Elena Commodari

Attention and aging

Background and aims: Aging is a condition characterized by a general decline in many types of physical and psychological performance, but its effects on various cognitive functions are still controversial. When viewed along a time-course, several abilities clearly differ in their stability or decline with aging. Among psychological functioning in the elderly, changes in attention are not fully understood. The aim of our research was to analyze attentive performance in a sample of subjects aged 55–65, evaluating various aspects of attentive functioning with respect to the gender variable and to verify if aging affects all attentive functions equally. Methods: The sample included 80 subjects (44 men, 36 women) of 55–65 years of age. Attentional abilities were evaluated by means of multitask computerized assessment. The test involved seven tasks assessing simple reaction times and choice reaction times, visual, visual-spatial and auditory selectivity, digit span, divided attention, resistance to distraction, and attentive shifting. Results: Significant differences related to gender were found in attention shifting. To test possible decline in attentive function with age, performances among two age groups (55–59 and 60–65 yrs) were compared. Significant differences were shown in simple immediate attention span, selectivity, capacity to inhibit interference of non-pertinent signals, and attentive shifting. Conclusions: This study demonstrates an age-related reduction in attentive efficiency but, notably, this decline does not involve all components of attention. Subjects over 60 years of age show progressive slowing in processing of complex tasks and a reduced capacity to inhibit irrelevant stimuli.

Rotation and generation of mental imagery in children with specific language impairment.

To investigate the relationship between mental imagery and specific language impairment (SLI) and explore the assumption that children with SLI are less able to generate mental images and/or convert them, when compared to typical development (TD) children of the same age.

Voluntary Attentional Orienting in Schoolchildren: How Visual Orienting Skills Change During Primary School.

Voluntary attentional orienting is the foundation of the capacity to highlight relevant stimuli and suppress competing distractions. It plays a role in the scholastic skills. This study investigated the changes in the orienting skills in 630 schoolchildren (age range: 5.7–10.2 years old), who attended the first (N = 205, M = 6.1, SD = 0.4), third (212 children, M = 8.2, SD = 0.6), and fifth grade (213 children, M = 10, SD = 0.4) of four primary schools in Italy. Simple attentional orienting, choice attentional orienting on written stimuli, double attentional orienting (auditory and visual), and re-orienting were investigated. The tasks required pressing a key in response to some target stimuli. The stimuli were digits, images of objects, written words, letters, geometric forms, and auditory verbal stimuli. Results showed that attentional orienting improved with age. The childrens performances depended on the type of stimuli and activities required for the task. The accuracy of re-orienting with written verbal stimuli did not improve during primary school. With increasing age, children became faster but not more able to focus on written verbal stimuli when shifting of attention was required.

Successfully aging. choice of life or life that choices

PETRALIA MARIA CRISTINA1, COCO MARINELLA2, MACI TIZIANA3, MINISSALE CHIARA4 , CONCETTA DE PASQUALE4, D’ORTO GIANLUCA4, MARIA SOFIA BASILE2, DONATO EZIO5, MANIACI MARIO5, COMMODARI ELENA6, DI NUOVO SANTO6, PERCIAVALLE VINCENZO2, DI CORRADO DONATELLA7, GUARNERA MARIA7, PIRRONE CONCETTA6, CASTELLANO SABRINA1, PLATANIA SILVIA2, RAMACI TIZIANA7, BELLOMO MARIA7, MAGGIO CLAUDIO4, SEHILI AMEL4, COCO LUCIO SALVATORE GIOVANNI4, NAPOLITANO SALVATORE8, ASCIONE ANTONIO8, PERCIAVALLE VALENTINA6, BUSCEMI ANDREA9 1Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences and Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania 2Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania 3Department of Mental Health of ASP 3 in Catania Alzheimer Center Psychogeriatry 4University of Catania 5Virgin Active Catania 6Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania 7Department of Human and Social Sciences, Kore University, Enna 8Department Physical Education and Wellness, University of Naples “Parthenope” 9Horus Cooperative Social, Ragusa

Mental Imagery and School Readiness

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between the skills that constitute school readiness, such as linguistic, phonological, logical-mathematical and psychomotor skills, and mental imagery processes in preschool children. The participants were 100 healthy children (50 boys and 50 girls) aged four to five. Two batteries of tests were used to assess school readiness and different aspects of the mental imagery processes. The mental imagery battery measured mental imagery generation, inspection, and rotation of images. The results showed a relationship between the generation and inspection processes and the level of skills that constitute school readiness. These findings emphasize the potential usefulness of screening all preschoolers and kindergarteners for imagery ability, with the aim of adopting effective measures to increase their mental imagery abilities.

Variabili socio-demografiche, sanitarie e psicologiche dello stress lavorativo

Obiettivo principale del presente studio e individuare e valutare in ottica interdisciplinare le principali variabili che possono influenzare il malessere lavorativo, utilizzando strumenti diagnostici adatti a misurare in modo attendibile e valido sul piano sia psicometrico che clinico le variabili osservabili in ambito organizzativo. E stato esaminato un campione di 243 persone, dipendenti di aziende sanitarie e scolastiche. I risultati evidenziano come i disturbi psicofisici generalmente prevalenti siano quelli del sonno; le percezioni di stress direttamente riferite al lavoro riguardano le preoccupazioni inerenti la mansione e la sensazione di non avere piu energie sufficienti per svolgere adeguatamente il proprio lavoro. Alcune significative differenze sono state riscontrate relativamente al genere e all’ambito di lavoro (maggiore stress emotivo e riportato nei lavoratori della sanita rispetto a quelli della scuola). Cambiamenti nello stile di vita, dieta, variazioni di peso sono correlati con l’incremento dello stress. Specifici aspetti di stress sul lavoro predicono significativamente lo stress complessivo, mentre altri sembrano dipendere da diversi fattori extralavorativi. Analisi di approfondimento qualitativo consentono di valutare il profilo dei lavoratori che hanno uno stress superiore al limite della norma. I risultati potranno essere utili al fine di formulare specifici piani organizzativi mirati alla riduzione delle variabili fisiche e psicologiche che incidono sullo stress lavorativo, mediante attivita di risk-management da usare per la diagnosi e la gestione organizzativa. The main objective of this study is to detect and evaluate, in interdisciplinary perspective, the key variables that can affect work uneasiness, using diagnostic tools suitable for measuring both the psychometric and the clinically relevant variables observable in the organizational context. The sample of the study is composed of 243 subjects, working both in health and school organizations. The results show that the psychophysical disorders generally prevalent regard sleep; stress perceptions directly related to work regard job-related concerns and the feeling of not having enough energy to properly carry out work. Significant differences have been reported pertinent to gender and work context (more emotional stress was reported in healthcare workers than in the school). Lifestyle changes, diet, weight alterations are correlated with increased stress. Specific aspects of work stress significantly predict overall stress, while others seem to depend on different non-working factors. Qualitative in-depth analyses allow assessing the profile of the workers who have a higher stress compared with the norms. The results may be useful in order to formulate specific organizational strategies aimed at reducing physical and psychological variables affecting work stress, through risk management activities useful for diagnosis and organizational planning.

Funzioni di governo mentale e reazioni alla frustazione: quale relzione? Un contributo di ricerca su un campione di studenti universitari

Il successo individuale dipende da molteplici variabili inerenti sia il funzionamento cognitivo che quello emozionale. Tra queste, particolare rilevanza assumono gli stili cognitivi, come esposto nella nota teoria di Sternberg. La ricerca psicologica ha evidenziato che gli stili cognitivi possono essere considerati migliori predittori del successo individuale rispetto a variabili quali l’intelligenza generale o la personalita. Alla luce di cio, questo studio si e proposto di analizzare le relazioni tra stili cognitivi e reazioni alla frustrazione, secondo il modello di Rosenzweig. La ricerca, condotta su un campione di studenti universitari, ha analizzato le differenze negli stili cognitivi e nelle reazioni alla frustrazione in studenti che frequentano corsi di laurea differenti. I dati raccolti hanno messo in luce interessanti relazioni tra “funzioni di governo mentale” e reattivita alle frustrazioni, e mostrato la presenza di molteplici differenze negli studenti frequentanti corsi di studio diversi. Individual success depends on many cognitive and emotional variables. Among them, cognitive styles are of particular relevance. One of the most important theories on cognitive styles was the one elaborated by Sternberg. Researchers have found that cognitive styles can be a better predictor of an individual’s success than general intelligence or personality. On the base of this evidence, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between cognitive styles and reactions to frustration, using the Rozensweig model. The study, conducted on a sample of university students, analysed differences in cognitive styles and reactions to frustration in students attending different academic courses. Results showed interesting relations between “mental government functions” and reactions to frustration, and revealed several differences in students attending different degree courses.