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BackgroundThis cross-sectional study explores the connections between burnout, personal resources, and teaching motivation among Italian special needs teachers (SNTs) one year following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It specifically seeks to determine if and how personal resources and teaching motivation can help SNTs by buffering the effects of burnout symptoms.MethodsThe study was conducted using a sample of 837 full-time, in-service kindergarten and primary teachers at public schools in Italy. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires, including the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, the Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale, the Crèche Educators Emotional Style Questionnaire, and the Autonomous Motivations for Teaching Scale. A multiple regression model was performed to assess the predictive role of personal resources and teaching motivation on the burnout of special needs teachers.ResultsThe findings indicate that higher levels of autonomous motivation are associated with reduced burnout, specifically among special education teachers. Conversely, higher levels of negative emotion regulation strategies were linked to increased burnout, and this relationship was stronger in mainstream teachers than in special education teachers. We found no significant association between teachers’ compassion and burnout.ConclusionsOur research supports the need for educational policymakers and school leaders to focus on personal resources and work-related well-being to enhance and support teachers, in particular during emergencies (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic) and for specific groups of teachers, such as SNTs.

Background/Objectives: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit more executive function (EF) deficits compared to typically developing (TD) peers. EF deficits are linked to various impairments in daily functioning and increased parental stress. The first aim of the present study is to investigate EFs in children with ASD and ADHD compared to their TD peers. The second aim is to explore profiles of executive functions in children with ASD and ADHD and, finally, to determine the differences of EF profiles in relation to parental stress and children’s functional impairments. Methods: The sample comprised 30 TD children, 47 children with ASD, and 34 children with ADHD, aged 8 to 12 years. Parents completed questionnaires of parenting stress, and children’s social and daily-life functioning. Parents and teachers reported information about children’s EF. Results: The results indicated significantly greater impairment of EFs in the clinical groups compared to the TD group. Moreover, three distinct clusters of functioning were identified based on the severity of reported EF difficulties. The significant findings showed that children with more severe EF profiles were associated with greater daily impairment and higher levels of perceived parental stress. Conclusions: Given the impact of EF deficits on the lives of children with ASD and ADHD and their families, it is crucial that studies like this enhance our understanding and inspire future interventions aimed at improving executive functions in children with ASD and ADHD. Such interventions could help reduce parental stress and improve daily functioning.

Background: Stable parent-infant relationships and adequate ordinary care significantly support children’s development since the very early stages of life. Principal models of intervention sustain parental skills and foster quality of parent-infant interactions since the early infancy. Standardized programs, with a well-defined focus, of short duration, based on specific methods and techniques, represent an effective tool in supporting parental effort. The present pilot study provides a description and an initial evaluation of the brief online “Con i Genitori” (CiG) Intervention, aimed to enhance parental sensitivity, self-efficacy and reduce stress in parents of typically-developed children aging 0-6 years. Methods: The intervention involved parents of typically-developed children aging 0-6 years. Four interactive group sessions, based on well-known empirically-based programs’ assumptions were delivered. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires at baseline (T0) and after CiG (T1). The assessment included the Tool to measure Parenting Self-Efficacy (TOPSE; Kendall Bloomfield, 2005), Parenting Stress Index-SF for parental distress (PSI; Abidin, 1996), Emotional Regulation Checklist for children’s emotional regulation (ERC; Shields Cicchetti et al., 1997) and Social Provision Scale for social support (SPS; Cutrona and Russell, 1987). A weekly “ad-hoc” questionnaire evaluated parental sensitivity. Moreover, a semi-structured interview measured participants’ satisfaction and acceptability with the intervention one month after its end. Results: Twelve parents completed all the sessions of the CiG (10 mothers, 2 fathers with mean age = 42.7; SD= 6.3). Children mean age was 3.9 (SD=1.9), 58.3% male. Our results showed statistically significant decrease in parental distress and increased social support after attending CiG. No statistically significant variations were detected considering parental self-efficacy. Conclusions: Our findings confirm the potential value of online-delivered interventions targeting parenthood in infancy, supporting parent-infant relationship and positive parenting from early infancy in a public health community approach. Online delivered programs constitute an important resource for addressing unmet parent mental health needs, which may be particularly widespread following the COVID-19 pandemic, representing a valuable alternative to traditional face-to-face interventions targeting parental wellbeing in infancy.

Objectives. The main purposes of this study were to: examine possible existing relationships between couple values and coparenting quality reported by both partners of cohabitants heterosexual couples; investigate whether couple values explain coparenting quality reported by both partners of cohabitants heterosexual couples. Material and methods. 94 Italian heterosexual couples with at least one child under the age of 13 years were enrolled. Both mothers (Mage = 41.25, SD = 6.82) and fathers (Mage = 44.21, SD = 6.97) were asked to fill in two self-report questionnaires: The Portrait Values ​​Questionnaire [PVQ] for couple values and The Coparenting Relationship Scale for the coparenting quality. Results. The main findings of regression model analysis conducted showed that Self-Transcendence resulted the most important predictor (β = .412, t = 4.253, p = .000) for coparenting quality perceived by fathers. In contrast, Conservation resulted the most important predictor (β = .239, t = 2.086, p = .040) for coparenting quality perceived by mothers. Conclusions. From the results obtained, the authors found an important preference for parents of respecting one’s cultural traditions, respecting the rules, being tolerant, ensuring the well-being of others by mitigating impulsive behaviors that could harm others physically and emotionally. The presence of these values ​​could allow both partners to implement supportive and collaborative behaviors, agree on education-related issues for their children, and feel close and allied in upbringing their child.

Abstract Background Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common congenital anomaly at birth, affecting approximately 1% of live births. In recent decades great medical and surgical advances have significantly increased life expectancy, shifting healthcare professionals' and researchers’ interests in patients' Quality of Life (QoL). The main aims of our study were to evaluate generic and condition-specific QoL in a group of Italian children and adolescents with CHD and their parents and examine the level of agreement and directional disagreement between child/adolescent and parents reports on generic and condition-specific QoL. Methods A cross-sectional study was designed with CHD children and adolescents and their parents referred to the Cardiology Department of “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital. The PedsQL scale was used, including generic (PedsQL 4.0) and cardiac-specific modules (PedsQL 3.0) were administered to patients and caregivers. A Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare generic and cardiac module scores between patients with different ages, CHD diagnoses, and between patients who underwent surgery interventions and/or are currently taking cardiac medications. Results 498 families were enrolled in this study. On average, patients reported a good level of generic and condition-specific QoL, as well as their mothers and fathers. Children aged between 5–7 years old reported lower generic and cardiac-specific total QoL levels than children aged 8–12 years and adolescents (13–18 years). With regard to the agreement, patient-parent agreement on condition-specific QoL ranged from 25 to 75% while on generic QoL, it ranged from 19 to 76%. The highest percentage of disagreement between parents and children was found in patients aged 5–7 years old, both for condition-specific and generic QoL rates. Conclusions Our study contributed to the growing body of knowledge on QoL in CHD, emphasizing the need for these families to receive support from multidisciplinary standardized care, including psychological consultations and support.

This study aimed to analyze and compare students’ school burnout levels in Switzerland and Italy. Previous research has confirmed that female and older students in particular are highly exposed to burnout risk. Nevertheless, few studies have observed this phenomenon through a cross-national comparison. Data on burnout were collected from a sample of 840 adolescents (Italian students = 497; Swiss students = 343) (Mage = 14.98; SD = 1.06; Female = 50%). Burnout was measured using the School Burnout Inventory, and cross-cultural measurement invariance was tested. The results showed that this burnout measure was equivalent between the Italian and Swiss samples. A multivariate analysis of variance was next conducted to investigate the effects of age, gender, and nationality. Results partially confirmed our hypotheses, showing the effect of age but not of gender in explaining burnout differences among students, and between and within-group variance. In particular, the burnout risk was found to be higher in late adolescence (age 16 to 18, Mexhaution = 2.73; Mcynicism = 2.99; MInadequacy = 3.14) than in mid-adolescence (age 13 to 15 Mexhaution = 2.95; Mcynicism = 3.43; MInadequacy = 3.54). Furthermore, Italian adolescents were more exhausted and cynical (Mexhaution = 2.99; Mcynicism = 3.26) than their Swiss peers (Mexhaution = 2.52; Mcynicism = 2.93) when controlling for age and gender. Findings suggest further investigation of the role played by educational and cultural values may be warranted.

Poor sleep quality represents a concern commonly reported by parents during the first year of life and is longitudinally related to problems with children's cognitive, emotional, and behavioural development. According to research, several intrinsic and extrinsic factors intervene in helping or hindering sleep quality during early childhood. In particular, the relationship between parental mental health, infants’ temperament, their at-risk health conditions, and sleep quality has not been investigated yet, especially in the Italian population. 100 Italian heterosexual couples, with infants aged from 8 to 12 months were involved in this study and completed self-report questionnaires: the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ), the Italian Temperament Questionnaires (QUIT - version 0-12 months), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). 58 couples had healthy children and were recruited from kindergartens located in Rome, Italy. 42 couples had children born with congenital anomalies requiring surgery at birth and were recruited at Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy. Results highlighted similar sleep outcomes between clinical and healthy children. Furthermore, they showed that children’s insomnia symptoms resulted associated with children’s temperamental negative emotionality, parental postpartum depression symptoms, and constant bedtime routines in both groups. In conclusion, this study can raise awareness and enhance understanding of risk and protective factors for infants’ sleep, among families, education practitioners, healthcare providers, and the general public.

Abstract Objectives. The main purposes of this study were to explore: a) the relationships between massive use of Social Networks sites (SNs) in adolescence, school burnout levels and friendship quality; b) gender differences in massive and problematic use of SNs. Material and methods. A number of 140 Italian high school students (M=72.9%) aged 16-18 years participated in the study. Students were asked to complete self-report questionnaires: an ad-hoc scale for investigating SNs use, The Generalized Pathological Internet Use Scale-2 (GPIUS-2; Caplan, 2010), The Parent and Peer attachment inventory for Friendship Quality (Armsden and Greenberg, 1987), The School Burnout Inventory (SBI; Samlela-Aro et al., 2009). Results. Results showed positive relationships between massive SNs use and friendship quality (r = .30, p < .01); compulsive SNs (GPIUS-2) use and school burnout total score (r = .25, p < .01); massive SNs use and female gender (r = .17, p < .05), and finally a positive relationship between SNs use for mood regulation and school burnout total score (r = .20, p < .05). Moreover, significant difference emerged between females and males in SNs massive use, with higher levels reported by females (M=23.55, DS=3.614) in comparison to males (M=21.89, DS=4.261); t(138)= -2.13, p < .05. Conclusions. Overall, this study highlighted different dimensions that could influence SNs massive and problematic use in adolescence, specifically school burnout and friendship quality. Structuring interventions in order to promote socio-relational skills among peers and to prevent school-related burnout could prevent problematic use of SNs in adolescence.

The current study examined the network of relationships among toddlers’ quality of sleep and emotion regulation, parental bedtime practices and involvement, parental self-perceived social support and stress, integrating a novel combination of psychosocial dimensions into a predictive model of quality of sleep and parental stress in a sample of 80 families with 2–3-year-old children. The results indicated that infants’ emotion regulation, as well as proximal context variables, considering both maternal and paternal psychosocial functioning predicted variance in parental levels of stress. Furthermore, the findings showed that the number of child’s night awakenings reported by mothersand thetimerequested bytoddlersto fallasleep, were significantly related to parental distress levels as referred by both parents.

Main purposes of our study were to explore: a) the relationships between massive use of Social Networks sites (SNs) in adolescence, school burnout levels and friendship quality; b) gender differences in massive and problematic use of SNs. 110 Italian high school students (M=69,9%) aged 15-17 years participated in the study. Students were asked to complete self-report questionnaires: an ad-hoc scale for investigating SNs use, The Generalized Pathological Internet Use Scale-2 (GPIUS-2; Caplan, 2010), The Parent and Peer attachment inventory for Friendship Quality (Armsden Greenberg, 1987), The School Burnout Inventory (SBI; Samlela-Aro et al., 2009). Results showed positive relationships between massive SNs use and friendship quality (r = .30, p .01); compulsive SNs (GPIUS-2) use and school burnout total score (r = .25, p .01); massive SNs use and female gender (r = .17, p .05), and finally a positive relationship between SNs use for mood regulation and school burnout total score (r = .20, p .05). Moreover, significant difference emerged between females and males in SNs massive use, with higher levels reported by females (M= 23.55, DS= 3.614) in comparison to males (M=21.89, DS=4.261); t(138)= -2.13, p = .035.Overall, this study highlights different dimensions that could influence SNs massive and problematic use in adolescence, specifically school burnout and friendship quality. Structuring interventions in order to promote socio-relational skills among peers and to prevent school-related burnout could prevent problematic use of SNs in adolescence.

Objectives Transition to parenthood represents a crucial process, followed by significant changes concerning individual and familial psychological wellbeing. Adoptive parenthood can be particularly critical. Knowing how to support resilient attitude of adopting families can lead to successful adoption. Our main aim was to analyse coping strategies and processes that characterize adoption. Materials and Methods 19 families, attending courses on adoption, were recruited; parental age ranges from 35 to 65 yrs. An ad-hoc semi-structured interview based on the three assumptions of familiar resiliency (systems of belief, organizational set-ups and communicative processes) was used. Results Qualitative analysis has been performed by three independent referees. According to 53% of the interviewed, adoption represents the opportunity to expand family; for the 47%, negative circumstances after adoption have been overcame by the attitude of husband and wife to hold out together; in the 37% of the cases, the more apt to give strength to the couple, are the stability of the relationship and enduring dialogue, in order to follow a shared course of action. Out of the family, the social resources most frequently utilized in the first months after the adoption were: extended family (63%), friends (47%) and professionals (74%). The 100% of families feels able to talk about adoption with children. Conclusions The attitude of adoptive couples to set-up effective coping strategies and adaptive abilities to the new situation disclose an excellent familiar resiliency. Supporting families proves of the utmost importance, giving attention to protective factors within the couple, during the transition to adoptive parenthood.

Abstract Background Around the age of 6 months, difficulties in settling to sleep and frequent night awakenings are generally occurring in 20 to 30% of infants. According to the transactional model parental factors can play a significant role in influencing infant sleep development. The purpose of the current study was to explore the combined effect of infants’ factors (temperament and sleep onset problems), and parental factors (parental mental health in terms of post-partum affective disorders, consistent bedtime routines and fathers’ involvement at bedtime), on infant bedtime difficulties (e.g. fussing, crying or protesting), including both maternal and paternal perspectives. Methods Sixty Italian intact two-parent families of infants (34 boys and 26 girls) ageing from 8 to 12 months (M = 10.73, SD = 2.54) were enrolled in the study. The parents filled out self-report questionnaires to measure the aforementioned variables. To investigate which infant and parental factors predicted infants’ bedtime difficulties, two multiple linear regressions (MR), one for fathers and one for mothers, and relative weight analyses (RWA) were conducted. Results With regard to infants’ bedtime difficulties reported by fathers (R2 = .35) they were explained by infant involvement in constant bedtime routines (β = −.35, p = .030) and paternal involvement at bedtime (β = −.45, p = .007). Instead infants’ bedtime difficulties reported by mothers (R2 = .32) were explained by minutes the child taken to fall asleep (β = .24, p = .04), infant involvement in constant bedtime routines (β = −.31, p = .01) and bedtime paternal involvement (β = −.27, p = .05). Conclusions The main results of this study emphasized the protective role of consistent bedtime routines and bedtime paternal involvement in reducing infants’ bedtime difficulties perceived both from mothers and fathers. Future research could help to raise awareness and improve understanding of the familial influences on children’s sleep, providing recommendations for educating families, school professionals, healthcare providers, and the general public on risk and protective factors that could play a meaningful role in infants and children’s developing sleep patterns.

Background: Teachers’ health has emerged as a crucial topic of the quality of the school system. In fact, high rates of attrition and burnout among teachers have emerged to cause their turn-over, sick leave and early retirement, as well as poor quality of the educational activities. The role of negative emotions and feelings experienced at work, in fact, has undoubtedly proven to have a strong impact on the general health of teachers. On the other hand, studies on well-being have proven to offer important opportunities to set up effective policies dealing with public health. More specifically, the role of dispositional, positive affect, such as happiness and self-esteem, has proven to be linked to individuals’ health. Quite surprisingly, this link have not been addressed yet adequately among teachers. Moreover, observing the mediating role played by the teachers’ working environment between dispositional traits and their health may help to develop effective measure for improving teachers’ well-being and the educational attainments of their students. In this respect it is interesting also to operate cross-country comparisons, in order to shed a light on the possible different, effects due to the different educational system and cultural environment. Aims of the study: To develop an exploratory study, aimed at investigating the mediating role played by job satisfaction between teachers’ happiness and self-esteem on the one hand and their physical and mental health on the other. To compare India and Italy, in order to highlight the possible differences between the two countries. Methods: A questionnaire was administered, containing questions about participants’ background information and the following scales: the Job Satisfaction Survey, the Rosenberg Self- Esteem Scale, the Physical and Mental Health Scales (SF12), and the Ivens Scale in the Adapted Version for Teachers: School Children’s Happiness Inventory (SCHI). Participants were 300 primary and middle school teachers from the India and about 250 teachers from Italy. Results: Job satisfaction fully mediates between both happiness and self-esteem, and health teachers in both groups of teachers. Happiness and Self-esteem are linked positively to teachers’ health. Conclusion: Work is a relevant domain to promote teachers’ health, through job satisfaction.

Objectives. Main purposes of our study were to examine in a sample of teachers involved in educational and scholastic services for children between 0 and 6 years old: a) the relationship between work environment fit and some dispositional and socio-contextual variables teachers age; b) the predictive role of subjective happiness, work engagement, collective efficacy and some socio-contextual variables (self/co-regulated proactive strategies) on teachers' working-environment fit. Material and methods. Our sample was composed of 189 full-time in-service teachers (89% female) from Rome, Italy. Age ranged from 27 to 63 years old (M=36.03 years, SD=10.15). All teachers subjected to: Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyubomirsky and Lepper, 1999), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17; Schaufeli and Bakker, 2004, Italian version of UWES-17, validated by Balducci, Fraccaroli and Schaufeli, 2010), Proactive Strategy Scale (Pyhältö, Pietarinen and Salmela-Aro, 2011, Salmela-Aro, 2009) and Teacher-working environment fit scale (Pyhältö, Pietarinen and Salmela-Aro, 2011). Results. The main findings of regression model analysis conducted show that teachers’ proactive co-regulation strategies (β = .379, t = 5.713, p < .001), perceived collective self-efficacy (β = .252, t = 5.015, p < .001), work engagement levels (β = .166, t = 2.857, p = .005), and subjective happiness (β = .115, t = -2.105, p = .036) all positive predicted working environment fit. Conclusions. The identification of factors sustaining teachers in their work environment represents a considerable resource, preventing the risk of distress and avoiding its extreme consequences, such as burnout and turnover.

Adolescents with epilepsy live with a chronic illness that influences their relationships with peers and the development of their autonomy. Questions have been raised as to whether quantitative research approaches can adequately capture patients' experiences of living with epilepsy. By comparison, qualitative research methodologies support a more in-depth exploration of patients' personal experiences, enabling epilepsy researchers to obtain meaningful and valuable insights into patients' unique point of view. Participants in the present study were eight adolescents with epilepsy (five females, three males) aged between 15 and 20 years. The data were collected via a standard focus group procedure and self-report measures (Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression; PHQ-9; Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale; GAD-7 and Quality of Life Inventory for Adolescents; QOLIE-AD-48). Qualitative analysis of the focus group data yielded four key categories defining the psychosocial impact of epilepsy on adolescence: "Peer relationships and acceptance", "Autonomy", "School," and "Future". These outcomes suggest that epilepsy research may be significantly enhanced by the use of mixed-method approaches: adopting qualitative techniques such as focus group discussions to explore epileptic adolescents' thoughts and feelings and the psychosocial impact of epilepsy during adolescence, can inform clinical practice and promote the empowerment and quality of life of teenagers with epilepsy.

Research shows as work-engagement, enthusiasm and vigor predict work performance and have positive effects on teacher-student relationships and on students' academic outcomes (Bakker, Schaufeli, Leiter Taris, 2008; Bakker, Van Emmerik Euwema, 2006; Duckworth, Quinn Seligman, 2009). According to our quali-quantitative study, two main aims were set: 1) the evaluation of the predictive role of some dispositional variables (subjective wellbeing, compassion and dispositional positive affect) and of some socio-contextual variables (self/co-regulated proactive strategies, constructive climate) on teachers' work-engagement in educational and scholastic services 0/6 years; 2) the qualitatively exploration of dimensions of promoting well-being in educational services. A group of 189 educators and kindergarten teachers was asked to fill the following questionnaires: the UWES-17 (Schaufeli, 2003), the Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale (Sprecher Fehr, 2005), the Proactive Strategy Scale (Salmela-Aro, 2009), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson et al, 1988), the Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyuborminsky Lepper, 1999) and the Teacher self-efficacy and ad hoc interview on components of promoting well-being in educational services. Our main quantitative outcomes showed that compassion and proactive strategies predict higher levels of work-engagement over subjective well-being and dispositional positive affect.

Objectives. Main purposes of our study were to explore: a) the relationship between paternal and maternal perceptions of their interactions with the child during bedtime routines; b) the possible relationship among context dimensions (social support, marital satisfaction, parenting stress and bedtime routines). We examined both parents’ subjective experience toward children's bedtime routines and their personal relationship with going to sleep. Material and methods. 41 parents (34 % fathers) of toddlers 18 to 36 months old took part in this study. All parents completed Parent-Child Sleep Interaction Scale (PSIS; Alfano et al., 2013), Parent-Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF; Abidin, 1995), Social Provisions Scale (SPS; Cutrona and Russell, 1987), Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS-4; Sabourin et al., 2005) and ad-hoc semi-structured interview. Results. Correlations outcome evidenced positive relationships between maternal PSIS global score and paternal PSI “Difficult Child” (r = .31 p = 0.05), maternal subscale PSIS, “Sleep Reinforcement” score and maternal PSI “Parental distress” (r = .38 p= 0.05) score, paternal PSIS “Sleep Conflict” and maternal PSI “Difficult Child” score (r = .47 p = 0.05), maternal PSIS “Sleep Conflict” score and PSI “Difficult Child” reported by both parents (mothers r = .40 p = 0.01; fathers r = .47, p = 0.05, respectively). Examining parent’s answers to the brief semi-structured interview, putting children to sleep is considered a positive and intimate moment (mothers = 80%; fathers = 46%) and children’s sleep doesn’t represent a problem (mothers = 76%; fathers = 61%). 56% of mothers and 38% of fathers wrote about their bedtime routines as a positive and relaxed moment spent with parents. Conclusions. A good concordance between mothers' and fathers' perceptions about children's bedtime routines was detected. Proximal context can influence bedtime routine, specifically parental stress can lead to critic bedtime routines. Primary care practitioners can play an instrumental role in helping families institute positive sleep practices and improving sleep in toddlers.

The aim of this study is to evaluate parental perceptions of parent-infant bedtime interactions and quality of sleep, after hospital discharge, in a group of children diagnosed at birth with congenital heart disease (CHD), as compared with the perceptions of parents in a control group of children who were healthy at birth. More specifically, we evaluated the associations between parental stress, parental perceptions of infant emotion regulation, and infants’ bedtime and sleep routines in each of the two groups. Fifty Italian intact two-parent families (23 boys) of toddlers ageing from 11 to 36 months (M= 23.42, SD=7.10) were recruited. 20 families of CHD children group were recruited from the Department of Cardiology at the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome, Italy; 30 families of the healthy children group were recruited from two childcare units. Parents completed Emotion Regulation Checklist (Shields & Cicchetti, 1997), Parent-Child Sleep Interaction Scale (PSIS; Alfano et al., 2013), Parent-Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF; Abidin, 1990) and ad-hoc semi-structured interview on child’s sleep quality. The independent-samples t-test evidenced that parents of healthy children reported significantly higher scores on children's emotion regulation compared with the CHD group Specifically CHD children and healthy children's emotion regulation reported both by mothers (respectively CHD children’s mothers: M= 26.11, SD= 2.9; healthy children’s mothers: M= 28.85, SD= 2.71; t(37) = 3.10, p= .004) and fathers (respectively CHD children’s fathers: M=25.76, SD= 2.79; healthy children’s fathers: M= 27.37, SD= 2.02; t(31)= 2.71, p= .010). Main correlational findings showed in the CHD children’s group that parenting stress total scores were positive related to difficult parent-infant bedtime interactions both for mothers (r=.58, p < .01) and fathers (r= .70, p < .01). Results show significant differences in emotion regulation between the two groups. The results of this research will show to the clinicians the aspects of parent-infant bedtime interactions to be addressed in parents of children with CHD.

The current study investigates the relations among teachers’ trait emotional intelligence, internal and external social support, and their levels of burnout. We hypothesized that both emotional intelligence and teachers’ perceived social support were associated with low level of teachers’ burnout. We further expected that internal and external support mediated the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and burnout scores. Participants were 318 in-service Italian teachers. The structural equation modeling analysis supports the idea that teachers’ trait emotional intelligence is strongly and directly associated with their burnout. Furthermore, internal social support (from the teachers’ workplace relationships) was more effective on burnout than support forthcoming from their external context. On the contrary, the mediation hypothesis was partially supported by the empirical data. These findings shed light on the relationship between teachers’ emotional competence and their burnout experience at school.

The present study aims to expand the understanding of the effects of dispositional happiness and self-esteem, as dispositional traits, on the health of teachers, as well as to understand the role played by the working environment in generating positive affection, thus mediating between the dispositional traits and teachers’ health. Two hundred and eighty-two full-time in-service teachers (93.6% female) from Rome (Italy) took part in this study. Their ages ranged from 26 to 55 (M = 40.49 years, SD = 5.93). Participants’ teaching experience ranged from 1 to 31 years (M = 9.95 years, SD = 5.65). 30.6% of participants taught in kindergarten (for children aged 0–5 years), 42.6% in primary schools (for children aged 6–11 years), 15.8% in middle schools and 10.9% in high schools. A questionnaire was administered, containing: the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS); the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES); The adapted version for teachers of the School Children Happiness Inventory (Ivens, 2007); the Physical and Mental Health Scales (SF12). The data were analyzed using the MPLUS software, version 8. Our results showed that teacher happiness at work partially mediates the relationship between dispositional happiness and teacher health, and fully mediates the relationship between self-esteem and teacher health. To the best of our knowledge, the mediational role of teacher happiness has not been addressed before, concerning these dimensions. At the same time, our findings confirmed the role of self-esteem in endorsing health-related behaviors, thus promoting physical and mental health. Moreover, according to our study findings, when teachers acknowledge their workplace as a context in which they feel happy, the impact of dispositional happiness and self-esteem on health conditions is higher. Effective measures to promote teachers’ well-being are discussed.

The present quantitative multi-trait cross-sectional study aims to gain a better understanding of the network of relationship between subjective happiness, compassion, levels of work engagement, and proactive strategies (self- and co-regulation) in a sample of teachers. Participants were 187 full-time in-service teachers (89% female; age M = 48.5; SD = 7.88) from Rome, Italy. We hypothesized that subjective happiness and compassion of early childhood teachers would be related with work engagement in such a way that subjective happiness would promote the engagement of teachers. In a similar fashion, we theorized that subjective happiness would be positively related to self- and co-regulation strategies and that proactive strategies would be in turn associated to work engagement. As expected, the results revealed that subjective happiness and compassion showed effects on work engagement and that this association among constructs was mediated by the role of proactive strategies (β = 0.22, p < 0.001; β = 0.37, p < 0.001, respectively). Proactive strategies also have a significant direct effect on work engagement (β = 0.56, p < 0.001). The study’s findings suggest the importance of investing in the quality of the working environment.

Background: Teachers’ subjective well-being (SWB) has received much attention, in the light of the major increase in sick leave as well as job quitting among teachers across different cultures and countries. Studies on SWB of kindergarten teachers are still scarce, since most of the academic literature is focused on teachers of primary and secondary schools.Aims: The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare kindergarten teachers’ SWB in Hong Kong and Italy.Methods: 367 Hong Kong and 243 Italian kindergarten teachers completed a self-report questionnaire containing: the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the General Health Questionnaires-12 (GHQ-12). The questionnaire collected also socio-demographics data.Results: Hierarchical regression analysis showed that country belonging plays the strongest predictive role on self-esteem and mental health. Moreover, the independent t-test showed higher levels of job satisfaction among Italian teachers, while Hong Kong teachers were more satisfied in pay and promotion, but less in supervision, operating condition, co-worker relationship, nature of work, and communication.Conclusion: Results are interpreted in the light of the differences between the two contexts considered, in terms of cultural values and educational systems.

Previous research has found a strong correlation between children’s academic self-concept and their behavioral problems. The present study examined whether children’s peer rejection moderated the relationship between children’s math and verbal self-concepts and their behavioral problems at school. We expected that children’s social competence, as measured by peer rejection, moderated the negative effect of low self-concept on children’s externalizing behaviors. Participants were 173 children (males = 93, Mage = 10.31 years, SD = 1.43). The main findings showed that peer rejection moderated the effect of both low verbal and math self-concepts on children’s externalizing behavior. The results are discussed in terms of the protective factor played by children’s social competence reducing the impact of low self-concept on children’s externalizing behaviors.