Jessica Lampis

The moderating effect of gender role on the relationships between gender and attitudes about body and eating in a sample of Italian adolescents

PurposeThe differential prevalence of eating disorders in males and females can be explained by the impact of gender-role orientations. Inside the Italian socio-cultural context, gender socialization can be influenced by stereotypical gender beliefs, and this may contribute to the psychological distress of individuals who identify with discrepant gender roles from their biological sex. Our study explored, within the Italian context, the potential moderating effect of masculinity and femininity on the relationships between gender and attitudes about body and eating.MethodsNine hundred and twenty Italian male and female adolescents (M = 427, F = 493; age 14–21 years) completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) and the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI).ResultsA moderating effect of gender role on the relationship between gender and bulimia, and drive of thinness emerged. Girls with higher levels of masculinity scored higher on bulimia than did their counterparts with lower levels, and boys with higher levels of femininity scored higher on bulimia and on drive for thinness than did their counterparts with lower levels. Data did not reveal a moderating effect of gender role on the relationship between gender and body satisfaction.ConclusionsOur data suggest that adolescents who endorsed a gender role that is socially considered discrepant from their biological sex (girls with higher levels of masculinity and boys with higher levels of femininity) are more likely to show higher level of bulimia and drive of thinness. This suggests the need for prevention and treatment programmes for eating disorders that take into account individuals’ gender-role orientation and the influence that culturally dominant gender beliefs can exert on it.

Personality Similarity and Romantic Relationship Adjustment During the Couple Life Cycle

Over the last decade, a substantial number of studies have focused on the role of personality traits and of the personality trait similarity/dissimilarity in partner selection and in predicting the quality of adult romantic relationships. The present study contributes to this general objective by investigating the correlations between levels of similarity/dissimilarity in partners’ personality profiles, analyzed through the Big Five dimensions, and levels of romantic relationship adjustment at different stage of a couple’s life course. A sample of Italian couples (N = 92 couples; 184 individuals) completed the Big Five Questionnaire and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. The results revealed that similarity was not directly related with romantic relationship adjustment. Similarity only affected adjustment in interaction with the length of relationship. Partners reporting high levels of similarity in conscientiousness and openness showed the highest levels of romantic relationship adjustment during the first years of their relationship, while showing lower levels of adjustment as the relationship progressed. The lower levels of romantic relationship adjustment fell within the length of relationship range spanning between 10 and 21 years. These results suggest the importance of considering the life cycle perspective when studying the impact of personality similarity on romantic relationships, as well as suggesting the need to analyze the relationship between personality factors and interpersonal processes in a deeper way particularly in counseling and therapeutic contexts.

Differentiation of Self and Dyadic Adjustment in Couple Relationships:A dyadic analysis using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

Bowens multigenerational theory provides an account of how the internalization of experiences within the family of origin promotes development of the ability to maintain a distinct self whilst also making intimate connections with others. Differentiated people can maintain their I-position in intimate relationships. They can remain calm in conflictual relationships, resolve relational problems effectively, and reach compromises. Fusion with others, emotional cut-off, and emotional reactivity instead are common reactions to relational stress in undifferentiated people. Emotional reactivity is the tendency to react to stressors with irrational and intense emotional arousal. Fusion with others is an excessive emotional involvement in significant relationships, whilst emotional cut-off is the tendency to manage relationship anxiety through physical and emotional distance. This study is based on Bowens theory, starting from the assumption that dyadic adjustment can be affected both by a members differentiation of self (actor effect) and by his or her partners differentiation of self (partner effect). We used the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model to study the relationship between differentiation of self and dyadic adjustment in a convenience sample of 137 heterosexual Italian couples (nonindependent, dyadic data). The couples completed the Differentiation of Self Inventory and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Mens dyadic adjustment depended only on their personal I-position, whereas womens dyadic adjustment was affected by their personal I-position and emotional cut-off as well as by their partners I-position and emotional cut-off. The empirical and clinical implications of the results are discussed.

In famiglia tutto bene? Adattamento diadico, coesione e conflitto nelle coppie composte da persone gay e lesbiche

International research reveals that love relationships in the couples formed by people of the same-sex goes through the same stages of the life cycle of heterosexual couples. Gay and lesbian couples have the same characteristics of stability, durability, satisfaction and approach to conflict as heterosexual couples (Kurdek, 2004). Based on these assumptions, the authors have analysed the way in which people with different sexual orientation, with and without children, perceive their couples relationships. They studied some specific relational processes: dyadic adjustment, cohesion and adaptability, conflict management. The data reveal that gay, lesbian and eterosexual people express similar levels of dyadic adjustment, whereas gay and lesbian people show significantly higher levels of cohesion, adaptability and ability to manage conflict. It finally emerges that gay and lesbian parents show greater cohesion and a greater ability to resolve conflicts than heterosexual parents The results are discussed on the basis of psychosocial wellbeing of gay and lesbian individuals.

Psychometric properties of the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire and correlates of mother–infant bonding impairment in Italian new mothers

OBJECTIVE impaired maternal bonding is a risk factor for problems with infant well-being and development. The investigation of perinatal variables related to disorders of the mother-infant relationship as well as the administration of reliable and valid screening tools to new mothers in the postpartum can help identify early signs of a disturbed mother-child relationship. The Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) has been shown to be a valid screening instrument, but its dimensional structure is still controversial. An analysis of the literature demonstrated the need for research into the perinatal correlates of the quality of mother-newborn bonding as measured by the PBQ, and for information about the reliability and validity of the Italian version of the questionnaire. AIM to (a) carry out preliminary analysis of the psychometric properties of an Italian version of the PBQ and (b) explore how mother-infant disturbances are related to relevant perinatal psychological variables. DESIGN the research design consisted of a prenatal and a postnatal phase. SETTING prenatal education classes delivered in public and private institutions. PARTICIPANTS 123 pregnant Italian women were recruited from prenatal education classes. MEASUREMENTS in the prenatal period participants completed a questionnaire measuring maternal-fetal attachment; at the postnatal assessment (3 months postpartum) participants completed the Italian PBQ together with measures of mother-infant attachment, the couples adjustment and maternal psychological well-being. Exploratory factor analysis was used to investigate the factor structure of the PBQ. Internal consistencies were evaluated using Cronbachs alpha. Nomological validity was assessed via Pearson correlations. FINDINGS a three-factor model provided the most meaningful representation of the PBQ data, with one factor reflecting annoyance and anger towards the infant, another reflecting detachment and rejection and the third reflecting anxiety about infant care. Internal consistencies were good. Impaired mother-infant bonding was negatively correlated with prenatal and postnatal mother-infant attachment and couple adjustment, as well as being positively correlated with maternal depressive symptoms. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE the Italian PBQ is a reliable, valid screening instrument and can be used for research, including transcultural comparisons in perinatal psychiatry. It can also be used clinically to detect signs of a disordered mother-child relationship. Knowledge of the variables generally associated with mother-infant bonding problems combined with data from postpartum administration of the PBQ could be used in midwifery to develop preventive programmes based on the specific needs of new mothers.

The beginning of the father -child relationship: exploring the influence of intra and interpersonal variables on the PFA (paternal-fetal attachment)

The referential cycle described by Wilma Bucci predicts that during the session – and more generally during the therapeutic path – three phases alternate: a) arousal of the emotion schemas within the patient-therapist relationship, b) symbolization by the patient trying to translate into words his/her experiences with the therapist collaboration, and c) reorganization/reflection in which patient and therapist try to recognize and understand the emotional significance of patient’s experiences. So far, to monitor the development of these three phases during the sessions therapists and researchers could use their own clinical sensitivity or the referential activity computerized measures, which however need the session verbatim transcription. In order to develop a parallel and less time-consuming method we built up a self-report questionnaire that measures the main dimensions of the referential activity and cycle. For three months seven therapists have completed it online to evaluate 255 sessions, right at their conclusion. The factorial analysis revealed a factorial structure consistent with the measured constructs and a high internal consistency of the subscales. The utility of the scale will be highlighted both for therapists and researchers: the T-RAPS is a useful monitoring and supervision tool applicable by therapists of any orientation and can be correlated with the other main clinical constructs as well as with the referential activity computerized measures. Furthermore, the previewed construction of the patient version of the scale will allow for a more complete and multifaceted overview of the referential cycle.

Prenatal Attachment Inventory: expanding the reliability and validity evidence using a sample of Italian women

Abstract Background: The Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI) is a widely used questionnaire to measure prenatal attachment. However, its internal structure is controversial. None of the previous studies have investigated the dimensions of the Italian version of the scale using both an exploratory and a confirmatory approach. There is also a need to explore extensively the external validity of the Italian PAI. Objective: We designed a study aimed at shedding further light on the dimensionality of the questionnaire and expanding the evidence of its reliability and validity. Method: Five-hundred and thirty-five Italian expectant mothers participated in the prenatal phase; a subsample of 100 women participated in the postnatal phase of the study. The PAI was administered together with other scales measuring maternal–fetal attachment, psychological wellbeing and relational variables. Results: The hypothesised relationships with external criteria were substantiated overall. The five dimensions described in the Italian study by Barone, Lionetti, and Dellagiulia also emerged from our factor analyses, with the exception of two items. Internal consistency was adequate for the total scale and for four of the five subscales. Conclusion: As the Fantasy subscale showed poor internal consistency, we advise against its use as an independent measure. However, when used as a global score, the PAI is a reliable and valid measure of prenatal attachment in Italian women. Thus, it can be used for research purposes. The use of the PAI could also be very helpful in clinical settings, in order to identify expectant mothers who have difficulty in establishing an affective bond with their unborn infants. To this end, further research should study the characteristics of the PAI on high-risk groups and clinical samples in order to obtain clinical cut-offs.

La percezione di sicurezza nell'attaccamento : un'analisi delle relazioni familiari attraverso Il social relations model

Il presente studio e volto a rilevare la natura relazionale della percezione della sicurezza nell’attaccamento all’interno dei sistemi familiari attraverso l’utilizzo del Social Relations Model (Kenny, 2005) e la rilevazione dei cosiddetti effetti gruppo, attore, partner e relazione. Al campione, costituito da 50 famiglie di 4 membri, e stata somministrata l’Adult Attachment Scale (Collins e Read, 1990) adattata per la raccolta di dati diadici. I risultati ottenuti, oltre ad offrire una prima stima della potenzialita del SRM nel cogliere le dinamiche relazionali della famiglia, consentono di riflettere criticamente sui suoi possibili ambiti di applicazione.

T11-P-03 Towards the deconstruction of gender role categories: a critical analysis of the ACL scales of measure for masculine and feminine orientation

Objective This is a critical reflection on the Adjective Check List scales of measure for masculine (Mas) and feminine (Fem) orientation (Gough et al., 1981), based on a sample of Italian homosexuals (45 males and 52 females). Method The researchs design of a factorial type among the subjects with a non-equivalent control group (43 heterosexual males and 49 heterosexual females). In the attempt to verify the hypothetical existence of gender crossed characteristics of male and female homosexual orientation (elevated scores to the Fem for the homosexual males and elevated scores to the Mas for the homosexual females) - as it is highlighted in the literature of reference it has been possible, through a factorial Manova 2×2 carried out on the dimensions under analysis (with sex and sexual orientation as between factors) to find the stereotypical nature of the adjectives which are part of the scales. Results The study broadens the reflections on the acquisition process of sexual identity regarding gender and role constructions which appear to be related not only to the childhood, but also to complex interpersonal affective regulation processes. Conclusion The research considers the possibility of modernization and updating of the existing methods of measure, which are old-fashioned and therefore little sensitive at understanding the social-relational and affective transformations that involve the personality scales under examination.