793 research outputs found
Monitoring healthy and disturbed sleep through smartphone applications: a review of experimental evidence
No full textSmartphone applications are considered as the prime candidate for the purposes of large-scale, low-cost and long-term sleep monitoring. How reliable and scientifically grounded is smartphone-based assessment of healthy and disturbed sleep remains a key issue in this direction. Here we offer a review of validation studies of sleep applications to the aim of providing some guidance in terms of their reliability to assess sleep in healthy and clinical populations, and stimulating further examination of their potential for clinical use and improved sleep hygiene. Electronic literature review was conducted on Pubmed. Eleven validation studies published since 2012 were identified, evaluating smartphone applications' performance compared to standard methods of sleep assessment in healthy and clinical samples. Studies with healthy populations show that most sleep applications meet or exceed accuracy levels of wrist-based actigraphy in sleep-wake cycle discrimination, whereas performance levels drop in individuals with low sleep efficiency (SE) and in clinical populations, mirroring actigraphy results. Poor correlation with polysomnography (PSG) sleep sub-stages is reported by most accelerometer-based apps. However, multiple parameter-based applications (i.e., EarlySense, SleepAp) showed good capability in detection of sleep-wake stages and sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) respectively with values similar to PSG. While the reviewed evidence suggests a potential role of smartphone sleep applications in pre-screening of SRBD, more experimental studies are warranted to assess their reliability in sleep-wake detection particularly. Apps' utility in post treatment follow-up at home or as an adjunct to the sleep diary in clinical setting is also stressed
Sustainable Employability in the Mid and Late Career: An Integrative Review
No full textIn the last decade, interest in investigating the sustainable employability (SE) of older workers has gained ground, generating a significant number of theoretical and empirical contributions. However, the construct of SE lacks a definition accepted by the scientific community and unified measurement criteria, which has led to results that, so far, do not allow us to draw solid conclusions on its relevance. The aim of this integrative review is twofold. Firstly, we review the theoretical formulations and definitions proposed, as well as the main empirical results of the studies and interventions on SE. Our review includes 31 studies (26 empirical and five theoretical; total sample size N = 33,368). Secondly, proposals and suggestions are offered aimed at integrating the previous results and advancing in the definition, operationalization, and measurement of SE, with the ultimate goal of increasing its value for future research in the mid-and late-career domain
Exploring the Influence of Family Attitudes and Individual Psychological Factors on Antibiotic Utilization: A Pilot Study
No full textThe inappropriate use of antibiotics gives rise to detrimental consequences, both physical and emotional, with a decreased quality of life and higher levels of anxiety and depression. The current observational study aimed to investigate the association between awareness, beliefs, and behaviors toward antibiotics, highlighting the modulating role of individual and psychological factors in response to illness and medication. Through an online questionnaire, several psychological indexes, as well as knowledge of, attitude toward, and experiences with antibiotics, both individual and family-related, were assessed in a sample of 100 responders (74 females, mean age 33.37 +/- 11.36). A positive association between intake behavior, awareness, and individual attitude emerged. Familial approach to antibiotics appears as a predictor of individual attitude and behavior toward these drugs, and awareness about antibiotic risks mediate the relationship between the tendency to be more compliant with prescriptions (R-2 = 0.300; MSE = 1.541; F(2, 98) = 20.737; p < 0.0001). Moreover, individuals with a personality characterized by higher conscientiousness are more aware of antibiotic risks (p < 0.01), whereas individuals with a lower awareness are those with higher indexes of psychophysical discomfort (i.e., anxiety, perceived stress, somatization) and levels of emotional rebound (p < 0.05). Anxiety (F(3, 96) = 3.874; p = 0.012; R-2 = 0.108) and somatization (F(2, 97) = 3.114; p = 0.030; R-2 = 0.089) also significatively moderated the intake behavior, despite the family approach. Overall, the current study provides preliminary findings regarding the way in which family experiences and individual psychological aspects may be influencing factors in the behavior and attitude towards antibiotics and can be used to plan patient-centered therapeutic communication and education
Psoriasis-related stigma and its intersection with intergroup bias in medical students
No full textN.A
Emotion Regulation and Employability: The Mediational Role of Ambition and a Protean Career among Unemployed People
No full textLiterature on job searching suggests that emotion regulation has an impact on employability,
but this relationship is far from being explained; furthermore, most of the studies have been conducted
among students or workers. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship
between emotion regulation and employability among unemployed people, analyzing the role of
ambition and protean career orientation as possible factors in such a relationship. Participants were
228 unemployed subjects who had requested individual counselling for job searching; data were
collected by means of a self-report questionnaire. Results confirmed that emotion regulation is related
to employability, both through a direct relationship and through an indirect eect of ambition and
protean career orientation
La risposta agli stimoli emozionali, la prima impressione e la presa in carico: sfide quotidiane al personale infermieristico e alle organizzazioni sanitarie
No full textA cosa servono le emozioni? In base a cosa formiamo le nostre impressioni sulle persone che incontriamo quotidianamente? Il nostro comportamento può venire influenzato dagli stimoli emozionali?
La ricerca psicologica cerca da sempre di dare risposta a questi quesiti, fornendoci una base teorica per la comprensione dei nostri comportamenti e dello stretto legame tra elaborazione emozionale, benessere psicologico, gestione delle relazioni. In particolare, possiamo affermare che ciascun individuo elabora costantemente gli stimoli quotidiani in termini di piacevolezza/spiacevolezza e di attivazione percepita (Lang et al, 1997; 2008; Lang & Bradley, 2013), così da mettere in atto appropriate condotte di avvicinamento allo stimolo [se piacevole e dunque funzionale alla sopravvivenza, in quanto connesso a bisogni di base (cibo, riproduzione...) o connessi ad attività ludiche e sociali (divertimento, accudimento, affiliazione...)] o di allontanamento da esso [se spiacevole e dunque potenzialmente pericoloso per la sopravvivenza (incidenti, catastrofi naturali, aggressioni, ferite, corpi mutilati...)].
Sappiamo inoltre che le emozioni sono un potente mediatore del comportamento sociale: in funzione delle caratteristiche percepite (in pochi secondi) in termini di affidabilità e piacevolezza di un volto, tendiamo ad attribuire caratteristiche positive all'interlocutore e a mettere in atto condotte di avvicinamento e approccio, che tendiamo a evitare quando invece giudichiamo un volto maggiormente inaffidabile e/o spiacevole (Todorov et al., 2008; Mattarozzi et al., 2014).
Gli infermieri (come altri operatori sanitari, ma forse con maggior continuità, per lo specifico ruolo ricoperto) sono quotidianamente a contatto con stimoli emozionali ad alto grado di spiacevolezza e attivazione (persone malate, ferite, che hanno subito incidenti); tali stimoli non solo non possono essere evitati mediante quella che sarebbe, da un punto di vista evoluzionistico, l'appropriata risposta di allontanamento e di auto-protezione, ma, al contrario, devono essere gestiti dal personale infermieristico con la massima efficienza. Inoltre, nella pratica sanitaria ci si deve relazionare con pazienti di ogni tipo, aspetto, condizione; il pregiudizio che si forma sulla base di queste caratteristiche percettive (pregiudizio che riguarda anche gli infermieri, in quanto persone, nonostante siano pochissimi i professionisti che si rendono conto di queste attribuzioni inconsapevoli e della loro influenza sul comportamento) deve essere costantemente superato, per consentire la corretta presa in carico di tutta l'utenza.
In considerazione di tali premesse, con la collaborazione e l'approvazione del Corso di Laurea in Infermieristica dell'Università di Bologna e data comunicazione al Comitato Etico d'Ateneo, è stata pianificata una ricerca sperimentale con i seguenti obiettivi: 1. Indagare la risposta emozionale che futuri infermieri e operatori professionisti forniscono a stimoli emozionali visivi di natura spiacevole, tipici della loro professione di aiuto. In particolare, lo scopo del progetto era quello di valutare se subentri nel tempo, grazie alla pratica, l’abituazione allo stimolo negativo, necessaria ad erogare una buona pratica clinica e assistenziale e ad evitare un eccessivo coinvolgimento emotivo, o se invece gli stimoli spiacevoli mantengano immutata la loro carica stressante; 2. Analizzare come la personalità e la formazione professionale possano modulare la prima impressione che si forma sulla base delle caratteristiche percettive di un volto visto per poco secondi, andando a modificare, nella popolazione degli infermieri e dei futuri professionisti, la propensione alla presa in carico assistenziale.
A ciascun partecipante è stato chiesto di 1. osservare e descrivere le reazioni emozionali suscitate da stimoli visivi piacevoli, spiacevoli e neutri (tratti dall'International Affective Picture System, IAPS, Lang et al., 2008), un catalogo di immagini per la ricerca sulle emozioni dell'Università della Florida), presentati ciascuno per 6 secondi; 2. osservare e descrivere le reazioni emozionali e i comportamenti di approccio/evitamento suscitati da immagini di volti ad alta, media e bassa affidabilità percepita (tratti dal catalogo del Karolinska Institute di Stoccolma, Lundqvist et al., 1998), presentati ciascuno per 6 secondi; 3. compilare una batteria di questionari per l'indagine dei tratti di personalità, delle modalità di reazione allo stress e del livello di benessere psicofisico
The Hardier You Are, the Healthier You Become. May Hardiness and Engagement Explain the Relationship Between Leadership and Employees’ Health?
No full textThe main goal of this study was to delve deeper into the relationship between transformational leadership and better general health status among employees. Based on the Job Demands-Resources model of occupational well-being, the current research investigated the role of transformational leadership, as a job resource, in fostering individual hardiness, as a personal resource, which may in turn result in higher levels of work engagement and, consequently, better general health status among employees. Data were collected from 358 white-collar employees in an Italian company. Most of them were women (52.9%) with a mean age of 44.42 years (SD = 9.22). To evaluate the hypothesis of a mediating role of employees’ hardiness and work engagement within the relationship between transformational leadership and workers’ general health, a bootstrapping approach was tested using a serial mediation model. In the current sample, enhanced levels of hardiness and work engagement among employees mediated the association between perceived levels of transformational leadership and individual general health conditions. These findings corroborated the role of transformational leadership as a strategic job resource in enhancing employees’ hardiness and engagement with their work, which may in turn protect their general health status. Organizations willing to rely on a healthy workforce should implement human resource management strategies focused on leadership training capable of boosting employees’ hardiness
Fear of dental pain in Italian children: child personality traits and parental dental fear
No full textOBJECTIVES:
Dental anxiety could impede dental treatment in children. Evidence shows that parents' fear of dentists contributes to children's anxiety towards dentists. The aim of the present study was to determine whether and to what extent: a) parents' anxiety and depression personality traits, b) parent's dental fear, and c) child personality traits can predict children's dental anxiety in an Italian population.
METHODS:
One hundred and four children (5-14 years old) and one of their parents participated in the study. Well-known and validated questionnaires were administered to children (MCDASf, CFSS-DS, TAD) and parents (FDPQ, STAI Y1, Y2, and BDI-II).
RESULT:
Dental anxiety is significantly associated with the anxiety personality trait and depression of the child and with parental fear of dental pain. A hierarchical regression analysis showed that, regardless of age and gender, the best predictor of child dental anxiety is parent's fear of dental pain, rather than relatively stable temperaments of the child.
CONCLUSIONS:
In line with the literature concerning adults, these findings highlight the children dental anxiety as a complex phenomena consisting of different components, including the child's personality traits (anxiety trait and depression) and parents' dental fear. Clinical implications of this evidence are discussed
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