Publications by authors named "Alessandra Simonelli"

Infants show a personal preference for fair over unfair distributors from the first months of life, demonstrating an early sense of distributive fairness. However, there is a lack of knowledge on how such infants' preferences can be influenced by maternal factors. This study explored the role of maternal social referencing on the development of fairness by presenting 11-month-old infants with familiarization events and a test trial performed by their mothers.

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Background: Contemporary models of personality assessment emphasize a dimensional rather than a categorical framework for measuring an individual's level of personality functioning. This viewpoint has also been incorporated into official diagnostic manuals, such as the Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD). Assessment instruments for personality functioning according to the AMPD are increasingly being developed and used, but controversies remain regarding the two-factor (vs.

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Parental substance use disorder (SUD) constitutes a major public health problem and a well-known risk condition for child development, largely due to exposure to dysfunctional caregiving practices, ranging from less-than-optimal maternal sensitivity to severe forms of abuse or neglect. However, most research focused on specific parenting features or on maternal and child behaviors separately, which may not be representative of the quality of their relationship as a whole. The aim of this study was to identify patterns of dyadic emotional availability and their association with different risk factors in the context of maternal SUD.

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Background: To ensure wide implementation of the Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) recommendations beyond English-speaking countries, the availability of recommended concussion assessment tools in other languages is a key step, especially in countries where few sport-related concussion guidelines exist. We describe the process and adaptations followed in the Italian translation of the latest CISG concussion assessment tools: the Concussion Recognition Tool 6 (CRT6™), the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 6 (SCAT6®) and the Sport Concussion Office Assessment Tool 6 (SCOAT6™).

Methods: Based on CISG procedures, we engaged in an 8-step process which sequentially included verbatim translation in Italian, reconciliation of translation and cultural adaptation, back-translation (from Italian into English), appraisal of the back-translation, validation of the refined Italian version, review and adjustment by an expert committee, pilot testing in 12 amateur athletes and document finalization.

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This cross-sectional study aimed to identify potential predictors of poor mental health outcomes among healthcare workers in two different waves of the COVID-19 emergency in Italy. An online survey collected data from N = 557 healthcare workers (21-77 years). The study predictors were sociodemographic characteristics, occupational status, factors related to the work environment, COVID-19-related adverse events, and lifetime traumatic events.

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Background: COVID-19 pandemic characterised a unique and vulnerable social, emotional, and health environment for pregnancy, with potential long-lasting risks to maternal and child health outcomes. In women who were pregnant at the peak of COVID-19 pandemic, we investigated the association between pandemic-related concerns about pregnancy and delivery and both the parent's (i.e.

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This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the role of maternal cognitive functioning and psychopathology in parent-child relationship quality during residential treatment for mothers with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), in order to identify factors that may enhance or limit intervention effects.We assessed cognitive functioning (Esame Neuropsicologico Breve-2 [ENB-2]) and psychopathology (Symptom Checklist-90 Revised [SCL-90-R]) in 60 mothers diagnosed with SUD (Mage = 30.13 yrs; = 6.

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Background: The security measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 emergency have caused complex consequences. The aim of the present study is to examine the repercussions of the pandemic on individuals belonging to gender identity minority groups, who have experienced heightened levels of stress in comparison to the general population.

Methods: Online interviews with 12 transgender participants who resided in Italy during the pandemic were conducted and subsequently analyzed following the thematic analysis methodology.

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Purpose: The prevalence of parental burnout, a condition that has severe consequences for both parents and children, varies dramatically across countries and is highest in Western countries characterized by high individualism.

Method: In this study, we examined the mediators of the relationship between individualism measured at the country level and parental burnout measured at the individual level in 36 countries (16,059 parents).

Results: The results revealed three mediating mechanisms, that is, self-discrepancies between socially prescribed and actual parental selves, high agency and self-directed socialization goals, and low parental task sharing, by which individualism leads to an increased risk of burnout among parents.

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For mother-infant health especially, the pandemic has brought multiple stressors inside a susceptible psychobiological system. We study the longitudinal associations between maternal prenatal and postpartum: (a) COVID-19 stressful events exposure, (b) pandemic psychological stress, and (c) mental health and infants' negative affect. A sample of 643 Italian pregnant women completed a web-based survey from April 8 to May 4, 2020 and a follow-up at 6 months after delivery.

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Vulnerable populations have been among the most affected by the social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic; among those, young people and sexual and gender minorities have seen their situation exacerbated by new specific regulations. The aim of the present study was twofold: first, to assess the role of family climate, concerning participants' LGBT+ status during lockdown restrictions, in mediating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on personal quality of life and mental health (stress, depression, and anxiety); second, to assess how individual stable traits can moderate the relationship between the individual impact of COVID-19 on mental health outcomes. A total of 407 young adults aged 18 to 35 (M age = 25.

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Background: Maternal substance use disorder (SUD) represents a risk condition for quality of parenting and child development. The current literature highlights the need to identify interventions that effectively enhance the quality of parenting and to better understand which mechanisms are involved in the process of change. The present study protocol describes a randomized wait-list controlled trial that aims to examine (1) the efficacy of the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) in improving the quality of parenting (i.

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Maternal experiences of childhood adversity can increase the risk of emotional and behavioural problems in their children. This systematic review and meta-analysis provide the first narrative and quantitative synthesis of the mediators and moderators involved in the link between maternal childhood adversity and children's emotional and behavioural development. We searched EMBASE, PsycINFO, Medline, Cochrane Library, grey literature and reference lists.

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The prenatal environment is of fundamental importance for the fetus, as the fetus is particularly susceptible to environmental influences while in utero, and several prenatal adversities may constitute a risk factor for fetal growth and child development. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) refers to a pregnancy complication involving the inadequate growth of the fetus in utero, with potential programming consequences on the children's brain-behavior development. In this narrative review we will discuss the most recent literature about IUGR children, including their development and their relationship with the prenatal and postnatal environment.

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Importance: The Padova Chart for Health in Children (PCHC) aims to gather the evidence of healthcare promotion and protection for chidren and adolescents (i.e., aged <18 y) into a single document in order to guide families, healthcare providers and social actors on healthy choices.

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Childhood temperament is an early characteristic shaping later life adjustment. However, little is currently known about the stability of early temperament and its susceptibility to the environment in children born very preterm (VPT; <33 weeks’ gestation). Here, we investigated infant-to-childhood temperamental trajectories, and their interaction with parental practices, in VPT children.

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Objectives: To evaluate whether intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) adds further neurodevelopmental risk to that posed by very preterm birth alone in terms of alterations in brain growth and poorer toddlerhood outcomes.

Study Design: Participants were 314 infants of very preterm birth enrolled in the Evaluation of Preterm Imaging Study (e-Prime) who were subsequently followed up in toddlerhood. IUGR was identified postnatally from discharge records (n = 49) and defined according to prenatal evaluation of growth restriction confirmed by birth weight <10th percentile for gestational age and/or alterations in fetal Doppler.

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Background: Maternal-Fetal Attachment (MFA) describes the cognitive-representational, emotional, and behavioral aspects of the mother-fetus relationship that develops during pregnancy. We present two studies conducted on pregnant Italian women. In Study I, we aimed to explore multifaceted associations of MFA with variables important for a healthy pregnancy (e.

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Unlabelled: High levels of stress in the parenting domain can lead to , a condition that has severe consequences for both parents and children It is not yet clear, however, whether parental burnout varies by culture, and if so, why it might do so. In this study, we examined the prevalence of parental burnout in 42 countries (17,409 parents; 71% mothers; M = 39.20) and showed that the prevalence of parental burnout varies dramatically across countries.

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Objective: Patients with epilepsy are at risk for several lifetime problems, in which neuropsychological impairments may represent an impacting factor. We evaluated the neuropsychological functions in children suffering from three main epilepsy categories. Further, we analyzed the longitudinal evolution of the neuropsychological profile over time.

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Background: Maternal substance use disorder (SUD) represents a severe risk for caregiving, affecting diverse domains of parenting behaviors, such as sensitivity, structuring, intrusiveness, and hostility. Various studies highlighted that difficulties in parenting behaviors in the context of SUD are exacerbated by the co-occurrence of psychopathological symptoms. A large body of research points out the presence of high rates of alexithymia in individuals with SUD, and some studies provide evidence of an association between this psychopathological aspect and parenting.

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Importance: The magnitude of the association of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and small for gestational age (SGA) status with cognitive outcomes in preterm and term-born children has not been established.

Objective: To examine cognitive outcomes of preterm and term-born children who had IUGR and were SGA compared with children who were appropriate for gestational age (AGA) during the first 12 years of life.

Data Sources: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, the Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, PsycInfo, and ERIC databases were searched for English-language, peer-reviewed literature published between January 1, 2000, and February 20, 2020.

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Perinatal growth vulnerability (e.g., Small for Gestational Age, SGA) poses the goal to not overlook subtle developmental susceptibilities and their impact on the parent-infant relationship.

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Past research on the associations between psychopathological symptoms and technological-based addictions, i.e., Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and Social Media Addiction (SMA), showed contradictory results in adolescents and adult populations.

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