1,721,092 research outputs found
Famiglie contemporanee. Nuove concezioni, vecchi pregiudizi. Risposta ai commenti
No full textGli autori rispondono ai commenti rivolti al loro lavoro "Lingiardi, V., & Carone, N. (2016). Madri lesbiche, padri gay: genitori de-generati?. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 43(1-2), 57-79.Authors reply to comments on their work "Lingiardi, V., & Carone, N. (2016). Madri lesbiche, padri gay: genitori de-generati?. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 43(1-2), 57-79"
Childhood maltreatment in maternal helpless caregiving: The mediating role of defensive functioning
No full textThe present cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study examined the associations between various childhood maltreatment experiences and maternal helpless caregiving (i.e., a state experienced by caregivers who feel overwhelmed and unable to manage both their child's behavior and their own emotional responses to it), also focusing on the mediating role of defensive functioning in this relationship. Participants included 348 cisgender, heterosexual partnered mothers (M = 38.44, SD = 6.04), mostly White, all living in Italy with children aged 3-11 (M = 6.50, SD = 2.53; 47.13% assigned female at birth). All participants identified as the primary caregivers for their children. Mediation analysis indicated that emotional abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect had a significant direct effect on maternal helplessness. However, physical abuse did not show a direct association with helpless caregiving. Furthermore, the indirect association between childhood emotional abuse and maternal helpless caregiving through overall defensive functioning was significant. Specifically, mothers who reported greater emotional abuse in their childhood showed less mature defensive functioning, which in turn was associated with higher levels of maternal helplessness. The findings underscore the profound effects of childhood maltreatment, particularly emotional abuse, on maternal helpless caregiving. These insights contribute to understanding the complex interplay between past traumas and current caregiving capacities, offering directions for interventions to prevent and treat maternal helplessness by focusing on developing more adaptive defensive functioning
Well-being in a group of deaf adults: sexual orientation and perception of deafness as a disability
No full textThis research aims to investigate the impact of sexual orientation and perception of deafness as disability on deaf people's well-being. 47 deaf adults (28 women and 19 men), of whom 21 self-identified as lesbian women or gay man, participated in the study. Translation videos in sign language were produced for the entire survey (instructions, items and answers), while also maintaining written Italian for deaf people who do not use sign language. In line with literature, perceiving deafness as a characteristic, rather than a pathology, is associated with greater levels of life satisfaction. Sexual orientation does not seem to influence levels of loneliness, social avoidance, and life satisfaction
Problematic internet use in emerging adulthood: The interplay between narcissistic vulnerability and environmental sensitivity
No full textResearch has shown the importance of exploring variables associated with problematic Internet use (PIU) in emerging adulthood. In this scenario, grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic features might be differently associated with PIU. Similarly, environmental sensitivity encompasses heightened empathy, sensitivity to rejection, and problems in emotional regulation. However, the interplay of narcissism and environmental sensitivity associated with PIU has not yet been explored. In this scenario, in a sample of 319 emerging adults (female = 78%, M age = 24.00, SD = 2.33), we explored the role of environmental sensitivity in the association between narcissistic features and PIU using general linear models that were compared via a total coefficient of determination (TCD) and Akaike information criterion (AIC). Data highlighted that one emerging adult out of four displayed at least a moderate level of PIU. Furthermore, results showed that only narcissistic vulnerability was associated with PIU. Also, findings suggest that higher sensitivity to environmental stimuli (positive or negative ones) strengthens the association between vulnerable narcissism and PIU. Our study sheds light on the complex and multidimensional nature of PIU, acknowledging the interaction between different personality traits linked to an increased sensitivity to the social world: environmental sensitivity, including the environmental and social cues, and narcissistic features, encompassing the fear of rejection and/or devaluation from others. By exploring these associations, this study highlights the need for more targeted interventions to address PIU, particularly for individuals with higher levels of self-sensitivity when navigating the interpersonal domain
Attitudes and knowledge of mental health practitioners towards LGBTQ+ patients: A mixed-method systematic review
Full text linkLGBTQ+ patients exhibit higher rates of mental disorder relative to the general population. This is particularly concerning since deficiencies in mental health practitioners’ skills and knowledge, along with negative attitudes and behaviors, are associated with a decreased likelihood of LGBTQ+ patients seeking mental healthcare services and an increased likelihood of reporting unmet mental healthcare needs. To address these concerns, a mixed-method systematic review was conducted to evaluate mental health practitioners’ attitudes towards and knowledge of LGBTQ+ patients and the impact of these factors on service utilization. Thirty-two relevant empirical qualitative and quantitative studies were retrieved from five databases following PRISMA guidelines, for a total of N = 13,110 mental health practitioners included. The results indicated that mental health practitioners generally hold affirming attitudes towards LGBTQ+ patients. However, significant gaps in practitioners’ knowledge and skills emerged, describing feelings of inadequate skill, lack of competence, low clinical preparedness in addressing specific LGBTQ+ needs, insufficient training opportunities, and desire for further education on LGBTQ+ issues. These findings underscore the need to enhance inclusivity and cultural competence at both organizational and educational levels. Such improvements are essential to better care for LGBTQ+ patients and reduce disparities in access to mental health services
“Is mommy getting a day off?” Gay fathers’ approaches to socialization around family diversity and children’s surrogacy origins
No full textThe present study explored the approaches employed by gay fathers to socialize their children regarding their family diversity and surrogacy origins. In-home, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 80 gay fathers (representing 40 families) with at least one child aged 3–9 years (M = 5.94, SD = 2.35; 52.50% assigned female at birth) who had been conceived via surrogacy. Three distinct socialization approaches were identified using reflexive thematic analysis: proactive, cautious, and neutral. The proactive approach was most prevalent, with fathers initiating discussion and fostering pride in their family structure, while equipping children to navigate potential heteronormative bias, teasing, and bullying. The cautious approach reflected a reactive strategy, with fathers addressing the topic only in response to their children’s inquiries, driven by concern that early discussion could provoke undue anxiety or alarm. Finally, the neutral approach emphasized the normality of the family structure by minimizing explicit discussion about being a two-father family. These findings highlight the diverse strategies gay fathers through surrogacy use to navigate heteronormative societal contexts, which hold significant relevance for policy and clinical practices aimed at supporting diverse family structures
Italian adaptation and psychometric properties of the prejudice against immigrants scale (PAIS): assessment of validity, reliability, and measure invariance
Full text linkThe aim of the current study was to adapt and validate the Prejudice Against Immigrants Scale (PAIS) in the Italian context, based on the Prejudice Against Asylum Seekers Scale by Anderson (2018). The validity, reliability, and measurement invariance across gender, age, and educational levels of the scale were assessed through three sources, which involved 306 Italian individuals (Nmen = 151, 49.3%) between 18 and 60 years old. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) confirmed the two-factor solution of the original instrument by excluding two items, which were present in the previous validation study. The first factor is classical prejudice against immigrants, which maps onto theoretical derivations of classical and old-fashioned prejudices, whereas the second factor is conditional prejudice against immigrants, which maps onto theoretical derivations of subtle and modern prejudices. Findings of the multigroup CFAs demonstrated full configural and metric invariance and partial scalar invariance of the scale across gender, age, and educational level. The analyses confirmed that PAIS has high levels of reliability and criterion and construct validity, showing findings that are comparable to those of Anderson (2018). These results suggest that PAIS presents very good psychometric properties and could be considered a valid and reliable instrument to measure prejudice against immigrants, by enabling Italian researchers to detect both covert and more subtle forms of prejudice against immigrants. Limitations and further directions are discussed
Factors Associated With Behavioral Adjustment Among School-Age Children of Gay and Heterosexual Single Fathers Through Surrogacy
No full textThirty-one children of gay single fathers and 28 children of heterosexual single fathers, all born through surrogacy, were compared with 31 children of gay partnered fathers through surrogacy and 30 children of heterosexual partnered fathers through in-vitro fertilization on their perceptions of self-worth and their father- and caregiver-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors. For children of single fathers, the study also examined associations between aspects related to their surrogacy conception, feelings about their family arrangement, and behavioral adjustment. All children (47.5% girls) were aged 6–12 years (Mmonths = 97.84, SD = 20.50) and living in Italy; all fathers (Myears = 43.79; SD = 6.42) identified as cisgender, reported a medium-to-high socioeconomic status, and were White (with the exception of one gay partnered father). No differences were found across the four family groups in any behavioral outcome, with children demonstrating, on average, high levels of self-worth and low levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. In single-father families, regardless of the father’s sexual orientation, children with a weaker understanding of surrogacy, lower satisfaction with their contact with the gestational carrier, and lower comfort with their family arrangement were associated with more externalizing problems. Furthermore, children’s female gender and lower satisfaction with their contact with the gestational carrier were associated with more internalizing problems, whereas children’s male gender and greater understanding of surrogacy were associated with higher self-worth. Taken together, these findings do not support the commonly held assumption that the combination of surrogacy conception and single fatherhood is detrimental for children’s behavioral adjustment
Same-sex parent families in Italy: Validation of the Coparenting Scale-Revised for lesbian mothers and gay fathers
No full textEven though Italy is still struggling to establish equal rights and access to assisted reproduction techniques for sexual minorities, an increasing number of lesbian women and gay men are now becoming parents. There are only a few studies that have evaluated coparenting in same-sex couples. However, these addressed adoptive couples and not the lesbian and gay parent families through donor insemination or surrogacy, respectively. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Coparenting Scale-Revised and its relationship with dyadic adjustment, discipline management, and internalized sexual stigma in Italian same-sex-planned families. The factor structure showed a satisfactory internal consistency and criterion validity with correlates of coparenting behaviours. While Family Integrity factor was confirmed, Disparagement and Reprimand dimensions collapsed into Conflict factor. Non-genetic parents showed lower levels of conflict than genetic parents. Most importantly, coparenting emerged as a significant function not shaped by gender, but influenced by parental status and internalized sexual stigma
Psychological health among adult offspring of lesbian parents at a time of anti-LGBTQ+ oppression
Full text linkThis study investigates potential differences in psychological health (i.e. life satisfaction, anticipated future life satisfaction, distress), social well-being, and experiences of victimisation among adult offspring born to lesbian parents when compared with participants from a nationally representative sample surveyed in the same historical context of renewed anti-LGBTQ+ oppression. The research involved 75 adult offspring (M = 30.93, SD = 0.93; sex assigned at birth: 39 female and 36 male; gender identity: 73 cisgender and 2 gender nonbinary; sexual orientation: 51 heterosexual and 24 sexual minority) of the first generation conceived through donor insemination by lesbian parents. These offspring were matched with 75 participants of a U.S. probability sample based on several factors, including age, race/ethnicity, education, sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The comparison group is presumed to have been raised by heterosexual parents. After applying Bonferroni’s correction to minimise the risk of Type I errors resulting from multiple comparisons, no significant differences emerged in the study variables between the two samples. Despite a climate of renewed anti-LGBTQ+ oppression, adult offspring of lesbian parents were doing well, possibly due to unique socialisation processes in childhood when their parents taught them to be resilient even in the face of socio-environmental challenges
- …
