1,721,072 research outputs found
Mass media Influences on Body Image and Body Esteem in Female Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Hopeful Future Expectations
Full text linkMass media influences to achieve ideal body image are widely posited to be
an antecedent of low body esteem in females. In this study, we aimed to
examine the relationship between mass media influence on body image
and body esteem, with a focus on the mediating role of hopeful future
expectations in a sample of female adolescents. Body esteem, mass media
influences on body image, and hopeful future expectations were evaluated
in 280 Italian female adolescents by means of questionnaires. Mass media
influences on body image are negatively associated with body esteem, and
hopeful expectations for the future are positively associated with body
esteem. The negative influence of mass media pressures on body esteem
was partially mediated by hopeful expectations for the future. Clinicians
dealing with adolescents with low body esteem may consider how female
adolescents internalize sociocultural body ideals and how this internalization might affect their future expectations and body esteem
An exploratory study on problematic internet use predictors: Which role for attachment and dissociation?
Full text linkObjective: Problematic Internet use (PIU) and its relation to psychopathology is an emergent but disputed issue in literature. In the current study, we explored the relationship between psychiatric symptoms, dissociative processes, adult attachment styles and PIU. Method: A community sample of 261 adults completed self-report questionnaires assessing Internet addiction symptoms (Internet Addiction Test – IAT), psychiatric symptoms (Symptom Checklist-90 Revised, SCL-90-R), dissociation (Dissociative Experiences Scale-II, DES-II), and adult attachment styles (Relationship Questionnaire, RQ). Socio-demographic data were also collected. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the role of the hypothesized predictors on PIU. Results: Attachment styles did not predict PIU, which was predicted instead by male gender, dissociative experiences and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Adult attachment styles may be not sufficent in explaining PIU when psychiatric symptoms and dissociative processes are taken into account. This is in line with previous research suggesting that negative affectivity and dissociation are more strictly related to the development and maintenance of the condition, especially among males
Somatic transference and countertransference: A critical review and an integration with the neuroscientific perspective
Full text linkAim. The idea that the transference/countertransference process is characterized by a somatic component is rooted in classical psychoanalytic tradition. But, unlike others, this theoretical construct does not seem to have been developed in the literature as much as it deserves, given its importance in the clinical process. Method. A research was conducted in the peer-reviewed literature indexed in the principal scientific databases to identify contributions on the somatic transference and countertransference constructs. The resulting studies were then combined with further considerations drawn from the postfreudian and contemporary psychoanalytic literature. Results and discussion. Focusing on the evidence of the somatic transference/countertransference phenomenon in its development as well as in the psychopathology and its treatment is crucial for researchers and clinicians, and further researches should be encouraged toward this direction. The hypothesis of a neural correlate of the interpersonal transference/countertransference phenomena as being the outcome of mirror-type neural mechanisms has been provided, prompting a proposal for a line of future research on the psychophysiological signals between psychotherapist and patient
Childhood trauma and eating disorder risk among young adult females: The mediating role of mentalization
No full textEating disorders (EDs) are particularly prevalent among young adult females. Previous research has shown that childhood trauma and reduced mentalizing abilities are involved in ED symptoms. The current study was aimed at testing the mediating effects of failures in mentalizing on the relationship between childhood trauma and ED risk among young adult females. The sample consisted of 409 Caucasian young adult females, aged between 18 and 30 years old (M = 23.45, SD = 2.76). The reported mean body mass index was within the normal range (M = 22.62; SD = 4.35). Self-report instruments were administered to assess the variables of interest. Structural equation modeling revealed that childhood trauma predicted increased failures in mentalizing (β =.36) and ED risk (β =.30), that failures in mentalizing predicted an increased ED risk (β =.35), and that the positive association between childhood trauma and ED risk was partially mediated by failures in mentalizing (indirect effect: β =.13). These findings suggest that ED symptoms might result from unprocessed and painful feelings embedded in child abuse and neglect. Clinical interventions focused at improving mentalizing abilities might reduce the ED risk among young adult females who have been exposed to childhood trauma
A network analysis approach to understand the relationship between online problematic gaming, defense mechanisms, and psychopathological symptoms
No full textProblematic gaming (PG) refers to a dysfunctional pattern of online gaming behaviour that negatively affects individual functioning. The present study adopted a network analysis approach to investigate the patterns of reciprocal associations between PG, defense mechanisms, and psychopathological symptoms. Participants were 1,036 adult Italian online video game players (Mage= 29.94, SD = 8.85; females = 388) who completed self-report questionnaires. We used a regularised partial correlation network analysis (EBICglasso) to investigate the network structure of the relationships among PG, defense mechanisms, and psychopathological symptoms. Centrality measures were computed. The highly influential nodes in the network concerned both psychological symptoms (anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms) and defense mechanisms (projection and autistic fantasy). Furthermore, the escapism feature of PG was detected as a prominent bridge symptom in the network. Our findings suggest that negative affect and immature defense mechanisms might play a pivotal role in PG, and that withdrawal in the virtual world may also exacerbate psychological symptoms. Therefore, better understanding the role of escapism and related immature defenses in PG might have important implications for theory and clinical practice
Psychological Trust Dynamics in Climate Change Adaptation Decision-Making Processes: A Literature Review
Full text linkThere has been a growth in interest among academics and professionals in psychological
trust dynamics during climate change adaptation. This literature review aimed to examine the
research concerning trust dynamics in climate change adaptation from different levels of analysis,
encompassing the different phases of adaptation and considering the importance of trust in climate
change decision-making. The method consisted of systematically reviewing researches on this
topic published in scientific articles, by using appropriate and relevant search keywords (e.g., trust,
community, natural hazard, climate change adaptation, decision-making) in academic databases. A
total of 25 studies met inclusion criteria. All the articles focused on the latter phases of the climate
change adaptation cycle, specifically implementation and monitoring/evaluation, with limited
attention devoted to decision-making related to earlier phases of preparation, assessment of risks, and
identification and selection of adaptation options. The reviews also indicates that psychological trust
is related to different adaptive actions (e.g., adoption of renewable energy technologies), and low- and
high-impact mitigation behaviors (e.g., acceptance of paying taxes for actions that mitigate climate
change). Therefore, this review underscores the significant role of psychological trust dynamics
in shaping individuals’ decision-making processes concerning climate change adaptation, thereby
yielding immediate and direct implications for climate systems. Therefore, it is essential to actively
promote the culture of trust within the context of climate change adaptation
The Role of Attachment Styles in the Development of Aggressive Behavior Among Peers: An Overview on Homophobic Bullying with a Victim's Report
No full textBeing online in the time of COVID-19: Narratives from a sample of young adults and the relationship with well-being
Full text linkDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, Internet might influence daily functioning in both positive and negative ways. Within the conceptual framework of the semiotic cultural psycho-social theory, this study examines the meanings of being online during the COVID-19 pandemic based on narratives collected from Italian university students (Mean age = 22.78; SD = 2.70). Computer-assisted content analysis was used to map the main Dimensions of Meaning (DM) characterizing their texts; ANOVA was used to examine (dis)similarities between DM related to sociodemographic characteristics and connotations of Internet use; Pearson's correlations were computed to examine the relationships between DM and well-being. Two DM emerged: (a) being online in daily life ('rupture' versus 'continuity') and (b) Internet functions during the pandemic ('health emergency' versus 'daily activities'). Notably, participants high on the 'daily activities' polarity of Internet functions connoted the Internet as a resource and reported higher levels of well-being, whereas participants high on the opposite polarity of "health emergency" connoted the Internet as a refuge and reported lower levels of well-being. Findings suggest that Internet use and its impact on well-being during the pandemic relates to the personal and social cultural meanings attributed to being onlin
Internet use during the COVID-19 outbreak: A resource for well-being or an amplifier of psychological distress? A study on an Italian sample
Full text linkInternet usage increased globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined the role of online/offline relational resources to see whether the Internet improved well-being or amplified psychological distress, also considering the mediating role of Internet use motives. A sample of 573 Italian adults (Mean age = 40.28 years; SD = 16.43; 64% women) reported their motives for Internet use during lockdown and completed standardized measures on loneliness, online social support, well-being and problematic Internet use (PIU). A path analysis showed that loneliness positively predicted PIU and negatively predicted well-being, whereas perceived online social support positively predicted well-being. Loneliness was significantly associated with social/coping motives, which in turn were associated with PIU. Moreover, loneliness mediated the relationship between online social support and PIU. No significant mediating role was found for knowledge and studying/working motives. These findings call for tailored efforts to blunt the impact of social isolation and foster social connectivity
Corrigendum: Is Watching TV Series an Adaptive Coping Strategy During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Insights From an Italian Community Sample
Full text link[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.599859.]
- …
