Silvia Platania

The Role of Secularism of State on the Relationship Between Catholic Identity, Political Orientation, and Gay Rights Issues

In discussions of regulations governing same-sex marriage and adoption by gays and lesbians, the issue of state secularism is often called into question. This study aims to test the mediating effects of state secularism on the relationship between Catholic identity, political orientation, and gay civil rights. Participants were Catholic Italians who completed a questionnaire measuring the constructs under investigation. Results showed that state secularism mediates the effects of Catholic identity and political orientation on attitudes toward same-sex marriage and adoption by gays and lesbians.

Psychological resources, satisfaction, and career identity in the work transition: an outlook on Sicilian college students

Background The phases of career building today bring out a more complex process than in previous decades. Starting from the literature review, the university-to-work transition is considered a very important step in the future career of the graduates, and it involves some psychological resources and requires specific abilities. Methods Research has examined the psychological resources that students at the end of a degree course can use in the university-to-work transition. The aim of the study is to verify the relationship between academic satisfaction and career identity, and the mediational role of readiness and confidence on this relationship. A group of 438 students were assigned to complete a questionnaire in order to examine the relationship between academic satisfaction and career identity and the role of core components of psychological resources: readiness and confidence as mediator. Results The results indicated both a direct relationship between academic satisfaction and career identity and a mediated relationship with the influence of readiness and confidence for a transition. Adding to our results, we assert that academic satisfaction has a directed effect on confidence during the transition and is a predictor of career identity, both directly and by the mediation of readiness in career transitions. Conclusion Career identity has implication for exploratory behavior, thus increasing the motivation and mindfulness that create a virtuous circle, influencing the development of knowledge and skills, which are the base of proactivity and confidence in construction of one’s future career.

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

Associations of Thalassemia Major and satisfaction with quality of life: The mediating effect of social support:

The present research analyzed the elements of thalassemia which affect the patient’s perceived quality of life. Three hundred patients with Thalassemia Major (males = 165, 55%; females = 135, 45%; Mage = 36.13, standard deviation = 8.54) were the sample. Analysis of multiple mediations revealed a direct effect of self-efficacy on the Satisfaction with Life Scale that is mediated only by social support.The findings suggest a need to accentuate help and support to patients with Thalassemia Major.

Undertstanding the Entrepreneurial Process: a Literature review

In the last decades, entrepreneurship became a very popular topic both for scholars and policymakers, due to its particular role in the economic and social development of the countries. It is, indeed, capable of dealing with the current economic crisis stimulating innovation and technological progress, generating competition, creating employment and encouraging economic growth in general. The purposes of this paper are to provide a systematic review of the main theoretical approaches progressively introduced over the years and to analyze the different determinants of entrepreneurial behavior. Through a description of personal, social and societal factors, we maintain that it is necessary to increase the analysis and the studies on this topic, also in a psychological perspective, in order to plan training programs useful both for the individual and the society’s well-being and development. Negli ultimi decenni, il tema dell’imprenditorialita ha riscosso un particolare interesse sia dal punto di vista teorico che politico, dato il significativo ruolo che svolge nella crescita economica e sociale dei diversi Paesi. Si ritiene infatti che l’imprenditorialita e la sua relativa promozione siano capaci di fronteggiare l’attuale crisi economica poiche stimolano l’innovazione e il progresso tecnologico, generano concorrenza, creano occupazione ed incoraggiano lo sviluppo economico generale. Lo scopo della presente trattazione e quello di fornire una revisione degli approcci teorici in materia, e di analizzare le differenti determinanti del comportamento imprenditoriale. In particolare, attraverso una descrizione contemporanea di fattori personali, di gruppo e sociali siamo in grado di affermare che e necessario incrementare gli studi in questo campo, anche usufruendo dalla prospettiva psicologica, al fine di progettare programmi ed interventi formativi utili al benessere e allo sviluppo dell’individuo e della societa.

Mediating effect of job satisfaction between organizational climate and safety climate in a group of different workers

For decades, the organizational context dynamics and their effects on workers wellbeing represent one of the main themes of health psychology in the Workplace. More recently, the scientific interest has turned to the possible relationship between the organizational climate characteristics and worker mental and physical health. Starting from this premise, the study presented here aims to identify the variables that mediate the interactions between organizational climate, safety climate and job satisfaction. The methodological theoretical model is the one developed within the OSCI, a standardized questionnaire scientifically validated in some European countries. It tends to evaluate the relationships between organizational climate and safety climate, with particular reference to relevant characteristics emerging from the typical organizational culture of each organization. Le dinamiche del contesto organizzativo e gli effetti che queste determinano sul benessere dei lavoratori rappresentano, da decenni, uno dei principali temi della psicologia della salute nei luoghi di lavoro. Si rivela, invece, piu recente l’interesse scientifico per le possibili relazioni tra caratteristiche del clima organizzativo e salute psico-fisica del lavoratore. Partendo da questo presupposto, lo studio qui presentato si propone di individuare le variabili che mediano le interazioni tra clima organizzativo, clima di sicurezza e soddisfazione lavorativa. Il modello teorico-metodologico e quello sviluppato all’interno dell’OSCI, un questionario standardizzato e validato scientificamente in alcuni paesi europei e che tende a valutare le relazioni tra clima organizzativo e clima di sicurezza, con particolare riferimento alle caratteristiche salienti che emergono dalla cultura organizzativa tipica di ogni singola organizzazione.