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Giordano G, Caci B, Alesi M, Gentile A, Burgio S, Polizzi C. Personality Traits and Sociodemographic Variables' Effects on Parental Burnout During the Second and Fourth COVID-19 Waves in Italian Parents. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:1520. [PMID: 39595787 PMCID: PMC11593882 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21111520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2024] [Revised: 11/06/2024] [Accepted: 11/13/2024] [Indexed: 11/28/2024]
Abstract
(1) Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic was a source of stress for families, this study aimed to investigate the influence of dispositional factors, such as personality traits and sociodemographic variables, on parental burnout among Italian parents during two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the study assessed personality traits and sociodemographic variables as protective or risk factors for parental burnout levels. (2) Methods: The study consisted of two cross-sectional samples collected during the second and fourth waves of the Italian pandemic. The participants included 600 Italian parents: 245 from the second wave (average age = 37.12, SD = 2.78) and 355 from the fourth wave (average age = 36.89, SD = 3.14). The measures used were the Balance between Risks and Resources, the Personality Inventory, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. (3) Results: The t-test showed that parents in the fourth wave had lower parental burnout levels. Moreover, stepwise multiple linear regression revealed that sociodemographic variables did not have an effect, while significant effects of personality traits were found. Specifically, neuroticism was identified as a risk factor for parental burnout, while agreeableness and openness were identified as protective factors. (4) Conclusions: The findings indicated that similar stress levels were reported between the two waves of parents and that personality traits play a crucial role in facilitating or limiting the management of parental competencies during a risk condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Giordano
- Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.G.); (M.A.); (A.G.); (C.P.)
- WeSearch Lab—Laboratory of Behavioral Observation and Research on Human Development, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Barbara Caci
- Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.G.); (M.A.); (A.G.); (C.P.)
- WeSearch Lab—Laboratory of Behavioral Observation and Research on Human Development, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Marianna Alesi
- Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.G.); (M.A.); (A.G.); (C.P.)
- WeSearch Lab—Laboratory of Behavioral Observation and Research on Human Development, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Ambra Gentile
- Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.G.); (M.A.); (A.G.); (C.P.)
- WeSearch Lab—Laboratory of Behavioral Observation and Research on Human Development, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Sofia Burgio
- Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.G.); (M.A.); (A.G.); (C.P.)
- WeSearch Lab—Laboratory of Behavioral Observation and Research on Human Development, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Concetta Polizzi
- Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.G.); (M.A.); (A.G.); (C.P.)
- WeSearch Lab—Laboratory of Behavioral Observation and Research on Human Development, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
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Pino MC, Giancola M, Palmiero M, D’Amico S. The Association between Working Memory and Divergent Thinking: The Moderating Role of Formal Musical Background. Brain Sci 2024; 14:61. [PMID: 38248276 PMCID: PMC10813195 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Divergent thinking (DT) is widely considered an essential cognitive dimension of creativity, which involves goal-oriented processes, including working memory (WM), which allows for retrieving and loading of information into the attentional stream and, consequently, enhancing divergence of thinking. Despite the critical role of WM in DT, little work has been done on the mechanism affecting this interplay. The current study addressed the involvement of a formal musical background in the relationship between WM and DT and was conducted with 83 healthy young adults (M = 19.64 years; SD = 0.52 years; 33 females). The participants were requested to indicate if they had a formal background in music in the conservatory (M = 4.78 years; SD = 5.50 years) as well as perform the digit span forward test (DSFT) and the alternative uses task-AUT from the Torrance test of creative thinking (TTCT). The results indicated that years of formal musical background moderated the association between WM and DT. These findings suggest that music enhances the positive effect of high-order cognitive processes, such as WM, on the ability to think divergently. Theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Pino
- Department of Biotechnology and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.G.); (S.D.)
| | - Marco Giancola
- Department of Biotechnology and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.G.); (S.D.)
| | | | - Simonetta D’Amico
- Department of Biotechnology and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.G.); (S.D.)
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Guariglia P, Palmiero M, Giannini AM, Piccardi L. The Key Role of Empathy in the Relationship between Age and Social Support. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2464. [PMID: 37685497 PMCID: PMC10487866 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11172464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging involves several changes depending on genetic and behavioral factors, such as lifestyle and the number and quality of social relationships, which in turn can be influenced by empathy. Here, the change in the perceived social support across the lifespan as a function of empathy was investigated, considering the mediating role of empathy after controlling for gender and education. In total, 441 people (18-91 years old) filled in the Italian short version of the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL-12), the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ6), as well as the Empathy Questionnaire (EQ), and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (RMET). The mediation analyses with ISEL-12 showed that age and the EQ fully mediated the relationship between age and appraisal, belonging, and tangible scores. Further, the EQ fully mediated only the relationship between age and SSQ6-People. These results showed that empathic skills are key in the relationships between age and social support. This suggests that empathy can trigger social support and, ultimately, well-being if stimulated across the lifespan, especially from a young age; this would help to form the socio-emotional competence across the years as a sort of cushion that can be useful in the older to fulfill active aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Guariglia
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, UKE-Kore University of Enna, 94100 Enna, Italy
| | | | | | - Laura Piccardi
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00158 Rome, Italy
- San Raffaele Cassino Hospital, 03043 Cassino, Italy
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Brugger F, Schönthaler EMD, Baranyi A, Reininghaus EZ, von Lewinski D, Dalkner N. Metabolic Syndrome in Affective Disorders: Associations with Dark Triad Personality Traits. Metabolites 2023; 13:956. [PMID: 37623899 PMCID: PMC10456228 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13080956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has focused on the relationship between affective disorders (AD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Aside from biological and lifestyle factors, personality traits were identified as influencing aspects. In particular, the Dark Triad personality traits (DT; Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy) were connected to both AD and worse somatic health, thus possibly resulting in MetS. This observational study aimed to investigate the associations between DT and anthropometric parameters and differences in the DT traits concerning the presence of MetS in individuals with AD. A total of 112 individuals (females = 59, males = 51, diverse = 2, Mage = 47.5, SDage = 11.5) with AD filled out the Short Dark Triad questionnaire. Body Mass Index (BMI) and MetS criteria, including blood pressure, waist circumference, lipid, and glucose levels, were assessed. For Machiavellianism, a positive association with BMI (r = 0.29, p < 0.05) and a negative association with systolic blood pressure (r = -0.23, p < 0.05) were found. No relationship between the overall MetS and DT score (r = 0.08, p = 0.409) was observed. The results were limited by the lack of a control group and the cross-sectional study design, which does not allow for the determination of causality. Machiavellianism was associated with a higher BMI and lower systolic blood pressure, indicating a deteriorating health effect of this trait. Possibly, the higher prevalence of MetS in AD stems from aspects such as lifestyle or medication intake, which might also be influenced by DT. Further research is needed to disentangle underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Brugger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Elena M. D. Schönthaler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Andreas Baranyi
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Eva Z. Reininghaus
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Dirk von Lewinski
- Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria;
| | - Nina Dalkner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
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Giancola M, D’Amico S, Palmiero M. Working Memory and Divergent Thinking: The Moderating Role of Field-Dependent-Independent Cognitive Style in Adolescence. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:397. [PMID: 37232633 PMCID: PMC10215837 DOI: 10.3390/bs13050397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Divergent thinking (DT) is considered a key process of creativity. It is supported by different mental processes, ranging from executive functions to cognitive styles. The extent to which these processes jointly contribute to DT is still unclear, especially in adolescence, which represents a developmental stage that involves fundamental changes and restructuring in cognition, emotion, and personality. The present study hypothesises that the field-dependent-independent cognitive style (FDI) moderates the relationship between working memory capacity (WMC). A convenient sample of one hundred adolescents (mean age 18.88 years) was tested in terms of FDI by the Embedded Figure Test (EFT), which requires finding a simple shape as fast as possible within a complex figure. WMC was assessed by the Digit Span Forward Test (DSFT), which requires recalling sequences of numbers in the same order immediately after the presentation. DT was assessed by the Alternative Uses Test (AUT), which requires finding as many uses as possible for common objects. The main result was that the field-independent cognitive style (FI) positively moderated the effect of WMC on DT. This result extends previous findings on the critical role of FDI in real-world creativity, suggesting that FI adolescents better exploit the effect of WMC on DT by using more analytic and associative strategies, focusing on relevant elements when facing a problem, and retrieving conceptual knowledge more efficiently. Implications, limits, and future research directions are briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Giancola
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Simonetta D’Amico
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
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Giancola M, Palmiero M, D’Amico S. Dark Triad and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: the role of conspiracy beliefs and risk perception. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 43:1-13. [PMID: 37359671 PMCID: PMC10064627 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04609-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
With the spread of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the mass vaccination plan represents the primary weapon to control the infection curve. Unfortunately, vaccine hesitancy also spread out worldwide. This led to exploring the critical factors that prevent vaccination from improving the efficacy of vaccine campaigns. In the present study, the role of the Dark Triad (psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism) in vaccine hesitancy was investigated, considering the sequential mediating effects of conspiracy beliefs and risk perception. Via a cross-sectional design, the study was conducted with 210 participants surveyed using an online questionnaire to assess the Dark Triad, vaccine hesitancy, conspiracy beliefs, risk perception, and a set of demographic and socio-cultural control variables. Results showed that conspiracy beliefs and risk perception fully mediated the association between the Dark Triad and vaccine hesitancy. This finding suggested that albeit personality accounts for individual differences in human behaviour, vaccine hesitancy is also affected by irrational and false beliefs that, in turn, weaken the risk perception associated with COVID-19. Implications and future research directions were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Giancola
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | | | - Simonetta D’Amico
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
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Giancola M, Pino MC, Riccio V, Piccardi L, D’Amico S. Preschoolers’ Perceptual Analogical Reasoning and Map Reading: A Preliminary Study on the Mediating Effect of Spatial Language. CHILDREN 2023; 10:children10040630. [PMID: 37189879 DOI: 10.3390/children10040630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Reading and interpreting a map represents an essential part of daily life, enabling appropriate orientation and navigation through space. Based on the idea that perceptual analogical reasoning is critical in aligning the spatial structure of the map with the spatial structure of the space and given the critical role of language, especially spatial language, in encoding and establishing spatial relations among elements in the environment, the present study investigated the joint contribution of perceptual analogical reasoning and spatial language in map reading. The study was conducted with 56 typically developing 4- to 6-year-old children, and the results indicated that perceptual abstract reasoning affected map reading through the mediating effect of spatial language. These findings yielded theoretical and practical implications regarding the role of perceptual abstract reasoning and spatial language in shaping map-reading abilities in the early stages of life, highlighting that domain-specific language competencies are necessary to improve the encoding of spatial relations, to establish object correspondences, and to ensure successful navigation. Limitations and future research directions were discussed.
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