2,241 research outputs found
Transition to parenthood: Studies of intersubjectivity in mothers and fathers
No full textRecent developments in different areas of research, psychoanalysis, infant research, cognitive neuroscience, and developmental science, highlight the dynamic, intersubjective sense of personality organised in term of “self-with-other” (Ammaniti & Trentini, 2009). The evolution of the human species attuned human mothers, both psychologically and neurobiologically, to the smell and the sounds of the baby, and to his expressions and behaviours; in this way, mothers can immediately understand when they need to intervene to protect or feed the baby, who is immature and helpless. At the same time, babies with higher ability in tuning and understanding others have been favoured by natural selection, gaining a better chance of survival. For this reason, human infants are very social from their birth and develop that human-specific ability to read intentions and participate in collaborative activities defined by shared goals and intentions (Tomasello, 1999; Tomasello, Carpenter, Call, Behne & Moll, 2005).
Newborns are able to imitate actions seen on a human face (Meltzoff & Moore, 1977, 1999), showing an early form of intersubjectivity based on cross-modal transferring of form and timing. As human brain and mind are equipped in order to understand possible intentions of other people by watching their facial expression or their goal-directed actions, intersubjectivity is the main process that allows parents and the child to share feelings and emotions and to develop a mutual coordination (Stern, 1985; Trevarthen, 2005). The temporal coordination of relational behaviours between parents and child, defined as “synchrony” (Gordon & Feldman, 2008), gradually becomes internalised, influencing the infant development through the repeated interactions. Studies on mother–father–child interactions have also shown that infants are able to detect behaviours exchanged between parents: these aspects highlight the role of triadic coordination in shaping the family alliance (Fivaz-Depeursinge & Corboz-Warnery, 1999; Gordon & Feldman, 2008). The connection between parents and child develops from pregnancy, when parents have to reorganise their identity including the baby within their relationship, creating an intersubjective matrix (Stern, 2004) which provides a scaffolding for subsequent development (Emde, 2007). Along with such psychological reorganisations, deep changes occur in parental brain, especially in maternal one, sustaining the onset and the maintenance of nurturing behaviours, as well as the sensitivity to infant affective cues (Ammaniti & Gallese, 2014). In our chapter we will first focus on the contribution of psychoanalysis and infant research in the area of the psychological transformations in the parents’ mind that occur during pregnancy and in the post-natal period. A particular emphasis will be addressed to internal
representational scenario of mothers and fathers, who develop in this period a representation of themselves and of the partner as parents, as
well as of the future baby. We will illustrate how the foetal image in the ultrasound can interweave with maternal and paternal representations,
allowing parents to share conscious fantasies about the baby. In line with these aspects of co-parenting, we will present an observational
procedure based on the parental interaction with the image of foetus in the ultrasound which activate parental affiliative processes and intuitive
parenting behaviours (Papousek & Papousek, 1987) involved in the transition to parenthood. We will then illustrate how recent advances in scientific knowledge and technology have encouraged a fertile dialogue between psychoanalysis and neuroscience, which affected especially the field of parenting, where the relation between mind and brain is particularly relevant. Neurobiological research has identified specific “parental brain circuits” that underpin caregiving behaviours, modulating parents’ attention and responsiveness to infant affective expressions (Kinsley & Lambert, 2006; Mayes, Swain & Leckman, 2005; Panksepp, 1998). We will also evidence how the recent discovery of mirror neurons has revealed the embodied basis of intersubjectivity (Gallese, 2009), providing new insights on the mechanisms of maternal empathy (Lenzi et al., 2009), and on the influence of early attachment experiences in subsequent parental attitude (Lenzi et al., 2012). Finally, we will conclude discussing the possibility to translate the neuroscientific advances in preventive programmes for high risk families, in order to promote infant wellbeing through the development of parental abilities
Frühe Elternschaft. Embodiment Ein innovatives Konzept für Entwicklungsforschung und Psychoanalyse
No full textPredicting the Adoption of a Sustainable Diet in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italy
No full textShifting food choices towards sustainability entails the analysis of dietary behavior determinants. This study aimed to explain and predict the intention to follow a sustainable diet and its adoption in a representative sample of adults (n = 838) in Italy. An online survey based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) was developed. The adoption of a sustainable diet was measured as self-perceived behavior, adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), and food consumption frequencies. Psychometric analysis and correlations between attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) with both intention and behavior assessments were evaluated. Structural equation models were used to test whether and to what extent attitude, subjective norms, and PBC explained intention and behavior. Significant associations were found between TPB constructs and the behavior measures underlining the main role of intention and PBC in affecting behavior. The applied TPB models explained behavioral intention at most (78%). The results suggested promising interventions in narrowing the attitude-behavior gap to encourage specific adult population groups in Italy to adopt virtuous food consumption habits. Beside the implementation of price mechanism strategies, educational initiatives to increase awareness about food and diet sustainability issues and the reinforcement of the perceived control on food consumption at the individual level are recommended
The Effect of Number and Position of P=O/P=S Bridging Units on Cavitand Selectivity toward Methyl Ammonium Salts
No full textThe present work reports the synthesis and complexation properties of five mixed bridge P=O/P=S cavitands toward N,N-methyl butyl ammonium chloride (1) as prototype guest. The influence of number and position of P=O and P=S groups on the affinity of phosphonate cavitands toward 1 is assessed via ITC titrations in DCE as solvent. Comparison of the resulting Kass values, the enthalpic and entropic contributions to the overall binding with those of the parent tetraphosphonate Tiiii and tetrathiophosphonate TSiiii cavitands allows one to single out the simultaneous dual H-bond between the cavitand and the salt as the major player in complexation
"The love that made hell, paradise." Ouida re-writing the Paolo and Francesca theme in Held in Bondage
No full textThe bestselling Victorian author Ouida reveals in her novels, and, in particular, Held in Bondage, an extraordinary knowledge od Dante, by using characters and themes from the Commedia. The Paolo and Francesca theme actually constitutes part of the plot of the novel and is to be found in many of her other works, short stories and non-fiction writing
omega-Dialkylaminoalkil Ethers of Phenyl-(5-substituted 1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)methanols with Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Activity
No full textAdaptive functioning and behavioral, emotional and social problems of Italian university students: Indications for the University Counseling Services
No full textThe study aimed to assess the adaptive and maladaptive functioning of 250 young university female students in order to identify
their main psychological problematic areas. Results showed that students who had asked for psychological help reported higher
scores in several problematic areas than those who had never asked for psychological help. The results address the relevance of
“Avoidant Personality Problems” that highly differentiate these two groups of students. Our data confirm the presence of
adjustment problems in university students, giving local University Counselling Services indications about the main problematic
areas of their target population
Psychological intervention for university students: the counselling service of Sapienza University of Roma - Suppl. 1A Symposia
No full textUniversity is a stressful time of transition and change. The multiple challenges affecting the transition from adolescence to adulthood may increase the psychopathological risk for university students, with negative effects on their academic career. Empirical data about the influence of emotional experiences on learning processes and the high dropout rates registered throughout university years have contributed to the expansion of counselling services for students within the Italian universities. This study aimed to explore the socio-demographic characteristics as well as the psychological problems in a group of university students (N=703) seeking for psychological help available in the Counselling Center of Sapienza University of Rome from 2008 to 2014. Findings obtained by a subgroup of students who completed the Adult Self Report (ASR) questionnaires were analyzed in order to examine the level of their internalizing and/or externalizing symptoms. Data analysis showed that the average age of the subjects is 24.78 years (SD = 5.02) with a high prevalence of female students (69.57%). The students are mostly Italian (91.29%) and the majority of them (58.24%) are not resident in Rome. The most frequent psychological problems were: anxiety, emotional distress and difficulty in studying for and /or take the exams. According to the scientific literature this exploratory study highlights that university students mainly reported emotional difficulties (e.g., anxiety and depression symptoms) and concerns about relationships. Moreover, there was a greater propensity of female students to seek professional psychological help. These data support the usefulness of the psychological counseling services and stress the importance of dealing with the emotional distress expressed by university students through targeted interventions
5-Substituted 4-Isoxazoleacetic acids with analgesic activity.
No full textThe synthesis of some 5-substituted 4-isoxazoleacetic acids starting from 5-substituted 4-isoxazolemethanols via their conversion to 4-(bromomethyl)isoxazoles, 4-isoxazoleacetonitriles and acid hydrolysis of the latter is described. 5-Ethyl- and 5-propyl-4-isoxazoleacetic acids showed in the writhing test an analgesic activity comparable to that of aspirin
Eco-LTP: ecografia ostetrica e alleanze cogenitoriali
No full textIl Capitolo descrive l'esperienza di ricerca intervento con coppie di neo-genitori durante la gravidanza. E' stata ideata una procedura di osservazione prenatale durante la quale i genitori interagiscono con il figlio immaginario "osservandolo" nel video dell'ecografia a 3 dimensioni. altri strumenti hanno consentito di valutare l'alleanza cogenitoriale in via di costruzione durante la gravidanza e successivamente le neo-famiglie hanno partecipato al LTP per evidenziare la coordinazione familiare dopo la nascita
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