1,720,981 research outputs found
WHEN CHILDBIRTH BECOMES TRAUMATIC: CULTURAL INSIGHTS AND DIAGNOSTIC ADVANCES IN PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH IN ITALY
No full textThe study of childbirth-related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CB-PTSD) has gained increasing attention due to its significant impact on maternal mental health and family well-being. Despite advancements in understanding PTSD in general, CB-PTSD remains an underexplored area, particularly in the context of Italian maternal care. This thesis addresses the need for a comprehensive investigation into CB-PTSD by integrating different perspectives such as cultural, diagnostic, and psychiatric. Specifically, the goal of this work was to explore CB-PTSD within the Italian cultural context, focusing on the psychological challenges mothers face during the perinatal period, and to adapt culturally sensitive diagnostic tools, such as the Italian version of the City Birth Trauma Scale (City BiTS-IT), for improving early detection, intervention, and integration of CB-PTSD into maternal mental health assessments in Italy.
The research begins with an exploration of the cultural context of parenting in Italy, laying the groundwork for understanding the societal norms and expectations that influence parents’ experiences during the perinatal period. This qualitative study provides critical insights into how cultural beliefs shape perceptions of good parenting, which is necessary for recognising the unique challenges that may contribute to CB-PTSD.
Building on this cultural foundation, the thesis then systematically reviews existing instruments used to assess CB-PTSD according to DSM-5 criteria, highlighting the limitations of current tools that are often adapted from general PTSD measures. This review underscores the urgent need for more precise and culturally sensitive diagnostic instruments tailored to the specificities of childbirth-related trauma. In response to this need, the thesis proceeds to validate the Italian version of the City Birth Trauma Scale (City BiTS-IT). This newly validated tool is crucial for accurately diagnosing CB-PTSD in Italian mothers, facilitating early detection and intervention, and thereby improving maternal mental health outcomes.
The final chapter broadens the focus to examine the psychiatric comorbidities associated with CB-PTSD, such as postpartum depression and anxiety, and their effects on mother-child bonding (i.e., Cena et al., 2020). This chapter also provides an overview of current perinatal mental health assessment practices in Italy, advocating for the inclusion of CB-PTSD in routine screenings to ensure comprehensive maternal care.
In conclusion, this thesis offers a multi-faceted exploration of CB-PTSD within the Italian cultural and healthcare context. By combining qualitative cultural analysis, systematic review, instrument validation, and examination of psychiatric comorbidities, this work aims to enhance the understanding and management of CB-PTSD, ultimately contributing to better maternal mental health care in Italy. As the chapters unfold, they provide a cohesive narrative that links cultural perspectives with clinical practice, underscoring the importance of addressing CB-PTSD in perinatal assessments and interventions.Lo studio del Disturbo Post-Traumatico da Stress correlato al parto (CB-PTSD) ha ricevuto crescente attenzione a causa del suo significativo impatto sulla salute mentale materna e sul benessere familiare. Nonostante i progressi nella comprensione generale del PTSD, il CB-PTSD rimane un'area poco esplorata, in particolare nel contesto dell’assistenza materna italiana. Questa tesi affronta la necessità di un’indagine approfondita sul CB-PTSD integrando diverse prospettive, tra cui quella culturale, diagnostica e psichiatrica. In particolare, l’obiettivo di questo lavoro è stato esplorare il CB-PTSD nel contesto culturale italiano, concentrandosi sulle sfide psicologiche che le madri affrontano nel periodo perinatale, e adattare strumenti diagnostici culturalmente sensibili, come la versione italiana della City Birth Trauma Scale (City BiTS-IT), per migliorare l’identificazione precoce, l’intervento e l’integrazione del CB-PTSD nelle valutazioni della salute mentale materna in Italia.
La ricerca inizia con un’esplorazione del contesto culturale della genitorialità in Italia, ponendo le basi per comprendere le norme e le aspettative sociali che influenzano l’esperienza dei genitori durante il periodo perinatale. Questo studio qualitativo fornisce spunti critici su come le credenze culturali modellino le percezioni di una "buona" genitorialità, aspetto fondamentale per riconoscere le sfide uniche che possono contribuire allo sviluppo del CB-PTSD.
Partendo da questa base culturale, la tesi passa a una revisione sistematica degli strumenti esistenti per la valutazione del CB-PTSD secondo i criteri del DSM-5, evidenziando i limiti degli attuali strumenti diagnostici, spesso adattati da misure generali di PTSD. Questa analisi sottolinea l’urgenza di disporre di strumenti diagnostici più precisi e culturalmente adattati per il trauma legato al parto. Per rispondere a questa necessità, la tesi procede alla validazione della versione italiana della City Birth Trauma Scale (City BiTS-IT). Questo strumento validato risulta essenziale per diagnosticare accuratamente il CB-PTSD nelle madri italiane, facilitando l’identificazione precoce e l’intervento, con un conseguente miglioramento della salute mentale materna.
L’ultimo capitolo amplia il focus esaminando le comorbilità psichiatriche associate al CB-PTSD, come la depressione postpartum e l’ansia, e i loro effetti sul legame madre-bambino (ad es., Cena et al., 2020). Questo capitolo fornisce anche una panoramica delle attuali pratiche di valutazione della salute mentale perinatale in Italia, sostenendo l’inclusione del CB-PTSD negli screening di routine per garantire un’assistenza materna più completa.
In conclusione, questa tesi offre un’analisi multifattoriale del CB-PTSD nel contesto culturale e sanitario italiano. Integrando l’analisi qualitativa culturale, la revisione sistematica, la validazione di strumenti diagnostici e lo studio delle comorbilità psichiatriche, questo lavoro mira a migliorare la comprensione e la gestione del CB-PTSD, contribuendo a un’assistenza più efficace per la salute mentale materna in Italia. I capitoli forniscono una narrazione coerente che collega le prospettive culturali alla pratica clinica, sottolineando l’importanza di includere il CB-PTSD nelle valutazioni e negli interventi perinatali
Exploring the Effects of Cancer as a Traumatic Event on Italian Adolescents and Young Adults: Investigating Psychological Well-Being, Identity Construction and Coping Strategies
Full text linkCancer in adolescence is considered a family disease that can have numerous negative
psychological consequences for adolescents and the entire household. The aim of this study was
to investigate the impact of oncological disease in adolescence, with particular reference to the
psychological and post-traumatic consequences for the adolescents themselves and the family system.
An explorative case–control study was conducted with 31 adolescents (mean age 18.03 ± 2.799)
hospitalised for cancer at IRCCS San Matteo Hospital in Pavia and 47 healthy adolescents (mean age
16.17 ± 2.099). The two samples completed a survey that included sociodemographic information
and questionnaires assessing psychological well-being, traumatic effects of the disease, and adequacy
of the relationship with parents. 56.7% of oncology adolescents scored below average in psychological
well-being, and a small proportion of them fell within the range of clinical concern for anger (9.7%),
PTS (12.9%), and dissociation (12.9%). Compared with peers, there were no significant differences.
However, in contrast to peers, oncology adolescents showed a strong influence of the traumatic
event on the construction of their identity and life perspectives. A significantly positive correlation
also emerged between adolescents’ psychological well-being and the relationship with their parents
(mothers: r = 0.796; p < 0.01; fathers: r = 0.692; p < 0.01). Our findings highlight how cancer in
adolescence could represent a central traumatic event that can shape the identity and life of teenagers
who are in an intrinsically delicate and vulnerable stage of life
Preventing Premature Family Maladjustment: Protocol for a Multidisciplinary eHealth Study on Preterm Parents’ Well-Being
No full textBackground: The consequences of preterm birth extend beyond the clinical conditions of the newborn, profoundly impacting the functioning and well-being of families. Parents of preterm infants often describe the experience of preterm birth and subsequent admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) as a disruptive event in their lives, triggering feelings of guilt, helplessness, and fear. Although various research examines changes in parents’ well-being and perception of self-efficacy during the stay in the NICU, there is a lack of research analyzing what happens in the transition phase at home after the baby’s discharge. Recently, scholars have advocated for the use of web-based support programs to monitor and prevent preterm family maladjustment and assist parents. Objective: This interdisciplinary research will develop a sociopsychological model focused on assessing the well-being of parents of premature infants during and after their stay in a NICU. Specifically, the study aims to (1) monitor the mental health of parents of premature infants both at the time of the child’s discharge from the NICU and in the first 6 months after discharge to prevent family maladjustment, (2) deepen our understanding of the role of digital tools in monitoring and supporting preterm parents’ well-being, and (3) study the potential impact of the relationship with health care professionals on the overall well-being of parents. Methods: This project combines mixed methods of social research and psychological support with an eHealth approach. The well-being of parents of premature infants will be assessed using validated scales administered through a questionnaire to parents of preterm infants within 6 NICUs at the time of the child’s discharge. Subsequently, a follow-up assessment of parental well-being will be implemented through the administration of the validated scales in a web application. In addition, an ethnographic phase will be conducted in the NICUs involving observation of the interaction between health care professionals and parents as well as narrative interviews with health care staff. Finally, interactions within the digital environment of the web application will be analyzed using a netnographic approach. We expect to shed light on the determinants of well-being among parents of premature infants in relation to varying levels of prematurity severity; sociodemographic characteristics such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status; and parental involvement in NICU care practices. With the follow-up phase via web application, this project also aims to prevent family maladjustment by providing psychological support and using an eHealth tool. Results: The results are expected by October 2025, the expiration date of the Project of Relevant National Interest. Conclusions: The eHealth Study on Preterm Parents’ Well-Being aims to improve preterm parents’ well-being and, indirectly, children’s health by reducing social costs. Furthermore, it promotes standardized neonatal care protocols, reducing regional disparities and strengthening collaboration between parents and health care staff
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
koamabayili/VECTRON-author-checklist: VECTRON author checklist
No full textWe have done our best to complete the author checklist relating to the use of animals in the hut study. Note that the objective for the hut study was to evaluate the IRS treatment applications for residual efficacy against Anopheles mosquitoes, including the local An. coluzzii mosquito population. Cows were only used to attract mosquitoes into the huts and no tests were carried out directly on the cows. The author checklist is intended for use with studies where experiments are carried out on animals, which is why we have had such difficulty in completing this for the hut study, as many of the questions do not relate to how the cows were used
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