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Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic induced an extraordinary impact on public mental health to a degree not completely understood, especially in vulnerable populations such as breast cancer (BC) survivors. In this study, we described the short- (after 3-month) and long- (after 12-month) term effects of a multidisciplinary home-based lifestyle intervention in Italian women BC survivors during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: In total, 30 Italian BC survivors with risk factors for recurrence took part in the ongoing MoviS trial (protocol: NCT04818359). Between January 2020 and January 2021, a 3-month lifestyle intervention based on psychological counseling, nutrition, and exercise was carried out. Participants were asked to fill out psychological questionnaires for the assessment of quality of life (QoL) indicators (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL, EORTC-QLQ-C30) and psychological health measures such as fatigue (Brief Fatigue Inventory, BFI), distress (Distress Thermometer, DT and Psychological Distress Inventory, PDI), cancer-related fatigue (Verbal Rating Scale, VRS), and mood states (Profile of Mood States Questionnaire, POMS). IBM SPSS Statistical Software version 27.0 and R Project for Statistical Computing version 4.2.1 were used to process data. All participants were assessed at four time points: T0 (baseline), T1 (3-month), and follow-up at T2 and T3 (6- and 12-month, respectively) to measure primary (quality of life indicators) and secondary (psychological health) outcomes. Friedman non parametric test and Wilcoxon signed rank test (with Bonferroni correction) were conducted to investigate the statistically significant differences in psychometric scores and between assessment times. Results: Compared to baseline (T0), at T1 most of the QoL indicators (i.e., symptoms of fatigue and general health) were improved (p < 0.017) with the exception of a worsening in participants' social functioning ability

The interpersonal process model of intimacy suggests that intimacy within dyads develops when open communication from one dyad member is met with validating, understanding and caring responses from the other dyad member. Little is known about interpersonal processes between informal caregivers and care recipients in different illness contexts (i.e., coping with neurological, physical or other impairments/comorbidities) and relationship types (i.e., spouses, adult children and others), and how interpersonal processes are linked to the caregivers' wellbeing. In this cross-sectional study, caregivers (N = 882) from nine countries reported on their open communication with care recipients, care recipients' responsiveness, and caregivers' wellbeing (i.e., intimacy, burden and communal motivation to care). Although caregivers of care recipients with neurological impairments and adult child caregivers reported lower mean levels of open communication and perceived responsiveness, similar mediating effects of perceived responsiveness between open communication and intimacy (effect = 0.05; CI95 = [0.04, 0.06]), burden (effect = -0.42; CI95 = [-0.49, -0.35]), and communal motivation to care (effect = 0.28; CI95 = [0.21, 0.36]) were reported across different illness contexts and relationship types. Only the negative relationship between perceived responsiveness and burden was stronger for spouses (b = -0.23, CI95 = [-0.26, -0.19]) than for adult children and others. Results suggest the interpersonal process model of intimacy may be used to identify caregivers at risk of poor wellbeing in different illness contexts and with different relationships with their care recipients. Lack of open communication and caregivers' misperceptions of care recipients' responsiveness may represent opportunities to intervene to enhance caregivers' intimacy to the care recipients, communal motivation to care, and to decrease caregiver burden.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, individuals with or without mental disorders may resort to dysfunctional psychological strategies that could trigger or heighten their emotional distress. The current study aims to explore the links between maladaptive daydreaming (MD, i.e., a compulsive fantasy activity associated with distress and psychological impairment), psychological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and negative stress, and COVID-19-related variables, such as changes in face-to-face and online relationships, during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. A total of 6,277 Italian adults completed an online survey, including socio-demographic variables, COVID-19 related information, the 16-item Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (MDS-16), and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21 Items (DASS-21). Based on an empirically derived cut-off score, 1,082 participants (17.2%) were identified as probable maladaptive daydreamers (MDers). A binary logistic regression revealed that compared to controls, probable MDers reported that during the COVID-19 lockdown they experienced higher levels of anxiety and depression, decreased online social relationships, and, surprisingly, stable or increased face-to-face social relationships. Given the peculiar characteristics of the pandemic context, these findings suggest that the exposure to the risk of contagion had probably exacerbated the tendency of probable MDers to lock themselves inside their mental fantasy worlds, which in turn may have contributed to further estrangement from online social relationships and support, thus worsening their emotional distress.

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

Starting from the idea that dreaming could be considered an index of the psychological health of individuals regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, a major risk of psychological maladjustment has been registered for maladaptive daydreamers (MDers; i.e., people with a compulsive fantasy activity associated with distress and psychological impairment). Nevertheless, there is a gap in literature about dreaming in MDers in general and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in dreaming and dream content between probable MDers and non-MDers during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. A total of 3,857 Italian adults (664 probable MDers), completed the Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (MDS-16) and the Mannheim Dream Questionnaire (MADRE). Among them, 1,095 participants (222 probable MDers) decided to recount their dreams, subsequently analysed through a cluster analysis performed by T-LAB software. Significantly higher levels of dream recall, emotional intensity of dreams, nightmare frequency, nightmare distress, recurring nightmares about daytime, lucid dreams, interest toward dreams, problem solving and creative dreams, and dreams affecting daytime mood emerged in probable MDers compared to non-MDers. No differences were observed in the emotional tone of dreams. From the quali-quantitative analysis of dream narratives, similar themes emerged in probable MDers and non-MDers, except for a cluster named Dreaming the loss of others, where the non-MDers variable is highly represented. Our results highlight some significant differences between probable MDers and non-MDers with respect to dreaming activity. The massive use of dream activity as an affective regulator emerges for both probable MDers and non-MDers during lockdown.

La psicologia penitenziaria nasce e si sviluppa a partire dalla seconda metà degli anni ’70, in corrispondenza della riforma dell’ordinamento penitenziario italiano (legge 354/1975) che, attraverso l’art. 80, rappresenta il sostegno normativo all’introduzione della figura dello psicologo penitenziario negli istituti di prevenzione e di pena. Questo settore della psicologia si occupa degli aspetti teorici e applicativi che interessano la fase di accoglienza e di esecuzione della pena negli istituti penitenziari, anche nelle connessioni con i contesti esterni al carcere. L’attenzione è rivolta alle condizioni di limitazione della libertà personale di adulti e minori, delineando anche compiti e funzioni dei professionisti che in tali contesti lavorano. Con l’obiettivo di sistematizzare la conoscenza maturata negli ultimi decenni, questo libro rappresenta il contributo di operatori ed esperti del settore che, sul territorio della Regione Lombardia, hanno lavorato al fine di costituire una prassi che fosse riconosciuta e riconoscibile. Il testo prende avvio da un capitolo che delinea presupposti ed elementi indispensabili alla contestualizzazione dell’operato psicologico entro il sistema della pena. È poi suddiviso in tre parti. La prima parte è dedicata al lavoro con i minorenni e vengono descritti i fattori di rischio e protezione che ne influenzano l’adattamento sociale e lo sviluppo di comportamenti devianti. La seconda parte si concentra sui soggetti adulti, con particolare attenzione alle azioni di assessment e trattamento. La terza parte è dedicata ai professionisti che operano entro i contesti dell’esecuzione penale, concentrandosi sulla figura dello psicologo penitenziario. Grazie a questa suddivisione il libro si rivolge sia agli studenti che ambiscono a lavorare nei contesti penitenziari sia agli operatori del settore, per un approfondimento e una sistematizzazione di conoscenze e prassi consolidate.

AIM: The Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression (FREE) Scale assesses the ability to enhance and suppress displayed emotions among a range of hypothetical contexts. The Context Sensitivity Index (CSI) measures the ability to perceive cues to contextual demands across different situations. This study aimed to present the first step of the adaptation and validation to the Italian context of the FREE and the CSI scales. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 120 Italian students took part in this first step. Six focus groups were conducted to explore the Context sensitivity, Emotional Flexibility, and Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression constructs in the Italian context. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed with T-LAB software and two kinds of analyses were performed. RESULTS: Results of the Thematic Analysis of Elementary Contexts showed four clusters: "emotional flexibility", "emotion management", "emotion regulation", and "context sensitivity". Results of Factorial Analysis of Correspondences indicated three factors with the first two factors explaining about 80% of the variance. Factor 1, which opposed "emotional flexibility" and "context sensitivity" at its negative pole; "emotion management" and "emotion regulation" at its positive pole, was named "Cognitive and emotive functions of mind". Factor 2, which opposed "context sensitivity" and "emotion regulation" on the positive pole, "emotional flexibility" and "emotion management" on the negative pole, was named "Elaboration-adaptation as aim of the subject". CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results obtained through a qualitative approach supported the validity of the flexible regulation of emotional expression and the context sensitivity constructs in the Italian context. These results will be tested with a quantitative approach in the next steps of this research.

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.

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.

Aim: To understand how patients with cancer reacted to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and whether their quality of life (QoL) was affected. Methods: In June 2020, 111 patients with cancer treated in the supportive care unit of a Comprehensive Cancer Center in Milan and 201 healthy controls from the general population were enrolled and assessed both quantitatively and qualitatively for fears and COVID-19–related beliefs as well as for QoL. Results: Fear of COVID-19 was significantly lower among patients (41% vs 57.6%; p = 0.007), as was fear of cancer (61.5% vs 85.6%; p < 0.001) and other diseases. The perceived risk of getting COVID-19 was lower among patients (25.2% vs 52.7%; p < 0.001), as was the belief of having been exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (18.1% vs 40.8%; p < 0.001). The physical component of QoL was better among the population (54.5 vs 43.8; p < 0.001); the reverse was true for patients’ psychological well-being (44.6 vs 39.6; p < 0.001). The qualitative data supported such results, showing a reduced psychological effect on the patients with cancer compared to the controls. Various reasons explain this result, including the awareness of being treated for cancer and nevertheless protected against getting infected in a cancer center of public health reorganized to continue treating patients by protecting them and personnel from the risk of infection. Conclusions: The experience of a cancer diagnosis, together with proper hospital reorganization, may act as protective factors from fears and psychological consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak.

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.

Since 2011, the organisational and management process of the Italian Prison Administration has started to change. The Open section and Dynamic supervision measures introduced into the Italian penitentiary system, requires that all prison workers participate in the observation and treatment of the prisoners’ activities, carried out within a multidisciplinary perspective. This may imply a significant increase, in both the workload and possible sources of stress for prison workers and, therefore, hinder the organizational change. To enable the process of change, while monitoring the employees’ wellbeing, monthly multidisciplinary meetings have been planned, involving the ward staff of each prison. This study aims to both understand the impact of the organisational change on the employees of a prison in northern Italy and to explore the sustainability of the ward staff tool. Ten multidisciplinary meetings were analysed over a year, focusing on topics discussed within the group and relational positions assumed by the members. Content analysis has been per-formed through the T-LAB software, whereas the analysis of the interactive modalities has been carried out through the application of the Interaction Process Analysis grid. Results showed the group’s tendency to focus on the task, neglecting the relational dimension and moments of shared reflection related to the process. The study allows us to reflect on those aspects that may undermine the organisational and employee wellbeing and to assess the sustainability of a new organizational tool.

Recent literature shows that the Coronovirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has provoked significant changes in dreaming. The current study intends to provide an update about dream variable changes during the second wave of COVID-19. A total of 611 participants completed a web survey from December 2020 to January 2021. Statistical comparisons showed that subjects had lower dream-recall frequency, nightmare frequency, lucid-dream frequency, emotional intensity, and nightmare distress during the second than the first wave of the pandemic. Dreams had a higher negative tone during the second than first wave. We revealed significant differences concerning post-traumatic growth, sleep-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and sleep measures between groups obtained as a function of the changes in the oneiric frequency between the first and second waves. We also found significant correlations between qualitative/emotional dream features and COVID-19-related factors (job change, forced quarantine, having COVID-19 infected relatives/friends, or asking for mental health help). Overall, we found that the second wave affected fewer quantitative features of dream activity and there was less emotional intensity. Moreover, we confirmed the relationship between nightmares and the high risk of PTSD when subjects were grouped as a function of the increasing/decreasing frequency. Finally, our findings are partly coherent with the continuity hypothesis between oneiric and waking experiences.

Background: Among foreigners, imprisonment is a potential traumatic event characterized by further afflictions due to language difficulties and cultural differences. For these reasons, the psychological diagnosis with this prison population, appears complicated and misleading, despite their tendency to engage in self-harm and suicidal behavior. However, an early and correct diagnosis process is at the core of prevention and reduction of suicides and self-harm. The clinical interview and specific rating scales are inefficient to achieve the diagnosis in foreign subjects because of poor education levels, linguistic barriers and cultural differences. The aim of this study is to explore the efficacy of the Tree-drawing test (Koch, 1958) evaluating the risk factors for suicide and self-harm. Methods: We administered to 100 inmates (34 Italians; 66 foreigners) of an Italian prison the Tree-drawing test in order to establish its effectiveness in identifying the subjects most at risk for suicide and self-harm. After developing a numerical score associated to the tree-drawing test we performed descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression analysis to test the hypothesis. Results: The analysis, supported by the software SPSS, revealed how the Tree-drawing test is sensitive for identifying individuals with vulnerabilities compatible with the risk of self-harm. Conclusions: Our results represent a first step in guiding the choice of the most suitable tools to support self-harming and suicide risk assessment in foreign offenders.

Purpose: This study aims to explore the psychological effects of lockdown during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living in an Italian prison. The suspension of family visits and most activities, along with the difficulties in applying social distancing to this vulnerable population was associated with increased psychological distress. Riots broke out over two days in more than 22 prisons across Italy at the beginning of March 2020, highlighting the negative psychological impact of the pandemic and the country’s emergency policies. Design/methodology/approach: The research involves 17 men (Italians and foreigners) detained in a Lombardy prison from 1 March to 4 May 2020, corresponding to the lockdown phase in Italy. The qualitative content analysis (CA) of 27 posts, written by participants during that period and published on the blog “L’Oblò”, were analysed. The analysis allowed the identification of topics and subtopics that are related to two major categories of content: cognitions and emotional connotations about the COVID-19 lockdown in prison. Findings: Analysis showed that blog post content was predominately negative in terms of emotional connotations. The most frequent coded negative emotional connotations were: missing, worry, psychological pain and fear, whilst the most frequent coded positive emotional connotations were: hope and gratitude for the support they received from prison workers. The rest of the blog content was coded as “cognitions”. Cognitions were coded as descriptions of lockdown effect on detention; prison during the COVID-19 emergency; the pandemic situation in general; and comparison between inside and outside prison. Originality/value: The current study is original as it describes through blog CA the psychological condition of prisoners during the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in the most affected region in Italy.

This study aims to explore the emotional experiences related to the lockdown during the first pandemic wave, analysing the dreams of the Italian population. Through an online survey spread throughout the country, participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), the Resilience Scale (RS) and were asked to narrate a dream they had during the lockdown. The dreams were qualitatively analysed through the thematic content analysis. Logistic regression analyses were then conducted to verify the relationship among the categories that emerged and between these categories and the DASS-21 and RS scores. In the dreams 8 categories were identified (Places, Characters, Relationships, Actions, Danger, Death, Processes, and Emotions) composed of specific sub-categories, which seem to compose a sort of narrative structure of the dream. Some sub-categories were found to be predictor of depression and resilience or with exposure to COVID-19. Dreams can be a valid tool both to understand the experiences of the population during the pandemic and to evaluate those at risk of developing distress in clinical practice.

Cancer diagnosed during pregnancy is a rare event. The most common type of malignancy diagnosed in pregnant women is breast cancer, whose incidence is expected to raise in the next future due to delayed childbirth, as well as to the increased occurrence of the disease at young age. Pregnant women diagnosed with breast cancer are exposed to multiple sources of stress, which may lead to poorer obstetric outcomes, such as preterm birth and low birth weight. In addition, pregnancy involves physiological changes in the breasts that may blur the signs of cancer, with delayed diagnosis and poor prognosis. However, the lived experience of these women was investigated in very few studies. Given this scenario, we conducted this qualitative study to describe and understand women's subjective experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy. The study was conducted following the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Participants were five women with breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy, purposefully recruited at a public hospital during medical visits and interviewed at treatment initiation. The interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. The textual analysis led to the identification of three main themes related to: (1) the emotional storm experienced after cancer diagnosis, and the importance of receiving appropriate information and being focused on treatment decisions; (2) physical changes and comparisons with healthy women, associated with feelings of sadness and inadequacy; (3) being positive, feeling free to disclose all kinds of emotions, religion and spirituality as sources of strength. The paradoxical coexistence of pregnancy and cancer represents a stressful experience for women and their loved ones. Adopting a systemic perspective may be important to understand the effects of such a complex condition, also considering its impact on healthcare workers.

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.

COVID-19 has critically impacted the world. Recent works have found substantial changes in sleep and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dreams could give us crucial information about people's well-being, so here we have directly investigated the consequences of lockdown on the oneiric activity in a large Italian sample: 5,988 adults completed a web-survey during lockdown. We investigated sociodemographic and COVID-19-related information, sleep quality (by the Medical Outcomes Study-Sleep Scale), mental health (by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales), dream and nightmare frequency, and related emotional aspects (by the Mannheim Dream Questionnaire). Comparisons between our sample and a population-based sample revealed that Italians are having more frequent nightmares and dreams during the pandemic. A multiple logistic regression model showed the predictors of high dream recall (young age, female gender, not having children, sleep duration) and high nightmare frequency (young age, female gender, modification of napping, sleep duration, intrasleep wakefulness, sleep problem index, anxiety, depression). Moreover, we found higher emotional features of dream activity in workers who have stopped working, in people who have relatives/friends infected by or who have died from COVID-19 and in subjects who have changed their sleep habits. Our findings point to the fact that the predictors of high dream recall and nightmares are consistent with the continuity between sleep mentation and daily experiences. According to the arousal-retrieval model, we found that poor sleep predicts a high nightmare frequency. We suggest monitoring dream changes during the epidemic, and also considering the implications for clinical treatment and prevention of mental and sleep disorders.

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.

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak is severely affecting the overall mental health with unknown psychological consequences. Although a strong psychological impact is possible, scant evidence is available to date. Past studies have shown that resilience decreases the negative effects of stress. This study aimed to examine depression, anxiety, and stress among the Italian general population during the phase characterized by lockdown, and to investigate the role of resilience as a potential predictor. Methods: A total sample of 6,314 Italian people participated in this study. Participants were recruited between March 29 and May 04 2020 through an online survey. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) and the Resilience Scale (RS) were administered. Demographic data and lockdown related information were also collected. A correlational analysis was carried out to examine relationships between psychopathological domains and resilience. Three hierarchical regression analyses were conducted using the depression, anxiety, and stress as dependent variables and the resilience as independent variable controlling for age, gender, and education. COVID-19 specific variables were also included in the three regression analyses. A further exploratory analysis was carried out to examine which aspects of resilience predict depression, anxiety, and stress. Results: The prevalence of moderate to extremely severe symptoms among participants was 32% for depression, 24.4% for anxiety, and 31.7% for stress. The sample mean scores on depression, anxiety, and stress were higher than the normal scores reported in the literature. Results of correlational analysis showed that resilience factors, such as meaningfulness, self-reliance, existential aloneness, and equanimity, are inversely associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Results of regression analyses indicated that resilience was statically significant in predicting depression, anxiety, and stress. Geographic area of reside

Objective: To summarize the available qualitative and quantitative evidence regarding the impact of endometriosis on women's partners. Methods: A systematic electronic search of PubMed and PsycINFO was conducted. All the available evidence regarding partners' psychological condition, quality of life, social and intimate relationships, and sexuality was included, and a narrative synthesis of the findings was provided. Results: Of 127 studies retrieved through electronic search, only 5 (3 qualitative/semi-qualitative and 2 quantitative studies) matched the inclusion criteria and were included in our review. In total, participants were 399 male partners. Endometriosis negatively affects partners' psychological wellbeing and quality of life, with significant individual differences. Partners of women with endometriosis may experience isolation and lack of engagement in treatment decision-making. Partners also experience the economic burden of the disease, with negative consequences on work functioning and daily life. Sexuality is also negatively affected, although with contradictory findings. Positive aspects of personal and relationship growth were also reported. Conclusion: Endometriosis is an important cause of physical and psychological pain for women, but it may also have a negative impact on their partners. Although the effects of other chronic diseases on partners and caregivers have been largely explored, the small number of articles included in this review indicates that this topic remains understudied in endometriosis research. Endometriosis should be investigated and managed within a systemic framework, with a specific focus on the complex dynamic interaction between individual, relational, sociocultural and environmental factors.

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.

Importance: At the beginning of a public health crisis, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it is important to collect information about people's knowledge, worries, and behaviors to examine their influence on quality of life and to understand individual characteristics associated with these reactions. Such information could help to guide health authorities in providing informed interventions and clear communications. Objectives: To document the initial knowledge about COVID-19 and recommended health behaviors; to assess worries (ie, one's perception of the influence of the worries of others on oneself), social appraisal, and preventive behaviors, comparing respondents from areas under different movement restrictions during the first week after the outbreak; and to understand how worries, perceived risk, and preventive behaviors were associated with quality of life and individual characteristics among Italian adults. Design, Setting, and Participants: This convenience sample, nonprobablistic survey study recruited adult participants with a snowballing sampling method in any Italian region during the first week of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy from February 26, 2020, to March 4, 2020. Data were analyzed from March 5 to 12, 2020. Exposures: Information was collected from citizens living in the quarantine zone (ie, red zone), area with restricted movements (ie, yellow zone), and COVID-19-free regions (ie, green zone). Main Outcomes and Measures: Levels of knowledge on the virus, contagion-related worries, social appraisal, and preventive behaviors were assessed with ratings of quality of life (measured using the Short Form Health Survey). Additionally, some individual characteristics that may be associated with worries and behaviors were assessed, including demographic characteristics, personality traits (measured using Big Five Inventory-10), perceived health control (measured using the internal control measure in the Health Locus of Control sca

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.

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.

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.

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.

This article follows a previous study that has been published in Narrare i Gruppi and that described an intervention using photographic techniques within treatment programs addressed to inmates. The aim of the treatment was promoting inmates' re-socialization and re-education. Photography and other creative media have been reported to promote emotional intelligence (EI) and reduce recidivism among inmates. We hypothesized that the use of photography may increase the inmates' EI and promote their well-being. This study reports on the efficacy of a 10-session phototherapeutic intervention (called Talking Pictures Group Intervention) with two different categories of inmates (minimum custody and protective custody inmates) in terms of enhancing EI skills, reducing depression, and increasing the ability to cope with trauma. Results show an increase in EI in the minimum custody group while depression symptoms are found to increase in the protective custody group, possibly as a result of a greater awareness of their condition. The ability to cope with trauma remains unvaried before and after the intervention.

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.

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.

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.