Silvia Guarnieri

A Measure for the Study of Friendship and Romantic Relationship Quality from Adolescence to Early-Adulthood

Friendship and romantic relationships are central to individual social life. These close relationships become increasingly significant during adolescence and early adulthood, promoting human development and well-being (1). Despite their importance, there are no equivalent measures for the study of the quality of these different types of close relationships. The main aim of the present study was to develop an equivalent self-report measure to assess the quality of friendships and romantic relationships from adolescence to early adulthood. In Study 1 we took the Friendship Qualities Scale (FQS) developed by Bukowski, Hoza and Boivin (2) and adapted it for Italian adolescents and early-adults. The FQS reveals, via confirmatory factor analysis, five main qualitative dimensions: Conflict, Companionship, Help, Security and Closeness. In Study 2 we developed an equivalent version of the FQS, the Romance Qualities Scale (RQS) in order to measure the same five dimensions for romantic relationships. Data analyses verified the multidimensional factorial structure, the factorial invariance, and the reliability of both scales. Our studies therefore verify that the FQS and RQS are reliable measures to assess friendship and romantic relationship quality from adolescence to early adulthood.

Do aggressive driving and negative emotional driving mediate the link between impulsiveness and risky driving among young Italian drivers

ABSTRACT The present study examined the contribution of impulsiveness and aggressive and negative emotional driving to the prediction of traffic violations and accidents taking into account potential mediation effects. Three hundred and four young drivers completed self-report measures assessing impulsiveness, aggressive and negative emotional driving, driving violations, and accidents. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the direct and indirect effects of impulsiveness on violations and accidents among young drivers through aggressive and negative emotional driving. Impulsiveness only indirectly influenced drivers’ violations on the road via both the behavioral and emotional states of the driver. On the contrary, impulsiveness was neither directly nor indirectly associated with traffic accidents. Therefore, impulsiveness modulates young drivers’ behavioral and emotional states while driving, which in turn influences risky driving.

Depression and cardiac symptoms among AL amyloidosis patients: the mediating role of coping strategies

Background: Amyloidosis is a rare disease group. AL amyloidosis represents the most common type of systemic amyloidosis and cardiac involvement determines prognosis. Although some studies have revealed that amyloidosis patients present high levels of depression, few data are available about depression-contributing factors. No investigations have been conducted about the coping strategies that AL amyloidosis patients use to face the disease and there is little research on patients with cardiac symptoms that are strongly related to the prognosis. Objectives: to examine coping strategies (avoidance, social support seeking and problem-solving) as potential mediator in the relationship between cardiac symptom severity (independent variable) and depressive symptoms (dependent variable) in AL cardiologic patients. Method: Thirty-four AL patients with cardiac-related symptoms were administered the Coping Strategy Indicator and the Centre for Epidemiological Study–Depression Scale. Clinical variables such as months since cardiac symptom onset and cardiac symptom severity were collected. Results: According to questionnaire normative values, all patients presented clinical depression. Moreover, out of the coping strategies, avoidance and social support seeking mediated the link between cardiac symptom severity and depressive symptoms. No mediational effect was found for problem-solving. Discussion: As cardiac symptoms have low severity, AL patients can avoid the disease. However, as cardiac symptoms proceed and interfere with daily activities, they can no longer ignore their signs thus perceiving the severity of their medical condition. This status makes individuals prone to seek less social support and thus to prefer social isolation. Results suggest the need for early psychological support on coping strategies for AL cardiologic patients.

Anxiety and depression among amyloid light-chain cardiac amyloidosis patients: The role of life satisfaction

Background: The present study aimed to provide a contribution to the study of a rare disease, amyloid light-chain (AL) cardiac amyloidosis, which is the most common type of systemic amyloidosis. In AL amyloidosis prognosis is determined by cardiac involvement. Although the association between psychological distress (e.g. anxiety and depression) and AL cardiac amyloidosis is documented, very little is known about the psychosocial variables that may mediate the association. Aims: The aim of the study is therefore to examine the potential mediating role of life satisfaction in the relationship between cardiac symptom severity (independent variable) and anxious and depressive symptoms (dependent variables) in AL patients. Method: Forty-three AL amyloidosis patients (57.1% males) with cardiac amyloidosis were administered the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Centre for Epidemiological Study–Depression Scale. Clinical variables such as months since cardiac symptom onset and cardiac symptom severity were collected. Results: Findings showed significant relationships between symptom severity and psychological disorders (e.g. anxiety and depression) and these were mediated by life satisfaction. Conclusion: Overall, findings highlight the importance of subjective well-being (e.g. life satisfaction) to reduce anxious and depressive symptoms and to improve general health in AL patients.

Exploring the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Manchester Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) in an Italian sample

The goal of the present study is to provide a contribution to the adaptation and validation of the Italian version of the Manchester Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ). Findings are based on a self-report questionnaire survey filled out by 360 drivers (50% males), between 18 and 41 years of age. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed that the hypothesized four-factor structure of the DBQ was identified. Reliability of the scale was also confirmed within the Italian context. In addition to the four first-order factors, two second-order factors (violations and unintentional mistakes) were found, supporting the original structure proposed by Reason, Manstead, Stradling, Baxter, and Campbell (1990). Finally, the present study provided support for the good criterion-related and construct validity of the DBQ. Altogether, the Italian version of the DBQ demonstrated a robust factor structure and good psychometric properties, confirming the reliability and validity of the tool also within the Italian context.

Le relazioni fraterne durante la vita adulta

Le relazioni fraterne costituiscono un punto di riferimento centrale per la vita affettiva dell’individuo durante l’intero arco di vita in quanto promuovono la sua competenza cognitiva, affettiva e sociale e contribuiscono fortemente al suo generale benessere psicologico. Nonostante la rilevanza di tali relazioni, risultano ancora scarsi gli studi sulla qualita che connota questi legami durante la vita adulta. La presente ricerca intende quindi indagare la qualita delle relazioni fraterne durante la vita adulta ed esaminare il ruolo che tali relazioni hanno nella promozione della globale qualita di vita dell’individuo. Partecipanti. 288 soggetti (124 maschi e 164 femmine), divisi in due diverse fasce d’eta: 148 giovani adulti d’eta compresa tra i 20 e i 35 anni e 140 adulti di eta compresa tra i 40 e i 55 anni. Strumenti. Per misurare gli aspetti qualitativi che connotano la relazione fraterna e stata utilizzata la versione italiana (Tani, Guarnieri, Ingoglia, submitted) dell’Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire - ASRQ (Stocker, Lanthier, Furman, 1997). Per rilevare la qualita di vita e stato utilizzato il cluster Qualita di Vita del Psychological Treatment Inventory - PTI (Gori, Giannini, Schulberg, 2008). I risultati hanno evidenziato come durante la vita adulta, in relazione al raggiungimento di una maggiore maturita, si attenuino alcuni aspetti del legame fraterno legati alla conflittualita e alla rivalita e, parallelamente, acquistino maggiore rilevanza gli aspetti legati all’affettivita. La qualita della relazione fraterna risulta inoltre essere un significativo predittore della qualita di vita anche durante l’eta adulta.

Legame genitoriale, capacità di resistere alla pressione dei pari e guida pericolosa durante la transizione tra adolescenza e prima età adulta

Il presente studio analizza la relazione esistente tra il legame genitoriale, la capacita di resistere all’influenza dei pari e la guida pericolosa durante la transizione tra l’adolescenza e la prima eta adulta. Piu in particolare l’obiettivo principale dello studio e stato quello di esaminare se la relazione tra il legame genitoriale e la guida pericolosa viene mediata dalla capacita degli adolescenti e dei giovani di resistere all’influenza dei pari. Alla ricerca hanno partecipato 667 soggetti (300 maschi e 367 femmine) di eta compresa tra 15 e 25 anni, divisi in due gruppi: uno di adolescenti e uno di giovani adulti. Per valutare gli effetti diretti che i legami genitoriali hanno sulla guida pericolosa dei figli e gli effetti indiretti attraverso la capacita che questi ultimi hanno di resistere alle pressioni dei pari sono state condotte delle analisi di mediazione. Tali analisi sono state condotte separatamente per il gruppo di adolescenti e quello dei giovani adulti. Per quanto riguarda gli adolescenti, i risultati hanno evidenziato che una relazione supportiva con i genitori si associa alla guida pericolosa sia direttamente che indirettamente attraverso la loro capacita di resistere alle pressioni dei pari. Al contrario, i risultati indicano che, per quanto riguarda i giovani adulti, il legame con i propri genitori si associa alla guida pericolosa solo indirettamente. Le differenze in funzione dell’eta vengono discusse a fronte dei diversi processi di socializzazione che operano in adolescenti e giovani.