Alessandro Musetti

Challenges in internet addiction disorder: Is a diagnosis feasible or not?

An important international discussion began because of some pioneer studies carried out by Young (a) on the internet addiction disorder (IAD). In the fifth and most recent version of the Diagnostic, and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) there is no mention of this disorder and among researchers there are basically two opposite positions. Those who are in favor of a specific diagnosis and those who are claiming the importance of specific criteria characterizing this behavior and the precise role it has in the patient’s life. The aim of the present paper is to answer the question whether it is possible or not to formulate diagnoses of internet-related disorders. We revised literature on the history of diagnostic criteria, on neurocognitive evidence, on the topic debate and on IAD instrumental measures. We found that the disorder was not univocally defined and that the construct was somehow too broad and generic to be explicative for a diagnosis. Indeed, the models are borrowed from other addiction pathologies and they are often formulated before the development of internet as intended in current society. In conclusion, we think we need a more innovative, integrated and comprehensive model for an IAD diagnosis.

Typically developing adolescents’ experience of growing up with a brother with an autism spectrum disorder

ABSTRACT Background Researchers studying siblings of people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suggest that growing up with an individual with disability has positive and negative effects. Method Qualitative content analysis of semistructured interviews with 14 typically developing (TD) adolescents with a brother with an ASD and their mothers was used to explore the experience of growing up with a sibling with an ASD and identify differences in the relationship with, and attitude toward, the brother. Results TD siblings expressed mixed feelings about their brother, a precocious sense of responsibility, concern about the future, friendship difficulties, and troubles and the desire to talk about their experience. Most adolescents integrated their positive and negative feelings; however, 3 adolescents displayed rejection, denial, or a sense of persecution. Conclusions Qualitative research into the experiences of adolescent siblings of people with an ASD should be used to develop support programs to help adolescents manage their relationship with a sibling with a disability.

Innate and Cultural Spatial Time: A Developmental Perspective

We reviewed literature to understand when a spatial map for time is available in the brain. We carefully defined the concepts of metrical map of time and of conceptual representation of time as the mental time line (MTL) in order to formulate our position. It is that both metrical map and conceptual representation of time are spatial in nature. The former should be innate, related to motor/implicit timing, it should represent all magnitudes with an analogic and bi-dimensional structure. The latter MTL should be learned, available at about 8–10 years-old and related to cognitive/explicit time. It should have uni-dimensional, linear and directional structure (left-to-right in Western culture). We bear the centrality of the development of number cognition, of time semantic concepts and of reading/writing habits for the development of ordinality and linearity of the MTL.

Exploring the Link among State of Mind Concerning Childhood Attachment, Attachment in Close Relationships, Parental Bonding, and Psychopathological Symptoms in Substance Users

Background: In the present study, we have explored the link among styles of attachment and psychopathology in drug users. We know that insecure attachment predisposes the individuals the development of drug-addiction and psychopathological symptoms. However, we do not know which attachment is more frequent in drug users and which is related to particular psychopathological symptoms. The aim of the present work is to explore the relationship between childhood attachment state of mind, attachment in close relationships, parental bonding and psychopathology in sample of Italian substance users. Methods: We explored, in a sample of 70 drug users and drug-addicted patients, the childhood attachment state of mind measured by the Adult Attachment Interview, the attachment in close relationships by the Relationship Questionnaire and parental bonding measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument. The Symptom Check-List-90-R (SCL-90-R) measured psychopathological symptoms. Results: We found that parental bonding, rather than state of mind concerning childhood attachment or attachment in close relationships, is related to the psychopathological manifestation of anxiety, hostility, depression, and paranoid ideation in the sample. The latter occurs frequently in our sample, independent of state of mind concerning child attachment, attachment in close relationships, and parental bonding, suggesting its role either as a factor that favors a bad image of the participants’ own relationships or as a direct effect of consuming drugs. Conclusion: These results have clinical implications on suggesting ways of interventions that prevent drug-addiction, which should include the evaluation of attachment in the prodromic phases of substance use onset or rehabilitation programs to prevent and manage psychotic-like symptoms.

Solitudine e autodeterminazione in adolescenza

Il presente studio indaga la relazione tra il grado di autodeterminazione al comportamento solitario, il sentimento di solitudine e l’attitudine nei confronti di tale esperienza. A 1143 adolescenti di eta compresa tra i 14 e i 20 anni (M=16.71; DS= 1.52) sono stati somministrati il Frequency of and Autonomy for Solitary and Interpersonal Behavior (FASIB; Beiswenger, 2008) e il Louvain Loneliness Scale for Children and Adolescents (LLCA; Marcoen, Goossens, e Caes, 1987). Un’indagine sulle proprieta psicometriche del FASIB ne ha mostrato l’applicabilita nel contesto italiano (Studio 1). L’analisi delle correlazioni di Pearson ha evidenziato una relazione positiva tra motivazione autonoma al comportamento solitario e l’affinita per la solitudine. Il sentimento di solitudine nei confronti dei pari e correlato con la motivazione esterna al comportamento solitario e con l’assenza di motivazione (Studio 2). I dati supportano la teoria dell’autodeterminazione, sottolineando il ruolo dell’autonomia nella messa in atto dei comportamenti solitari.

Teaching and Cultural Otherness

This work focuses on the relational dimension of the encounter between teacher and students meant as a structural element for teaching practice. By using theoretical group-analytical and anthropo-analytical coordinates, the authors psychodynamically problematize some relational conditions that may influence learning. This research concentrates on the circumstances that limit and allow the birth of a group arrangement capable to learn from experience, rather than on a perspective to teach-learn in a perfect agreement with planning. Intercultural education is pointed out and located as a horizon and ideal term to guide educational practice.

The trans-autobiographical writing in the psychiatric context

ABSTRACT Autobiographical narration workshops are widely used in psychiatric contexts to support pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments. However, telling of oneself in the first person could expose a person with schizophrenia to excessive psychic pain. Then, new methodologies are needed to promote narrative processing. The present study explored whether a trans-autobiographical narrative (which combines autobiographical and fictional narrative) allows the schizophrenic patient to narrate differently from the classic autobiographical narrative. One female participant with Schizophrenia read an autobiographical phrase (initial stimulus) and wrote three fictional stories taking as a starting point the initial stimulus. At each of three steps the participant commented on how she mediated between autobiography and fiction. Content and formal aspects of texts have been analyzed with qualitative approach derived from criteria of dynamic psychology, narratology, and textual semiotics. At the third step, the text is more metaphorical (symbolisation increases), defense mechanisms are more mature, the author moves from internal focalisation to zero focalisation. Trans-autobiographical narrative helped the author to decentralise his point of view and to look at himself from the outside. It was useful to soften the defence mechanisms in self-representation, to process negative emotions through a playful and fictional perspective and to retrace parts of the author’s personal story.

Depressione materna e paterna: fattori di rischio e di protezione nella genitorialità

La psicopatologia, di uno o di entrambi i partner, puo essere considerata un fattore di vulnerabilita che incide sulla capacita della coppia di gestire le esperienze stressanti e puo interferire con le funzioni di caregiving. In particolare, la depressione esperita durante la gravidanza e l’eventuale depressione del partner sono fattori che aumentano la probabilita sia nella madre sia nel padre di dar luogo a modalita relazionali imprevedibili e incoerenti nella comunicazione emotiva con il proprio bambino. Alla luce dei dati che mettono in relazione il comportamento materno disattento e distaccato e il comportamento intrusivo e rifiutante con la depressione materna, ci sono buone ragioni per ipotizzare che i figli di madri depresse abbiano una maggiore probabilita di sviluppare un attaccamento insicuro e di manifestare disturbi del comportamento e sintomi depressivi. In questa relazione interattiva quale funzione svolge il padre? Il ruolo paterno e un potenziale fattore protettivo, all’interno del sistema padre-madre-bambino? Lo scopo di questa rassegna e quello di delineare lo stato dell’arte relativo allo studio della depressione materna come fattore di rischio per lo sviluppo delle competenze genitoriali ed evidenziare il ruolo paterno nella relazione madre-bambino, con una funzione protettiva rispetto ai rischi della depressione materna.