Donata Francescato

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Affective Education Online Training in Promoting Academic and Professional Learning and Social Capital

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of face-to-face and online education seminars in the professional training of psychology majors and in promoting the development of social capital. Forty-four university students, balanced by gender, age, and academic achievement were divided in two groups, online and face to face, taught by the same teacher. Individual learning scales were administered and students were tested on group processes tasks to measure professional skills acquisition. A follow-up interview 9 months after the end of the seminar was undertaken to assess whether social bonds, formed during the seminars, had lasted over time. An analysis of variance and Mann-Whitney test were used to analyze the data. Results show that students of both groups increased their academic knowledge and social capital, but Computer Supported Collaborative Learning students acquired more group observation skills.

A multidimensional perspective of organizational change

This paper discusses some key societal changes which are pressuring organizations to find new ways to use their workforces more creatively so that they can face increasing environmental and internal complexity. It is argued that we should use a multidimensional perspective to promote the multifaceted organizational change needed in todays society, since each existing approach gives a distinctive but partial contribution to the understanding of organizational phenomena. A multidimensional training and intervention technique we have begun to develop to promote organizational change is then presented, and this is compared and contrasted with Critical Systems philosophy, principles, and methods of intervention.

Community Psychology Practice Competencies in Undergraduate and Graduate Programs in Italy

In this paper we discuss several Community Psychology (CP) practice competencies learnedin our existing undergraduate and graduate programs, which are similar to the ones taught in most international settings. We then describe some specific intervention methodologies that have been developed in Italy and in Europe. In the third part of the paper, we attempt to look at some of the challenges facing CP training programs in this time of crisis and uncertain future.

Gender differences in personal values of national and local Italian politicians, activists and voters.

Theorists of politics of presence postulate that women elected to political office would still hold values similar to ordinary women and therefore represent them better than male politicians. Gender differences in personal values, which underline and give coherence to core political values, have been found among voters: males score higher on self-enhancement values (power and achievement) and females higher on self-transcendence values (universalism and benevolence). Our study aims to explore if gender differences in personal values are still present among activists, local and national politicians. We administer a shortened version of the Portrait Values Questionnaire to 233 Italian national politicians (46% females), 425 local politicians (56% females), 626 political activists (44% females), and 3249 ordinary citizens (49% females). Our results confirm only partially politics of presence theory: females at all levels of political involvement score higher in self-transcendent values that emphasise concern for the welfare of others, but no significant gender differences emerge for self-enhancement, which favour the pursuit of self-interest. Our findings support ethical struggles for more balanced gender representation: a higher proportion of women in politics could strengthen the political representation of self-transcendence values.

Umorismo e Salute: una sinergia possibile

La presente ricerca ha esplorato le relazioni tra l’umorismo e la qualita della vita, intesa come benessere psicofisico degli individui. Lo scopo della ricerca e stato quello di esaminare la relazione tra inclinazione generale all’umorismo nelle sue componenti di apprezzamento e creativita umoristica e la salute e l’empowerment individuale, nonche la relazione tra questi e la tendenza ad utilizzare l’umorismo come strategia di coping. I soggetti coinvolti nella ricerca sono stati in totale 333, di cui 160 maschi e 173 femmine. Ai partecipanti sono state somministrate le seguenti scale: Test di Ziv sull’Umorismo; Coping Humor Scale; Symptom Checklist-90-R; Scala dell’Empowerment. Le correlazioni tra le scale mostrano che ad una maggiore inclinazione all’umorismo corrisponde un miglior stato di salute. In particolare un elevato apprezzamento umoristico e maggiormente correlato con la presenza di minori sintomi di malattie psicosomatiche. Chi ha un’elevata inclinazione all’umorismo, in particolare nella sua dimensione di apprezzamento dell’umorismo, ha, inoltre, punteggi piu alti di empowerment, specialmente per cio che riguarda la sottoscala della leadership e perseguimento degli obiettivi. Coloro che hanno alti punteggi alla Coping Humor Scale hanno bassi punteggi alla scala delle malattie psicosomatiche ed un empowerment piu elevato in tutte le sue dimensioni.

Strengthening community psychology in Europe through increasing professional competencies for the new Territorial Community Psychologists

In this paper, we first discuss the “political activist” model proposed by critical community psychologists and the specific competencies needed to play this role. We then illustrate the recent passing of regional laws in Italy that create the new figure of the “territorial community psychologist,” who works directly with the services of city municipalities. We outline the tasks the new laws assign to these territorial community psychologists and describe the competencies needed to perform the tasks these laws mandate. Then we discuss if in Italy we need to make further progress in our training of community psychologists to better prepare them for this new role of territorial community psychologists. Finally, we consider if an integration of critical psychology and mainstream community psychology could contribute to strengthen community psychology in Europe.

Dispositional characteristics, relational well-being and perceived life satisfaction and empowerment of elders

ABSTRACT Objectives: The broad purpose of this research is to identify the key modifiable variables most related to elders’ life satisfaction and empowerment in order to improve the efficacy of interventions projects. Our study aims to integrate the theoretical perspectives of personality and community psychology focusing both on dispositional characteristics and relational well-being of elders, investigating triads, composed by an elder, a paid caregiver and the most involved relative. This study explores the impact of (1) some socio-demographic characteristics of elders, (2) some modifiable dispositional variables of elders and (3) elders’ relational well-being on elders’ empowerment and life satisfaction. Method: The study involved 429 people in 143 triads. Semi-structured interviews with elders, paid caregiver and close relatives were used to construct a new pilot measure of elders’ relational well-being. Life Satisfaction, Empowerment, Loneliness, Positivity, Humor and Emotions self-efficacy scales were also administered. Hierarchical multiple regressions were performed. Results: Elders’ positivity, relational well-being of elders and living alone were significantly related to empowerment. Elders’ relational well-being and positivity significantly contributed to life satisfaction. Discussion: Interventions to increase empowerment and life satisfaction should focus primarily on augmenting positivity and relational well-being integrating the theoretical premises of both personality and community psychology.

Nonni e nipoti adulti: verso nuovi pattern di solidarietà intergenerazionale

L’aumento del numero degli anziani, e in particolare dei grandi anziani, ha evidenziato come i servizi pubblici e privati siano insufficienti a far fronte alle loro diverse esigenze e come occorra promuovere la solidarieta intergenerazionale tra anziani, figli e nipoti adolescenti e giovani adulti. Purtroppo, finora, le ricerche sulla solidarieta intergenerazionale hanno esplorato le relazioni tra anziani e figli, e molto piu raramente con nipoti adolescenti o giovani adulti, e quasi nessuna ha incluso nonni, genitori e nipoti. Scopi e metodologia: abbiamo coinvolto 140 triadi composte da nonno (eta media 80 anni) genitore (eta media 52 anni) e nipote (eta media 24 anni). Ispirandoci alle teorie della solidarieta intergenerazionale di Silverstein, Bengston e Laron (1997), abbiamo esaminato quali tipologie di sostegno intergenerazionale (contatto, strumentale e socio-emotivo) erano maggiormente presenti ed esplorato le tipologie di eventuali conflitti intergenerazionali. Inoltre, abbiamo sondato le opinioni dei membri della triade sul probabile aumento di scontri generazionali. Risultati: molti nipoti italiani stanno gia operando come figure di sostegno nelle triadi con buoni rapporti e con forte presenza di sostegno socio-emotivo. In una minoranza dove i rapporti nelle triade sono meno buoni emergono conflitti che diminuiscono la propensione dei nipoti a offrire sostegno coi nonni. Particolarmente critica la situazione di nonne anziane e vedove che costituiscono un gruppo a rischio che dovrebbe essere al centro di future ricerche. Per quanto riguarda l’eventualita di scontri sociali, la maggioranza dei nostri intervistati li ritiene possibili, ma spera che le divergenze di interesse possano essere risolte con il confronto e il dialogo. Una minoranza appartenente a triadi che hanno rapporti conflittuali, o dove il nonno ha un livello di scolarita basso, o e molto anziano, ritiene inevitabili questi scontri per la mancata comunicazione tra giovani e anziani al di fuori dalla famiglia, e le enormi differenze nelle esperienze di vita tra le due generazioni che rendono difficoltosa o impossibile la comprensione reciproca. Emerge la necessita di creare nuove opportunita di incontro e confronto in luoghi pubblici tra anziani e giovani.

Promoting Social Capital, Empowerment and Counter-Stereotypical Behavior in Male and Female Students in Online CSCL Communuties

© 2012 Mebane et al., licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Promoting Social Capital, Empowerment and Counter-Stereotypical Behavior in Male and Female Students in Online CSCL Communuties