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Numerous studies have found that the COVID‐19 epidemic and the measures to stop it have had a substantial impact on the mental health of the general population. Nevertheless, the majority of this research only looked at the variations in the degree of psychopathological symptoms in individuals before and after the first wave of the pandemic. In a sample of N = 380 preschoolers and their mothers assessed through the Symptom Check‐List/90‐R and of the Child Behaviour Check‐List, the present study aimed at exploring psychopathological risk in mothers and their offspring's dysregulation levels before (T1), during (T2) and after (T3) the peak of COVID‐19 pandemic. Our main results showed that mothers' relational distress increased from T1 to T2 and then increased again from T2 to T3. Moreover, maternal aggressiveness, hostility, and anxiety scores significantly decreased from T1 to T2 but slightly increased from T2 to T3. In children, dysregulation levels increased from T1 to T2 but decreased from T2 to T3. Children of mothers with clinical scores at the SCL‐90/R showed significantly higher dysregulation problems at T1, T2 and T3 than children of mothers with scores below the clinical threshold. This study adds to previous literature in that it evaluates stability or change in maternal and offspring scores not only in the pre‐pandemic period and during the first wave of the pandemic, but it also considers the subsequent months, focusing on a broad range of maternal symptoms, rather than assessing depressive and anxiety symptoms as most of previous research did. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maria Casagrande,1 Giuseppe Forte,2 Renata Tambelli,1 Francesca Favieri2 1Dipartimento di Psicologia Dinamica, Clinica e Salute, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Rome, Italy; 2Dipartimento di Psicologia, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Rome, ItalyCorrespondence: Maria CasagrandeDipartimento di Psicologia Dinamica, Clinica e Salute, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Via Degli Apuli, Rome, 100185, ItalyEmail maria.casagrande@uniroma1.itPurpose: This study aimed to assess the direct and indirect impact of COVID-19-related aspects on self-reported sleep quality, considering the moderator role of some psychological variables.Methods: During the first weeks of the lockdown in Italy, 2286 respondents (1706 females and 580 males; age range: 18– 74 years) completed an online survey that collected sociodemographic information and data related to the experience with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some questionnaires assessed sleep quality, psychological well-being, general psychopathology, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders symptoms, and anxiety. The path analysis was adopted.Results: The study confirms a direct effect of some aspects ascribable to the pandemic, with a mediator role of the psychological variables. Lower sleep quality was directly related to the days spent at home in confinement and the knowledge of people affected by the COVID-19. All the other aspects related to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced sleep quality through the mediator effect of psychological variables.Conclusion: This study highlighted that the psychological condition of the population has been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and the government actions taken to contain it, but it has also played an important role in mediating the quality of sleep, creating a vicious circle on people’s health. The results suggest that a health emergency must be accompanied by adequate social support programs to mitigate the fear of infection and promote adequate resilience to accept confinement and social distancing. Such measures would moderate psychological distress and improve sleep quality.Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, sleep quality, psychological distress, home confinement, social isolation

Luca Cerniglia,1,2 Mark D Griffiths,2,3 Silvia Cimino,2,4 Valeria De Palo,2,5 Lucia Monacis,2,5 Maria Sinatra,2,6 Renata Tambelli41Department of Psychology, International Telematic University Uninettuno, Rome, Italy; 2Centre for Advanced Studies on Cyberpsychology and Ethics (ASPEN), University of Bari, Bari, Italy; 3International Gaming Research Unit, Division of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK; 4Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, University of Rome “la Sapienza”, Rome, Italy; 5Department of Humanities, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy; 6Department of Educational Sciences, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, ItalyBackground: For a small minority of individuals, the overuse of digital technologies has been associated with negative factors, including psychological distress and psychopathological symptoms. Two technology-based addictions – internet gaming disorder (IGD) and social media addiction (SMA) – have been found to be related to comorbid disorders and impulsivity especially in adolescents and emerging adults’ populations, but results in this field are inconclusivePurpose: Using the latent profile analysis (LPA), this study identified different profiles of adolescents characterized by unique patterns of psychopathological risks, and similar levels of impulsivity, IGD, and SMA.Participants and methods: A total of 643 participants (312 males; Mage =16.02 years) were divided into three age groups (early, mid-, and late adolescence). They completed a battery of scales comprising: Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short Form, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale for Adolescents, and Symptom Checklist-90-R.Results: LPAs revealed distinct profiles across early, mid- and late adolescence with regards to the psychopathological variables taken into account. Specifically, only two profiles were identified in the 14–15 year age group, whereas three profiles emerged in the 16–17 year age group.Conclusion: This study highlighted that the profiles identified in each age group differed in terms of psychopathological risk (low, medium and high), showing instead similar (and non-clinical) scores in technology-based addictions and impulsivity. Results could be useful in designing prevention and intervention programs in youth showing similar patterns for technology-based addictions, but different levels of psychopathological symptoms.Keywords: internet gaming disorder, gaming addiction, social media addiction, online addictions, impulsivity, psychopathology

The purpose of our study is to explore and describe loneliness in female adolescence as distinct from solitude and isolation. In keeping with other works by Ostrov and Offer [(1978) 'Loneliness and the Adolescent, Adolescent Psychiatry, Vol. 6, p. 34], our concern is to define the preeminent aspects of the unfolding and evolving cycle of loneliness, and the features they may take on in adolescents in the 1980s, within the social context of Central and Southern Italy. The Offer Self-Image Questionnaire or self-descriptive questionnaire developed by Offer et al. [(1981) The Adolescent. A Psychology Self-Portrait. Basic Books, New York] has been applied to a sample of 804 female adolescents, with ages ranging from 13 to 18 years. The data were analyzed using factor analysis. Three main components were identified: (1) the area of the coping self and the psychopathological self; (2) an emotional layout characterized by a poor self-acceptance and a reduced self-confidence; (3) interpersonal relationships focusing on peer relations. Furthermore, the variance analysis shows that loneliness increases with age, and is more evident in small towns as opposed to medium-sized or larger metropolitan areas.

BackgroundInternational research has emphasized that youths are at higher risk for the onset of internet addiction (IA), but studies investigating biological, psychological, and social factors associated with this condition are limited. ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the possible association between IA and genetic polymorphisms in monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), serotonin-transporter (5-HTTPR), dopamine receptor (DRD4), and dopamine transporter (DAT1) genes by considering the role played by the perception of young adults in their family functioning and their depression, anxiety, and avoidant personality problems. MethodsIn a sample of 104 male and female young adults aged between 19 and 23 years (mean age 21.87, SD 2.29 years) recruited from universities in the central southern part of Italy, we addressed the presence of IA using the Young criteria of the IA test. Moreover, the perception of young adults of their family functioning and their psychopathological symptoms were assessed through the Family Assessment Device (FAD) and the Adult Self-Report, respectively. ResultsWe found no significant association between IA and any genetic polymorphisms, neither among males or females. Young adults with IA reported significantly higher scores in the subscale of FAD affective responsiveness (AR; P=.01) and in depressive problems (P=.02), anxiety problems (P=.009), and avoidant personality problems (P=.003) than those in the control group. Results of mediation analyses showed a mediation role played by depressive symptoms (B=0.99; 95% CI 0.22 to 1.97) and avoidant personality problems (B=1.09; 95% CI 0.32 to 2.05) of young adults on the relationship between the FAD, AR, and IA. Finally, this relationship was moderated by the genotype of the 5-HTTLPR (P

BACKGROUND: Evidence has shown that psychotherapy is effective for depression, whereas the outcome for suicide risk is unclear. AIM: It was to investigate whether possible pre-treatment predictors of suicide risk (SR) decrease after a brief psychodynamic psychotherapy treatment and at follow-up. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients were assessed at: baseline (T0) for clinical history, clinical family history, physical diseases, type of suffered abuse; after the treatment (T1); and, at six-month follow-up (T2) for mood ratings, temperamental features, and SR levels. RESULTS: The levels of depression and cyclothymia decreased atT1 andT2 compared toT0; however, the distribution of the patients with high SR level was similar between T0 and T1, and at T2 it increased. T1-T0 SR (Δ1SR) was correlated with suicidality in the last month and with depression levels at T0; T2-T0 SR (Δ2SR) was correlated with many historical, clinical, and temperamental variables; T2-T1 SR (Δ3SR) was correlated with the presence of previous psychotherapy, abuse, and anxiety. Linear regression models revealed that Δ1SR was predicted by the suicidality in the last month; Δ2SR was not significantly predicted by any variable; and, Δ3SR was predicted by anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment was able to decrease the depression but not the SR. Findings confirm the difficulty of affecting SR and the importance of carefully considering the anxiety and the previous experiences of abuse in order to manage the interruption of the psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]