1,720,984 research outputs found
Metacognition, borderline pathology and psychotherapeutic change: A single-case study
No full textThe aim of this study is to analyze whether: (a) a specific type of metacognitive
deficit is present in a patient with Borderline Personality Disorder; (b) a metacognitive
improvement can be detected during the psychotherapy treatment; (c) if this improvement
can be indicative of the effectiveness of psychotherapy itself. A single case
study has been conducted; metacognitive deficits have been measured with the Metacognition
Assessment Scale (MAS). In line with the hypothesis, the results show a global
and progressive improvement of meta-cognitive functions. We conclude in agreement
with the current literature, the existence of a major deficit in Differentiation and Integration
subfunctions (belonging to Self-reflexivity), compared to Characterization and
Relation between variables subfunctions (belonging to Metacognitive monitoring)
Responses to stress: Investigating the role of gender, social relationships, and touch avoidance in italy
Full text linkStress is a physiological response to internal and external events we call “stressors”. Response to the same daily stressors varies across individuals and seems to be higher for women. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is that women perceive sociality, relationships, and intimacy— important sources of both stress and wellbeing—differently from how men experience them. In this study, we investigate how gender, attachment, and touch avoidance predict stress responses on a sample of 335 Italians (216 females; age = 35.82 ± 14.32). Moreover, we analyze the network of relationships between these variables through multiple linear regression and exploratory network analysis techniques. The results recontextualize the role of gender in determining stress responses in terms of (lack of) confidence and touch avoidance toward family members; attitudes toward relationships seem to be the main determinants of stress responses. These results have implications for reducing stress in both clinical settings and at a social level
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
The Functional Psychotherapy Approach: A Process-Outcome Multiple Case Study
Full text linkObjective: The present work aims to conduct the first naturalistic empirical investigation
of the process and outcome assessment of functional psychotherapy (FP) treatment.
The FP model of psychotherapy is rooted in psychoanalysis and integrates the verbal
communication approach founded on transference and countertransference dynamics
with the analysis of bodily processes.
Method: The study sample included ten patients recruited on a voluntary basis and
treated by clinicians in their private practices. Each patient received FP with an average
duration of 40 h (min 35 and max 42). Therapies had weekly sessions, were audiorecorded with the patient’s written consent, and lasted for an average of 10 months
(min 9 and max 12). Outcome and process tools included the Minnesota Multiphasic
Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and the Luborsky’s the Core Conflictual Relationship
Theme (CCRT), used to assess therapeutic benefit, and the Metacognition Assessment
Scale (MAS) and the Italian Discourse Attributes Analysis Program (IDAAP) system, used
to evaluate therapeutic benefit and process. The MMPI-2 was used also in the followup assessment.
Results: Results show that FP had a positive therapeutic outcome on the patients
assessed in this study, and that the therapeutic benefits were maintained over time.
Some specific features of the FP approach were found to contribute more than others
to the observed therapeutic benefits.
Conclusion: The current investigation constitutes a first step toward assessment of
the therapeutic effectiveness of FP. Future developments should apply the methodology
to a larger sample, possibly introducing different methodologies to enable detection of
specific bodily oriented processes and technique
Social behaviour, socio-cognitive skills and attachment style in school-aged children: what is the relation with academic outcomes?
No full textThe present research explored the relation between socio-cognitive skills, as Theory of Mind and affective empathy, social behaviour, attachment style and scholastic success in children, aged from 8 to 11 years (N = 159; 90 females, 69 males; Mage = 9,60; DS =.78). Several assessment tools were administered to children on mentalizing abilities (Stories), empathy (FASTE), language (PPVT-R), attachment style (SAT) and learning (M.T. and AC-MT 6-11), while the teachers were asked to complete a questionnaire about every child’s social behaviour (SDQ). The correlational analysis and MANOVA prove that ‘secure’ children show more prosocial behaviour, moral mentalizing and empathic capacities in the classroom, receiving better evaluations from teachers and in learning tests. Moreover, socio-cognitive skills and prosocial behaviour are associated with academic performance, while the affective empathy is only related to teachers’ evaluations. Finally, the implications of these findings for theoretical and research development on socio-cognitive skills are discussed
Exploring the connection between childhood trauma, dissociation, and borderline personality disorder in forensic psychiatry: a comprehensive case study
No full textThis case study examines the complex relationship between childhood trauma, dissociation, and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) within the context of forensic psychiatry. It focuses on a young murder defendant named "Paul," who has experienced various traumatic events, including childhood maltreatment and domestic violence. These experiences have led to dissociative states marked by high emotional intensity, particularly of an aggressive nature, and impaired impulse control, resulting in violent behavior during dissociative episodes. The study employs advanced assessment tools like Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM), the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III), and the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI) to gain a comprehensive understanding of Paul's psychopathological condition, risk factors, and rehabilitation needs. The LS/CMI assessment highlights a high risk of recidivism, mainly influenced by family relationships, educational challenges, interpersonal connections, and aggressive tendencies. To address the multifaceted needs of individuals like Paul, the study emphasizes the importance of using transdiagnostic models for trauma and dissociation. This approach informs tailored treatment programs that include processing past traumatic experiences, improving self-identity, nurturing healthy relational patterns, and enhancing emotional regulation. Although this study is based on a single case, it serves as a model for integrating assessment tools and theoretical-clinical models in the field of forensic psychiatry. Understanding the intricate dynamics of childhood trauma, dissociation, and BPD is crucial for making informed decisions, conducting risk assessments, and developing rehabilitation programs within the justice system. Future research should expand the scope of cases and further validate assessment tools to advance our understanding of this complex relationship
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
Changes in Touch Avoidance, Stress, and Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy
Full text linkIn the present study we analyzed how attitudes toward touch have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic in an Italian sample, through two different studies: in the first we contacted participants of the Italian validation study of the Touch Avoidance Questionnaire, asking them to take part in a follow-up study (N = 31, 64.5% women, age 42.58 +/- 15.15); in the second we recruited a new sample of 717 people (73.92% women, age 34.25 +/- 13.11), comparing it to the full validation sample of the Touch Avoidance Questionnaire (N = 335, 64.48% women, age = 35.82 +/- 14.32) to further investigate the relationship between the pandemic, stress responses, fear of contagion, anxiety, and attitudes toward touch. Overall, we found higher post-pandemic scores for touch avoidance toward strangers and family members and lower scores in touch avoidance toward friends of either gender, along with a slight increase in anxiety and stress. Touch avoidance was also positively related to anxiety and/or stress levels except for touch avoidance toward same-sex friends, for which the relationship with anxiety was negative. Surprisingly, we found that young people were the most anxious, despite older people being more at-risk of dying from COVID-19. Women were slightly more stressed out. COVID-19-related fears were significant predictors of touch avoidance toward partners, friends and strangers, but not of touch avoidance toward family. The results suggest that touch avoidance increased during the pandemic (except toward same-sex friends), together with anxiety and stress levels, but the change was relatively small
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