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Abstract
The accessibility to national health services by immigrants residing in our country has produced a widespread improvement of health indicators and health prevention for the entire population. The main goal of this study is to investigate the welfare conditions of immigrants, alongside two fundamental sources of psychological resources. In particular, the role of resilience and sense of community as protective factors against the risk of developing negative welfare outcomes, including life satisfaction and the perception of general health (physical and mental), were considered as indicators. The following self-report questionnaires were sent to a sample of 354 immigrants, stratified by ethnicity and gender: Life Satisfaction Scale (SWLS), General Health Questionnaire, CD-RISC 10 Scale, and the Sense of Community Index SCI-2. The results obtained through regression models show how resilience and a sense of community are significant protective factors in terms of life satisfaction and general health. From an applicative point of view, it is highlighted that public and political bodies take a leading role in the design of public health interventions; in fact, their intervention should be aimed at increasing the psychological resources and ability to fulfill the health needs of specific populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinzia Novara
- Department of Scienze Psicologiche, Pedagogiche, dell'Esercizio Fisico e della Formazione, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Costanza Scaffidi Abbate
- Department of Scienze Psicologiche, Pedagogiche, dell'Esercizio Fisico e della Formazione, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Garro
- Department of Scienze Psicologiche, Pedagogiche, dell'Esercizio Fisico e della Formazione, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Gioacchino Lavanco
- Department of Scienze Psicologiche, Pedagogiche, dell'Esercizio Fisico e della Formazione, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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Di Napoli I, Guidi E, Arcidiacono C, Esposito C, Marta E, Novara C, Procentese F, Guazzini A, Agueli B, Gonzáles Leone F, Meringolo P, Marzana D. Italian Community Psychology in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Shared Feelings and Thoughts in the Storytelling of University Students. Front Psychol 2021; 12:571257. [PMID: 33815188 PMCID: PMC8012730 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.571257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated how young Italian people experienced the period of peak spread of COVID-19 in their country by probing their emotions, thoughts, events, and actions related to interpersonal and community bonds. This approach to the pandemic will highlight social dimensions that characterized contextual interactions from the specific perspective of Community Psychology. The aim was to investigate young people's experiences because they are the most fragile group due to their difficulty staying home and apart from their peers and because they are, at the same time, the most potentially dangerous people due to their urge to gather in groups. The research involved 568 university students, 475 females, and 93 males, with an average age of 21.82 years (SD = 4.836). The collected data were analyzed with the Grounded Theory Methodology, using the Atlas 8.0 software. From the textual data, representative codes were defined and grouped into 10 categories, which reflect the individuals' prosocial attitudes, behaviors, and values. These categories formed three macro-categories, called: "Collective Dimensions," which includes Connectedness, Solidarity, Italian-ness, Social Problems, and Collective Mourning; "Prosocial Orientation," which includes Trust and Hope; and "Collective Values," which includes Values of Freedom, Respect of Social Rules, and Civic-Mindedness. All these macro-categories are indicative of the shared feelings experienced by Italians during the first time of the pandemic. Further practical implications of these results will be discussed, including a consideration of the risk of developing distress and improving well-being, as well as promoting preventive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elisa Guidi
- Department of Education, Literatures, Intercultural Studies, Languages and Psychology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Ciro Esposito
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Elena Marta
- Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy
| | - Cinzia Novara
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Fortuna Procentese
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Guazzini
- Department of Education, Literatures, Intercultural Studies, Languages and Psychology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Barbara Agueli
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Patrizia Meringolo
- Department of Education, Literatures, Intercultural Studies, Languages and Psychology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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