@article{Pugliese2022,

title = {Families in quarantine for COVID‑19 in Italy. Resilience as a bufer of parental distress and problematic children’s emotions and behaviors},

author = {Erica Pugliese and Oriana Mosca and Daniele Paolini and Francesco Mancini and Domenica Puntonieri and Fridanna Maricchiolo},

editor = {Springer Link},

url = {https://apc.it/2022-mancini-families-in-quarantine-for-covid/},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03374-7},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-07-25},

journal = {Current Psychology},

abstract = {The pandemic of Covid-19 has had a high impact on people’s lives and especially on families. In Italy, in 2020, the several forced closures led families to live indoors to manage anxiety and distress. It was considered appropriate to investigate which protective factors, like parental resilience, can mitigate the negative impact of pandemic-related distress on family life. We have conducted two online surveys during different national lockdowns for Covid-19. The first survey was conducted immediately after the disruption of the virus and the second one after nine months. We measured parental resilience and distress, anxiety, problematic behaviors, and somatization of their children (as assessed by the parents). The aim was to investigate the protective role of parental resilience in mitigating parental distress and in turn problematic emotional states and behavior of their children. Mediation analyses confirmed the hypothesis that parental resilience lowers parental distress and consequently the anxiety and behavioral disorders of their children in both acute distress (first study) and chronic distress (second study) situations. Such results suggest that the improvement of parents’ resilience can buffer the negative impact of pandemic-related parental distress and children’s behavioral problems on both occasions. The need for focused interventions and treatments aimed to reinforce parental resilience is discussed. Targeted prevention and support strategies are needed now, and early in case of future health crises.},

keywords = {Anxiety, Distress, Emotional and behavioral problems of children, family, Resilience COVID-19, Stress},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Bacaro2022,

title = {The impact of COVID-19 on Italian adolescents’ sleep and its association with psychological factors},

author = {Valeria Bacaro and Debora Meneo and Sara Curati and Carlo Buonanno and Paola De Bartolo and Dieter Riemann and Francesco Mancini and Monica Martoni and Chiara Baglioni},

editor = {Wiley Online Library},

url = {https://apc.it/2022-mancini-the-impact-of-covid%e2%80%9019-on-italian-adolescents-sleep-and-its-association-with-2/},

doi = {doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13689},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-07-13},

journal = {Journal of Sleep Research},

volume = {1},

number = {8},

abstract = {Insomnia and circadian dysregulation during adolescence represent important risk factors for emotional and psychological problems. Recent studies have shown that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been linked to a high prevalence of behavioural sleep problems in the general population. This study aimed to provide two pictures of two different time points of the pandemic regarding the prevalence of sleep problems in adolescents and their association with psychological health variables. Two different independent large samples of Italian adolescents aged 13–17 years were recruited at two pandemic time points. A total of 1,146 adolescents at Time 1 (T1; April 2020) and 1,406 at Time 2 (T2; April 2021) took part in the study. Measures of insomnia symptoms, sleep hygiene, chronotype, psychological distress and emotion regulation were collected. Prevalence of insomnia was 12.13% at T1 and 23.19% at T2. Furthermore, high levels of poor sleep habits (late bedtime, poor sleep hygiene, use of electronic devices at bedtime) were also detected at both time points. Insomnia symptoms strongly correlated with poor sleep hygiene, higher psychological distress, and emotional suppression at both time points. Results highlighted an alarming picture for two large samples at two different time points of the pandemic that showed a potential negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in both the first outbreak and in the later phase of the pandemic, on sleep habits, psychological distress and insomnia symptoms in adolescents. This strongly suggests the need for monitoring these variables and their interaction in the post-pandemic period and to develop and promote interventions for insomnia and circadian disturbances during adolescence.},

keywords = {adolescents, COVID-19, health, insomnia, psychology, sleep},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Tenore2022,

title = {Group Imagery Rescripting on Childhood Memories Delivered via Telehealth: A Preliminary Study},

author = {Katia Tenore and Alessandra Mancini and Olga Ines Luppino and Francesco Mancini},

editor = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},

url = {https://apc.it/2022-mancini-group-imagery-rescripting/},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.862289},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-06-23},

journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},

abstract = {Background: Imagery Rescripting (ImR) has proved to be effective in the treatment of different mental disorders as an integral part of broader clinical protocols or as a standalone technique. ImR has also been successfully incorporated as part of group Schema Therapy treatment; however, to the best of our knowledge, it has never been assessed as a standalone technique in a group setting.



Aim: In this study, we focused on ImR delivered via telehealth in groups and we aimed to assess whether group ImR is effective in responding to basic emotional needs, in changing participants’ affective state, and in reducing dysfunctional beliefs. We also wanted to assess whether memory realism is associated with a greater effectiveness of the technique.



Methods: A total of 52 participants were presented with 3 ImR sessions on childhood memories related to the current dysfunctional belief that elicited more suffering.



Results: The technique was effective in facilitating the retrieval of a memory in almost the entire sample (in the range of 92.3–100%). Overall, memory realism values (level of vividness, ability to immerse, and participants’ distance from the images) were high in all three sessions. Almost all participants were reported having their needs met during ImR (89.7%). Importantly, need satisfaction was associated with the ability to immerse in the image. In addition, the intensity of the dysfunctional belief decreased significantly from pre-test to Session 3. The technique also changed the affective state, reducing arousal. Importantly, we also observed a general reduction in shame levels from the first to the third session.



Conclusion: A telehealth delivered ImR group intervention on childhood memories provides cognitive and emotional improvement. Along with the ability to satisfy the patient’s basic emotional needs, the technique seems to be effective in modifying maladaptive beliefs encapsulated in memory.},

keywords = {affective state, autobiographical memories, emotional needs, imagery rescripting, maladaptive beliefs, memory realism, needs’ satisfaction},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Brasini2022,

title = {“Col muso non si scherza... oppure sì? Un’attitudine giocosa riduce l’impatto negativo del silent treatment come forma di ostracismo interpersonale”},

author = {Maurizio Brasini and Mauro Giacomantonio and Francesco Mancini},

editor = {Rivista Italiana di Studi sull'Umorismo},

url = {https://apc.it/2022-mancini-col-muso-non-si-scherza/},

issn = {2611-0970},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-06-18},

journal = {Rivista Italiana di Studi sull'Umorismo},

volume = {5},

number = {2},

pages = {113-124},

abstract = {La letteratura sull’ostracismo sociale costituisce ad oggi il principale punto di riferimento concettuale per comprendere il fenomeno del “muso”. Sebbene le esperienze interpersonali caratterizzate dal muso siano estremamente comuni ed appaia evidente la sofferenza che questo comporta, tuttavia la ricerca specifica sull’argomento è poco sviluppata; in particolare, non esistono indicazioni univoche su quali fattori possano mitigarne l’impatto negativo. Nel presente studio, sono stati confrontati gli effetti provocati dalla rievocazione di due episodi, uno di dolore fisico e uno di muso; la Social Mentalities Scale è stata utilizzata per valutare l’effetto di mediazione di alcune disposizioni interpersonali a base evoluzionistica sull’impatto delle due esperienze sfavorevoli. I risultati mostrano che unicamente il gioco, e non l’attaccamento o il senso di appartenenza, consente di mitigare l’effetto negativo del muso.},

keywords = {gioco, mentalità sociali, muso, ostracismo, silent treatment, sistemi motivazionali},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Salmani2022,

title = {Anti-Disgust Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Contamination-Based Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial},

author = {Behzad Salmani and Francesco Mancini and Jafar Hasani and Zahra Zanjani},

editor = {MDPI},

url = {https://apc.it/2022-mancini-anti-disgust-cognitive-b/},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11102875},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-05-19},

journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine},

volume = {11},

number = {10},

pages = {2875},

abstract = {Background: Disgust is a strong and persistent emotion that frequently occurs during exposure-based treatments for contamination-based obsessive compulsive disorder (C-OCD). This study aimed to examine the efficacy of augmenting cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a novel type of anti-disgust cognitive intervention in reducing the severity of OCD, disgust propensity/sensitivity, and refusal rate of exposure and response prevention, while simultaneously increasing acceptance of disgust. Materials and Methods: Fifty-five individuals with C-OCD (mean age 28.1 years, SD = 3.52; 77% female) were randomly assigned to 15 weekly sessions of anti-disgust plus CBT (AD-CBT) or CBT alone. They were evaluated for outcomes four times (pretreatment, prior to exposure and response prevention (ERP) sessions, posttreatment, and three-month follow-up), and mixed-design ANOVAs were used to analyze the data. Results: The findings indicated that when compared to CBT alone, AD-CBT significantly reduced OCD severity, disgust propensity/sensitivity, and concurrently increased disgust acceptance (p < 0.001). Additionally, engaging in an anti-disgust cognitive intervention was associated with lower ERP refusal rate (4% vs. 16%). The superiority of AD-CBT over CBT persisted through the three-month follow-up period. Conclusions: The current study suggests that supplementing CBT for C-OCD with an anti-disgust cognitive intervention significantly increased acceptance of disgust and decreased the refusal rate of ERP, OCD severity, and disgust-related factors.},

keywords = {obsessive compulsive disorder; cognitive behavioral therapy; disgust; anti-disgust cognitive intervention},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Gragnani2022,

title = {Cognitive–Behavioral Treatment of Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: The Results of a Naturalistic Outcomes Study},

author = {Andrea Gragnani and Vittoria Zaccari and Giuseppe Femia and Valerio Pellegrini and Katia Tenore and Stefania Fadda and Olga Ines Luppino and Barbara Basile and Teresa Cosentino and Claudia Perdighe and Giuseppe Romano and Angelo Maria Saliani and Francesco Mancini},

editor = {MDPI},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11102762},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-05-13},

journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine},

volume = {11},

number = {10},

abstract = {Cognitive–behavioral therapy is a well-established treatment for obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). There are a variety of cognitive and behavioral strategies, and it is necessary to analyze the outcomes of the treatments. The aim of the present study is to verify the effectiveness of a treatment that combines evidence-based procedures and specific cognitive interventions highlighting the issue of acceptance. Forty patients with OCD were recruited and underwent a specific treatment procedure. All patients had a psychodiagnostic assessment for OCD using the Y–BOCS (Yale–Brown obsessive–compulsive scale) performed twice: before treatment (t0) and after nine months (t1). Data analysis showed a decrease in the scores between t0 and t1 according to the Y–BOCS in terms of the interference, severity, and impairment of obsessive–compulsive symptoms. A repeated-measures ANOVA showed a significant reduction in symptoms after treatment, with values of F (1, 39) = 137.56, p < 0.001, and η2 = 0.78. The ANOVA results were corroborated by a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A reliable change index analysis indicated that 33 participants reported improvements in symptoms, of which 23 were clinically significant. The results showed clinical relevance for OCD treatment and highlighted how this cognitive procedure favored positive outcomes.},

keywords = {obsessive–compulsive disorder; cognitive–behavioral therapy; cognitive interventions; outcomes; effectiveness; naturalistic study},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Albanese2022,

title = {Nightmare Rescripting: Using Imagery Techniques to Treat Sleep Disturbances in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder},

author = {Marzia Albanese and Marianna Liotti and Lucia Cornacchia and Francesco Mancini},

url = {https://apc.it/2022-mancini-nightmare-rescripting/},

doi = {doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.866144},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-04-04},

journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},

abstract = {Besides affecting 8% of the general population, nightmares are one of the most frequent symptoms of traumatized individuals. This can be a significant factor in the treatment of post-traumatic disorders; indeed, several studies demonstrated its strong predictive and prognostic value. Sleep disorders, nightmares in particular, could be very distressing for individuals and need targeted interventions, especially if they are associated with a PTSD diagnosis. To date, the best technique for the treatment of traumatic sleep disturbances seems to be Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT), an empirically supported method. Through a review of the literature on this matter, this article aims to outline the incidence and consequences of nightmares in PTSD, illustrate how IRT could prove useful in their treatment, and investigate its clinical applications.



Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition, which in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM-5; (1)] has been included in a new category, “Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders.” PTSD is characterized by the appearance of a wide array of symptoms after experiencing “death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence” [(1), p. 271], in the following ways: direct exposure to the event; witnessing the event; learning that a close one was exposed to a traumatic event; indirect exposure to details of the trauma.



PTSD diagnosis was added–not without many controversies–only in the third edition of the DSM [DSM-III; (2)], after noticing the development of post-traumatic symptoms among many veteran soldiers. However, it is possible to identify some descriptions ascribable to this disorder already at the beginning of the twentieth century, when many authors spoke of “war neurosis,” “soldier's heart,” and “shell shock” to describe the physio-psychological consequences of being exposed to war situations [for a historical overview, see (3)]. Shortly after the diagnosis of PTSD was introduced in the DSM, clinicians began to notice that there were other individuals–victims of sexual or physical abuse, for example–whose symptoms largely corresponded with those observed in soldiers. Today we know that the traumatic events that can give rise to PTSD are numerous and of various kinds. They produce lasting effects, which the DSM-5 describes as follows, dividing them into four clusters:



1) Re-experience of the traumatic event (intrusion symptoms) through distressing memories, dreams and nightmares, flashbacks, and dissociative reactions.



2) Avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event.



3) Negative alterations in cognition and mood (e.g., amnesia, negative beliefs and expectations, distorted cognitions, feelings of detachment).



4) Marked alterations in arousal and reactivity (e.g., irritability, self-destructive behaviors, hypervigilance, difficulties in concentrating, sleep disturbances).



According to the DSM-5, in the United States PTSD affects ~5% of men and 10% of women (1). In Italy, epidemiological studies show that about 56.1% of the general population is exposed to at least one traumatic event (with an average of 4 traumatic events experienced during the lifespan); the risk of experiencing PTSD following exposure to a traumatic event(s) is assessed to be between 0.8 and 12.2% (4). These data highlight the significance of a better understanding of the complex symptoms that are often associated with PTSD to develop targeted and effective intervention techniques.},

keywords = {imagery rehearsal therapy, imagery rescripting, insomnia, nightmares, post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Mancini2022,

title = {Moral Orientation Guilt Scale (MOGS): Development and validation of a novel guilt measurement},

author = {Alessandra Mancini and Umberto Granziola and Daniele Migliorati and Andrea Gragnani and Giuseppe Femia and Teresa Cosentino and Angelo Maria Saliani and Katia Tenore and Olga Ines Luppino and Claudia Perdighe and Francesco Mancini},

editor = {Elsevier},

url = {https://apc.it/2022-mancini-moral-orientation-guilt-scale-2/},

doi = {10.1016/j.paid.2021.111495},

issn = {0191-8869},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-04-01},

journal = {Personality and Individual Differences},

volume = {189},

number = {111495},

abstract = {Guilt emerges as the emotional result of a conflict between our behavior and internalized morality. Since morality is best conceptualized as a multidimensional construct, guilt results in different phenomena depending on the moral values internalized by the “guilty”. Indeed, mounting evidence supports the distinction between guilt feelings emerging from deontological morality and guilt feelings emerging from altruistic morality. Most measures fail to consider moral orientation when assessing guilt. Our aim was to develop a reliable and valid tool, able to independently measure different types of guilt feelings. We presented the 17-items Moral Orientation Guilt Scale (MOGS) to a large subclinical sample, along with other questionnaires. Analyses included measures of classical test theory and innovative techniques of network analysis. This cross-validation approach pointed at four factors: “Moral Norm Violation”, “Moral Dirtiness”, “Empathy” and “Harm”. Results suggested MOGS good reliability and a strong construct and convergent validity. Importantly, “Moral Norm Violation” and “Moral Dirtiness” scores were positively correlated with disgust sensitivity, supporting the link between disgust and deontological guilt. Differently, “Harm” scores were negatively correlated with disgust sensitivity scores, in line with the notion that altruism and disgust possibly evolved as part of contrasting motivational systems.},

keywords = {Deontological Guilt; Interpersonal Guilt; Disgust; Moral disgust; Exploratory graph analysis},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Zaccari2022,

title = {EXPLAINING INTERACTION OF GUILT AND OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE SYMPTOMS IN NOT JUST RIGHT EXPERIENCES},

author = {Vittoria Zaccari and Guyonne Rogier and Daniela Pulsinelli and Francesco Mancini and Francesca D’Olimpio},

editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore},

url = {https://apc.it/2022-mancini-explaining-interaction-of-guilt-clinical22_1_zaccarietal-2/},

doi = {doi.org/10.36131/ cnfioritieditore20220106},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry},

volume = {19},

number = {1},

pages = {39-44},

abstract = {Objective: “Not Just Right Experiences” (NJREs) are currently considered a characteristic of Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Significant associations have been found between NJREs and Obsessive–Compulsive (OC) symptoms in nonclinical and clinical populations. Literature support a significant relationship between NJREs, feelings of guilt and OC features. This study aims to clarify the role of the potential interplay between guilt and OC symptomatology in NJREs and verify if high levels of guilt will predict NJREs and OC symptoms and trait guilt levels will

positively interact in their prediction of NJREs.

Method: One hundred and eighty-nine adults recruited from normal population were assessed with questionnaires of NJREs and OC symptoms and proneness to experience guilt.

Results: All the variables involved in the study (NJREs severity, guilt and OCI-R scores) were positively and significantly correlated and showed that guilt and OCI-R scores significantly and positively interact in the prediction of NJREs levels. Guilt predicted NJREs only when levels of OCI-R were high.

Conclusions: These results support the association between guilt sensitivity or OC symptoms and NJREs in clinical and nonclinical participants and that a disposition toward high levels of guilt and OC symptoms have a particular sensitivity to NJREs corroborating centrality of guilt in OC symptoms.},

keywords = {guilt, not just right experiences (njres), obsessive– compulsive disorder (ocd), Obsessive–compulsive features, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, Trait-guilt},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Benedetto2021,

title = {Giada: "la trappola dell'indegnità", un caso di Tricotillomania in comorbidità con Disturbo ossessivo-compulsivo e Disturbi di personalità borderline},

author = {Serena Di Benedetto and Andrea Gragnani},

editor = {Quaderni di Psicoterapia Cognitiva},

url = {https://apc.it/di-benedetto-e-gragnani-2022-giada-la-trappola-dellindegnita/},

doi = {DOI: 10.3280/qpc49-2021oa13212},

issn = {1127-6347},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-12-23},

urldate = {2021-12-23},

journal = {Quaderni di Psicoterapia Cognitiva},

number = {49},

abstract = {This article describes the clinical case of Giada, a 19-year-old female with a borderline personality characterized by a pervasive emotional dysregulation. Trichotillomania and obsessive-compulsive disorder, two disorders belonging to the obsessive spectrum, represent dysfunctional attempts to manage the sense of unworthiness, combined with a deep self-repulsion and the deontological guilt for irreparably worsening one’s body.

This in turn increases the risk of one’s imperfection being discovered and hence refused, abandoned by others. The repeat behaviours focused on one’s body such as hair ripping in the pubic region and legs are on one hand premeditated and ritualized, when activated by the feeling of self-repulion and the need to feel good enough, and on the other hand are an impulsive reaction to an emotional dysregulation, such as attempts to manage painful emotional and mental statuses. The patient also shows a history of anxiety and obsessive behavious such as compulsive washing, intrusive throughs, and feelings of “not just right experience” (NJRE).

The therapeutic path, within which the interventions based on Schema Therapy have played a central role, has combined standard cognitive therapy techniques with third generation techniques (Act, DBT, Mindfullness), balancing radical acceptance with a push for change. The therapeutic relationship has proven an important tool to contain emotional experiences linked to self-unworthiness.},

keywords = {disregolazione emotiva, Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo, Schema therapy, Terapia dialettico comportamentale, Tricotillomania},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Demaria2021,

title = {Psychoeducation focused on family accommodation: a practical intervention for parents of children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder},

author = {Francesco Demaria and Maria Pontillo and Maria Cristina Tata and Prisca Gargiulo and Francesco Mancini and Stefano Vicari},

editor = {BMC},

url = {https://apc.it/2021-mancini-psychoeducation-focused-on-family-accomodation-2/},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-021-01177-3},

issn = {1824-7288},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-11-06},

journal = {Italian Journal of Pediatrics},

volume = {47},

number = {224},

abstract = {Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder that is frequently diagnosed in children and adolescents. In pediatric OCD, family plays an important role in the development and maintenance of the disease. In this relationship, both genetic and behavioral factors, such as parental modeling and family accommodation, are significant. Parental modeling concerns the daily enactment of dysfunctional behavioral patterns by a parent with OCD, which may influence children. Family accommodation, in contrast, describes the direct participation of parents in their child’s compulsive rituals, by modifying daily routines or by facilitating avoidance of OCD triggers, to decrease the child’s distress and time spent executing compulsions. Approximately 80–90% of the relatives of OCD patients actively participate in patients’ rituals. The literature demonstrates that a high level of family accommodation is associated with OCD symptom severity, reduced response to cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT), and a higher risk of therapy dropout.



Despite this, no studies have aimed at delineating practical guidance for psychotherapists to support parents in reducing family accommodation.



The main aim of this paper is to propose a psychoeducation intervention focused on cognitive-behavioral strategies to help families to manage their child’s OCD behaviors without enacting dysfunctional family accommodation behaviors in order to support their child’s successful therapy.},

keywords = {obsessive-compulsive disorder, Psychoeducation focused},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Cheli2021,

title = {What if metacognition is not enough? Its association with delusion  may be moderated by self-criticism},

author = {Simone Cheli and Veronica Cavalletti and Francesco Mancini and Gil Goldzweig},

editor = {Springer Link},

url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-mancini-Cheli_et_al-2021-Current_Psychology-1.pdf},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02451-7},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-11-05},

journal = {Current Psychology},

abstract = {Metacognition among those reporting psychotic symptoms is associated with a distortion in the way they understand their own 

and others’ mental states. Recent advances suggest that distortion in the form of self-criticism may activate a threat response 

and fuel symptom expression. At high level of self-criticism metacognition may reduce its protective role towards psychosis. 

Here, we explored whether the associations between impaired self-reflectivity and delusional ideation would decrease in 

the presence of self-criticism. A moderated regression model confirmed our hypothesis in a large sample of healthy young 

adults (N = 2065) even when controlled for sex, education, and family income. Our findings suggest how interventions aimed 

at reducing symptoms and promoting metacognition should always be interconnected with those targeting self-criticism.},

keywords = {Compassion Delusional ideation Metacognition Psychosis Self-criticism Self-reflectivity},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Zaccari2021b,

title = {An Observational Study of OCD Patients Treated With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy During the COVID-19 Pandemic},

author = {Vittoria Zaccari and Andrea Gragnani and Valerio Pellegrini and Tecla Caiazzo and Maria Chiara D'Arienzo and Antonella Magno and Giuseppe Femia and Francesco Mancini},

editor = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},

url = {https://apc.it/2021-an-observational-zaccari-et-al-2021/},

doi = {10.3389/fpsyt.2021.755744},

issn = {1664-0640},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-10-22},

urldate = {2021-10-22},

journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},

volume = {12},

pages = {1822},

abstract = {Background and Objectives: While the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for general mental health and the increase in anxiety and depression are clear, less is known about the potential effect of the pandemic on OCD. The purpose of this study is to collect new data to monitor the symptomatic status of patients with OCD during the period of emergency due to COVID-19 and to make a comparison between two psychodiagnostic evaluations.Methods: Eleven OCD patients and their psychotherapists were recruited. All patients had a specific psychodiagnostic assessment for OCD (SCL-90; OCI-R; Y-BOCS self-report) performed between December 2019 and January 2020 (t0), and undertook cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and prevention of response protocol (ERP) before the lockdown. The psychodiagnostic assessment carried out at t0 was re-administered (t1) to all patients, together with a set of qualitative questions collected through an online survey. The respective therapists were asked to document the status of the therapy and the monitoring of symptoms through use of a semi-structured interview (Y-BOCS) and a qualitative interview. Non-parametric analyses were conducted.Results: Patients reported a significant decrease in OCD symptoms. Data analysis showed a decrease in the scores across t0 and at t1 on the Y-BOCS (SR) total self-report, and on OCD symptoms' severity assessed by means of the OCI-r and SCL-90 r OC subscale, for 11 participants. Relating to the measures detected by psychotherapists, marginally significant improvements and lower scores were found in the Y-BOCS (I). An improvement in symptoms was noticed by 90.9% of the clinical sample; this was confirmed by 45.4% of the therapists, who claimed moderate progress in their patients.Conclusions: The data collected through standardized measurements at two different times, albeit relative to a small sample, assume relevance from a clinical point of view. In the literature, some studies document the worsening of OCD. However, in many studies, the type of treatment, the detection time, and the intervention period are not well-specified. These results confirm the effectiveness of CBT/ERP as an elective treatment for OCD through a specific intervention procedure.

}},

keywords = {adults, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), COVID-19, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), obsessive-compulsive symptoms, Y-BOCS},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Buonanno2021,

title = {Forgiveness in the Modulation of Responsibility in a Sample   of Italian Adolescents with a Tendency towards Conduct or   Obsessive–Compulsive Problems },

author = {Carlo Buonanno and Enrico Iuliano and Giuseppe Grossi and Francesco Mancini and Emiliana Stendardo and Fabrizia Tudisco and Barbara Pizzini },

editor = {MDPI},

url = {https://apc.it/2021-mancini-forgiveness-in-the-modulation/},

doi = {10.3390/brainsci11101333 },

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-10-09},

journal = {Brain Sciences},

volume = {11},

number = {10},

abstract = {Although obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and the conduct disorders (CD) express  a contrasting symptomatology, they could represent different answers to a common matrix about  morality. In the literature, some theoretical models describe people with OCD as individuals who 

experience  high  levels  of  responsibility  and  guilt.  On  the  other  hand,  adolescents  with  a  CD  are   described as if they do not feel guilty at all or consider anti-social purposes as more important than  existing  moral  purposes.  The  aims  of  this  study  were  to  investigate  the  role  of  forgiveness  in  responsibility and guilt levels and to test whether this putative relation was influenced by tendencies  towards obsessive–compulsive problems (OCP) or conduct problems (CP). In total, 231 adolescents  aged between 16 and 18 years were self-assessed using a Youth Self-Report, Child Responsibility  Attitudes  Questionnaire,  Heartland  Forgiveness Scale,  and Test  Of Self-Conscious Affect.  The  results show  that  self forgiveness  predicted  responsibility  levels,  while  guilt  was  predicted  by  self- forgiveness  and  situation-forgiveness.  Moreover,  mediation  analyses  revealed  that  the  effects  of   OCP on responsibility and guilt were mediated by self-forgiveness and situation-forgiveness. Regarding  CP,  no  mediated  effects  were  found.  In  conclusion,  lower  proneness  to  forgive  increases   responsibility and guilt, and this is particularly evident in subjects with higher levels of OCP. },

keywords = {forgiveness;  responsibility;  guilt;  obsessive-compulsive  problems;  conduct  problems;   adolescence},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Olivito2021,

title = {Aberrant Cerebello‑Cerebral Connectivity in Remitted Bipolar Patients 1 and 2: New Insight into Understanding the Cerebellar Role in Mania and Hypomania},

author = {Giusy Olivito and Michela Lupo and Andrea Gragnani and Marco Saettoni and Libera Siciliano and Corinna Pancheri and Matteo Panfili and Mara Cercignani and Marco Bozzali and Roberto Delle Chiaie and Maria Leggio},

editor = {Springer},

url = {https://apc.it/olivito_et_al-2021-the_cerebellum/},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s12311-021-01317-9},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-08-25},

journal = {The Cerebellum},

abstract = {Bipolar disorder (BD) is a major mental illness characterized by periods of (hypo) mania and depression with inter-episode remission periods. Functional studies in BD have consistently implicated a set of linked cortical and subcortical limbic regions in the pathophysiology of the disorder, also including the cerebellum. However, the cerebellar role in the neurobiology of BD still needs to be clarified. Seventeen euthymic patients with BD type1 (BD1) (mean age/SD, 38.64/13.48; M/F, 9/8) and 13 euthymic patients with BD type 2 (BD2) (mean age/SD, 41.42/14.38; M/F, 6/7) were compared with 37 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects (HS) (mean age/SD, 45.65/14.15; M/F, 15/22). T1 weighted and resting-state functional connectivity (FC) scans were acquired. The left and right dentate nucleus were used as seed regions for the seed based analysis. FC between each seed and the rest of the brain was compared between patients and HS. Correlations between altered cerebello-cerebral connectivity and clinical scores were then investigated. Different patterns of altered dentate-cerebral connectivity were found in BD1 and BD2. Overall, impaired dentate-cerebral connectivity involved regions of the anterior limbic network specifically related to the (hypo)manic states of BD. Cerebello-cerebral connectivity is altered in BD1 and BD2. Interestingly, the fact that these altered FC patterns persist during euthymia, supports the hypothesis that cerebello-cerebral FC changes reflect the neural correlate of subthreshold symptoms, as trait-based pathophysiology and/or compensatory mechanism to maintain a state of euthymia.},

keywords = {Cerebellum Bipolar disorder Mania Dentate nucleus Resting-state fMRI},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Visco-Comandini2021,

title = {Depression in the Mirror: Depression Severity and Its Link to Negative Judgments of Symptoms},

author = {Federica Visco-Comandini and Andrea Gragnani and Mauro Giacomantonio and Giuseppe Romano and Manuel Petrucci and Francesco Mancini},

editor = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},

url = {https://apc.it/2021-mancini-depression-in-the-mirror-visco/},

doi = {doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.621282},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-07-23},

journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry},

volume = {12},

abstract = {Background and Objectives: Depressive states represent a normal and physiological response to the experience of loss. However, it is possible to identify some elements that allow distinguishing physiological depressive states from pathological ones. Over the years, research has confirmed that a stable tendency to negative self-evaluation is a transdiagnostic factor that triggers and amplifies dysfunctional emotional reactivity, thus contributing to the shift from normal to pathological reaction. In this sense, the secondary problem, or meta-emotional problem, referring to the negative evaluation of one’s depressive state and the consequent dysfunctional attempts to solve it, seems to play an important role. The aim of the present study is to investigate how dysfunctional beliefs and the evaluations of depressive symptoms (meta-emotional problems) are

related to depression severity.

Methods: We asked to a community sample to focus on the depressive symptoms they regard as most distressful and evaluate them through specific questionnaires. One-hundred and eighty nine participants were asked to complete a set of

questionnaires: (1) the Meta-Emotional Problem Questionnaire; (2) the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; (3) the Beck Depression Inventory; (4) the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale-24 in order to investigate the relation between dysfunctional beliefs, meta-emotional problems, and depressive symptoms severity.

Results: Our results show that higher levels of depression are associated both to more pervasive dysfunctional attitudes and increased evaluation of meta-emotional problem. In addition, we conduct a regression analysis to disentangle the impact of the two different measures of depressive symptoms (i.e., BDI-II and CES-D) with two explanatory variables (dysfunctional attitudes and meta-emotional problem). Results show that meta-emotional problem remains a significant and robust predictor of the severity of depressive symptomatology, while dysfunctional beliefs has a rather weak and non-significant

relation with the criterion. In other words, meta-emotional problem consistently explains the higher variance of depressive symptoms than dysfunctional beliefs. In conclusion our study shows a clear link between meta-emotional problem and depression severity. This is relevant for clinical practice, as it highlights the importance of specifically targeting beliefs about the depressive condition in cognitive-behavioral treatment of depression, since they represent crucial factors maintaining depressive symptomatologies},

keywords = {depression, depressive symptoms, dysfunctional beliefs, meta-emotional problem, non-clinical population},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Basile2021,

title = {Childhood Memories in Eating Disorders: An Explorative Study Using Diagnostic Imagery},

author = {Barbara Basile and Chiara Novello and Simona Calugi and Rccardo Dalle Grave and Francesco Mancini},

editor = {Frontiers in Psychlogy},

url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/2021-mancini-childhood.pdf},

doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2021.685194},

issn = {1664-1078},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-07-22},

journal = {Eating Behavior},

volume = {12},

pages = {2890},

abstract = {components, the family environment and early parent–child interactions play a role in the development of eating disorders. The aim of this study was to explore the nature of early parent–daughter relationships in a sample of 49 female inpatients with an eating disorder. To acquire a detailed image description of the childhood experiences of the patient, we used diagnostic imagery, a schema therapy-derived experiential technique. This procedure allows exploring specific contents within the childhood memory (i.e., emotions and unmet core needs), bypassing rational control, commonly active during direct verbal questioning. Additionally, patients completed self-report measures to assess for eating disorder severity, general psychopathology, and individual and parental schemas pervasiveness. Finally, we explored possible differences in the diagnostic imagery content and self-report measures in two subgroups of patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The results showed that the most frequently reported unmet needs within the childhood memories of patients were those of safety/protection, care/nurturance, and emotional expression, referred specifically to the maternal figure. Overall, mothers were described as more abandoning, but at the same time particularly enmeshed in the relationship with their daughters. Conversely, patients perceived their fathers as more emotionally inhibited and neglecting. Imagery-based techniques might represent a powerful tool to explore the nature of early life experiences in eating disorders, allowing a more detailed case conceptualization and addressing intervention on early-life vulnerability aspects in disorder treatment.}

},

keywords = {Anorexia Nervosa, bulimia nervosa, diagnostic imagery, Early maladaptive schemas, eating disorders, parental schemas, unmet core needs},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Pecchinenda2021,

title = {Contributions of the Right Prefrontal and Parietal Cortices to the Attentional Blink: A tDCS Study},

author = {Anna Pecchinenda and Francesca De Luca and Bianca Monachesi and Manuel Petrucci and Mariella Pazzaglia and Fabrizio Doricchi and Michal Lavidor },

editor = {MDPI},

url = {https://apc.it/petrucci-2021-contributions-of-right-pfc-and-pc-to-the-attentional-blink/},

doi = {doi.org/10.3390/sym13071208},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-07-06},

journal = {Symmetry},

abstract = {The AB refers to the performance impairment that occurs when visual selective attention is overloaded through the very rapid succession of two targets (T1 and T2) among distractors by using the rapid serial visual presentation task (RSVP). Under these conditions, performance is

typically impaired when T2 is presented within 200–500 ms from T1 (AB). Based on neuroimaging studies suggesting a role of top-down attention and working memory brain hubs in the AB, here we potentiated via anodal or sham tDCS the activity of the right DLPFC (F4) and of the right PPC (P4) during an AB task. The findings showed that anodal tDCS over the F4 and over P4 had similar effects on the AB. Importantly, potentiating the activity of the right frontoparietal network via anodal tDCS only benefitted poor performers, reducing the AB, whereas in good performers it accentuated the AB. The contribution of the present findings is twofold: it shows both top-down and bottom-up contributions of the right frontoparietal network in the AB, and it indicates that there is an optimal level of excitability of this network, resulting from the individual level of activation and the intensity of current stimulation},

keywords = {attentional blink; tDCS; prefrontal cortex; parietal cortex},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Mancini2021b,

title = {Deontological and Altruistic Guilt Feelings: A Dualistic Thesis},

author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi},

editor = {Frontiers in Psychology},

url = {https://apc.it/2021-mancini-deontological-and-altruistic-guilt-feelings-a-dualistic-thesis-2/},

doi = {doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.651937},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-06-22},

journal = {Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology},

abstract = {In this paper we argue in favor of the existence of two different guilt feelings: altruistic guilt (AG) and deontological guilt (DG). AG arises from having harmed, through one's own action or omission, an innocent victim, while DG arises from the transgression of an internalized norm. In most daily experiences of guilt feelings both types are present, but we argue that they are not traceable to each other and that each can be present without the other. We show that the two guilt feelings can be distinguished with reference to behavioral, cognitive, and neurophysiological aspects. Moreover, we demonstrate that they are differently related to other processes and emotions. AG is connected with pain, empathy and ToM. DG is strongly related to disgust. We briefly illustrate some implications for moral psychology and clinical psychology.},

keywords = {Altruistic guilt, Deontological guilt, Disgust, guilt emotion, moral norms},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Salvo2021,

title = {Filthiness of Immorality: Manipulating Disgust and Moral Rigidity Through Noninvasive Brain Stimulation as a Promising Therapeutic Tool for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder},

author = {Giuseppe Salvo and Samantha Provenzano and Maria Di Bello and Francesca D’Olimpio and Cristina Ottaviani and Francesco Mancini},

editor = {Clinical Psychological Science},

url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/21677026211009508},

doi = {doi.org/10.1177/21677026211009508},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-05-25},

journal = {Clinical Psychological Science},

abstract = {The study was designed to test the hypothesis that indirect inhibition of the insula via cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) would decrease disgust and moral rigidity in 36 healthy individuals undergoing 15 min of tDCS over the temporal lobe. To obtain a comprehensive assessment of disgust, we used subjective (affect rating), physiological (heart rate variability [HRV]), and implicit measures (word-fragment completion), and moral judgment was assessed by asking participants to rate the deontological and altruistic moral wrongness of a revised version of the moral foundations vignettes. We found anodal and cathodal stimulations to, respectively, enhance and decrease self-reported disgust, deontological morality, and HRV. Note that these effects were stronger in individuals with higher levels of obsessive compulsive (OC) traits. Because disgust and sensitivity to deontological guilt are among the most impairing features in OC disorder, it is auspicious that cathodal tDCS could be implemented to reduce such symptoms.},

keywords = {Disgust, guilt, Morality, noninvasive brain stimulation, obsessive compulsive disorder},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}