Background/aim: Breast cancer is associated with appearance concerns and issues of appearance ide... more Background/aim: Breast cancer is associated with appearance concerns and issues of appearance identity, that require an appropriate and independent assessment. The Derriford Appearance Scale (DAS) has been widely used to this end, as has been shown in UK and other international samples. The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which an Italian translation of DAS24 is valid, reliable, and culturally appropriate, while remaining user friendly. The extent to which the statistical robustness of the scale is maintained was also assessed. Patients and methods: Ninety-three female participants were recruited at a Breast Cancer Department in Southern Italy. According to the protocol designed by the original authors of the questionnaire, a booklet containing the DAS24ita and other scale was completed anonymously by participants. Conclusion: The results of the statistical analysis confirmed the validity and reliability of the DAS24ita. The DAS24ita demonstrated significant correlations with the other measures of appearance sensitivity and quality of life. The translated scale was able to differentiate among patients with differential diagnoses, and was more sensitive to these differences than generic quality-of-life scales.
This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics... more This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contac
In recent years social science research, medical, psychological and pedagogical showed a strong i... more In recent years social science research, medical, psychological and pedagogical showed a strong interest, particularly in adolescents, for intentional practices of potentiation ("enhancement") of the body and mind than the "normal" physical and mental functioning, through the 'use of chemical or instrumental practices substances. The volume aims to describe the phenomenon and to clarify the psychological processes that can oriented a teenager to adopt this behaviours in sports activities and in school performaces. It outlines a new field of bioethics and it is also noted that the use of NES (Neuro-Enhancing Substances) produces a deterioration in the experience of the psychology students compared to the academic load and interferes with the protective effect that may have motivational resources. The theoretical advance and empirical research on doping has marked the last two decades is testimony the efficacy of a socio-cognitive model. This line of research will provide a specific basis for the development of educational programs to effectively address the NES use problem and its implications for health and for the performances also in terms of learning.
Abstract Introducing a dual-process approach, this study extends research on the psychology of do... more Abstract Introducing a dual-process approach, this study extends research on the psychology of doping by considering discrepancies between athletes’ explicit and implicit evaluations of doping and the way they are cognitively resolved. Framing our hypotheses in terms of the associative-propositional evaluation model, we tested the mediating role of an exemplary extra-propositional process (moral disengagement) on the relationship between discrepant implicit and explicit evaluations and the intention to dope. Eighty participants (62 male; 16.87 ± 1.62 years) worked through a reaction time-based test to assess their implicit evaluations of doping (associative process). Questionnaires were used to assess their explicit evaluations, moral disengagement and intentions. The results support our hypothesis and reveal a significant indirect effect for the mediation path on the relationship between discrepant evaluations and intention. This study illustrates one fundamental cognitive mechanism of doping-related information processing within an athlete's doping mind-set. Future research should focus the interaction between implicit and explicit processes and its impact on doping intention and behaviour.
Eating and Weight Disorders-studies on Anorexia Bulimia and Obesity, Nov 22, 2013
This study aimed to provide data concerning the validity of a short sequence of face valid pictor... more This study aimed to provide data concerning the validity of a short sequence of face valid pictorial stimuli assessing the perception of body size in school-age children. A sequence of gender and age-appropriate silhouettes was administered to 314 boys and girls aged 6-14 years. The self-evaluations provided by the children correlated significantly with their actual BMI corrected for age. Furthermore, the children's self-evaluations always significantly correlated with the evaluations provided by the three external observers; i.e., both parents and the interviewers. The results indicate that this sequence of pictorial stimuli, depicting realistic human forms appropriate for children, is a valid measure of children's body image. Relevant differences across age groups were also found, indicating that before the age of eight, the correlations between the children's self-evaluations and their BMI or the judgments of the three observers are lower than in the other age groups.
Sleep promotes health, wellbeing, recovery and athletic performance. As a consequence, sleep prob... more Sleep promotes health, wellbeing, recovery and athletic performance. As a consequence, sleep problems in athletes may have detrimental effects. Previous investigations showed that professional athletes often reported to suffer of poor sleep quality and insomnia (e.g., difficulties falling asleep and/or maintaining sleep). However, psychological variables exacerbating and maintaining insomnia in professional athletes as well as its mechanistic pathways are still largely unknown. Available literature mostly focused on effects of sport-related variables, such as evening training and stimulant consumption on athletes' sleep. Instead, the contribution of cognitive and emotional variables globally associated with insomnia in athletes in clinical models has been largely neglected. To address these limitations, this study explored the associations between emotional experience, pre-sleep arousal, pre-sleep worry and rumination and insomnia severity in a sample of 210 (25.93±6.68 years) male professional soccer players. Bivariate correlations, multiple regression, and structural equation modelling with manifest variables (path analysis) were computed. Results showed that insomnia severity was associated with stimulants consumption, pre-sleep arousal, negative emotions, positive emotions, and pre-sleep worry/rumination (all p < .05). Path analysis showed that relationship between stimulant consumption, emotional experience, worry/rumination and insomnia was mediated by pre-sleep arousal (p < .05). Our results suggest that preventive and interventional studies in professional soccer players would benefit from considering global cognitive-emotional variables as targets of interventions.
Background/aim: Breast cancer is associated with appearance concerns and issues of appearance ide... more Background/aim: Breast cancer is associated with appearance concerns and issues of appearance identity, that require an appropriate and independent assessment. The Derriford Appearance Scale (DAS) has been widely used to this end, as has been shown in UK and other international samples. The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which an Italian translation of DAS24 is valid, reliable, and culturally appropriate, while remaining user friendly. The extent to which the statistical robustness of the scale is maintained was also assessed. Patients and methods: Ninety-three female participants were recruited at a Breast Cancer Department in Southern Italy. According to the protocol designed by the original authors of the questionnaire, a booklet containing the DAS24ita and other scale was completed anonymously by participants. Conclusion: The results of the statistical analysis confirmed the validity and reliability of the DAS24ita. The DAS24ita demonstrated significant correlations with the other measures of appearance sensitivity and quality of life. The translated scale was able to differentiate among patients with differential diagnoses, and was more sensitive to these differences than generic quality-of-life scales.
This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics... more This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contac
In recent years social science research, medical, psychological and pedagogical showed a strong i... more In recent years social science research, medical, psychological and pedagogical showed a strong interest, particularly in adolescents, for intentional practices of potentiation ("enhancement") of the body and mind than the "normal" physical and mental functioning, through the 'use of chemical or instrumental practices substances. The volume aims to describe the phenomenon and to clarify the psychological processes that can oriented a teenager to adopt this behaviours in sports activities and in school performaces. It outlines a new field of bioethics and it is also noted that the use of NES (Neuro-Enhancing Substances) produces a deterioration in the experience of the psychology students compared to the academic load and interferes with the protective effect that may have motivational resources. The theoretical advance and empirical research on doping has marked the last two decades is testimony the efficacy of a socio-cognitive model. This line of research will provide a specific basis for the development of educational programs to effectively address the NES use problem and its implications for health and for the performances also in terms of learning.
Abstract Introducing a dual-process approach, this study extends research on the psychology of do... more Abstract Introducing a dual-process approach, this study extends research on the psychology of doping by considering discrepancies between athletes’ explicit and implicit evaluations of doping and the way they are cognitively resolved. Framing our hypotheses in terms of the associative-propositional evaluation model, we tested the mediating role of an exemplary extra-propositional process (moral disengagement) on the relationship between discrepant implicit and explicit evaluations and the intention to dope. Eighty participants (62 male; 16.87 ± 1.62 years) worked through a reaction time-based test to assess their implicit evaluations of doping (associative process). Questionnaires were used to assess their explicit evaluations, moral disengagement and intentions. The results support our hypothesis and reveal a significant indirect effect for the mediation path on the relationship between discrepant evaluations and intention. This study illustrates one fundamental cognitive mechanism of doping-related information processing within an athlete's doping mind-set. Future research should focus the interaction between implicit and explicit processes and its impact on doping intention and behaviour.
Eating and Weight Disorders-studies on Anorexia Bulimia and Obesity, Nov 22, 2013
This study aimed to provide data concerning the validity of a short sequence of face valid pictor... more This study aimed to provide data concerning the validity of a short sequence of face valid pictorial stimuli assessing the perception of body size in school-age children. A sequence of gender and age-appropriate silhouettes was administered to 314 boys and girls aged 6-14 years. The self-evaluations provided by the children correlated significantly with their actual BMI corrected for age. Furthermore, the children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s self-evaluations always significantly correlated with the evaluations provided by the three external observers; i.e., both parents and the interviewers. The results indicate that this sequence of pictorial stimuli, depicting realistic human forms appropriate for children, is a valid measure of children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s body image. Relevant differences across age groups were also found, indicating that before the age of eight, the correlations between the children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s self-evaluations and their BMI or the judgments of the three observers are lower than in the other age groups.
Sleep promotes health, wellbeing, recovery and athletic performance. As a consequence, sleep prob... more Sleep promotes health, wellbeing, recovery and athletic performance. As a consequence, sleep problems in athletes may have detrimental effects. Previous investigations showed that professional athletes often reported to suffer of poor sleep quality and insomnia (e.g., difficulties falling asleep and/or maintaining sleep). However, psychological variables exacerbating and maintaining insomnia in professional athletes as well as its mechanistic pathways are still largely unknown. Available literature mostly focused on effects of sport-related variables, such as evening training and stimulant consumption on athletes' sleep. Instead, the contribution of cognitive and emotional variables globally associated with insomnia in athletes in clinical models has been largely neglected. To address these limitations, this study explored the associations between emotional experience, pre-sleep arousal, pre-sleep worry and rumination and insomnia severity in a sample of 210 (25.93±6.68 years) male professional soccer players. Bivariate correlations, multiple regression, and structural equation modelling with manifest variables (path analysis) were computed. Results showed that insomnia severity was associated with stimulants consumption, pre-sleep arousal, negative emotions, positive emotions, and pre-sleep worry/rumination (all p < .05). Path analysis showed that relationship between stimulant consumption, emotional experience, worry/rumination and insomnia was mediated by pre-sleep arousal (p < .05). Our results suggest that preventive and interventional studies in professional soccer players would benefit from considering global cognitive-emotional variables as targets of interventions.
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