Marco Tommasi

Dissociative Experiences and Psychopathology Among Inmates in Italian and Portuguese Prisons

The association between dissociation and psychopathological symptoms is well established, yet studies with inmates are lacking. If higher rates of dissociation and psychiatric symptoms are reported in inmate samples, it is not clear whether they represent two separate, albeit related, characteristics. We examined the association between dissociation and psychopathological symptoms among 320 Italian subjects (122 inmates and 198 community participants) and a Portuguese inmate sample (n = 67). Then, we tested whether dissociation and psychopathology levels were higher among inmates. Both hypotheses were supported, confirming the relevance of dissociative, paranoid, and psychotic symptoms among inmates, as well as their interrelations. Notably, the group difference in dissociation remained significant after partialing out the variance associated with other psychopathological symptoms. Conversely, only the difference in paranoid symptoms remained—marginally—significant when controlling for the influence of dissociation. This finding suggests that dissociation may have unique relevance for the psychological functioning of inmates.

On the Design and Development of an Assessment System with Adaptive Capabilities

Individual assessment is an important tool in this society. Tests can be created according to the Classical Test Theory (CTT) or to the Item Response Theory (IRT), the latter giving the possibility to build Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) systems. In such a context, the paper introduces the available systems for CTT, IRT and CAT, highlights the main characteristics that are taken as initial requirements for the design of a novel system, called UTS (UnivAQ Test Suite), whose architecture and initial functionalities are presented in the paper.

Correlations Between Personality, Affective and Filial Self-Efficacy Beliefs, and Psychological Well-Being in a Sample of Italian Adolescents.

Adolescence is a critical period for the emergence of a balanced personality in adults. Extraversion, neuroticism, and affective self-efficacy beliefs in emotion regulation showed to be good predictors of psychological well-being in adolescents. We analyzed the association between affective self-efficacy beliefs, personality traits, and psychological well-being of 179 Italian adolescents. We also analyzed the connection between adolescents’ filial self-efficacy beliefs and psychological well-being and possible moderating effects of self-efficacy beliefs on personality traits. Results show that extraversion, neuroticism, and self-efficacy beliefs in emotion regulation are correlated with psychological well-being, while filial self-efficacy does not. Self-efficacy beliefs do not show significant moderating effects on personality traits, even if self-efficacy beliefs in expressing positive emotions reduce negative characteristics of individuals with high level of psychoticism.

Compatibility quotient, and its relationship with marital satisfaction and personality traits in Italian married couples

Abstract The increasing numbers of divorces and separations in Italy has focused the attention of many researchers on the necessity to develop psychological instruments to measure the probability that a couple will end their marriage. Wilsons compatibility quotient (CQ) is considered a valid test for measuring risk of divorcing in married couples. The test measures the level of compatibility or similarity between partners. One hundred and eighty-four Italian married heterosexual couples were administered the CQ, the Locke--Wallace Marital Adjustment Test measuring marital satisfaction and the Big Five Questionnaire. Couples with high compatibility scores have higher level of marital satisfaction and partners attractiveness. Energy, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability Openness and Agreeableness were also related to couple compatibility. Therefore, Wilsons CQ could represent a suitable tool for measuring divorce risk in married couples.