1,721,043 research outputs found
Determinants and motivations to volunteer in older adults: An integrated model
No full textRunning from the active aging perspective, a study has been conducted which considers older volunteers. Aim of the study is to evaluate if the variables included in the theory of planned behaviour, the desire toward the behaviour, self-efficacy cognitions, and self-determination theory can be integrated in a model which is capable to predict volunteer activity among older adults. A national sample of older subjects from different volunteer associations and organizations have been considered. Self-determination variables were measured by the Volunteer Motivation Scale (VMS) appositely developed for this study. Results indicated that the model considered adequately fit the data, and that it can predict volunteer behaviour. The possibility to use this model to promote volunteer activity among older adults is discussed
Panasiti MS, Ponsi G, Monachesi B, Lorenzini L, Grano C. "Autonomic correlates of emotion regulation in patients with psoriasis: a facial thermal imaging study" AIP - Sezione Clinica e dinamica XIX, Symposium Session, 5, 2 A, Suppl. 2017
No full textPsoriasis is a chronic debilitating disease which is frequently associated with strong psychological distress and psychological conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety). Although some studies have indicated a relationship between this condition and difficulties in emotion regulation (as they are self-reported by the patients), behavioral and physiological evidence about this link are scarce. Here, we measured emotion regulation abilities of patients with psoriasis (N=16) and a control group (N=17) by examining the impact of distracting emotional (positive, negative or neutral) images during the performance on a working memory task (“Emotional n-back”) which could present high (1 back) or low (2 back) cognitive workload. Moreover, we used Functional Infrared Thermal Imaging to record participants’ facial temperature in order to obtain a measure of the activation of the autonomic system during the task. In particular, temperature over the peri-orbital areas and the tip of the nose are believed to reflect the activation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic system, respectively. Patients scored significantly higher than controls on the “Lack of emotional clarity” subscale of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Compared to the control group, patients showed to improve their performance when the cognitive workload was higher (and then it was easier not to pay attention to the distracting stimuli) but only when the distracting image was neutral. Consistently with this behavioral pattern, patients showed a lower temperature of periorbital areas and a higher temperature of the tip of the nose (especially in the neutral blocks) during the high vs low cognitive load condition. These results suggest that patients with difficulties in understanding their emotions might benefit more than controls from the distracting power of cognitive load. However, this advantage seems to extinguish when the distractors are emotionally charged
The impact of prepartum pandemic-related perceived stress on anxiety symptoms in the postpartum: The role of perceived childbirth experiences
No full textPostpartum anxiety is a significant component of postpartum maternal distress and is related to adverse outcomes for both the mother and the child. Although previous research reported higher anxiety symptoms in pregnant women during the Covid-19 pandemic, no studies evaluated the negative impact of pandemic-related perceived stress on postpartum anxiety symptomatology over time. This study aimed to examine the impact of prepartum pandemic-related stress on postpartum anxiety and to evaluate the role of subjective labor and delivery experiences on this relationship. A sample of 172 pregnant women completed an online questionnaire evaluating pandemic-related perceived stress and anxiety symptoms in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. In the postpartum, they completed a second questionnaire retrospectively evaluating their childbirth experience and assessing anxiety symptoms in the last two weeks. A mediation analysis was conducted. Prepartum pandemic-related perceived stress was significantly associated with postpartum anxiety symptoms. Moreover, childbirth experiences significantly and partially mediated this relationship. Findings highlighted the importance of evaluating perceived stress levels during pregnancy to prevent negative consequences on postpartum mental health. Clinicians need to foster better management of factors included in the childbirth experience that may potentially trigger or counteract anxiety risk
Determinants of the intention to donate umbilical cord blood in pregnant women
Full text linkBackground and Objectives: Umbilical cord blood (UCB) donation is a behaviour promoted by many countries' health systems. However, UCB donation is not a widespread behaviour among expectant mothers, and little is known about the reasons that may lead to it. The aim of the present study was to analyse the contribution of Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) variables among both primiparous and multiparous women in predicting intention to donate UCB. Materials and Methods: Three hundred seventy-six expectant mothers completed questionnaires that captured sociodemographic data, parity, previous donation, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control (PBC) and intention to donate UCB. Multigroup analysis structural equation modelling was conducted using Mplus (version 8.02). Results: Multigroup path analyses showed that intentions were strongly predicted by subjective norms and moderately predicted by positive attitudes and PBC in both primiparous and multiparous women. TPB constructs explained 71% of the variance in intentions for both groups. Conclusions: Future interventions to increase intention to donate among primiparous and multiparous women could primarily consider the influence of partner and significant others in determining positive intentions and secondarily target increasing positive attitudes and perceptions of control
Salute mentale e comportamenti preventivi durante la seconda fase dell’emergenza da COVID-19
No full textThe Health Management and Affect Profiler: A short questionnaireassessing instrumental and affective health-related individual difference factors
No full textWe examined reliability and validity of the Health Management and Affect Profiler (H-MAP), a short questionnaire assessing instrumental and affective components accounting for covariance of health-related person factors. Design. Study 1 tested the factorial structure of H-MAP items by Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and examined the association of H-MAP factors with general personality traits. Study 2 tested the association of H-MAP factors with well-established measures of health-related person factors. Methods. Study 1. Five hundred and sixteen participants (18 to 93 years old) completed the H-MAP with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised. Study 2. Two hundred and ninety-nine participants (21 to 92 years old) completed the H-MAP with measures of Generalized Self-Efficacy and Health-Locus of Control as markers of instrumental beliefs, and of Depression and Hypochondria as markers of affective beliefs. Results. Study 1. The H-MAP had a sound factorial structure as well as an acceptable internal consistency reliability. H-MAP factor scores were relatively independent from general personality traits as well as from participants’ gender and education, and free from social desirability bias. Study 2. H-MAP ratings were properly associated with measures of instrumental and affective health-related person factors. Conclusions. The H-MAP is a valid and reliable instrument assessing health-related individual difference factors
Vital exhaustion, sonno e qualità della vita nei caregiver di pazienti affetti da malattia di Alzheimer
No full textLa letteratura internazionale ha evidenziato come i caregiver di pazienti con malattia di Alzheimer
presentino un benessere psicologico e una salute fisica inferiore rispetto alla popolazione generale. Alcuni studi evidenziano che nei caregiver di pazienti con demenza il minore benessere psico-fisico è in relazione ad una minore qualità del sonno. Un’altra variabile spesso associata allo stress cronico e correlata allo sviluppo di patologie fisiche (es. cardiache) è la vital exhaustion, un costrutto costituito da un’eccessiva affaticabilità, irritabilità e demoralizzazione. Non ci sono però studi che valutano l’effetto di questa variabile nella salute fisica e mentale dei caregiver. Il presente studio longitudinale intende indagare l’associazione tra caregiver burden e qualità della vita (sia fisica che mentale) e il possibile ruolo mediatore della vital exhaustion e qualità del sonno. Sono stati coinvolti nello studio 108 caregiver (M=62,54, DS±14,47 anni) a cui è stato somministrato un questionario self-report in tre occasioni diverse: alla baseline (t1), tre mesi dopo (t2) e un anno dopo (t3). Gli strumenti utilizzati sono stati: lo Screen for Caregiver Burden, il Maastricht Vital Exhaustion Questionnaire, il Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index e il Short Form-36 Questionnaire. Dalle analisi di regressione e mediazione è emerso che il caregiver burden a t1 ha un effetto indiretto significativo sul benessere fisico e mentale (t3) mediante la qualità del sonno e la vital exhaustion a t2; in particolare più il caregiver è stressato peggiore sarà la sua salute fisica (effetto completamente mediato dalla vital exhaustion e dalla qualità del sonno) e mentale (effetto parzialmente mediato dalla vital exhaustion e dalla qualità del sonno). In conclusione, un maggiore interesse deve essere dato al costrutto della vital exhaustion nell’analisi dell’esperienza di caregiving, in quanto costrutto a sé stante e con un effetto indipendente sulla salute del caregiver
Sexual well-being in adolescent and young adults born with arm: the perspective of the patients
No full textPurpose: Sexual well-being and sexual functioning are understudied in patients born with ARM. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate sexual history, main fears, and problems encountered during sexual relationships. Methods: Before participating in a sexual education intervention, 21 adolescents or young adults (12 males; mean 28.8; SD 10.6) born with ARM, answered a ten-item questionnaire specifically developed to evaluate sexual well-being. Percentages and Chi-square were calculated. Results: 52.4% were married/had a partner. The majority (71%) declared that had sexual relationships. Mean age of the first sexual relationship was 18.8 (2.7) and 22.7 (3.8) for males and females, respectively. Females reported both more fear and experience of pain during sexual intercourse, compared to males. Main experienced problems and fears for male patients were loss of feces and premature ejaculation, followed by the fear of lack of erection and managing contraception. Main experienced problems and fears in females were loss of feces, pain, lack of desire, and lack of lubrication. In only few cases, patients asked for advices to a pediatric surgeon or to an adult surgeon specialized in ARM. Conclusions: Adult and adolescent patients may benefit of andrological/gynecological evaluation, psychological support, and sexual counseling to improve their sexual well-being
Longitudinal association between saliva and hair cortisol concentration: A systematic comparison
No full textCortisol assays from hair have become increasingly common in psychoneuroendocrinological research as in-dicators of long-term output relevant to stress and health outcomes. Comparisons of hair cortisol concentration (HCC) with salivary samples have produced mixed findings, and it remains unclear which aspects of the diurnal salivary profile correspond most closely to HCC, and what time intervals between saliva and hair sampling are most relevant, taking the rate of hair growth into account. This longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the cor-respondence between HCC and parameters of total salivary cortisol output in the morning (CARauc and CARi) and during the rest of the day excluding the early morning period (DAYauc), by systematically studying three time periods - two weeks, four weeks, and six weeks - before hair sampling. At each time period, 54 female university students (mean age: 20.85 & PLUSMN; 1.16 years) provided three saliva cortisol samples on day 1 at 11 am, 3 pm, at bedtime, then two samples the following day on waking and 30 min after awakening. Hair strand collection (1 cm nearest the scalp) took place two weeks after the last saliva sample. Results of multivariable regressions indicate that HCC was consistently associated with DAYauc for all three time periods and with the aggregate DAYauc across days after adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking, oral contraceptive use, hair washing frequency and hair treatments. The strongest associations were found for DAYauc two weeks before hair sampling (& beta; = 0.578, p < 0.001) and the aggregated DAYauc across all three time periods (& beta; = 0.596, p < 0.001), although the confidence intervals overlapped those for four and six week analyses. There was no significant association between HCC and either CARauc or CARi. Our study confirms that hair cortisol could be a reliable retrospective biomarker of basal and long-term cortisol output secretion at least up to six weeks earlier. The results contribute to a better understanding of the different associations between HCC and salivary cortisol in the morning and the rest of the day, while also having implications for the use of HCC as an outcome measure in intervention and treatment research
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