1,720,977 research outputs found
Di fronte alla variazione: Racconti di madri e padri di giovani con differenti caratteristiche del sesso
Get PDFBeing a parent-to-be often involves facing the question: "is it a boy or a girl?", which answer is never entirely obvious. The definition of sex and gender of a newborn with a variation in the development of biological sex, also known as Intersex or Disorder of Sex Development, is an extremely complex social and medical process that has engaged individuals, families, activists, health professionals, social scientists, support groups and lawyers in a twenty-year debate that has not yet been able to give a certain answer to this question. Currently there is no consensus on the intervention guidelines and, within the medical practice, the transition from an optimal gender policy to a patient-centered model seems to be slow, leaving parents without tools in a time when they are often required to face quick binding decisions for the future of the newborn.
The growing attention to the Intersex/DSD issue has highlighted the need to start research that supports the psychosocial well-being of patients and their families, promoting the development of longitudinal studies and psychoeducational programs that will prevent to live the moment of diagnosis as an emergency. In the field of psychosocial research, there are still very few studies conducted in the Italian context investigating how parents learn, communicate and live the situation of their child with a variation of sex characteristics.
Through a review of the literature and an exploratory research based on 38 life stories of Italian mothers and fathers, the present research shows what are parent's actions and reactions to the diagnosis of the child, focusing on three central themes: the communication modalities, the prescriptions and proscriptions deriving from the implicit categorisation of sex and gender and the opinions on the surgical operations and the diagnostic labels. Results show the need to structure a holistic approach that promotes the overall support of the parent, in order to become a promoter of the physical, mental, social and environmental health of the child
Navigating parental decision-making: Intersex surgeries in Italy
No full textDecision-making dynamics in Italian paediatric care for Intersex and Variations of Sex Characteristics (VSC) involve a complex interplay between medical practices, parental perspectives, and socio-cultural factors. This article explores how medical professionals and parents make decisions amid cultural debates on gender, the body, and autonomy. It addresses aspects of why surgical intervention, with limited child involvement, is often seen as the ‘only option’ in the ‘conservative’ culture of Italy. The article continues to highlight the rise of parent-led human rights-based activism in Italy, challenging prevailing narratives in intersex/VSC paediatric care. Using qualitative data from two studies, including interviews with 15 Italian stakeholders and 38 Italian parents, as well as participant action research, the article provides insights into Italian medical and parental perspectives. The findings emphasize the need for nuanced support, education, and resources to empower parents in order to uphold the rights and well-being of intersex individuals
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Gener(ar)e: una riflessione sulla questione intersex/dsd dal punto di vista genitoriale
No full textThe Intersex and DSD (Disorder of Sex Development) definitions indicate variations of the biological sex, on which basis an individual does not fall into the biological category of male or female for congenital reasons, may these be anatomical, hormonal, chromosomal or genetic. This definition, not at all static or asserted, is a proof of the debate born in the nineties, carried on by different stakeholders involved in the lives of people born with one of the variations. Historically we have moved from a model of intervention centered on the maintenance of secrecy and the early attribution of sex to newborns on the basis of an optimal gender policy (Money, Hampson and Hampson, 1955), to a model focused on the individual-patient and on his/her family (Wilson and Reiner, 1998, Consortium on the Management of Disorders of Sex Differentiation, 2006), which made the criteria of sex assignment at birth less generalized and more attentive to the individual factors of the chid. Despite this formal change in guidelines, prenatal or neonatal diagnosis and the discovery of the existence of these variations remains a critical and unexpected moment for most parents. The lack of longitudinal research, educational programs and structured psychosocial support to families does not allow parents to have easy access to tools that help them in parenting and in taking a potential choice to act immediately after the birth of the child. The arrival of a newborn with a previously unknown variation leads parents to a quick processing of the information provided by the medical team, often leaving them with many unanswered questions
Analysis of the family atoms of groups of violence from EMPoWER Project
No full textSummary. This paper presents a discussion of the analysis performed on the family atoms in the first meetings of the psychodrama groups conducted in all the partner countries of the project Daphne Empower. The issue of the relationship with the mother is central and fundamental to the target of the project. Atoms and reports highlight three types of relationships that we have defined: positive, negative and uncorrelated which will be described below
Inside the doctor's office. Talking about intersex with Italian health professionals
Get PDFThis article explores how health professionals in Italy understand variations of sex characteristics (VSC), also referred to as intersex and/or disorders of sex development (DSD). With estimates of VSC frequency ranging from 0.018% to 1.7%, only a handful of highly specialised medical doctors are considered DSD experts. When addressing the daily health management of children and families who do not live near specialist DSD centres, these experts may refer individuals to the nearest health professional that Italian health services provides, opening up questions regarding how these professionals might act and react when faced with VSC. In this analysis of interview data from 65 Italian general practitioners, paediatricians and psychologists, we address two themes. The first theme discusses participants' previous experiences and case management, with a focus on social, medical and gender biases. The second theme examines health professionals' opinions and perspectives on ongoing conflicts concerning current best care practices. Our results highlight health professionals' cultural and gendered biases, confirming the need to develop specific professional training, guidelines and policies to improve the healthcare of people with VSC
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Because moms say so: Narratives of lesbian mothers in Italy
Get PDFThe Italian situation of lesbian women-parented families seems to be trapped between a deprivation of public and legal acknowledgment and the reality of everyday lives of lesbian women having children in a same-sex relationship context experiencing this ambivalence in their personal, familiar, and social existence. The aim of this study is to analyze the narratives of 17 lesbian mothers (10 biological mothers and seven social mothers) in order to outline the construction of their identities as parents, their affective relationships with the partner (social mother), and the relationships established with public agencies (school, neighborhood, family networks). Results show that lesbian maternity has strong political and social implications. In particular, our analysis underlines the libertarian extent of lesbian maternity paths, often based on equal roles and promoting the enlargement of the concepts of family. Our findings suggest that the lack of legal recognition has a threatening effect on the sense-making processes that social mothers perform during the development of their parental role
Mind the Gap. Gender and human rights in Italy through the lens of psychosocial and philosophical theories
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The sustainable challenge: where does social psychology stand in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals?
Get PDFThe United Nations Agenda 2030, inclusive of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), serves as the global blueprint for sustainability for both present and future generations. Scientific research is entrusted with the responsibility of contributing by informing the current situation and future challenges in achieving the SDGs. This paper investigates the role of social psychology in contributing to the SDGs and the environmental, economic, and social pillars of the UN Agenda. We analysed 4808 papers using Natural Language Processing to identify i) the relevance of social psychology within the SDG-related literature, and ii) the current and potential contribution of social psychology to the SDGs. Results highlight that social psychology contributes to the SDGs addressing typical social issues, primarily those related to health and gender, while noting its underrepresentation in some environmental and economic areas, despite social psychology well-established research in these topics. This paper introduces a novel approach for assessing the SDGs, fostering a critical reflection on the SDG framework and social psychology to guide less explored research paths. This approach could potentially enhance the evaluation and advancement of the 2030 Agenda, facilitating a deeper dialogue between the scientific community and policymakers, driving social change
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