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The aim of this study was to examine workers’ psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic as a function of their individual coping, dyadic coping, and work-family conflict. We also tested the moderating role of gender and culture in these associations. To achieve this aim, we run HLM analyses on data from 1521 workers cohabiting with a partner, coming from six countries (Italy, Spain, Malta, Cyprus, Greece, and Russia) characterized by various degrees of country-level individualism/collectivism. Across all six countries, findings highlighted that work-family conflict as well as the individual coping strategy social support seeking were associated with higher psychological distress for workers, while the individual coping strategy positive attitude and common dyadic coping were found to be protective against workers’ psychological distress. This latter association, moreover, was stronger in more individualistic countries.

The aim of this study was to examine workers’ psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic as a function of their individual coping, dyadic coping, and work-family conflict. We also tested the moderating role of gender and culture in these associations. To achieve this aim, we run HLM analyses on data from 1521 workers cohabiting with a partner, coming from six countries (Italy, Spain, Malta, Cyprus, Greece, and Russia) characterized by various degrees of country-level individualism/collectivism. Across all six countries, findings highlighted that work-family conflict as well as the individual coping strategy social support seeking were associated with higher psychological distress for workers, while the individual coping strategy positive attitude and common dyadic coping were found to be protective against workers’ psychological distress. This latter association, moreover, was stronger in more individualistic countries.

Pregnancy represents a critical and potentially stressful event that can negatively impact on prospective mothers’ psychological well-being. Indeed, a growing body of studies reported high rates of clinical conditions such as anxiety, depression, and severe fear of childbirth during pregnancy across countries. Several variables, both at an individual and interpersonal level, have been found to be associated with pregnant women’s mental health, representing important risk or protective factors. Specifically, many studies have progressively highlighted the association between expectant mothers’ psychological well-being and practical and emotional social support, both from the partner, the extended formal, and informal network. The Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictive measures adopted to contain the virus’ spread may act as additional stressor on pregnant women, thus increasing the physiological vulnerability of an already fragile population and causing disruptive effects on both pregnancy outcomes as well as expectant mothers’ mental health. In particular, the outbreak shrunk women’s social and support networks and hindered their access to both pregnancy as well as mental health care facilities. Moreover, both care provision and care seeking behaviors have changed dramatically, for example leading to an increase in telehealth consultations and to the exclusion of birth companions from maternal units. In this chapter, after summarizing the state of the art regarding mental health in pregnant women and outlining the main effects of the pandemic on expectant mothers’ psychological well-being, we discuss the changes in maternal settings and the consequent behaviors adopted by prospective mothers. The final paragraph of the chapter is devoted to the discussion of guidelines and implications for clinical practice and mainly provides guidance of four areas: information, promotion, care, and coordination.

Transition to parenthood represents a critical experience as it entails profound changes, which, in turn, can lead to negative consequences on the individual and relational well-being of new parents. The COVID-19 pandemic has been an additional stressful event that can exacerbate the potentially negative effects of such transition. During the first lockdown (March-May 2020), 575 pregnant women or new mothers completed an online survey with the aim of investigating their psychological well-being. Both the new and the expectant mothers were administered a series of questionnaires to investigate anxiety (state and trait) and depression. In addition, pregnant women completed a questionnaire assessing fear of childbirth. Childbirth experience and Postpartum Traumatic Disorder, on the other end, were only assessed with regards to the new mothers’ subsample. Results show that the presence of certain stressful variables can affect the well-being of pregnant and postpartum women and have an impact on their subjective experience of childbirth. More specifically, having had previous pregnancies as well as having suffered from one or more clinical disorders in the past proved to have a negative impact on both new and expectant mothers’ well-being, especially with regards to measures of anxiety and depression. Giving birth during the COVID-19 outbreak meant, for the women, experiencing an additional stress during a particularly delicate time; in this respect, the likelihood of their partners not being allowed to assist them during labor and delivery caused an increase in both anxiety and fear of childbirth scores. Overall, this study clearly highlights how the presence of support (either formal or informal) in the immediate postpartum and during labor and delivery is a crucial protective factor in preventing women from developing anxious or posttraumatic symptoms. We believe these findings may prove particularly useful, especially in informing clinical practice and formalizing c

Pregnancy represents a critical and potentially stressful event that can negatively impact on prospective mothers’ psychological well-being. Indeed, a growing body of studies reported high rates of clinical conditions such as anxiety, depression, and severe fear of childbirth during pregnancy across countries. Several variables, both at an individual and interpersonal level, have been found to be associated with pregnant women’s mental health, representing important risk or protective factors. Specifically, many studies have progressively highlighted the association between expectant mothers’ psychological well-being and practical and emotional social support, both from the partner, the extended formal, and informal network. The Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictive measures adopted to contain the virus’ spread may act as additional stressor on pregnant women, thus increasing the physiological vulnerability of an already fragile population and causing disruptive effects on both pregnancy outcomes as well as expectant mothers’ mental health. In particular, the outbreak shrunk women’s social and support networks and hindered their access to both pregnancy as well as mental health care facilities. Moreover, both care provision and care seeking behaviors have changed dramatically, for example leading to an increase in telehealth consultations and to the exclusion of birth companions from maternal units. In this chapter, after summarizing the state of the art regarding mental health in pregnant women and outlining the main effects of the pandemic on expectant mothers’ psychological well-being, we discuss the changes in maternal settings and the consequent behaviors adopted by prospective mothers. The final paragraph of the chapter is devoted to the discussion of guidelines and implications for clinical practice and mainly provides guidance of four areas: information, promotion, care, and coordination.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization announced the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic and restrictive measures were enacted by the Governments to fight the spread of the virus. In Italy, these measures included a nationwide lockdown, with limited exceptions including grocery shopping, certain work activities, and healthcare. Consistently with findings from previous studies investigating the psychological impact of similar pandemics [e.g., Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)], there is evidence that Covid-19 is associated with negative mental health outcomes. Given this background, we conducted a cross-sectional study aimed at investigating the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictive measures imposed by the Government on the psychological health of Italian men and women aged = 18 years and living in Lombardy, one of the worst-hit regions. The study also aimed at identifying what factors are associated with specific psychological outcomes. Thus, we developed an online survey that included a researcher-made questionnaire to collect sociodemographic, household, general health, and pandemic-related information. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Perceived Stress Scale were used to assess anxiety, depression, and perceived stress, respectively. We found that younger age, greater concerns about the pandemic, female gender, being unmarried, not having children, and being a student were associated with worse psychological health. These findings may provide further insight into the risk factors associated with negative psychological outcomes during the current pandemic, with identification of vulnerable groups. This body of evidence may help professionals implement targeted psychosocial treatment and prevention programs.

Childbirth is one of the most significant experiences in women’s lives. A bad experience could lead to psychological distress, including severe disease. This experience has a significant impact not only on the mother’s well-being, but also on her first interactions with the baby. The present study thus had two aims: 1) investigate the association between the childbirth experience and parenting stress; and 2) analyze if this relation can be mediated by the woman’s psychological well-being (anxiety and depressive symptoms). One hundred fifty-eight Italian primiparous women, with a single pregnancy, recruited between January 2016 and December 2016, completed three months after delivery the following scales: Wijma Delivery Experience Questionnaire; State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Parenting Stress Index (Short Form). Data were analyzed through path analyses. Results revealed that the birth experience was not directly associated with parenting stress. The final model confirmed that the childbirth experience was related to parenting stress through the full mediation of anxiety and depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of making mothers’ childbirth experience as positive as possible, considering the crucial impact of this experience not only on their global functioning but also on their first relationships with the baby.

Introduction: Research has progressively focused on antenatal psychological disease of expectant mothers, showing that anxiety and depression as well as fear of childbirth occur frequently during pregnancy. Some studies have investigated the connection between anxiety, depression, and fear of childbirth with contrasting results. Several authors have analyzed the association between psychological disease of pregnant women and medical-obstetric and relational variables, still reporting inconclusive findings. The present study had three aims: 1) to investigate the psychological well-being of pregnant women based on their levels of anxiety, depression, and fear of childbirth, by identifying psychological profiles; (2) to analyze the association between the emergent psychological profiles and some medical-obstetric variables related to pregnancy; and (3) to examine the association between these profiles and couple’s adjustment and social support. Methods: 410 Italian primiparous pregnant women in the 7th-8th month of pregnancy completed a questionnaire packet that included the following scales: Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Results: Findings revealed the presence of three different clusters: “psychologically healthy women” (34.9%), “women experiencing pregnancy- and childbirth-related anxiety” (47.3%), and “psychologically distressed women” (17.8%). These profiles were not related to the medical-obstetric variables. On the other hand, findings revealed a significant association between marital adjustment as well as social support and cluster membership. Discussion: These results support the importance of early and multilevel psychological screening in order to understand the experience of pregnant women and to develop targeted and increasingly personalized interventions.

The Gruppo di Parola is an intervention group for children having separated parents used in Italy since 2005. It can be defined as a short, preventive and support program which is meant for school-age children (6-12 years old) as well as for teenagers (13-17 years old). The aim of the current study was to discover the theoretical underpinnings of the Italian Gruppi di Parola according to a focused ethnographic perspective. The study involved 12 workers who have concluded their training at least two years before the research. They were interviewed and content analysis were conducted on their verbatim transcription. In particular, the qualitative analysis of the content (QRS*NVivo) and the thematic analysis of the elementary contexts (T-Lab) were done in a multimethodological perspective. Our analysis demonstrates the ultimate presence of four thematic clusters showing that the intervention is rooted in both theoretical elements (the theoretical and conceptual references) as well as in more practical ones (the way of leadership, the value of the group, the particular «use» of the words of participants) within an integrative perspective.

The Gruppo di Parola for children having separated parents is a short, preventive and support intervention aiming at promoting the resources and the well-being of participants both in individual terms as well as in the relational and familiar ones. In the scientific literature few contributions analyze this intervention from the process' point of view. This paper focuses on a specific phase of the path during the first meeting - called "opening phase". The aim is to identify some common elements in the interactive exchanges that allow the researcher to identify patterns of interaction. Three different Gruppi di Parola were considered, conducted in the same context (Service for families) and by the same operators (two females). This paper illustrates in details the coding system developed with the aid of the Transana software. The analyses confirm the presence of interactive configurations common to the three Gruppi di Parola. In particular, the intervention is characterized by an involvement of participants through an individual level as well as a group level (the group becomes the subject). Some elements of processual rituality and micro-rituality are also identified.

BACKGROUND: Women's memories of their childbirth experience tend to remain unchanged over time. This experience can be influenced by obstetric factors as well as by sociodemographic and psychological variables.OBJECTIVE: To examine whether women's perceived childbirth experience changes over time; to identify the predictors (obstetric, sociodemographic, and psychological variables) of this experience immediately after delivery and after 3 months.METHODS: This prospective longitudinal study comprised two hundred and twenty-one Italian women who completed a self-report questionnaire at two assessment points: immediately (1-3 days) after birth (Time 1) and 3 months postpartum (Time 2). At Time 1, the questionnaire included some questions on sociodemographic, psychological, and obstetric information, and the Wijma Delivery Experience Questionnaire (WDEQ(B); at Time 2 women compiled again the WDEQ(B).RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the childbirth experience did not change from Time 1 to Time 2. However, predictors of this experience were different between Time 1 and Time 2: at Time 1, the childbirth experience (WDEQ(B)_t1) was significantly predicted nly by type of cesarean section; at Time 2, the childbirth experience (WDEQ(B)_t2) was significantly predicted by WDEQ(B)_ t1, history of psychological disorders, and type of conception.DISCUSSIONS: Our findings enhance the understanding of the main predictors of a woman's childbirth experience. Identifying areas of vulnerability is important for clinical practice, as well as for developing maternal health policies to improve women's birth experiences, postpartum well-being, and the baby's development

The Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is usually faced from a behavioural or organic point o view. Intending diseases as contextual entities and symptoms as compromise solutions, in this research ADHD diagnosis has been examined in relational perspective and with attention to sense-making, with reference to dynamic psychology as far as the symbolic function is concerned. The Emotional Text Analysis, applied to different stakeholders’ verbal production, has highlighted a sort of isomorphism common to recurrent ADHD symptoms and some peculiar traits of the familiar, therapeutic and cultural context. This occurrence encourages to ponder a possible ADHD system. Such phenomenon arguably involves the separation/individuation processes and the related splitting defence.

Becoming parents represents a potentially stressful transition, which may negatively affect the individual and relational well-being of both partners. Limited literature has investigated the role of dyadic coping during the transition to parenthood. This work explored partners’ differences in dyadic coping, anxiety, depression, and couple adjustment during pregnancy and 3 months postpartum. Furthermore, through Actor–Partner Interdependence Model analyses, the relationship between common dyadic coping and well-being was investigated. Women reported higher levels of depression at both times and men presented higher levels of anxiety in the postpartum. For women, higher scores on couple adjustment were predicted by their own and their partner’s common dyadic coping. For men, higher scores on anxiety were associated with elevated common dyadic coping. Results highlight gender-related predictors on postpartum well-being and support the need to assess individual and relational outcomes across the transition to parenthood to better understand the role of dyadic coping behaviors.

Introduction: Postpartum depression is commonly experienced by mothers worldwide and is associated with anxiety disorders, parenting stress, and other forms of distress, which may lead to a complex illness condition. Several studies have investigated the risk factors for this disorder, including biological and socio-demographic variables, medical and obstetric factors, and psychological and relational dimensions. The present study aimed to describe the psychological status of mothers up to 12 months postpartum, and to investigate the predictors of depressive symptoms at 12 months postpartum, considering obstetric factors along with psychological and relational variables. Methods: A sample of 137 women completed a questionnaire composed of a sheet on anamnestic and obstetric information and the following scales: Wijma Delivery Experience Questionnaire; State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; Parenting Stress Index (Short Form); Dyadic Adjustment Scale; and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Data were collected at four assessment times: 2–3 days, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postpartum. Results: Findings showed that the highest percentage of women with clinically significant symptoms of anxiety (state and trait) and depression was found at 12 months postpartum, which indicated that this was the most critical time. The quality of childbirth experience and trait anxiety at three months postpartum emerged as significant predictors of postpartum depression at 12 months. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the importance of providing stable programs (such as educational programs) to mothers in the first year postpartum. Furthermore, because the quality of the childbirth experience is one of the most important predictors of PPD at 12 months postpartum, effort should be made by healthcare professionals to guarantee a positive experience to all women to reduce possible negative long-term consequences of this experience.

Objective Social support is a well-established protective factor during pregnancy. However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, pregnant women have experienced a decrease of perceived social support. The present study aimed at investigating which are the sources of social support most affecting pregnant women’s levels of psychological distress and positive mental well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods 274 Italian and Canadian expectant mothers completed an online survey including four validated scales measuring social support (from family, significant other and friends), anxiety, depression, and satisfaction with life. Results The sources of social support affected differently pregnant women’s psychological distress and mental well-being. Indeed, family and friends social support were significantly related to women’s state anxiety and depression. Friends social support was also related to women’s satisfaction with life. Conclusion Our findings endorse the crucial role of social support as a protective factor for pregnant women’s mental health. Specifically, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, our findings suggest that family seems important in preventing psychological distress, whereas friends support is also associated to positive mental well-being. Practice Implications These results may help designing future interventions aimed at improving women’s perinatal mental health in life-threatening conditions.

Breast cancer treatments have multiple adverse effects, including concerns about body appearance and function that are experienced by most patients. Altered body image negatively affects mental health, social, and relationship functioning. While the relationship with a partner is critical for patients’ psychological wellbeing and partners can promote positive body image, limited research has investigated individual and relational factors affecting the experience of both. This cross-sectional study aimed at (1) exploring rates of body image concerns among breast cancer patients, and (2) identifying dyadic profiles among participating dyads. Couples composed by patients who had undergone surgery and their romantic partners (n = 32) were recruited from the Breast Unit of a hospital in northern Italy. Both partners completed measures of personality characteristics (BFQ-2), psychological distress (HADS), coping flexibility (PACT), dyadic coping (DCQ), and closeness (IOS). Body image (BIS) and adjustment to cancer (Mini-MAC) measures were completed by patients only. K-mean cluster analyses identified 2-cluster solution among patients and partners, respectively. “Active patients” (cluster-1) reported low rates of body image concerns (p < 0.001), anxious preoccupation, negative dyadic coping, and self-oriented stress communication (p < 0.05), compared to “worried patients” (cluster-2). “Comfortable partners” (cluster-1) reported lower anxiety and depression (p < 0.001), self-oriented negative dyadic coping and closeness (p < 0.05) than “uncomfortable partners” (cluster-2). Three different dyadic profiles emerged: functional, dysfunctional, and ambivalent. Significant variations (p < 0.05) by anxiety, depression, and delegating dyadic coping existed. Results indicate there are groups of couples at greater risk for impaired psychological distress and body image concerns, which should be addressed in the context of dyadic psychosocial interventions.

Il Covid-19 è comparso a Wuhan, in Cina, nel dicembre del 2019. La malattia causa difficoltà respiratorie e numerose altre complicazioni quali stanchezza, febbre, dolori muscolari e, in alcuni casi, diarrea e vomito, e può essere fatale. La correlazione tra malattie infettive e disagio psicologico è già emersa durante altre epidemie, come quella di SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) e di Ebola. Questa revisione sistematica della letteratura è volta ad indagare le ripercussioni psicologiche a breve termine che il Covid-19 può avere sulla popolazione generale. Mediante una procedura di analisi tematica sono stati individuati dei temi ricorrenti negli articoli selezionati. I risultati più significativi riguardano l’impatto dei social media e le ripercussioni a livello di ansia e depressione. In particolare, le notizie false trasmesse dai media alimentano ulteriormente l’ansia provata dalla maggior parte della popolazione e fattori quali l’essere giovani o anziani, l’essere studenti, poco istruiti, divorziati o vedovi contribuiscono ulteriormente a peggiorare la sintomatologia. Seguire, invece, le linee-guida proposte dal Governo e avere informazioni chiare e comprensibili si sono rivelati due fattori di protezione contro l’insorgenza di sintomi ansiosi. Dalla ricerca è emerso un bisogno di monitoraggio per le popolazioni più a rischio e la necessità di studiare questi fenomeni sul lungo periodo, replicando gli studi in Paesi occidentali.

Covid-19 has originally spread in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease causes respiratory impairments and many other complications, such as fatigue, fever, muscle soreness and, in some cases, diarrhea and nausea, and can lead to death. The correlation between infectious diseases and psychological distress has already emerged during other epidemics, for example during SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and Ebola. We conducted this systematic review to investigate the short-term psychological consequences of Covid-19 on the general population. Through a thematic analysis procedure, recurring themes have been identified. The most significant results concern the impact of social media, anxiety, and depression. In particular, fake news reported by the media increase the level of anxiety experienced by the population, and factors like being young or being old, being a student, being single or widow, along with a low level of education, further exacerbate anxiety symptoms. On the other hand, following the guidelines proposed by the government and having clear and comprehensible information were identified as protective factors. Our findings highlighted the need to monitor the high-risk population and to investigate the long-term effects of the pandemic.

Background: Many perinatal mental health risk factor studies report that antenatal depression is a signifcant risk factor for women being depressed postnatally. They often describe the strength of the risk as being ‘strong’ or ‘strongly predictive’ (or similar phrases), though usually without explaining why these terms are used. It is possible that readers of such research may misunderstand these qualitative descriptors. Method: As part of routine teaching regarding risk analyses, we explored participants’ understanding of the conclusion stated in one specific perinatal risk study, which was that antenatal depression “strongly predicts” postnatal depression. Participants were groups of mental health professionals and postgraduate students, in Italy (N = 56) and Australia (N = 34).They completed an Estimate Survey, in which they indicated the actual number of antenatally depressed women they expected would have been depressed postpartum, given the study's conclusion. Results: The majority of survey respondents (~80%) expected that “strongly predicts” meant that a much higher proportion of women with the risk then became depressed than was actually the case. Some participants expressed major concern at the study's conclusion. Limitation: Participants comprised two small convenience samples of health professionals and postgraduate students, and thus may not be representative of the population. Conclusion: Studies that rely on the statistical significance of their analyses to conclude whether antenatal depression is a strong predictor or risk for postnatal depression may not accord with how health professionals interpret the data, once the absolute risk information is clearly provided. Recommendations for improving the reporting of results in such studies are made.

This contribution illustrates the training evaluation system developed within the Master’s Program in Family and Community Mediation at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. This is an interim evaluation which focuses on the training process and which considers the collaboration with the subjects of the training to be fundamental. The peculiarity of this work concerns the possibility of inserting research within the training process, following a logic of mutual enrichment both in terms of content and learning. The contribution illustrates in detail the outcome and the process evaluation system, defining the perspective, the objectives, and the methodology of implementation. In particular, the outcome evaluation focuses on the distal and proximal outcomes of the training, while the process analysis focuses on the dynamics within the group of participants. Preliminary findings from 33 participants highlighted that the majority of participants (19) have a “regular” profile, that is, they appreciate both the theoretical contents, as well as the practical activities proposed during the training program. As for the process, the findings showed the importance of reflexivity as a major factor of change. Although these findings are referred to the specific experience of a particular group, and so further evaluations involving different training groups and other training processes are needed, this training evaluation system sheds light on both the topic and the context in which training is delivered. The integration between different points of view and several levels of analysis allows the researchers to deepen the individual path of each participant as well as to obtain feedbacks on the progress of the training group as a whole and allows participants to better understand their contexts of work thanks to the use of reflexivity. This can guarantee a sustainable growth both at individual and interpersonal level.

Intercountry adoption requires adoptive parents to assume their parenthood as well as to acknowledge the cultural and ethnic origins of their child. Narratives are effective means to help individuals cope with non-normative transitions, including adoption, as they allow them to make sense of and legitimise their experiences. This qualitative study sought to extend knowledge about the value of using narrative methods with adoptive families to explore how the language they employ determines the ways in which they perceive situations and vice versa. It uses the word-driven textual analysis software T-LAB to identify key topics highlighted by parents and analyse them in relation to specific variables. Child characteristics, such as gender, age at adoption and birth country, and family variables, such as mother’s and father’s narratives and first or not-first parenting experience, were considered. From the 37 narratives sampled, those parents adopting from Asia and Eastern Europe, mothers and first-time parents faced the most challenges.

L’Educazione alla Teatralità nella scuola mira a offrire degli spazi in cui bambini e ragazzi possano mettersi in gioco sperimentando le proprie risorse e i propri limiti, essere stimolati all’espressione della creatività personale, alla scoperta di sé e all’interazione cooperativa con gli altri, al fine di favorirne uno sviluppo più consapevole e promuoverne il benessere a livello individuale e relazionale. Il presente contributo si propone di descrivere una proposta di un Laboratorio di Educazione alla Teatralità e riporta una valutazione preliminare di un’esperienza nella scuola primaria rispetto all’acquisizione di competenze legate al benessere psicosociale nei bambini. Il Laboratorio ha previsto il coinvolgimento di 102 studenti frequentanti la classe quinta di un istituto comprensivo del nord Italia. I primi risultati dell’analisi qualitativa condotta mostrano l’utilità del Laboratorio nel favorire nei bambini partecipanti una maggiore consapevolezza di sé e sicurezza e un miglioramento delle relazioni con i compagni e con gli insegnanti.

Tokophobia, that is a sever fear of delivery represents a clinical condition that affects about 14% of pregnant women. Several variables, medical, psychological, and social-relational have been associated with this disease. Several studies have focused on the association among tokophobia and anxiety and depressive diseases with contrasting results. Literature has highlighted how tokophobia can negatively affect mother's well-being and her baby's development in the post-partum. This suggests the importance of treatment for tokophobia in order to prevent both medical and psychological complication during pregnancy and post-partum period. The aim of the present contribution was to present a specific model of intervention for tokophobia, called ARTEMIS, that integrates psychosomatic and Adaptive Information processing models through the use of psychotherapeutic techniques (EMDR, mindfulness and Hypnosis) developed from these models. A preliminary study on the efficacy of this model on 10 pregnant women was reported. The results underlined a statistically significant decrease of tokophobia and anxiety symptoms after the treatment. These findings suggest the potential of the protocol and encourage to continue its validation through other studies with wider samples and through process analyses that allow to investigate the mechanisms of functioning of the intervention.

A limited number of cases, estimated in just 5-10 over 100, of breast cancer are caused by hereditary genetic mutations. When this happens, even a single mutation of a gene (BRCA1 or BRCA2) contributes to a high likelihood of developing breast cancer, also during young adulthood. Women diagnosed with genetic mutations face numerous psychosocial challenges managing their cancer risk, communicating the genetic diagnosis to family members, and disclosing their status to current or potential partners. The idiographic approach is a promising strategy to understand the challenging nature of these situations, because of its ability to investigate meanings and implications of complex phenomena. In particular, it contributes to the identification of elements that guide the psychological support to the client, especially around the communication process and the potential prophylactic surgery. Aim of the present chapter is therefore to illustrate the case study of a young woman with breast cancer related to a BRCA2 mutation. Through the review of the psychological consultation with her, it will be possible to present some clinically relevant suggestions about the work with this group of women and to reflect on the resources associated with the use of the idiographic approach.

The present study examines the transition to parenthood focusing on the individual and the couple experience. We examined dyadic coping styles within a sample of Italian primiparous couples during the late stage of pregnancy in order to understand the relationship between dyadic coping and individual (depression) and interpersonal outcomes (i.e., couples’ adjustment). Given the interdependence that characterizes relationship processes (i.e., the transition to parenthood), we adopted a dyadic data analysis approach, as we were particularly interested in exploring some inter-partner influences. In other words, we examined whether self-reported dyadic coping styles impact the individual and the partner’s psychological and relational well-being.

The birth of a child is a critical and potentially stressful experience for women, entailing several changes both at the individual and interpersonal level. This event can lead to different forms of distress, ranging in intensity and duration. Many studies highlighted medical, psychological, and social variables as risk factors potentially influencing the onset or aggravation of perinatal maternal conditions. The current pandemic emergency and the restrictive measures adopted by local governments to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection may negatively affect mothers-to-be and new mothers potentially increasing the likelihood of anxiety, depressive or post-traumatic symptoms to develop. Moreover, the forced quarantine combined with the limited access to professional or family support may increase feelings of fatigue and isolation. The present study aims to investigate women’s psychological well-being during pregnancy and in the first months after childbirth, integrating the evaluation of some traditionally studied variables with the specificities of the current situation. 575 Italian women have been administered an online self-report questionnaire assessing the presence of anxiety disorders, depressive and post-traumatic symptoms as well as the expectations toward childbirth (for mothers-to-be) or the subjective experience of childbirth (for postpartum women). Findings revealed a higher percentage of women than that reported in the literature scored above the clinical cut-off both during pregnancy and postpartum on a series of measures of psychological well-being, thus demonstrating that this period was perceived as particularly challenging and stressful and had significant impact on the women’s well-being. Moreover, some socio-demographic, medical, and pandemic-related variables, especially the lack of presence and support from one’s partner during labor and delivery as well as in the first days postpartum was found to predict women’s mental health. These

Infertility and ART treatments represent stressful experiences for the couples, impacting on the overall psychological well-being of partners as well as on their couple adjustment. Several variables were analyzed as risk factors for infertility-related distress. The impact of these experiences has been well-documented in both women and men, reporting important gender differences. The aim of this study was to assess gender differences in individual and relational well-being in infertile couples. Gender differences for psychological and medical variables predicting psychological distress were investigated. Two hundred and thirty couples who entered an ART program at a public hospital in Milan were recruited. Each partner completed the following scales: ScreenIVF, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and Experience in Close Relationship Questionnaire. Findings revealed several gender differences with women reporting higher levels of both anxiety and depressive symptoms, anxiety and avoidance attachment, and helplessness, but lower levels of acceptance than men. Differences emerged also in factors predicting well-being: poor support predicted anxiety in men and depression in women. Furthermore, individual well-being was predicted only for men by attachment anxiety and previous treatment. Finally, in the women subsample, couple’s adjustment was predicted by anxiety attachment, while in men predictors were helplessness and type of diagnosis. These results suggest the importance of implementing support interventions for couples which take into consideration the specific needs and fragility of each partner as well as focusing on enhancing a sense of partnership.

Backgorund: Fear of childbirth is a common feeling among expectant mothers. Although this feeling represents a physiological expression of women’s concerns, it can become a clinical condition that is characterized by several symptoms compromising the woman’s daily activities as well as her coping strategies during labor and delivery. Research has focused on adverse intrapartum and postpartum outcomes of fear of childbirth. As regards intrapartum outcomes, some studies have investigated the association between fear of childbirth and type of delivery, with contrasting results. Objective: The aim of this study was to review the literature on the association between fear of childbirth and emergency cesarean section delivery, specifically considering the issues of women’s parity and fear’s assessment instruments. Method: This systematic narrative review was based on an electronic database search of English-language published studies through December, 2018. Following the search process, 14 studies were included. Results: These studies revealed that both sample characteristics, specifically for parity, and assessment instruments (type and time) are not criteria for explaining the different result with respect to the association between fear and emergency cesarean section delivery. Conclusions: The importance of distinguishing between fear and severe fear was highlighted because the effect of fear on the type of delivery was present only for clinical fear. However, the different cut-off values included in the studies did not make it possible to reach a clear result, making further investigation necessary.

Il presente capitolo intende mettere in luce la centralità del coping diadico a fronte della nascita di un bambino pretermine, circostanza in cui la coppia si trova ad assumere il ruolo genitoriale in un modo e in un tempo “imprevisto”, ovvero quando i processi psichici che caratterizzano la gravidanza non sono stati ancora completati. I partner si trovano, pertanto, da un lato ad affrontare il lutto del “bambino ideale”, dall’altro ad affrontare una serie di contingenze legate alla salute del figlio e ad un’ospedalizzazione spesso prolungata. In tal senso, la capacità di gestire in modo condiviso questo periodo critico può avere effetti importanti sulla qualità della loro relazione, oltre che sul loro benessere individuale.

The effectiveness of psychotherapeutic treatments has been widely demonstrated and confirmed by many studies in recent decades. The research focused on the factors of change influencing the positive outcomes of a psychotherapy, putting those that are crucial in cases of failure into the background. The dimensions of this phenomenon are relevant as well as the side effects of the psychotherapeutic interventions that reach the same percentages of the pharmacotherapeutic treatments. The study of the variables involved in failure cases therefore seems important to prevent or moderate the negative effects of treatments with a negative outcome. Impasse and deadlock situations, which may result in an early interruption of psychotherapy, are often complex and involve situational, relational, and personal factors at different levels and with different weight. A research was conducted, with a mixed approach, aimed at exploring the situational factors involved in dropout cases. In addition, the evaluation of the psychotherapist's emotional responses related to patients who terminated psychotherapy prematurely was investigated. The study was attended by a sample of 29 psychologists, experienced psychotherapists from different frameworks. Recent or salient cases of a hesitated psychotherapy with an early interruption were examined. For the first objective, a structured interview (Impasse Interview) was used, while the second one was reached by the administration of the TRQ (Therapist Response Questionnaire). The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed through a textual analysis software and five salient thematic clusters were identified. These were then assimilated to different areas of meaning: severity of the diagnosis, procedural aspects and lack of understanding of the stall in progress. Two other important themes emerged: the critical aspects concerning relational dynamics and a focus on maternal theme. Overall these five thematic areas seem to play an important and spe

Parenting stress during first years after the transition to parenthood has been linked to depression, anxiety, and children's well-being. What about the role of partner's level of stress in influencing the level of stress of the other member of the couple? Research on dyadic data is still limited about both adoptive and biological parents. The present longitudinal study was aimed at (a) comparing adoptive and biological couples' dyadic correlations (intraclass correlation coefficients) within 3 months from the child's arrival/birth (T1) and 1 year later (T2) and evaluating if intraclass correlation coefficients were stable or changed over time and (b) measuring interdependence within couples, applying the actor-partner interdependence model. Participants were 36 adoptive and 31 biological couples, all first-time parents, for a total of 134 subjects. Both parents within each couple were asked to fill in a self-report questionnaire. Results evidenced similarities and differences among adoptive and biological parents and a higher interdependence within the adoptive couples.

The premature interruption of psychotherapeutic treatments is a significant phenomenon, with rates that can be above 50%, although differences emerge among studies. In general, the variables related to the psychotherapists have a significant effect on the treatment and a greater extent than the situational variables. In this study a multi-method research has been conducted to test the situations of impasse ending in dropout and the relationship between these situations and the covert narcissistic dimension of the therapist. Each participant was administrated the Impasse Interview, asking the therapist to focus on a salient or recent dropout case, and the Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale. The linguistic analysis of the interviews carried out with T-Lab produced 4 thematic clusters. Furthermore, as for the covert narcissistic dimension, 11 therapists reported a score below the average (Group A) and 9 scoring in the average (Group B). Finally, the association between the four clusters and the two groups of therapists was investigated. The therapeutic alliance and the emotional reaction of the therapist, influenced by his narcissistic dimension, represent key variables for the outcome of the therapy.

A couple is considered to be infertile if unable to conceive after 12 months of unprotected sexual intercourse. An extended body of literature supports that infertility and infertility treatments contribute to emotional, social, sexual, and relational issues that can have a negative impact on each partner’s well-being and on the couple relationship. Recent findings suggest that a dyadic approach should be used when working with couples coping with these stressors. However, most research to date has focused on the association between infertility and individual’s psychological outcomes, rather than on the experience of infertility-related stress and coping from a relational perspective. Consequently, assuming that infertility is a dyadic stressor and that the ability of the partners to cope with this experience is the result of both individual and relational coping strategies, this study aimed to investigate dyadic coping and marital adjustment among couples at the beginning of an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) treatment. A sample of 167 heterosexual couples (N= 334) undergoing ART treatment at the fertility clinic of a large hospital in Milan from January 2017 to September 2017 was recruited. Each participant completed self-reported questionnaires examining marital adjustment (Dyadic Adjustment Scale) and dyadic coping (Dyadic Coping Questionnaire). Demographics and clinical variables were also collected. Data were analysed using the Actor Partner Interdependence Model (APIM), testing the effect of each partner’s dyadic coping style on their own and their partner’s marital adjustment. Results revealed that both women and partners’ scores on positive dyadic coping styles (common, emotion-focused, problem-focused, and delegated dyadic coping) contributed to higher marital adjustment. This result suggests that couples unable to engage in these type of reciprocal supportive behaviors and those unsatisfied with their coping efforts may be more vulnerable while und

The transition to parenthood represents a critical event for the couple, which can lead to distress and reduced marital satisfaction. The ability of the parents-to-be to adjust to this modification of their roles and identity is influenced by dyadic coping strategies. This study examined the effects of dyadic coping on marital adjustment in a sample of primiparous couples. Seventy-eight women and partners completed the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Dyadic Coping Inventory. Data were analyzed using the Actor Partner Interdependence Model. Results revealed the both women and partners’ scores on dyadic coping behaviors contribute to higher marital adjustment, suggesting that risks for marital dissatisfaction may exist for those couples not able to implement adaptive dyadic coping strategies, or for those unsatisfied with the current coping behaviors. Research and clinical implications are discussed.

Item does not contain fulltext, This chapter presents an interesting view about trust as a key factor to alleviate co-parenting conflict between divorced parents. In the study presented, in fact, trust was associated with constructive relational behaviors, more forgiveness and appreciation, and less contempt and hostile attribution.

This article presents the Family System Test (FAST), a graphic-constructive instrument to investigate the family system. Specifically, this instrument allows to describe the family in metaphorical terms, that is starting by placing some figurines on the checkerboard. FAST is described in its properties and in its typical use. Then, an integration of the original coding system - based on the relational-symbolic approach - is presented regarding both the development of the grid analyzing the product, as well as the creation of a grid analyzing the process based on the Interaction Process Analysis (IPA) by Bales. This proposed coding system turns out to be particularly useful with families experiencing specific situations, such as the transition to parenthood, showing a higher discriminating capacity than traditional indicators.

Infertility is a problem that affects many couples nowadays, representing a stressful, painful, and potentially traumatic experience. After receiving a diagnosis of infertility, many couples decide to undergo medically assisted reproduction procedures in order to have a child. Both the infertility diagnosis and the subsequent recourse to such procedures represent a source of stress not only for each partner, but also for the couple as such. Different studies have investigated the role of some variables in modulating the impact of this stress and its effects on individual and relational well-being. The purpose of the present contribution is to explore, in a sample of couples undergoing medically assisted reproduction technologies, the representation that the individual partners have of the quality of the couple relation in light of several variables: (1) socio-demographic, i.e., the partners’ age and the duration of the couple relation; (2) medical, such as the cause of infertility and a possible prior history of unsuccessful attempts to conceive; (3) intrapsychic, i.e., the “romantic attachment” style of each partner. The following instruments were administered to 167 couples at the start of a course of medically assisted reproductive treatments: Dyadic Adjustment Scale; Experience in Close Relationship Questionnaire; a form to collect socio-demographic data and medical information. The results indicate that neither the socio-demographic variables (partners’ age and relationship duration), nor the medical variables (diagnosis, number of attempts and treatment typology) seem to have any effect on couple satisfaction, in both the samples of the women and of the men. In contrast, a significant effect on couple adjustment emerges for abandonment anxiety and avoidance in the women while only an effect for avoidance on couple adjustment emerges in the men. These results reveal gender differences connected to the specific modalities of living through and coping with the ex

The general purpose of this work is to explore how individual and relational variables can affect the well-being and the body perception of women with breast cancer, differentiating psychological patterns of cognitive, emotional and relational processes. This exploratory study investigates individual (body image, anxiety, depression, personality, coping, resilience) and relational (dyadic coping and emotional closeness to the partner) variables of 30 subjects (15 patients and 15 partners). The analysis show two different profiles: low levels of altered body perception correspond to a general overall well-being and a better couple behaviour; otherwise anxiety, depression and worst dyadic relationship are associated with deteriorated body perception. The findings suggest the importance of relational components on the overall weel-being of women with Breast cancer and their partners and support the idea of a dyadically oriented perspective in studying breast cancer patients.

Fear of childbirth is a feeling experienced by as much as 25% of future mothers. It can be distinguished by its degree of perceived and actual intensity in facing labor. A mild or moderate fear is adaptive, while intense fear has the potential to develop into a full disorder, interfering with the woman's daily life and with her capacity to face labor. Numerous studies have investigated the construct of fear of childbirth, but have not yet reached a unanimous consensus on its definition, especially as it relates to anxiety and depression. The present research explores the existence of different “women’s 'profiles” based on the intensity of fear of childbirth and the presence of anxious or depressive symptoms during the pregnancy. 198 first-time mothers between the 7th and 8th month of pregnancy completed the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The results indicated the presence of three distinct clusters. The first cluster, that we call well-being, is composed of women with average scores lower than the threshold values on all three measures. The second, pregnancy anxiety, groups women with a mean state-anxiety score above the cut-off. To the third cluster, anxiety-depressive symptoms, belongs mothers-to-be who have high average scores on all scales. The existence of distinct pregnancy profiles suggests that childbirth can assume specific meanings within each pattern and that it is possible to identify different "fears" of childbirth.

This introduction presents the aims and the contents of the book.

The study presented in this chapter adopted a dyadic approach to investigate couples’ coping with daily situations. It analyzed the role of perceived partner responses to negative events as well as to positive events occurring in partners’ everyday lives. The first aim was to analyze whether and how partners’ perceptions of the other’s typical, dispositional responses of dyadic coping and capitalization were associated over time, specifically testing for the direction of effects. A second objective of the study was to examine whether partners’ trust mediated the longitudinal associations between the two processes.

È stato un onore e un piacere curare l’edizione italiana del manuale di Metodologia Della Ricerca in Psicologia Clinica. Da diverso tempo, migliaia di studenti e professionisti psicologi si avvicinano alla metodologia della ricerca con questo testo, nelle varie versioni che si sono susseguite negli anni. Questa nuova versione italiana permetterà a molti studenti e ricercatori di entrare nella vasta comunità delle persone che si sono formate (anche) “sul Kazdin”, facilitando la comunicazione tra metodologi e non. Oltre ad essere uno dei manuali più diffusi al mondo, la lettura del testo originale non appare mai pesante ed è sempre alleggerita da aneddoti o spiegata da esempi. Nella traduzione in italiano, abbiamo cercato di mantenere lo spirito originale del testo, pur con dovuti aggiustamenti necessari all’adattamento linguistico. Abbiamo tuttavia ritenuto importante mantenere alcuni vocaboli (se volete, un po’ “tecnici”) in lingua inglese. Talvolta queste parole sono state affiancate da una traduzione italiana, anche se spesso le troverete prese pari pari dalla versione originale. Il motivo di tale scelta è semplice: questo manuale punta alla formazione di professionisti competenti nella metodologia della ricerca. Ora, per quanto sia sicuramente possibile svolgere delle ottime ricerche utilizzando solo la lingua italiana, la ricerca non può essere limitata ai confini nazionali. Per questo motivo, per facilitare la comprensione (di contributi scritti da altri) e la comunicazione (ad esempio, dei propri risultati di ricerca) abbiamo pensato di riferirci al linguaggio comunemente utilizzato nel mondo della ricerca -che il più delle volte avviene in inglese. Speriamo che anche voi, come noi, possiate trovare questo testo utile, stimolante, e anche divertente.

Il testo intende proporre un contributo in merito al metodo nel colloquio psicologico, che può essere definito clinico a partire dall'assunto che l'incontro tra lo psicologo e chi a lui si rivolge si fonda su una "forma mentis", cioè una modalità specifica di stare con l'altro, piuttosto che rappresentare un ambito di intervento. Rivolto agli psicologi in formazione, ma anche agli operatori dell'area psicosociale che devono affrontare richieste di intervento psicologico definendone chiaramente bisogni e obiettivi di sviluppo sottostanti, il volume intende offrire una cornice metodologica relazionale utile al professionista che, pur operando in vari e differenziati contesti, necessita di "costruire" con il committente domande di intervento specifiche e frutto di un processo dialogico e dinamico. A partire da una riflessione sui fondamenti teorico-epistemologici sottesi all'incontro clinico con l'altro, il testo esplora e descrive le forme di disagio così come si manifestano attualmente all'interno di vari contesti (ospedaliero, giuridico, scolastico, aziendale, dei servizi territoriali ecc.), rileggendole alla luce dei mutamenti sociali, economici e culturali che interessano la nostra epoca.

Objective: In the 1st year of the post-partum period, parenting stress, mental health, and dyadic adjustment are important for the wellbeing of both parents and the child. However, there are few studies that analyze the relationship among these three dimensions. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between parenting stress, mental health (depressive and anxiety symptoms), and dyadic adjustment among first-time parents. Method: We studied 268 parents (134 couples) of healthy babies. At 12 months post-partum, both parents filled out, in a counterbalanced order, the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, the Edinburgh Post-natal Depression Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the potential mediating effects of mental health on the relationship between parenting stress and dyadic adjustment. Results: Results showed the full mediation effect of mental health between parenting stress and dyadic adjustment. A multi-group analysis further found that the paths did not differ across mothers and fathers. Discussion: The results suggest that mental health is an important dimension that mediates the relationship between parenting stress and dyadic adjustment in the transition to parenthood.

Recent studies suggest that human tumors are generated from cancer cells with stem cell (SC) properties. Spontaneously occurring cancers in dogs contain a diversity of cells that like for human tumors suggest that certain canine tumors are also generated from cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs, like normal SCs, have the capacity for self-renewal as mammospheres in suspension cultures. To understand how cells with SC properties contribute to canine mammary gland tumor development and progression, comparative analysis between normal SCs and CSCs, obtained from the same individual, is essential. We have utilized the property of sphere formation to develop culture conditions for propagating stem/progenitor cells from canine normal and tumor tissue. We show that cells from dissociated mammospheres retain sphere reformation capacity for several serial passages and have the capacity to generate organoid structures ex situ. Utilizing various culture conditions for passaging SCs and CSCs, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were found to positively or negatively regulate mammosphere regeneration, organoid formation, and multi-lineage differentiation potential. The response of FGF2 and EGF on SCs and CSCs was different, with increased FGF2 and EGF self-renewal promoted in SCs and repressed in CSCs. Our protocol for propagating SCs from normal and tumor canine breast tissue will provide new opportunities in comparative mammary gland stem cell analysis between species and anticancer treatment and therapies for dogs. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 570–584, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Il testo intende proporre un contributo in merito al metodo nel colloquio psicologico, che può essere definito clinico a partire dall'assunto che l'incontro tra lo psicologo e chi a lui si rivolge si fonda su una "forma mentis", cioè una modalità specifica di stare con l'altro, piuttosto che rappresentare un ambito di intervento. Rivolto agli psicologi in formazione, ma anche agli operatori dell'area psicosociale che devono affrontare richieste di intervento psicologico definendone chiaramente bisogni e obiettivi di sviluppo sottostanti, il volume intende offrire una cornice metodologica relazionale utile al professionista che, pur operando in vari e differenziati contesti, necessita di "costruire" con il committente domande di intervento specifiche e frutto di un processo dialogico e dinamico. A partire da una riflessione sui fondamenti teorico-epistemologici sottesi all'incontro clinico con l'altro, il testo esplora e descrive le forme di disagio così come si manifestano attualmente all'interno di vari contesti (ospedaliero, giuridico, scolastico, aziendale, dei servizi territoriali ecc.), rileggendole alla luce dei mutamenti sociali, economici e culturali che interessano la nostra epoca.

Il testo intende proporre un contributo in merito al metodo nel colloquio psicologico, che può essere definito clinico a partire dall'assunto che l'incontro tra lo psicologo e chi a lui si rivolge si fonda su una "forma mentis", cioè una modalità specifica di stare con l'altro, piuttosto che rappresentare un ambito di intervento. Rivolto agli psicologi in formazione, ma anche agli operatori dell'area psicosociale che devono affrontare richieste di intervento psicologico definendone chiaramente bisogni e obiettivi di sviluppo sottostanti, il volume intende offrire una cornice metodologica relazionale utile al professionista che, pur operando in vari e differenziati contesti, necessita di "costruire" con il committente domande di intervento specifiche e frutto di un processo dialogico e dinamico. A partire da una riflessione sui fondamenti teorico-epistemologici sottesi all'incontro clinico con l'altro, il testo esplora e descrive le forme di disagio così come si manifestano attualmente all'interno di vari contesti (ospedaliero, giuridico, scolastico, aziendale, dei servizi territoriali ecc.), rileggendole alla luce dei mutamenti sociali, economici e culturali che interessano la nostra epoca.

Il testo intende proporre un contributo in merito al metodo nel colloquio psicologico, che può essere definito clinico a partire dall'assunto che l'incontro tra lo psicologo e chi a lui si rivolge si fonda su una "forma mentis", cioè una modalità specifica di stare con l'altro, piuttosto che rappresentare un ambito di intervento. Rivolto agli psicologi in formazione, ma anche agli operatori dell'area psicosociale che devono affrontare richieste di intervento psicologico definendone chiaramente bisogni e obiettivi di sviluppo sottostanti, il volume intende offrire una cornice metodologica relazionale utile al professionista che, pur operando in vari e differenziati contesti, necessita di "costruire" con il committente domande di intervento specifiche e frutto di un processo dialogico e dinamico. A partire da una riflessione sui fondamenti teorico-epistemologici sottesi all'incontro clinico con l'altro, il testo esplora e descrive le forme di disagio così come si manifestano attualmente all'interno di vari contesti (ospedaliero, giuridico, scolastico, aziendale, dei servizi territoriali ecc.), rileggendole alla luce dei mutamenti sociali, economici e culturali che interessano la nostra epoca.