Development and Validation of a Scale to Measure Caregiver Skills in Eating Disorders

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new ques- tionnaire designed to measure caregiver skills that, in line with the interperso- nal component of the cognitive inter- personal maintenance model (Schmidt and Treasure, J Br J Clin Psychol, 45, 343–366, 2006), may be helpful in the support of people with anorexia nerv- osa (AN). A further aim is to assess whether this scale is sensitive to change following skills-based caregiver interventions. Method: The Caregiver Skills (CASK) scale was developed by a group of clinicians and caregivers. Preliminary versions of the scale devised for both caregivers and parents were given at baseline and at follow-up after two studies…

The Role of Existential Concerns in the Individual’s Decisions regarding COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake: A Survey among Non-Vaccinated Italian Adults during the Third Wave of the Pandemic

Recent studies have suggested that health constructs embraced by the Terror Management Theory (TMT) and the Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT) may drive individuals’ COVID-19 health-related decisions. This study examines the relationships between existential concerns (ECs; within the TMT), basic psychological needs (BPNs; within the BPNT) and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (VH), as well as the mediating role of negative attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines. A cross-sectional survey was carried out from April to May 2021 on a sample of two hundred and eighty-seven adults (Mage = 36.04 ± 12.07; 59.9% females). Participants provided information regarding existential concerns, basic psychologica…

The Objective and Subjective Caregiving Burden and Caregiving Behaviours of Parents of Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa

Objective The study aimed to examine caregiving burden and levels of distress, accommodating behaviours, expressed emotion (EE) and carers' skills, in parents of adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Method A semi-structured interview assessed the objective burden (time spent across caregiving tasks) in parents (n = 196) of adolescents (n = 144) receiving outpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa. Subjective burden (carers' distress), accommodating behaviours, EE and carers' skills were measured by self-report. Results Mothers, on average, spent 2.5 h/day of care, mainly providing food and emotional support, compared with 1 h/day by fathers. The level of distress and accommodating behaviour wa…

Infertility-related stress, anxiety and ovarian stimulation: can couples be reassured about the effects of psychological factors on biological responses to assisted reproductive technology?

Abstract The aim of this prospective, longitudinal study was to examine the association between couples' pre-treatment psychological characteristics (state anxiety and infertility-related stress levels of both partners) and ovarian response during assisted reproductive technology treatment in a well-controlled sample. A total of 217 heterosexual couples (434 patients), suffering from primary infertility and undergoing their first assisted reproductive technology treatment at the Reproductive Medicine Unit of ANDROS Day Surgery Clinic in Palermo (Italy), were recruited. Psychological variables were assessed using the State Scale of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) and the Fertility Pro…

SUPPORTO ORGANIZZATIVO, IMMAGINE AZIENDALE E WORK ENGAGEMENT: DIFFERENZE TRA LAVORATORI TEMPORANEI E PERMANENTI

Evaluating Gender Differences in Problematic Smartphone Use

Abstract. The Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI) is widely used to measure problematic smartphone use (PSU). Although the SPAI has been translated and validated in different countries, its measurement invariance across gender has received little research attention. This study aimed to examine whether men and women interpreted the Italian version of the SPAI (SPAI-I) similarly and, consequently, whether the observed gender differences in SPAI scores, which have been shown in previous studies, could be due to true differences, rather than to differences in measurement. Six hundred nineteen Italian young adults ( Mage = 22.02 ± 2.63; 55.7% women) took part in the study and completed the SP…

The interplay between emotion regulation, interpersonal problems and eating symptoms in individuals with obesity: A network analysis study

Introduction: A complex and bidirectional relationship between eating and psychological symptoms in individuals with obesity has been proposed. This study aims to identify the specific processes playing a role in this association, using a data-driven approach. Methods: Two hundred ninety-four adults with obesity, including 106 (36 %) with binge-eating disorder, were consecutively admitted to a specialized public center. They completed self-report questionnaires to assess emotion regulation, interpersonal problems, self-esteem, binge-eating symptoms, and expectancies regarding eating behaviors. To assess the interplay among eating and psychological variables, a network analysis was used. The…

Empirically-derived subgroups of Facebook users and their association with personality characteristics: a Latent Class Analysis

Abstract In recent years, considerable research effort has been directed at the identification of relationships between psychological variables and Facebook usage indicators. However, the identification of homogeneous subgroups of individuals based on similar Facebook usage characteristics still presents a challenge. This study aims: (1) to empirically determine homogeneous groups of Facebook users based on variables regarding their personal experience on Facebook, by using a Latent Class Analysis; and (2) to examine the association between an individual's personality and interpersonal characteristics and the empirically-derived profiles of Facebook usage. Eight hundred and eleven Facebook …

Empirical examination of the interpersonal maintenance model of anorexia nervosa

Objective A cognitive interpersonal maintenance model of anorexia nervosa (AN) was first proposed in 2006 and updated in 2013 (Schmidt and Treasure, J Br J Clin Psychol, 45, 343-366, 2006; Treasure and Schmidt, J Eat Disorders, in press.). The aim of this study was to test the interpersonal component of this model in people with AN requiring intensive hospital treatment (inpatient/daypatient). Method On admission to hospital women with AN or eating disorder not otherwise specified (AN subtype; n = 152; P) and their primary carers (n = 152; C) completed questionnaires on eating symptoms (P), depression and anxiety (P, C), accommodation and enabling (C), and psychological control (C). Structu…

Relazioni interpersonali, immagine corporea ed autostima in adolescenza. Uno studio condotto con studenti degli istituti superiori

Previous research has evidenced the link between body image dissatisfaction, social anxiety, low self-esteem, negative affect and eating disorders in adolescence. The present study aimed to explore the gender differences on body image perception, self-esteem, and relational styles in a group of adolescents and to investigate whether body image and self-esteem predict the development of interpersonal problems in a different way for males and females. Method: Data were obtained from a group (n = 1311) of adolescents (805 males and 506 females), recruited in a high school in Palermo. Participants filled in the BIAI, the IIP-32 and the RSES. Results: Our results confirm the difference between m…

A longitudinal examination of dyadic distress patterns following a skills intervention for carers of adolescents with anorexia nervosa

Family interventions in anorexia nervosa (AN) have been developed to ameliorate maladaptive patterns of patient-carer interaction that can play a role in illness maintenance. The primary aim of this study is to examine the inter-relationship between baseline and post-treatment distress in dyads of carers and patients with AN to examine the interdependence between carers and patients. The secondary aim is to examine whether a carer skills intervention [Experienced Carer Helping Others (ECHO)] impacts on this inter-relationship. Dyads consisting of treatment-seeking adolescents with AN and their primary carer (n = 149; mostly mothers) were randomised to receive a carer skills intervention (EC…

Maltrattamento, abuso, stili relazionali e DCA, quale collegamento? Uno studio preliminare con la Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse - CECA

Esperienze di maltrattamento infantile ed esiti psicopatologici in pazienti con disturbi del comportamento alimentare. Uno studio con la CECA.

Introduzione: I disturbi del comportamento alimentare suscitano un forte interesse nel panorama clinico e di ricerca, data la loro diffusione e la svariate sfaccettature che tali profili psicopatologici assumono. Altrettanto forte è la spinta a ricercare possibili fattori eziopatogenetici nei contesti di accudimento primari ed in letteratura è ampiamente riconosciuto il ruolo determinante svolto dai contesti relazionali e dalle esperienze infantili nella strutturazione del Sé in età adulta (Bifulco & Moran, 1998; Fonagy et al., 2002). Lo studio, a carattere esplorativo, ha un duplice obiettivo: a) rilevare se e quali forme di abuso e maltrattamento si riscontrano in soggetti con DCA, b) rin…

WEIGHT-BASED STIGMATIZATION, DISTRESS PSICOLOGICO ED UTILIZZO DEI SERVIZI SANITARI IN SOGGETTI OBESI: UN APPROCCIO MIXED-METHOD

Self-esteem and binge eating: Do patients with binge eating disorder endorse more negatively worded items of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale?

Objective Self-esteem is a core aspect of eating disorder symptomatology. This study aims to examine whether method effects associated with negatively worded items of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) may interact the negative self-evaluations experienced by patients with obesity and binge eating disorder (BED). We also examined whether negatively worded items were associated with psychological distress and eating symptoms. Method Five hundred thirty three female outpatients (mean age: 42.59) with BED (n = 160) or obesity without BED (n = 373) completed the RSES and measures of interpersonal problems, psychological distress, and eating symptoms. Results Patients with BED responded more…

Does the Interpersonal Model Generalize to Obesity Without Binge Eating?

The interpersonal model has been validated for binge eating disorder (BED), but it is not yet known if the model applies to individuals who are obese but who do not binge eat. The goal of this study was to compare the validity of the interpersonal model in those with BED versus those with obesity, and normal weight samples. Data from a sample of 93 treatment-seeking women diagnosed with BED, 186 women who were obese without BED, and 100 controls who were normal weight were examined for indirect effects of interpersonal problems on binge eating psychopathology mediated through negative affect. Findings demonstrated the mediating role of negative affect for those with BED and those who were o…

Patient and mentor language style matching as a predictor of working alliance, engagement with treatment as usual, and eating disorders symptoms over the course of an online guided self-help intervention for anorexia nervosa

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the processes involved in a guided self-help (GSH) pre-treatment intervention (RecoveryMANTRA) for patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), by measuring the levels of patient/mentor Language Style Matching (LSM). RecoveryMANTRA was supported by student mentors or peer mentors (recovered individuals) over six weekly chat-based sessions. We examined whether LSM during RecoveryMANTRA predicted patients'working alliance with the clinic therapist, motivation, eating disorder (ED) and general psychopathology. A further aim was to examine differences in LSM between student mentors and peer mentors. Method 87 AN adults received RecoveryMANTRA plus treatmen…

The association among interpersonal problems, binge behaviors, and self-esteem, in the assessment of obese individuals

Abstract Objectives Although disordered eating has been assumed to be associated with interpersonal problems, there is a lack of research regarding the relationship between interpersonal problems and obesity. This study explored associations among self-esteem, binge behaviors, and interpersonal problems in obese individuals, by contrasting obese persons with overweight persons, and to investigate whether body mass index (BMI), binge behaviors, and self-esteem predict interpersonal problems in obese individuals. Methods A group of nonobese overweight people (n = 65; BMI range, 25-29.9 kg/m 2 ) and a group of obese people (n = 78; BMI >35 kg/m 2 ) were selected from 224 people attending a men…

Competing factor structures of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and its measurement invariance across clinical and non-clinical samples

Abstract Although several studies have investigated the factor structure of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), there are still disagreements about it. The present study assessed: a) the goodness of fit of nine competing factor models for the RSES using data from a clinical sample of 855 women with eating/weight disorders; and b) its measurement invariance across clinical and non-clinical (n = 943) samples. A bifactor model, with a general self-esteem factor, plus positive and negative method factors, provided a better fit with the data than alternative models. However, the results showed the high reliability of the general self-esteem factor, and a low reliability of the two method fac…

The Objective and Subjective Caregiving Burden and Caregiving Behaviours of Parents of Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa

Objective: The study aimed to examine caregiving burden and levels of distress, accommodating behaviours, expressed emotion (EE) and carers' skills, in parents of adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Method: A semi-structured interview assessed the objective burden (time spent across caregiving tasks) in parents (n = 196) of adolescents (n = 144) receiving outpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa. Subjective burden (carers' distress), accommodating behaviours, EE and carers' skills were measured by self-report. Results: Mothers, on average, spent 2.5 h/day of care, mainly providing food and emotional support, compared with 1 h/day by fathers. The level of distress and accommodating behaviour…

A longitudinal investigation on problematic Facebook use, psychological distress and well-being during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic

AbstractThe social isolation and the subsequent, increased use of Social Networking Sites due to the COVID-19 pandemic have had an impact on subjective well-being around the world. The present longitudinal study examined whether changes in psychological distress and well-being during the Italian second wave of the pandemic differ among people with different levels of Problematic Facebook Use (PFU). A total of 493 participants (Mage = 24.55 ± 7.25; 80.3% females) completed measures of passive use of Facebook, social comparison orientation on Facebook, fear of missing out, psychological distress (depressive symptoms and fear of COVID-19 pandemic) and well-being across three waves. Latent clas…

Development and validation of a scale to measure caregiver skills in eating disorders

Objective:- The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new questionnaire designed to measure caregiver skills that, in line with the interpersonal component of the cognitive interpersonal maintenance model (Schmidt and Treasure, J Br J Clin Psychol, 45, 343–366, 2006), may be helpful in the support of people with anorexia nervosa (AN). A further aim is to assess whether this scale is sensitive to change following skills-based caregiver interventions. Method:- The Caregiver Skills (CASK) scale was developed by a group of clinicians and caregivers. Preliminary versions of the scale devised for both caregivers and parents were given at baseline and at follow-up after two studies of ca…

Self-esteem and Occupational Self-efficacy as Mediators of the Associations between Perceived Organizational Support, Work Engagement and Job Satisfaction among temporary employees and permanent employees

Introduction: Previous research has documented greater vulnerability and exposure to stress among temporary workers due to labor uncertainty, especially in cases where temporary workers are considered peripheral workers in whom employers are unlikely to invest foster long-term organizational commitment and motivation to work (Becker, 1993; Amuedo-Dorantes 2000; De Cuyper & De Nitte, 2005; De Cuyper at al., 2008). Many characteristics of temporary employment adds to the vulnerability of temporary workers: poor job characteristics, highly monotonous work (Hall 2006), lower influence on workplace decisions (Aronsson et al. 2002; Parker et al. 2002), lower job satisfaction and lower organizatio…

The Feasibility of Using Guided Self-Help in Anorexia Nervosa: An Analysis of Drop-Out From the Study Protocol and Intervention Adherence

The implementation of online technologies to promote wellbeing is increasingly becoming a worldwide priority. This study includes secondary analyses of data and examined drop-out rates in an online guided self-help intervention for patients with anorexia nervosa. Specifically, rates of drop-out at end of treatment (i.e., 6 weeks assessment), as well as intervention adherence (minimum of four of six online guided sessions) and differences between completers and drop-outs were examined. Motivation to change and associated patient variables were assessed as predictors of drop-out using structural equation modeling. Ninety-nine patients were randomized to the intervention arm of the trial. Data…

Relazioni interpersonali, stati emotivi e autostima in soggetti obesi binge eaters

Esito e processo nelle psicoterapie di gruppo: uno studio sul ruolo dell’alleanza terapeutica nel trattamento di pazienti con disturbi alimentari

La valutazione dei drop-out terapeutici: verso un'integrazione dei dati quantitativi e qualitativi nell'analisi del cambiamento in psicoterapia

Il presente studio ha l'obiettivo di valutare se l'utilizzo di un paradigma mixed methods (Dattilio et al., 2010) possa favorire la comprensione degli aspetti che possono essere associati ad un esito positivo o negativo (drop-out) di un trattamento. Sono stati selezionati 4 casi di psicoterapia psicodinamica individuale da un database di ricerca relativo a pazienti seguiti presso un servizio pubblico specialistico per il trattamento dei disturbi alimentare (DCA). Due casi hanno interrotto il trattamento entro 6 mesi dall'inizio, mentre altri due continuano il percorso terapeutico. Ai pazienti sono stati somministrati i seguenti strumenti: una batteria testologica al baseline, finalizzata a …

A three-wave panel study on longitudinal relations between problematic social media use and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: It still remains unclear whether problematic social media use (PSMU) is a cause or a consequence of psychological distress. The present study aimed to investigate the temporal relationships between PSMU and psychological distress through a three-wave panel study (between April and July 2020, with an interval of 1 month between each period of time). Methods: 3,912 adult Italian participants were surveyed during the COVID-19 pandemic for psychological distress (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale) and PSMU (Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale). Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models were applied to disaggregate between-person from within-person associations as regards PSMU an…

A study of personality subtypes in treatment seeking obese patients

Previous research has not been able to identify a distinct personality style that refers specifically to obese individuals. The purpose of this investigation was to explore whether different personality-based groups can be identified in obese individuals, as has been shown with eating disorder patients. Data were collected from 149 obese patients (BMI = 37.3, ± 6.4; 83% female) seeking dietary treatment and psychological support for their weight problems. Participants completed the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III (MCMI-III; Millon, 1997) and a battery of eight measures assessing psychological distress, mood states, eating behaviors, obesity-related quality of life, and interperson…

Self‐esteem mediates the associations among negative affect, body disturbances, and interpersonal problems in treatment‐seeking obese individuals

Background: This study investigated the relationship among negative affect, body image disturbances (BID), and interpersonal problems, and the mediat- ing effect of self-esteem in a group of treatment-seeking obese individuals. Methods: Four hundred twenty-two obese patients (85 males and 337 females) completed standardised measures that assessed negative affect, BID, self-esteem, and interpersonal problems. Results: Structural equation modelling showed that obese individuals with greater negative affect and BID reported higher interpersonal problems and that self-esteem mediated the relationships among negative affect, BID, and interpersonal problems. Conclusions: The mediating role of sel…

Intolerance of Uncertainty and Risk Perception during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Fear of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic, a period of uncertainty and risk, has presented a threat to people’s physical and mental health worldwide. Previous research has shown that pandemic-related uncertainty can contribute to individuals’ psychological distress and coping responses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and risk perception (i.e., individual’s perceived likelihood of becoming infected both for themselves and people in one’s own country and perceived severity of the infection), and the mediating role of fear of COVID-19. This two-wave longitudinal study (T1 = April 2020; T2 = May 2020) involved 486 youn…

The Italian Version of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-32): Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure in Clinical and Non-clinical Groups

All versions of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) are broadly used to measure people's interpersonal functioning. The aims of the current study are: (a) to examine the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Italian version of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-short version (IIP-32); and (b) to evaluate its associations with core symptoms of different eating disorders. One thousand two hundred and twenty three participants (n = 623 non-clinical and n = 600 clinical participants with eating disorders and obesity) filled out the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-short version (IIP-32) along with measures of self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, RSES), psych…

A multi-centre cohort study of short term outcomes of hospital treatment for anorexia nervosa in the UK

Background Individual, family and service level characteristics and outcomes are described for adult and adolescent patients receiving specialist inpatient or day patient treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN). Potential predictors of treatment outcome are explored. Method Admission and discharge data were collected from patients admitted at 14 UK hospital treatment units for AN over a period of three years (adult units N = 12; adolescent N = 2) (patients N = 177). Results One hundred and seventy-seven patients with a severe and enduring illness with wide functional impairment took part in the study. Following inpatient care, physical improvement was moderate/good with a large increase in BMI,…

Il trattamento dei DCA in infanzia e adolescenza: l'esperienza del CE.DI.AL.

From telescope to binoculars. Dyadic outcome resulting from psychological counselling for infertile couples undergoing ART

Objective This longitudinal study aims to evaluate the effect of psychological counselling on quality of life, marital satisfaction and need for parenthood in couples undergoing fertility treatments (ART). Background Recent guidelines on the ART suggest that psychological counselling should target both members of the infertile couple in order to improve their conjoint management of the infertility-related stress. However, studies on the dyadic outcome of couples are scarce. Methods 262 patients were originally considered in the study and completed questionnaires on quality of life, need for parenthood and marital satisfaction, before treatment (T1) and at the day of intrauterine inseminatio…

Dimensioni di personalità in soggetti con disturbi del comportamento alimentare

The role of emotion dysregulation in adolescents’ problematic smartphone use: A study on adolescent/parents triads

Abstract The pervasive use of mobile phones among adolescents has led researchers to evaluate the role of parental characteristics in connection with their children's problematic smartphone use (PSU). The present study involved mother/father/adolescent triads and aimed to test a model examining the role of both parents' and adolescents' emotion dysregulation (ED) in predicting children's PSU. Two hundred and fifty-two adolescent (57.5% females; M age = 13.54, SD = 0.73)/mother (M age = 43.92, SD = 4.46)/father (M age = 47.60, SD = 5.10) triads provided measures of PSU and ED. Results from path model showed that, after controlling for adolescents' age and gender as well as for parents' age a…

Carer’s experience of a brief systemic group intervention for Parents of young patients with Eating Disorders: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Several studies support the importance of involving parents of adolescents with eating disorders (ED) to facilitate successful treatment. This study explored the experiences of parents of adolescents with ED after having participated in a brief systemic group intervention. Methodology: Data were obtained from a group of 12 parents (mean age = 51,82 ys; sd = 6,40), of adolescent outpatients (mean age = 18 ys; ds = 2,83) with ED, carried out in an Italian public center specializing in ED treatment. All participants filled in a questionnaire constructed specifically for this study measuring group helpful events for the individual and for the family. The content analysis was perfo…

Examining bi-directionality between Fear of Missing Out and problematic smartphone use. A two-wave panel study among adolescents.

Abstract Background In recent years, the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) construct has been the object of growing attention in digital technology research with previous studies finding support for the relationship between FoMO and problematic smartphone use (PSU) among adolescents and young adults. However, no previous studies clarified the causal link between FoMO and PSU using a longitudinal design. Methods An auto-regressive, cross-lagged panel design was tested by using a longitudinal dataset with two waves of data collection (T0 and T1, one year apart). Participants included two hundred and forty-two adolescents (109 males and 133 females), with a mean age of 14.16 years, who filled out the…

The Fertility Quality of Life Questionnaire (FertiQoL) Relational subscale: psychometric properties and discriminant validity across gender.

Study question Is the Fertility Quality of Life Questionnaire (FertiQoL)-Relational Scale a valid measure to assess the relational domain regarding quality of life in women and men undergoing infertility treatment? Summary answer The FertiQoL-Relational scale (FertiQoL-REL) showed good psychometric properties and captured core aspects of couple relationships. What is known already FertiQoL has become a gold standard for the assessment of infertility-related quality of life in patients undergoing assisted reproduction treatment (ART). Despite its growing importance, no previous studies have examined the convergent validity of the FertiQoL-REL and its discriminant validity across gender. Stud…

Relazioni interpersonali, stati emotivi e autostima in soggetti obesi Binge Eaters.

An examination of the impact of care giving styles (accommodation and skilful communication and support) on the one year outcome of adolescent anorexia nervosa: Testing the assumptions of the cognitive interpersonal model in anorexia nervosa

Abstract Background The cognitive interpersonal model predicts that parental caregiving style will impact on the rate of improvement of anorexia nervosa symptoms. The study aims to examine whether the absolute levels and the relative congruence between mothers' and fathers' care giving styles influenced the rate of change of their children's symptoms of anorexia nervosa over 12 months. Methods Triads ( n =54) consisting of patients with anorexia nervosa and both of their parents were included in the study. Caregivers completed the Caregiver Skills scale and the Accommodation and Enabling Scale at intake. Patients completed the Short Evaluation of Eating Disorders at intake and at monthly in…

Factors Affecting Hesitancy to mRNA and Viral Vector COVID-19 Vaccines among College Students in Italy

Vaccine hesitancy (VH) may be significant in jeopardizing efforts to mass containment of COVID-19. A cross-sectional survey was carried out on a sample of 2667 Italian college students, before the COVID-19 vaccines became available for this age group (from 7 May to 31 May 2021). An online survey was created to obtain information about socio-demographic, health-related, and psychological factors linked to mRNA and viral vector COVID-19 vaccines. Statistically significant higher VH (30.4%) and vaccine resistance (12.2%) rates were found for viral vector than mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (7.2% and 1.0%, respectively; p < 0.001). Factors related to viral vector VH were partially different from tho…

Pattern of interpersonal problems and mood states in the assessment of treatment-seeking-obese individuals

The impact of Facebook use on self-reported eating disorders during the COVID-19 lockdown.

AbstractBackgroundThe social isolation due to the COVID-19-related lockdown has had an impact on social media consumption around the world. This study examines the relationship between fear of COVID-19, Facebook use and disordered eating.MethodsStructural Equation Modeling was used to analyse two-wave survey data (T0: Italian first lockdown; T1: after two months) during the pandemic. Young adults with self-reported dysfunctional eating behaviors (N = 115; 91.3% females; mean age = 28.60 ± 7.31) were recruited to complete an online survey at T0; 66 participants (92.4% females; mean age = 28.85 ± 7.85) completed the survey at T1. They were assessed on Facebook use, dysfunctional eating cognit…

Patients with Binge Eating Disorder and Obesity have qualitatively different interpersonal characteristics: Results from an Interpersonal Circumplex study.

Background: Patients with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and obesity experience distressing relationships, which could trigger negative affect and over-eating. To date no studies compared the interpersonal profiles and prototypicality of both groups using the Interpersonal Circumplex.Method: A sample of 177 patients with BED (mean age: 41.0 +/- 12.5 years; 11.3% males), 321 obese non-BED adults (mean age: 44.5 +/- 13.4 years; 28% males), and 108 normal weight adults (mean age: 37.3 +/- 9.6 years; 52.77% males) completed the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-32), and scales of binge eating and psychological distress at one time-point.Results: Compared to normal weight and obese participa…

Dimensioni di personalità in soggetti obesi BED e NON-BED.

Introduzione Pochi studi hanno esaminato la presenza di differenti dimensioni di personalità in soggetti obesi BED e non-BED (Peterson et al., 2010) e i risultati appaiono ancora poco chiari. Lo studio si propone di: a) confrontare le dimensioni di personalità in soggetti obesi BED e non-BED; b) approfondire l’associazione tra stili di personalità e comportamenti binge in relazione ad altre variabili sintomatiche. Metodo 143 soggetti adulti obesi non-BED e 60 soggetti obesi BED che hanno richiesto un trattamento presso un sevizio pubblico sui disturbi alimentari, hanno compilato i seguenti strumenti di assessment: MCMI-III (Millon, 1997), BES (Gormally et al, 1982), OQ-45 (Lambert et al., 2…

The psychological impact of COVID-19 on people suffering from dysfunctional eating behaviours: a linguistic analysis of the contents shared in an online community during the lockdown.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread several months ago from China and it is now a global pandemic. The experience of lockdown has been an undesirable condition for people with mental health problems, including eating disorders. The present study has the aim of understanding the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with selfreported disordered eating behaviours. A linguistic analysis was carried out with regard to the online posts and comments published by 1971 individuals (86% women) in a Facebook online community focusing on EDs during the lockdown. A total of 244 posts and 3603 comments were collected during the 56 days of lockdown (from the 10th of March…

Factors Related to Women’s Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from a Two-Wave Longitudinal Study

Background. A growing body of research has highlighted the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s mental health. Previous studies showed that women have higher levels of depression, anxiety and PTSD, and worse psychological adjustment than men, which also persisted after the earlier phase of the pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate changes in women’s psychological distress during the pandemic and to evaluate the factors that have a more significant impact in predicting women’s psychological distress. Methods. This two-wave longitudinal study (T1 = Italian first lockdown, and T2 = second phase, when the restrictive measures were eased) involved 893 women (Mage = 36.45, SD = 1…

Esito e cambiamento nelle psicoterapie di gruppo tra ricerca e clinica

Profili di personalità in pazienti con disturbi del comportamento alimentare: uno studio con la SWAP-200.

Introduzione: Osservazioni cliniche hanno suggerito la presenza di una relazione tra personalità e DCA ed evidenze empiriche hanno confermato la presenza di livelli di comorbilità tra DCA e PD che variano dal 27% al 97% (Vrabel et al., 2010). In linea con le indicazioni presenti in letteratura (De Bolle et al., 2010), obiettivo del presente studio è di valutare in soggetti con diagnosi DCA, o con condotte alimentari scorrette, lo stile di personalità prevalente (sia in termini categoriali sia dimensionali). Metodo: La valutazione della personalità è stata effettuata da 12 psicologi clinici e psicoterapeuti, di diversi orientamenti teorici, che hanno compilato la SWAP-200 (Westen et al., 200…

Le caratteristiche di personalità nei pazienti obesi. Uno studio con il MCMI-III

The Thin Ideal and Attitudes towards Appearance as Correlates of Exercise Addiction among Sporty People during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The stress and anxiety caused by the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) have exacerbated body image concerns. A society that perpetuates the attempt for a perfect and thin appearance represents a fertile ground for the development of exercise addiction (EA). This cross-sectional study aims to explore EA during the second wave of the pandemic (October–December 2020) and to examine the independent influence of both time spent on moderate and vigorous physical activities and body image variables (i.e., drive for leanness and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance) on EA. A sample of Italian sporty people (N = 194; 48.5% females; Mage = 25.91 ± 6.32) was surveyed using the Exercise Addiction In…

Binge eating partially mediates the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and psychological distress in obese treatment seeking individuals.

Abstract Introduction We compared the binge eating pathway linking body image dissatisfaction (BID) and psychological distress of obese adults entering and not entering psychological treatment for their weight problems. Method 90 obese participants seeking an integrated treatment (OB-IT) and 87 obese participants seeking only medical treatment (OB-MT) for their weight problems completed questionnaires on BID, binge eating and psychological well-being. Results Only in the OB-IT group, binge eating behaviors mediated the relationship between BID and psychological distress. Conclusions Both BID and binge eating behaviors need to be addressed in the psychological and medical treatment for obesi…

Vissuti emotivi e bisogni non soddisfatti nei caregivers familiari di soggetti con disturbo del comportamento alimentare.

Introduzione ed obiettivi: Nella ricerca clinica, il termine carer viene utilizzato per riferirsi a quelle persone direttamente coinvolte o con un ruolo significativo nella vita di un soggetto con un disturbo mentale. Finora è stata condotta poca ricerca sulla specificità dei caregivers di pazienti con disturbi alimentari. I disturbi del comportamento alimentare (ED) pongono diverse sfide ai caregivers, come la mancanza di informazioni, scarso supporto sociale e comprensione, burden psicologico. Questo studio esplorativo di tipo cross-sectional si focalizza sui bisogni psicologici e sull’esperienza di assistenza dei carers di pazienti con un disturbo alimentare, con l’obiettivo di esplorare…

Understanding the smartphone generation: is problematic smartphone use associated with low body esteem among adolescent girls and boys?

Contemporary adolescents increasingly engage with social media via their smartphones, and problematic smartphone use has been identified as a growing concern. The aim of the current study was to examine the association between problematic smartphone use and body esteem among adolescent boys and girls. A sample of 647 adolescents (mean age: 14.15 years; 56.7% females) completed measures of problematic smartphone use, emotional regulation, and body esteem. Findings from hierarchical regression models revealed that problematic smartphone use was weakly associated with body esteem among both adolescent girls and boys. Furthermore, difficulties with emotional regulation were moderately associate…

The Role of Couples' Attachment Styles in Patients' Adjustment to Cancer.

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> This study aimed to understand how psychological variables and attachment styles can contribute to improve effective and functional adjustment to the disease and promote better psychological well-being. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A total of 176 participants (88 couples) took part in this research. One member of each couple attended surgery centers at the Oncology Department of the University Hospital of Palermo. Each participant had filled in 5 questionnaires assessing the variables couple relationships, quality of life, anxiety, depression, and psychosocial adjustment to illness. <b><i>Results:</i></b…