano questa relazione.

Objective Worldwide, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has generated significant worry, uncertainty, anxiety, sadness, and loneliness. In Italy, these effects have been particularly pronounced. While research on the COVID-19 outbreak has mainly focused on the clinical features of infected patients and the psychological impact on the general population and health professionals, no investigation has yet assessed the psychological impact of the pandemic on parents. In the present research, we conducted a web-based survey of Italian parents to examine the prevalence of parenting-related exhaustion—and to identify its associated risk and protective factors—4 weeks into the lockdown. Methods A total of 1,226 parents provided their consent to participate in the study and completed a demographic questionnaire, information relating to particular COVID-19 experiences, and measures of emotional exhaustion, parental resilience, social connections, and psychological distress during the lockdown. Results Seventeen percent of our sample experienced significant parenting-related exhaustion, with mothers more severely affected. Multiple regression analyses showed that greater parenting-related exhaustion was predicted by psychological distress, lower parental resilience, motherhood, fewer perceived social connections, and being single, as well as having a child with special needs, having a large number of children, and having younger children. Conclusion The findings add further support to the call for preventive programs to support parents throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health professionals and social workers should be warned of the effects of lockdown and social distancing on parenting and, consequently, the well-being of children.

Purpose of Review The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge around sexual desire, fantasies, and related biopsychosocial factors that may facilitate or obstruct sexual expressions in lesbian women and gay men. Recent Findings Sexual desire levels and related problems do not seem significantly different in people who identify as gay or lesbian compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Evidence has shown lesbian women and gay men may have specific desire expressions and biopsychosocial factors influencing their sexual health. This may suggest the importance of deepening the understanding of the unique factors of LGBT+ sexuality and relationships while paying attention to the sociocultural background in which lesbian and gay people grow and develop their identities. Summary A lack of specific and unbiased literature on sexual desire and fantasies in gay and lesbian people is reported. Available evidence is controversial and often biased. LG people showed a variety of sexual expressions that are hard to categorize referring to the heteronormative sexual standards that permeate literature and clinical practice. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.

The pandemic of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has burdened extraordinary psychological stress on the healthcare workforce. The present survey aimed to examine the personal resources and psychological symptoms associated with burnout in 933 healthcare workers in Italy during the COVID-19 outbreak period. Sociodemographic and occupational data, depression, anxiety, burnout, and post-traumatic symptoms, as well as psychological well-being, were cross-sectional assessed through an online questionnaire. A considerable part of the sample scored over the clinical levels of depression (57.9%), anxiety (65.2%), post-traumatic symptoms (55%), and burnout (25.61%). Working in the front-line (p &lt, 05), being part of the medical staff (p &lt, 05), experiencing lower levels of psychological well-being (p &lt, 001), and higher levels of post-traumatic symptoms (p &lt, 001) independently explained 38% of burnout variance. The healthcare industry, services, and professionals should be aware of the harmful effects of COVID-19 on healthcare workers and take adequate preventive measures.

The Italian lockdown following the spread of COVID-19 exposed residents to a long and unexpected period of managing offspring at home. Throughout this time, most parents continued to work remotely. The present research aimed at assessing multiple sociodemographic and psychological variables for parental well-being during the lockdown. An online survey was administered from 6 to 11 April 2020. Respondents were 917 parents aged 23-67 years with up to six children, aged 3-13 years. The measures employed were: 14 demographic questions, the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), the Emotional Symptoms and Hyperactivity-Inattention subscales of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-P), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Multiple moderated linear regression analyses were performed. Motherhood, higher levels of education, higher neuroticism, lower extroversion, and more child emotional and hyperactivity-inattention symptoms were found to be significant predictors of parent distress. Furthermore, a significant two-way interaction between child emotional problems and parent extroversion was found. Overall, parents showed high rates of psychological distress, signalling severe difficulties during the lockdown. Families with a child suffering from emotional and behavioural difficulties should immediately be detected by social services to activate support interventions to prevent chronic and amplified manifestations of these problems.

Introduction . Hypersexuality is a clinical condition regarding the psychopathology of sexual behavior. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of trauma, through the post-traumatic stress-disorder (PTSD), depression, shame and guilt on the hypersexual behavior. Methods . Through an online platform, a convenience sample of 1025 subjects was recruited (females: n=731; 71.3%; males: 294; 28.7%; age: 29.62±10.90). Recruited subjects compiled a psychometric protocol composed by the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI) to assess hypersexuality, the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) for PTSD, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to evaluate depression and the State Shame and Guilt Scale (SSGS) for shame and guilt. Then a mediation/moderation model was performed for the data analysis. Results . There was a statistically significant direct effect of post-traumatic symptoms (ITQTotal) on hypersexual behavior (HBTotal). Furthermore, indirect effects were also statistically significant, providing support to the hypothesis that depression and guilt would be serial mediators of trauma-hypersexual behavior relations. The paths through depression and guilt have been found to be the most significant with moderate and high indirect effects on hypersexuality. Moreover, male gender, as covariate variable, is a relevant risk factor for hypersexual behavior. Conclusion . We found the relationship between hypersexuality and trauma describing a possible etiological pathway mainly involving depression, shame and guilt. Hypersexuality can be considered as a reactive form of a major affective psychopathology representing a tip of the iceberg hiding the real issues of a suffering personality. Clinicians and researchers should therefore consider hypersexual behavior in the light of a symptomatic manifestation of a major psychopathology involving the affective aspects of personality.

The World Health Organization defined COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, due to the spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in all continents. Italy had already witnessed a very fast spread that brought the Government to place the entire country under quarantine on March 11, reaching more than 30,700 fatalities in 2 months. We hypothesized that the pandemic and related compulsory quarantine would lead to an increase of anxiety state and protective behaviors to avoid infections. We aimed to investigate whether protective behaviors might have been enhanced or limited by anxiety and emotional reactions to previous experience of stressful conditions. We collected data from 618 Italian participants, by means of an online survey. Participants were asked to rate their level of worry for the pandemic, and to complete two questionnaires measuring the anxiety level: the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI-Y) and the Pre-traumatic stress reaction checklist (Pre-Cl). Finally, the respondents were also asked to report about their compliance with protective behaviors suggested to avoid the spread of the virus (e.g., washing hands). Results show that respondents with higher levels of worry reported higher levels of anxiety and pre-traumatic reactions, with positive correlations among the three measurements, and that higher frequency of the three protective behaviors were put in place by respondents with higher levels of worry. Moreover, regression analysis showed that worry for COVID-19 was most predicted by age, anxiety levels, and Pre-traumatic stress. These results could be interpreted in an evolutionary framework, in which the level of worry leads persons to become more cautious (protective behaviors) maximizing long-term survival at the cost of short-term dysregulation (anxiety).

Since the initiation of the COVID-19 lockdown, Italian parents have been forced to manage their children at home. The present study aimed at investigating the psychological distress of parents during the lockdown, identifying contributing factors. An online survey was administered to 833 participants from 3 to 15 April 2020. Mediation and moderated mediation models were run to explore the association between parent neuroticism and parent distress, mediated by child hyperactivity&ndash, inattention and child emotional symptoms, and the moderating effect of living only with child(ren) on the direct and indirect effects of parent neuroticism on parent distress. For parents living only with child(ren), high levels of psychological distress depended exclusively on their levels of neuroticism. For parents living with at least one other person in addition to child(ren), distress levels were also mediated by child behavioral and emotional difficulties. Motherhood emerged as a significant factor contributing to greater distress. Furthermore, parent psychological distress decreased in line with increased child age. The results confirm that neuroticism is an important risk factor for mental health. Preventive measures should be primarily target multicomponent families with younger children and directed towards parents who are already known to present emotional instability and to parents of children who have received local mental health assistance for behavioral and/or emotional difficulties.

BACKGROUND Since the initiation of the COVID-19 lockdown, Italian parents have been forced to manage their children at home. OBJECTIVE The present study aimed at investigating the psychological distress of parents during the lockdown, identifying contributing factors. METHODS An online survey was administered to 833 participants from 3–15 April 2020. Mediation and moderated mediation models were run to explore: (a) the association between parent neuroticism and parent distress, mediated by child hyperactivity-inattention and child emotional symptoms; and (b) the moderating effect of living only with child(ren) on the direct and indirect effects of parent neuroticism on parent distress. RESULTS For parents living only with child(ren), high levels of psychological distress depended exclusively on their levels of neuroticism. For parents living with at least one other person in addition to child(ren), distress levels were also mediated by child behavioral and emotional difficulties. Furthermore, parent psychological distress decreased in line with increased child age. CONCLUSIONS The results confirm that neuroticism is an important risk factor for mental health. Preventive measures should be primarily target multicomponent families with younger children and directed towards parents who are already known to present emotional instability and to parents of children who have received local mental health assistance for behavioral and/or emotional difficulties. CLINICALTRIAL N/A

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health crisis is strongly affecting the psychological well-being of the general population. According to a very recent literature, the imposed lockdown and social distancing measures have generated a series of negative outcomes, including fear of the future, anxiety, and somatization symptoms. Few studies have investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of parents and children, and still fewer studies have assessed the relationship between the psychological health of parents and children. The present study aimed at understanding the effect of parents’ psychological distress and verbal aggression on behavioral and emotional symptoms of children during the COVID-19 lockdown. Using an online survey administered in the first weeks of the lockdown in Italy, we explored the mediating effects of parent verbal hostility and child emotional symptoms on the relationship between parent distress and child hyperactivity/inattention in a sample of 878 Italian parents (87.4% mothers; meanage = 40.58). Two hypotheses were proposed: (1) parent distress would significantly predict child hyperactivity/inattention, and (2) parent verbal hostility and child emotional symptoms would mediate the association between parent distress and child hyperactivity/inattention. The serial mediated model confirmed both hypotheses, suggesting that higher rates of psychological distress in parents were associated with higher levels of hyperactivity/inattention in children. Parent verbal hostility and child emotional problems were also found to positively mediate this relation. Our results may be used to improve sociopsychological interventions in the general population in the near future. They may also contribute to the clinical definition of therapeutic paths for parents and families.

Differences in gender and sexual orientation are suggested to be linked to differences in the way individuals think and behave. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the effect of gender and sexual orientation on sexual fantasies and gender roles in heterosexual and gay and lesbian people. The sample was composed of 547 participants, 246 men (Mage = 28.85; SD = 9,27) and 301 women (Mage = 25,97; SD = 7,141). Within this sample, 61.8% of men and 79.4% of women were heterosexual, whereas 38.2% of men and 20.6% of women were gay and lesbian. Participants completed an online battery of questionnaires to assess their sexual orientation, sexual fantasies, and gender roles on three different dimensions. It was hypothesized that the heterosexual group would report more normative sexual fantasies (H1) and that women in general would report androgynous characteristics, which would be linked to a low degree of reported feminine ideal roles and high social pressure to conform to feminine social expectations (H2). The results showed that lesbian women scored slightly higher than heterosexual women on transgressive sexual fantasies and lower on emotional-romantic ones. Moreover, heterosexual women, but not lesbian women, showed a pattern of high social pressure to conform to feminine expectations together with lower scores in the IRQ. We found the same results on gay men but not for heterosexual men. The overall results suggest that sexual fantasies and gender roles are relatively independent concepts and are influenced by different mechanisms.

Purpose of Review The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on sexual desire expressions, sexual orientation, and identity in understudied groups inside the LGBT+ community. Recent Findings Sexual desire and related problems have unique expressions in LGBT+ people which influence their sexual health. Emerging sex-positive approaches might be powerful and prominent tools to provide support and education on behalf of safer sex practices and marginalized sexualities. The importance of deepening LGBT+ sexualities and relationships, not only in lesbian women and gay men but also in all the other shades of the rainbow (bisexual, transgender, asexual, fluid, and non-binary/genderqueer identities), is strongly highlighted. Summary A lack of literature regarding sexual desire in LGBT+ people is reported. Results are controversial and research is still limited on this topic, with little information available about sexual and health needs of sexual minorities beyond gay and lesbian people.

Recent literature has proposed the term “digitized dysmorphia” to define the gap between social media digitalized beauty standards and females body image, suggesting that apps as Instagram, have contributed to the increase of dysmorphic disorders in young women. In the present paper, it’s analyzed the relationship between the use of Instagram, the internalization of beauty standards, the social pressure to adhere to them, and the anxiety towards body image, in a sample of high schools’ students (N= 621,aged 13 to 21, 61% females) in Italy. Results suggest that adolescents who edit their pictures, and then upload them online, have interiorized more the stereotype of beauty proposed by Instagram and feel more anxious and uncomfortable with their body image, feeling more pressure to uphold to the social media standards. These results apply not only to female adolescents, as seen in previous studies, but also males. Social and clinical issues are discussed.

This study was based on exploring the role of attachment style related to emotional abuse and sexual coercion in a sample of people who are gay and lesbian. A total of 182 young adults, from 18 to 25 years old (58% females, M = 22.42, Sd = 1.91), participated. Participants completed the multidimensional measure of emotional abuse to investigate emotional abuse (acted and suffered), the sexual coercion in intimate relationship scale (acted) to evaluate sexual coercion, and attachment style to investigate interpersonal attachment. The model shows that the secure attachment style is negatively connected with coercion of resources and violence, as well as acted emotional abuse. Discomfort with closeness is negatively connected with coercion of resources and violence. Need for approval is positively connected with coercion of resources and violence, as well as with manipulation. Preoccupation with relationships is negatively connected with manipulation and acted emotional abuse and is positively connected with commitment defection and suffered emotional abuse. Finally, relationship as being secondary is positively connected with suffered emotional abuse. Our results show that an inadequate attachment style in homosexual couples is responsible for sexual coercion and emotional abuse, both in males and females. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

This study investigates the role of parental and peer relationships’ quality on homophobic victimization and possible consequences on mental health during adolescence. Participants were 394 adolescents, (41.6% male and 58.4% female) aged 15–20 years (M = 16.55; SD = 0.85), attending the third and fourth classes of public high schools in Italy. Participants completed the Homophobic Bullying Scale to evaluate homophobic victimization toward gays and lesbians or assumed homosexuals, the Symptom Check-list-90 to evaluate mental health, and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment to investigate the quality of peer and parental relationships (in terms of communication, disaffection, and trust). Results show how the quality of peer relationships is not connected with victimization, but the quality of parental relationships is linked with homophobic victimization. Finally, the victimization is connected with anxiety and somatization problems. Theoretical and educational implications were discussed.

The COVID-19 health crisis is strongly affecting the mental health of the general population. In particular, the pandemic may be producing psychological distress and collateral concerns for parents in lockdown, due to unstable financial circumstances, school closures, and suspended educational services for children. A call for measures to increase family-based interventions during the emergency is urgently needed to forestall psychopathological trajectories and prevent the exacerbation of vulnerable conditions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Introduction Tinder is the most popular and used meeting application for dating. However, its impact on sexual behavior and sexual health has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Objectives To review the current empirical knowledge on the sexual health and sexual behavior effects related to Tinder use. Methods A literature review was conducted based on empirical studies published in the last 5 years. A computerized search was performed to identify all relevant studies in PubMed and Google Scholar. The following search terms were used: “Tinder” AND “Sexuality” OR “Tinder” AND “Sexual Behavior” OR “Tinder” AND “Sexual Dysfunctions” OR “Tinder” AND “Sexual Health.” 34 articles fully satisfied the established criteria. Results We found sociosexuality, that is, sexual activities outside a committed relationship, to be the main predictor for casual sex in the Tinder users. The sexual aims appeared gender-influenced: men used Tinder mostly for casual sex compared with women. With respect to other dating apps, it has been also found that the Tinder use is less related to the risk of sexually transmitted infections. However, specific personality traits related to dark personality (ie, the association of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) were more frequently reported among male Tinder users. Conclusion Existing literature concerning Tinder use shows the advantages and disadvantages of this dating technology. Casual sex might be a risk for sexual health, but Tinder users have also been committed to romantic relationships. Moreover, some pathological aspects of personality characterize some Tinder users. From an evolutionary perspective, sociosexuality partially explains the reasons of the Tinder user's interest for casual sex. Finally, this review highlights the need of further studies on Tinder as a new, pivotal virtual place to promote sex education and sexual health. Ciocca G, Robilotta A, Fontanesi L, et al. Sexological Aspects Related to Tinder Use: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature. Sex Med Rev 2020;8:367–378.

Schema therapy (ST) has been proven to be an effective psychotherapy model in the treatment of complex personality disorders. ST helps analyze causes of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral alteration in patients using schemas and modes (i.e., sets of emotional states, coping responses and schemas active in a given moment). ST finds its empirical validation in the short Schema Mode Inventory (SMI), a practical tool consisting of 14 subscales assessing 14 different mode categories, grouped in 4 (child, coping, parent and adult modes) high-order categories used to assess different modes at different times. We introduced the Italian validation of the short SMI to a sample of 707 participants, of whom 230 were psychiatric patients. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) provides evidence that the 14-dimensional model best describes the SMI’s structure at a lower level. Higher-order CFA provides evidence for both four higher-level mode categories and one higher-level mode category, the four-mode category being the best approach. Internal reliability, test–retest stability and the relationship between the SMI’s subscales have been evaluated with promising results. Clinical vs nonclinical subjects were compared with a multigroup CFA in order to test invariance and with a MANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc comparisons in order to test mean differences. A linear thread was found for all modes except Bully/Attack. While contributing to international research and to the diffusion of SMI and schema therapy, our results also suggest that SMI is a powerful tool for the assessment of modes in ST, both in therapeutic and diagnostic contexts.

The COVID-19 outbreak has exposed healthcare professionals (HPs) to increased workloads and a high risk of contagion. The present study aimed at examining the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on the mental health of HPs in Italy, investigating the role of attachment style, personality traits, and sociodemographic variables. An online survey was administered from 18 to 22 March 2020. Respondents were 296 HPs (77% female, 23% male, aged 21–77 years). The measures employed were a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Personality Inventory for DSM-5-BF (PID-5-BF), the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale–21 (DASS-21). The findings showed that PID-5-BF Negative Affect, female gender, and ASQ Preoccupation with Relationships predicted high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, respectively. Furthermore, PID-5-BF Detachment predicted higher psychological distress, as captured in the DASS-21 total score and DASS-21 Depression score, and having an infected loved one was associated with high psychological distress. Overall, the results suggest that HPs are experiencing high rates of psychological distress during the pandemic, and that specific attachment styles and personality traits might be useful in identifying those at greatest risk for developing mental health symptoms.

This survey-based study aimed to explore the mental health status and psychological care needs of 933 health-care workers in Italy during the COVID-19 outbreak. Sociodemographic data, exposure to COVID-19, perception of psychological care needs, depression, anxiety, somatization, and post-traumatic symptoms were concurrently assessed. The majority of the sample (71%) suffered from somatization and 55% of distress. Female care workers experienced higher levels of anxiety (d = 0.50) and somatization symptoms (d = 0.82) and stated they needed psychological care more than men (p < .001). Younger participants (aged

Although literature on happiness has focused largely on adults and adolescents, research interest on subjective well-being in children has increasingly grown in recent years. We investigated the contributions of the self-esteem, loneliness, and friendship variables to children’s happiness after taking into account the moderating effects of gender and age. The children responded to questionnaires evaluating their happiness, friendship variables, social self-efficacy, loneliness, and self-esteem whereas the parents reported the children’s behavioral problems and prosocial behavior. The participants were 1363 Italian children aged 7–14 (Mage = 11.12; 52% females) and at least one of their parents (74% mothers). A hierarchical multiple regression showed that higher scores of happiness were associated with younger age, higher socioeconomic status, having a mutual friend, lower levels of loneliness, and higher levels of self-esteem. We found two-way interactions between age and loneliness and between gender and social self-efficacy; simple slope analyses indicated that older children and females scored lower on happiness, compared to younger children and males, when they felt lonely or when they reported low social self-efficacy, respectively. The three-way interactions among age, gender, and self-esteem and among age, gender, and prosocial behavior suggested that older female children with lower self-esteem or those with lower levels of prosocial behavior were less happy than younger females and males were. These results point to the necessity of social policies and school programs that take gender and age differences into account to increase the knowledge of happiness in children. We discuss the research implications and limitations.

The literature underlines that lesbian mother and gay father families are similar to those with heterosexual parents, regarding family functioning, dyadic satisfaction, and child development. This paper compares 40 same-sex families and 40 heterosexual parents in the Italian context. In Italy, it is impossible for same-sex couples or single lesbians and gay men to adopt a child, become married, or enter civil partnerships. The participants were administered self-reports, in order to investigate the dyadic relationships, family functioning, and emotional and social adjustment of their children. Lesbian and gay parents reported higher levels of dyadic adjustment, flexibility, and communication in their family than heterosexual parents. Data from the present study demonstrated that children raised by lesbian and gay parents showed a similar level of emotion regulation and psychological well-being than children raised by heterosexual parents. In Italy, negative attitudes towards same-sex families persist, and educational programs should be developed to deconstruct stereotypes regarding gay and lesbian parent families. These results have important implications in both clinical and social fields.

L’obiettivo della presente ricerca e quello di comprendere le componenti del desiderio sessuale femminile, individuando quei fattori, psicologici, emozionali, situazionali o adattivi, che influenzano l’eccitazione femminile. Sono stati condotti 15 focus group, a cui hanno partecipato 114 donne (eta media = 30 anni, gamma = 18-76 anni). Le partecipanti hanno descritto l’eccitazione sessuale attraverso fattori sia fisiologici (come la lubrificazione vaginale) che emozionali, psicologici e comportamentali. La relazione tra desiderio ed eccitazione e complessa: secondo alcune, il desiderio precede l’eccitazione sessuale, mentre per altre le due fasi avvengono contemporaneamente. Dai risultati emerge una vasta gamma di fattori che inibiscono o aumentano l’eccitazione sessuale, riguardanti se stesse (come l’essere a disagio con il proprio corpo o il provare vergogna), il partner (come la mancanza di complicita o aspetti prettamente fisici del partner) e la situazione. Questi risultati oltre a migliorare la comprensione del desiderio, possono essere utili per la costruzione di questionari che indaghino la sessualita femminile.

Disclosing sexual orientation to parents is a challenging developmental task for lesbian and gay adolescents. The aim of the study is to investigate parental negative reaction to coming out, which is associated with high levels of internalized sexual stigma and psychological problems. Participants’ perceptions of their parents’ reactions, age at coming out, gender, parental political orientation and religiosity, family functioning, and internalized sexual stigma were assessed in 150 Italian homosexual adolescents. Findings confirm that negative parental reactions are connected to poor family functioning and strong beliefs in traditional values. Path analysis results identified that negative reaction to coming out mediates the effect between a more rigid family functioning and internalized sexual stigma. Implications for clinical and social fields are discussed.

Background Literature has studied the relation between youth alcohol consumption and sexual orientation, showing that lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) young people are at increased risk to develop alcohol-related problems compared to heterosexuals. Aim Our study aims to describe alcohol use patterns in relation to alcohol expectancies, internalised sexual stigma and sensation seeking and to highlight the specific risk factors that sexual minority subgroups face. Design A survey was administered in order to examine drinking habits, background information and levels of internalised sexual stigma and of sensation seeking in 468 LGB youths. According to the alcohol consumption, the sample was divided into three groups: social, binge and heavy drinkers. Results Data showed that bisexual youths were at most risk of heavy drinking compared to lesbian and gay participants. Moreover, LGB heavy drinkers reported higher levels of sensation seeking, earlier age of first alcohol consumption and more positive drinking expectancies compared to binge and social drinkers. Bisexual male heavy drinkers also showed more social confidence alcohol expectancies while bisexual female heavy drinkers showed more sensation seeking. Conclusion Bisexual youths are at most risk of alcohol abuse. It is conceivable that these findings are related to the peculiar discrimination to which bisexual people are subject. Practical implications for the present study are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to analyze differences between preadolescents and adolescents on the use of technology and to test the contribution of using Internet and mobile phone, and circadian preference on sleep quality.We recruited a sample of 850 (364 males) preadolescents and adolescents. Self-report questionnaires about sleep schedule, sleep wake behavior problems, circadian preferences, and the use of technology (e.g., Internet and mobile phone) were administered. Students were asked to fill out the School Sleep Habits Survey, a self-report questionnaire on the use of technology, the Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ), and the Shorter Promis Questionnaire (SPQ).Adolescents reported more sleep problems, a tendency toward eveningness, and an increase of Internet and phone activities, as well as social network activities, while preadolescents were more involved in gaming console and television viewing. The regression analysis performed separately in the two age groups showed that sleep quality was affected by the circadian preference (eveningness) in both groups. Adolescents' bad sleep quality was consistently associated with the mobile phone use and number of devices in the bedroom, while in preadolescents, with Internet use and turning-off time.The evening circadian preference, mobile phone and Internet use, numbers of other activities after 21:00, late turning off time, and number of devices in the bedroom have different negative influence on sleep quality in preadolescents and adolescents.

Parental responses to youths’ coming out (CO) are crucial to the subsequent adjustment of children and family. The present study investigated the negative parental reaction to the disclosure of same-sex attraction and the differences between maternal and paternal responses, as reported by their homosexual daughters and sons. Participants’ perceptions of their parents’ reactions (evaluated through the Perceived Parental Reactions Scale, PPRS), age at CO, gender, parental political orientation, and religiosity involvement, the family functioning (assessed through the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales), were assessed in 164 Italian gay and lesbian young adults. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relation between family functioning and parental reaction to CO. The paired sample t test was used to compare mothers and fathers’ scores on the PPRS. Hierarchical multiple regression was conducted to analyze the relevance of each variable. No differences were found between mothers and fathers in their reaction to the disclosure. The analysis showed that a negative reaction to CO was predicted by parents’ right-wing political conservatism, strong religious beliefs, and higher scores in the scales Rigid and Enmeshed. Findings confirm that a negative parental reaction is the result of poor family resources to face a stressful situation and a strong belief in traditional values. These results have important implications in both clinical and social fields.

Presence is a phenomenon widely studied by different scientific disciplines. It can be defined as the feeling of being immersed in a reality generated by a range of simulation and immersive technologies, like virtual reality (VR) and related technologies. In this paper we explore a particular variety of this feeling, namely sexual presence , using evolutionary psychology as a theoretical framework. We translate differences between women and men in sexual imagery and in sexual behaviour into a sexual presence model , introducing proto , core and extended sexual presence as conceptual layers explaining presence. Our aim is to give an evolutionary interpretation of sexual presence, in light of recent findings, and to provide some new ideas for future studies.

Introduction. Recent evidence suggests that sexually antagonistic genetic factors in the maternal line promote homosexuality in men and fecundity in female relatives. However, it is not clear if and how these genetic factors are phenotypically expressed to simultaneously induce homosexuality in men and increased fecundity in their mothers and maternal aunts. Aims. The aim of the present study was to investigate the phenotypic expression of genetic factors that could explain increased fecundity in the putative female carriers. Methods. Using a questionnaire-based approach, which included also the Big Five Questionnaire personality inventory based on the Big Five theory, we investigated fecundity in 161 female European subjects and scrutinized possible influences, including physiological, behavioral, and personality factors. We compared 61 female probands who were either mothers or maternal aunts of homosexual men. One hundred females who were mothers or aunts of heterosexual men were used as controls. Main Outcome Measures. Personality traits, retrospective physiological and clinical data, behavior and opinions on fecundity-related issues were assessed and analyzed to illustrate possible effects on fecundity between probands and control females. Results. Our analysis showed that both mothers and maternal aunts of homosexual men show increased fecundity compared with corresponding maternal female relatives of heterosexual men. A two-step statistical analysis, which was based on t-tests and multiple logistic regression analysis, showed that mothers and maternal aunts of homosexual men (i) had fewer gynecological disorders; (ii) had fewer complicated pregnancies; (iii) had less interest in having children; (iv) placed less emphasis on romantic love within couples; (v) placed less importance on their social life; (vi) showed reduced family stability; (vii) were more extraverted; and (viii) had divorced or separated from their spouses more frequently. Conclusions. Our findings are based on a small sample and would benefit from a larger replication, however they suggest that if sexually antagonistic genetic factors that induce homosexuality in males exist, the factors might be maintained in the population by contributing to increased fecundity greater reproductive health, extraversion, and a generally relaxed attitude toward family and social values in females of the maternal line of homosexual men.