@article{Zaccari2024, title = {State of the art of the literature on definitions of self-criticism: a meta-review}, author = {Vittoria Zaccari and Francesco Mancini and Guyonne Rogier}, editor = {Frontiers in Psychiatry}, url = {https://apc.it/2024-mancini-state-of-the-art-of-the-literature-on-definitions-of-self-criticism-a-meta-review/}, year = {2024}, date = {2024-02-19}, volume = {15}, abstract = {Background: Several authors have developed important theoretical models on an important transdiagnostic factor in psychopathology: self-criticism (SC). Currently, there are substantial variations in the theoretical definition of SC. The lack of awareness of similarities and differences between models may in turn impact the comparison between empirical results, limiting their clinical implications.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Grossi2023, title = {Psychopathic Traits, Externalizing Problems, and Prosocial Behavior: The Role of Social Dominance Orientation}, author = {Giuseppe Grossi and Francesca Strappini and Enrico Iuliano and Ylenia Passiatore and Francesco Mancini and Valentina Levantini and Gabriele Masi and Annarita Milone and Erica Santaguida and Randall T. Salekin and Pietro Muratori and Carlo Buonanno}, editor = {MDPI }, url = {https://apc.it/2023-mancini-psychopathic-traits-externalizing-problems-and-prosocial/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12103521}, issn = {2077-0383}, year = {2023}, date = {2023-05-17}, urldate = {2023-05-17}, journal = {Journal of Clinical Medicine}, volume = {12}, number = {351}, issue = {10}, abstract = {Psychopathic traits in community and referred youths are strongly associated with severe externalizing problems and low prosocial behavior. However, less is known about the mechanisms that may link youth psychopathy and these outcomes. Social dominance orientation (SDO), defined as the general individual orientation toward unequal and dominant/subordinate relationships, might represent a valuable construct to explore to better understand the association between psychopathic traits, externalizing problems, and prosocial behavior. Based on this, the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between psychopathic traits, SDO, externalizing problems, and prosocial behavior in a community sample (N = 92, 45.57% females, mean age = 12.53, and SD = 0.60) and in a clinical (N = 29, 9% female, mean age = 12.57, and SD = 0.57) samples of adolescents with Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder. Results showed that SDO mediated the relationship between psychopathic traits and externalizing problems and between psychopathic traits and prosocial behavior only in the clinical sample. These findings can provide valuable information on psychopathic trait correlates in youths with aggressive behavior disorders; treatment implications are discussed.}, keywords = {social dominance; psychopathic traits; externalizing problems; prosocial behavior; conduct problems}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Luppino2023, title = {The Role of Childhood Experiences in the development of Disgust Sensitivity: a preliminary study on early moral memories}, author = {Olga Ines Luppino and Katia Tenore and Francesco Mancini and Alessandra Mancini}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore s.r.l. }, url = {https://apc.it/2023-mancini-the-role-of-childhood-experiences/}, doi = {doi.org/10.36131/ cnfioritieditore2023020}, year = {2023}, date = {2023-04-01}, urldate = {2023-04-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry}, volume = {20}, number = {2}, pages = {109-121}, abstract = {bjective: Disgust is a basic emotion evolved to safeguard our omnivorous species from contagion. Although the factors eliciting disgust typically involve concerns related to physical contamination, physical disgust responses are also prompted by moral transgressions, (i.e. cannibalism, pedophilia, betrayal). The link between the general propensity to experience disgust (i.e. “Disgust Sensitivity”) and morality, in particular in the deontological domain, is supported by an increasing amount of data on clinical and non-clinical sample. Evolutionistic explanations of this link posit that disgust evolved to indicate the presence of a threat to the integrity of the individual not only in the physical domain but also in the social and moral domain. In addition to the evolutionary point of view, this link could also be better investigated in terms of individual development. To the best of our knowledge, literature is scarce regarding which early experiences are associated to high DS. Therefore, this study aims to explore the content of early memories associated with disgust. Based on the strict link between disgust and morality, we hypothesized an association between DS and early memories of moral criticism. Method: 60 non-clinical participants filled in measures of DS. They were then presented with an auditory disgust induction, after which they recalled early memories through the technique of the “affect bridge”. 10 independent raters assessed the emotional content of the memories on visual-analogical scales. Results: Results showed a positive association between disgust sensitivity and the propensity to experience deontological guilt. There was also a significant positive association between disgust sensitivity and moral memories, in particular relating to early experiences of being the object of contempt, moral criticism, anger, and of being held responsible. Conclusions: These data directly support the centrality of early morally-loaded interpersonal experiences in the development of DS, confirming the link between disgust and morality also at the level of individual historical developme}, keywords = {Deontological guilt, Disgust, early autobiographical memories, Early maladaptive schemas, imagery, Morality}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Pugliese2023b, title = {Pathological Affective Dependence (PAD) as an Antecedent of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): A Pilot Study of PAD’s Cognitive Model on a Sample of IPV Victims}, author = {Erica Pugliese and Oriana Mosca and Angelo Maria Saliani and Fridanna Maricchiolo and Teresa Vigilante and Francesca Bonina and Erika Cellitti and Grazia Foschino Barbaro and Marvita Goffredo and Paola Lioce and Ermelinda Orsini and Chiara Quintavalle and Sandra Rienzi and Alessia Vargiu and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Scientific Research Publishing }, url = {https://apc.it/2023-mancini-pathological-affective-dependence-pad/}, doi = {DOI: 10.4236/psych.2023.142018}, year = {2023}, date = {2023-02-28}, urldate = {2023-02-28}, journal = {Psychology}, volume = {14}, pages = {305-333}, abstract = {The present paper has the aim of presenting a preliminary measure of the construct of Pathological Affective Dependence (PAD). The scale has been built on the basis of a cognitive model of PAD and characteristics of a typical affective dependent person (Saver, Unworthy, Traumatic, and Mixed). These profiles have been tracked, using a framework of anti-goals, self/other beliefs, and intrapsychic conflicts (absent, alternate, or akrasic conflict) as obstacles to a healthy and safe separation. PAD scale (PADS) was tested on a clinical sample of 25 people (F = 21, 84%; M = 4.16%; age ranged between 29 and 61 years) recruited in an online anti-violence mutual-support group called Millemé (http://www.milleme.it/) and a psychotherapeutic center (https://www.spc.it/). We selected only patients in maladaptive relationships according to the specific characteristics of PAD, whose cognitive model will be explained in this paper. Other scales were administered to test convergent and discriminant validity through Pearson’s r correlations. The preliminary results support both research objectives and the PADS appears to have good validity. Furthermore, these preliminary results showed that PAD is both a stable trait and a latent psychological condition triggered by the abusive partner (i.e. a state component). This work is part of a larger project aimed at developing a measurement of PAD and cognitive-behavioral intervention protocols that reduce the morbidity and suffering of patients with PAD and the resulting high costs to our society. Understanding the antecedents of gender-based violence, such as PAD, is an essential protective factor also for the development of effective prevention strategies against Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Cheli2023, title = {A pilot randomized controlled trial comparing a novel compassion and metacognition approach for schizotypal personality disorder with a combination of cognitive therapy and psychopharmacological treatment}, author = {Simone Cheli and Veronica Cavalletti and Paul H. Lysaker and Giancarlo Dimaggio and Nicola Petrocchi and Francesca Chiarello and Consuelo Enzo, Francesco Velicogna and Gil Goldzweig}, editor = {BMC Psychiatry}, url = {https://apc.it/2023-mancini-a-pilot-randomized-controlled-trial/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04610-5}, year = {2023}, date = {2023-02-20}, volume = {23}, number = {113}, abstract = {Background Schizotypal personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of maladaptive behavior that has been associated with the liability for schizophrenia. Little is known about effective psychosocial interventions. This pilot non-inferiority randomized controlled trial aimed to compare a novel form of psychotherapy tailored for this disorder and a combination of cognitive therapy and psychopharmacological treatment. The former treatment – namely, Evolutionary Systems Therapy for Schizotypy—integrated evolutionary, metacognitively oriented, and compassion focused approaches. Methods Thirty-three participants were assessed for eligibility, twenty-four randomized on a 1:1 ratio, nineteen included in the final analysis. The treatments lasted 6 months (24 sessions). The primary outcome was change across nine measurements in personality pathology, the secondary outcomes were remission from diagnosis and pre-post changes in general symptomatology and metacognition. Results Primary outcome suggested a non-inferiority of the experimental treatment in respect to control condition. Secondary outcomes reported mixed results. There was no significant difference in terms of remission, but experimental treatment showed a larger reduction of general symptomatology (η2 = 0.558) and a larger increase in metacognition (η2 = 0.734). Conclusions This pilot study reported promising results about the effectiveness of the proposed novel approach. A confirmatory trial on large sample size is needed to provide evidence about relative effectiveness of the two treatment conditions.}, keywords = {Compassion Evolution Evolutionary systems therapy for schizotypy Metacognition Schizotypal personality disorder Schizotypy}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Siciliano2023, title = {The role of the cerebellum in sequencing and predicting social and non-social events in patients with bipolar disorder}, author = {Libera Siciliano and Giusy Olivito and Michela Lupo and Nicole Urbini and Andrea Gragnani and Marco Saettoni and Roberto Delle Chiaie and Maria Leggio}, editor = {Frontiers}, url = {https://apc.it/2023-gragnani-the-role-of-the-cerebellum/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2023.1095157}, year = {2023}, date = {2023-02-15}, urldate = {2023-02-15}, journal = {Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience}, abstract = {Introduction: Advances in the operational mode of the cerebellum indicate a role in sequencing and predicting non-social and social events, crucial for individuals to optimize high-order functions, such as Theory of Mind (ToM). ToM deficits have been described in patients with remitted bipolar disorders (BD). The literature on BD patients’ pathophysiology reports cerebellar alterations; however, sequential abilities have never been investigated and no study has previously focused on prediction abilities, which are needed to properly interpret events and to adapt to changes. Methods: To address this gap, we compared the performance of BD patients in the euthymic phase with healthy controls using two tests that require predictive processing: a ToM test that require implicit sequential processing and a test that explicitly assesses sequential abilities in non-ToM functions. Additionally, patterns of cerebellar gray matter (GM) alterations were compared between BD patients and controls using voxel-based morphometry. Results: Impaired ToM and sequential skills were detected in BD patients, specifically when tasks required a greater predictive load. Behavioral performances might be consistent with patterns of GM reduction in cerebellar lobules Crus I-II, which are involved in advanced human functions. Discussion: These results highlight the importance of deepening the cerebellar role in sequential and prediction abilities in patients with BD.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Olivito2023, title = {The Cerebellum Gets Social: Evidence from an Exploratory Study of Cerebellar, Neurodevelopmental, and Psychiatric Disorders}, author = {Giusy Olivito and Libera Siciliano and Silvia Clausi and Michela Lupo and Roberto Baiocco and Andrea Gragnani and Marco Saettoni and Roberto Delle Chiaie and Fiorenzo Laghi and Maria Leggio }, editor = {MDPI}, url = {https://apc.it/2023-gragnani-the-cerebellum-gets-social/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11020309}, year = {2023}, date = {2023-01-22}, journal = {Biomedicin}, volume = {11}, number = {309}, abstract = {Social prediction is a key feature of social cognition (SC), a function in which the modulating role of the cerebellum is recognized. Accordingly, cerebellar alterations are reported in cerebellar pathologies, neurodevelopmental disorders, and psychiatric conditions that show SC deficits. Nevertheless, to date, no study has directly compared populations representative of these three conditions with respect to SC and cerebellar alterations. Therefore, the present exploratory study aimed to compare the SC profiles of individuals with cerebellar neurodegenerative disorders (CB), autism (ASD), bipolar disorder type 2 (BD2), or healthy subjects (HS) using a battery of social tests requiring different degrees of prediction processing. The patterns of cerebellar gray matter (GM) alterations were compared among the groups using voxel-based morphometry. Compared to HS, the clinical groups showed common SC deficits in tasks involving a moderate to high level of prediction. The behavioral results of the clinical groups are consistent with the presence of overlapping GM reduction in cerebellar right Crus II, an area notably involved in complex social processing and prediction. Although exploratory and preliminary, these results deepen the cerebellar role in social prediction and highlight the transdiagnostic value of the cerebellum in social functioning and prediction in pathologies of different aetiologies, forecasting novel possibilities for shared interventions.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Pugliese2023, title = {When the War Is in Your Room: A Cognitive Model of Pathological Affective Dependence (PAD) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)}, author = {Erica Pugliese and Angelo Maria Saliani and Oriana Mosca and Fridanna Maricchiolo and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {MDPI}, url = {https://apc.it/2023-mancini-when-the-war-is-in-your-room-2/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021624}, year = {2023}, date = {2023-01-13}, urldate = {2023-01-13}, journal = {Sustainability}, abstract = {In the last decade, Pathological Affective Dependence (PAD)—as a risk factor for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)—has undergone considerable attention among clinical and social psychologists. However, the psychological nature of PAD has been described in discordant terms throughout the literature. We try to give a clear definition of the construct (1), theorize a first cognitive model of PAD (2), and describe the prototypical characteristics of a pathological affective dependent (in terms of goals, anti-goals, and dysfunctional self-other beliefs) based on goal-oriented theories (3). We finally present (4) the resulting specific TADs (typical affective dependent) profiles (Saver, Unworthy, Traumatic, and Mixed). We believe that our manuscript on the PAD makes a significant contribution to achieve the fifth UN Sustainable Development Goal aimed at eliminating “all forms of violence against all women”: in fact, understanding the psychological risk factors of IPV as PAD is an essential protective factor for designing effective prevention social strategies against IPV. Moreover, this work contributes to achieving one of the “outcome targets” of the sixteenth UN Sustainable Development Goal. It is dedicated to the promotion of “peaceful and inclusive societies”, through the reduction of all forms of violence and the protection of children from abuse. Indeed, IPV strongly affects (physical and mental) health and social sustainability of well-being. However, empirical studies on this topic are limited and there is a lack of a theoretical model of PAD. This work represents a theoretical starting point for a broader project aimed at building a cognitive-behavioral protocol and social interventions for the reduction of negative consequences on IPV victims}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Fusco2023, title = {Altered processing of conflicting body representations in women with restrictive anorexia nervosa}, author = {Gabriele Fusco and Sofia Ciccarone and Manuel Petrucci and Barbara Cozzaro and Giuseppe Vercelli and Armando Cotugno and Ilaria Bufolari}, editor = {Springer }, url = {https://apc.it/2023-petrucci-altered-processing-of-conflicting-body-representations-in-an/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-022-01788-3}, year = {2023}, date = {2023-01-02}, journal = {Psychological Research}, volume = {87}, pages = {1696–1709}, abstract = {Cognitive and affective impairments in processing body image have been observed in patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and may induce the hypercontrolled and regulative behaviors observed in this disorder. Here, we aimed to probe the link between activation of body representations and cognitive control by investigating the ability to resolve body-related representational conflicts in women with restrictive AN and matched healthy controls (HC). Participants performed a modified version of the Flanker task in which underweight and overweight body images were presented as targets and distractors; a classic version of the task, with letters, was also administered as a control. The findings indicated that performance was better among the HC group in the task with bodies compared to the task with letters; however, no such facilitation was observed in AN patients, whose overall performance was poorer than that of the HC group in both tasks. In the task with body stimuli, performance among patients with AN was the worst on trials presenting underweight targets with overweight bodies as flankers. These results may reflect a dysfunctional association between the processing of body-related representations and cognitive control mechanisms that may aid clinicians in the development of optimal individualized treatments}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @bachelorthesis{Raimo2022, title = {L’utilizzo dell’Esposizione con Prevenzione della Risposta in un campione di psicoterapeuti italiani}, author = {Simona Raimo and Valentina Battimiello and Dalila Biondi and Maria Ciccarelli and Tania Colardo and Dora Riemma and Loredana Schiano di Zenise and Andrea Gragnani and Adriana Scuotto and Teresa Cosentino}, editor = {Centro Studi Erickson}, url = {https://apc.it/2023-gragnani-lutilizzo-dellesposizione-con/}, doi = {https://doi.org/doi:10.14605/PCC2832201}, issn = {1126-1072}, year = {2022}, date = {2022-10-01}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, volume = {28}, number = {3}, pages = {245-260}, abstract = {Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is an evidence-supported intervention indicated by international guidelines for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders. Nevertheless, some studies show that it is still underutilized in clinical practice. The consulted literature inspired this pilot study, which aims to investigate the use of ERP among Italian cognitive psychotherapists. A specific questionnaire, adapted from the survey conducted by Sars et al. (2015) focused on ERP use, with the addition of specific items assessing the therapist’s personal variables, specifically anxiety and guilt sensitivity and self-efficacy, was administered to participants. Results showed that beliefs about the effectiveness of exposure techniques and positive attitudes about their use led respondents to use ERP more frequently, especially if they had few years of experience in clinical practice. In addition to specific beliefs on ERP, some personal characteristics of the therapist, such as perceived self-efficacy and guilt sensitivity, also appear to play a role in ERP use. The data are discussed in the light of current literature}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {bachelorthesis} } @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} } @article{Pellegrini2021, title = {Is Covid-19 a natural event? Covid-19 pandemic and conspiracy beliefs}, author = {Valerio Pellegrini and Mauro Giacomantonio and Valeria De Cristofaro and Marco Salvati and Maurizio Brasini and Elio Carlo and Francesco Mancini and Luigi Leone}, editor = {Elsevier}, url = {https://apc.it/1-s2-0-s019188692100386x-main/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.111011}, issn = {0191-8869}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-05-24}, journal = {Personality and Individual Differences}, volume = {181}, pages = {111011}, abstract = {In this paper, antecedents and consequences of conspiracy beliefs are investigated in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. 618 individuals residing in different geographical area of Italy participated in the study. We found that perceived mortality rate of COVID-19 is positively associated with adherence to conspiracy beliefs and, in turn, with negative outcomes such as: (a) a reduced support for the measures taken to deal with the pandemic emergency, (b) a weaker feeling of guilt for the violation of anti-COVID-19 government rules, and (c) a stronger utilitarian stance which prioritizes economic over health-related outcomes of lockdown. Also, framing pandemic within the “natural order of things” – fundamental and implicit expectations concerning how life and the world should function – was expected to moderate the relationship between perceived mortality rate and conspiracy beliefs: we found this relationship to be weaker when people believe that pandemic falls into the “natural order of things”}, keywords = {COVID-19Mortality rateConspiracy beliefsNatural order}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Zaccari2021, title = {Narrative Review of COVID-19 Impact on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Child, Adolescent and Adult Clinical Populations}, author = {Vittoria Zaccari and Maria Chiara D'Arienzo and Tecla Caiazzo and Antonella Magno and Graziella Amico and Francesco Mancini }, editor = {Frontiers in Psychiatry}, url = {https://apc.it/zaccari-et-al-2021-narrative-review-of-covid-19/}, doi = {doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.673161}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-05-13}, urldate = {2021-05-13}, journal = {Psychopathology}, abstract = {Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine had a significant impact on mental health which resulted in an increase of anxiety and depression in adult, child and adolescent clinical populations. Less is known about the potential effect of pandemic on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) so there is a lack of review work to illustrate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on OCD. Purpose: The main objective is to review all the empirical contributions published after March 2020 that dealt with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on OCD in adults, children and adolescents, investigating the state-of-the-art literature concerning the impact on OCD and detailing limitations. Methods: The literature search was conducted using PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar. This review analyzed all studies from January 2020 to 8 January 2021, focusing on clinical populations of children, adolescents, and adults with OCD. Results: A total of 102 articles were screened, resulting in the identification of 64 full-text articles to be further scrutinized. Upon closer examination, there was consensus that 39 articles met the study inclusion criteria and 14 of these were selected for study. Analysis of the results revealed that COVID-19 had an impact on OCD in both adults and young people and seems to have caused exacerbation of symptoms, especially of the contamination/washing subtypes. Eight studies in adult samples showed an increase in the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms; two studies underlined a minimal impact of COVID-19 on OCD patients and one study showed a slight improvement in symptoms. Two out of three studies on children and adolescents showed an exacerbation of OCD and a worsening even in the presence of an ongoing treatment. Conclusions: The studies reviewed are few. There are more studies on adult OCD than on children and adolescents. The results are controversial: few studies examined OCD subtypes; in most studies the typology of treatment was not clear and the samples covered a wide age range; a large number of studies did not use the same monitoring period or quantitative measures, both of which make it difficult to compare or rely on the results.}, keywords = {adolescents, adults, children, coronavirus, COVID-19, narrative review, obsessive-compulsive disorder, obsessive-compulsive symptoms}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gangemi2021, title = {Emotional Reasoning and Psychopathology}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Margherita Dahò and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {MDPI}, url = {https://apc.it/2021-emotional-reasoning/}, doi = {10.3390/brainsci11040471 }, year = {2021}, date = {2021-04-08}, journal = {Brain Sciences}, volume = {11}, number = {4}, abstract = {One of the several ways in which affect may influence cognition is when people use affect as a source of information about external events. Emotional reasoning, ex-consequentia reasoning, and affect-as-information are terms referring to the mechanism that can lead people to take their emotions as information about the external world, even when the emotion is not generated by the situation to be evaluated. Pre-existing emotions may thus bias evaluative judgments of unrelated events or topics. From this perspective, the more people experience a particular kind of affect, the more they may rely on it as a source of valid information. Indeed, in several studies, it was found that adult patients suffering from psychological disorders tend to use negative affect to estimate the negative event as more severe and more likely and to negatively evaluate preventive performance. The findings on this topic have contributed to the debate that theorizes the use of emotional reasoning as responsible for the maintenance of dysfunctional beliefs and the pathological disorders based on these beliefs. The purpose of this paper is to explore this topic by reviewing and discussing the main studies in this area, leading to a deeper understanding of this phenomenon.}, keywords = {emotion; beliefs; emotional reasoning; affect-as-information; psychopathology; anxiety; guilt; obsessive-compulsive disorder; anxiety disorders; depression; personality disorders}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Wright2021, title = {Differential diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder: Self‐concept, identity and self‐esteem}, author = {Livia Wright and Lisa Lari and Stefania Iazzetta and Marco Saettoni and Andrea Gragnani}, editor = {Wiley online library}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author/FJCMBMMYTIG6MXKPNHPC?target=10.1002/cpp.2591}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2591}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-04-03}, journal = {Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy}, volume = {1}, number = {36}, abstract = {Symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and bipolar disorder (BD) often overlap. In some cases, it is difficult to conduct a differential diagnosis based only on current diagnostic criteria Therefore, it is important to find clinical factors with high discriminatory specificity that, used together with structured or semi‐structured interviews, could help improve diagnostic practice. We propose that a clinical analysis of identity, self‐concept and self‐esteem may help distinguish the two disorders, when they are not co‐morbid. Our review of the studies that analyse these constructs in BD and BPD, separately, points in the direction of qualitative differences between the two disorders. In BPD, there is a well‐documented identity diffusion, and the self‐concept appears predominantly negative; shifts in self‐concept and self‐esteem are often tied to interpersonal triggers. In BD, patients struggle with their identity, but narrative identity might be less compromised compared with BPD; the shifts in self‐concept and self‐esteem appear more linked to internal (i.e. mood and motivational) factors. We end the paper by discussing the implications for clinicians and ideas for future comparative research. }, keywords = {ipolar disorder borderline personality disorder differential diagnosis identity self‐concept self‐esteem}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Lupo2021, title = {Comparison of Cerebellar Grey Matter Alterations in Bipolar and Cerebellar Patients: Evidence from Voxel-Based Analysis}, author = {Michela Lupo and Giusy Olivito and Andrea Gragnani and Marco Saettoni and Libera Siciliano and Corinna Pancheri and Matteo Panfili and Marco Bozzali and Roberto Delle Chiaie and Maria Leggio}, editor = {MDPI}, url = {https://apc.it/lupo_et_al_2021_bd_e_atrofia_cerebellare1/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22073511}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-03-29}, journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences}, volume = {22}, number = {7}, abstract = {The aim of this study was to compare the patterns of cerebellar alterations associated with bipolar disease with those induced by the presence of cerebellar neurodegenerative pathologies to clarify the potential cerebellar contribution to bipolar affective disturbance. Twenty-nine patients affected by bipolar disorder, 32 subjects affected by cerebellar neurodegenerative pathologies, and 37 age-matched healthy subjects underwent a 3T MRI protocol. A voxel-based morphometry analysis was used to show similarities and differences in cerebellar grey matter (GM) loss between the groups. We found a pattern of GM cerebellar alterations in both bipolar and cerebellar groups that involved the anterior and posterior cerebellar regions (p = 0.05). The direct comparison between bipolar and cerebellar patients demonstrated a significant difference in GM loss in cerebellar neurodegenerative patients in the bilateral anterior and posterior motor cerebellar regions, such as lobules I−IV, V, VI, VIIIa, VIIIb, IX, VIIb and vermis VI, while a pattern of overlapping GM loss was evident in right lobule V, right crus I and bilateral crus II. Our findings showed, for the first time, common and different alteration patterns of specific cerebellar lobules in bipolar and neurodegenerative cerebellar patients, which allowed us to hypothesize a cerebellar role in the cognitive and mood dysregulation symptoms that characterize bipolar disorder}, keywords = {cerebellar atrophy; bipolar disorder; voxel-based morphometry; cerebellar grey matter volume}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Bacaro2021, title = {SLEEP CHARACTERISTICS IN ITALIAN CHILDREN DURING HOME CONFINEMENT DUE TO COVID-19 OUTBREAK}, author = {Valeria Bacaro and Marco Chiabudini and Carlo Buonanno and Paola De Bartolo and Dieter Riemann and Francesco Mancini and Chiara Baglioni}, editor = {Franco Angeli Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/2021-sleep-characteristics-in-italian-children-clinical21_1_bacaroetal-2/}, doi = {doi.org/10.36131/ cnfioritieditore20210102}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-02-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry }, volume = {18}, number = {1}, pages = {13-27}, abstract = {Objective: Italy faced one of the first large clusters of COVID-19 infections worldwide. Home confinement and social distancing could have negatively impacted sleep habits and prevalence of sleep disorders in children, which may be also linked with altered emotional processes. The present study focused on clinical aspects related to sleep, insomnia and emotions in Italian children aged 0-to-12 years during home confinement due to COVID-19 outbreak. Method: An online survey was systematically distributed in all Italian territories by contacting regional offices of the Italian Ministry of Instruction, University and Research (MIUR) and schools with available contact. All respondents had to be parents of at least one child aged 0 to 12 years old. Information on sociodemographic variables, sleep habits, sleep health behaviors, sleep disorders and mood were collected. Results: Parents of 2361 children (mean age: 8.1 ± 2.62 years; 1148 females; 1213 males) answered the survey. 1.2% of children was between 0 and 2 years old; 15.3% within 3 to 5 years and 83.3% within 6 and 12 years. In all group ages, late bedtime was observed (most of them after 9 p.m.). 59.4% of all children presented at least one clinical diagnostic criterion for childhood insomnia. Logistic regression model showed that presence of at least one criterion for childhood insomnia was associated to younger age, negative mood, current parental insomnia, being the only child, presence of any other sleep disorder, and sleep hygiene behaviors. Conclusions: Data indicate an alarming increase of prevalence of insomnia related problems in Italian children during home confinement with respect to previous data. This was found to be associated with poor sleep hygiene and negative mood. Clinical programs targeting insomnia, sleep health behaviors and emotional processes should be implemented in pediatric primary care in order to prevent the development of sleep problems in a post-pandemic situation.}, keywords = {children, COVID-19, Emotions, health, home confinement, insomnia, sleep, sleep hygiene}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Bacaro2020b, title = {Efficacy of interventions for improving health in patients with multiple sclerosis on insomnia symptoms and sleep quality: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials, Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy}, author = {Valeria Bacaro and Carlo Buonanno and Francesco Mancini and Chiara Baglioni}, editor = {Elsevier}, url = {https://apc.it/2021-efficacy-of-intervention/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbct.2020.12.001}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-01-28}, journal = {Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy}, abstract = {Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) often experience reduced health-related quality of life and mental health comorbidity. The prevalence of insomnia disorder and sleep quality impairments in MS patients ranges from 47% to 62%. Nevertheless, these problems often remain underdiagnosed and undertreated. This review systematically and critically assesses evidence from randomized clinical trials which evaluated the efficacy of different clinical interventions targeting mental and general health in patients with MS on insomnia symptoms and sleep quality. Pubmed, PsycINFO and Medline databases were systematically searched. Eligible studies included adults ≥ 18 years with MS diagnosis; were randomized clinical trials; and reported pre and post-treatment data for primary or secondary outcomes. Nine studies were selected including 755 adults with an MS diagnosis. Studies evaluated the efficacy of various treatments: psychological interventions (5); pharmacotherapy, including medications for fatigue, cannabis extract and melatonin (3); energy conservation therapy (1). Preliminary support was found for psychological interventions and cannabis extract. This work highlights the important need for more high-quality randomized controlled trials for interventions targeting insomnia in MS patients.}, keywords = {Sleep problemsInsomniaInterventionsMultiple sclerosisSystematic reviewRandomized controlled trial}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Petrocchi2021, title = {Compassion-Focused Group Therapy for Treatment-Resistant OCD: Initial Evaluation Using a Multiple Baseline Design}, author = {Nicola Petrocchi and Teresa Cosentino and Valerio Pellegrini and Giuseppe Femia and Antonella D’Innocenzo and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Frontiers in Psychology}, url = {https://apc.it/2021-compassion-focused-group-therapy-2/}, doi = {doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.594277}, issn = {1664-1078}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-01-12}, journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry}, abstract = {Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental health disorder that can easily become a treatment-resistant condition. Although effective therapies exist, only about half of the patients seem to benefit from them when we consider treatment refusal, dropout rates, and residual symptoms. Thus, providing effective augmentation to standard therapies could improve existing treatments. Group compassion-focused interventions have shown promise for reducing depression, anxiety, and avoidance related to various clinical problems, but this approach has never been evaluated for OCD individuals. However, cultivating compassion for self and others seems crucial for OCD patients, given the accumulating research suggesting that fear of guilt, along with isolation and self-criticism, can strongly contribute to the development and maintenance of OCD. The primary aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the acceptability, tolerability, and effectiveness of an 8-week group compassion-focused intervention for reducing OCD symptoms, depression, fear of guilt and self-criticism, and increasing common humanity and compassionate self-reassuring skills in treatment-resistant OCD patients. Using a multiple baseline experimental design, the intervention was evaluated in a sample of OCD patients (N = 8) who had completed at least 6 months of CBT treatment for OCD, but who continued to suffer from significant symptoms. Participants were randomized to different baseline assessment lengths; they then received 8 weekly, 120- min group sessions of compassion-focused therapy for OCD (CFT-OCD), and then were tested again at post-treatment and at 1 month follow up. Despite the adverse external circumstances (post-treatment and follow-up data collection were carried out, respectively, at the beginning and in the middle of the Italian lockdown due to the COVID19 pandemic), by the end of treatment, all participants demonstrated reliable decreases in OCD symptoms, and these improvements were maintained at 4-week follow-up for seven of eight participants. The intervention was also associated with improvements in fear of guilt, self-criticism, and self-reassurance, but less consistent improvements in depression and common humanity. Participants reported high levels of acceptability of and satisfaction with the intervention. Results suggest that the intervention may be beneficial as either a stand-alone treatment or as an augmentation to other treatments.}, keywords = {compassion-focused therapy, compassionate mind training, fear of guilt, multiple baseline design, Obsessive–compulsive disorder, self-compassion, self-reassuring, selfcriticism}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gangemi2021b, title = {EXPERIENCES AND TOOLS}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Palmira Faraci and Palma Menna and Francesco Mancini}, url = {https://apc.it/2021-gangemi_bpa-261-262-experiences-and-tools/}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-01-01}, journal = {Bollettino di Psicologia applicata}, volume = {261-262}, pages = {77-94}, keywords = {Available Social Support, Deserved Social Support, Perceived Social Support}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Femia2020, title = {A prototypical MMPI-2 configuration of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder}, author = {Giuseppe Femia and Andrea Gragnani and Teresa Cosentino and Mauro Giacomantonio and Federico Diano and Antonella Bernaudo and Valerio Pellegrini and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology }, url = {https://apc.it/2020-a-prototypical-mmpi2-configuration-of-ocd/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.6092/2282-1619/mjcp-2554}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-12-19}, journal = {Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology}, volume = {8}, number = {3}, abstract = {Background: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is often measured through self-report questionnaires focused on measuring symptomatology (Y-BOCS, OCI-R, and PI). The scientific literature identifies the Pt scale as a distinctive marker, but does not report data related to a specific OCD profile of the MMPI-2 test. Therefore, based on some clinical considerations and preliminary investigations, the following study aims to identify a specific MMPI-OCD configuration marked by the presence of significant indicators able to describe its psychological functioning and its key features in cognitive, emotional and affective terms. Method: In order to explore the expected relationships, 395 participants were involved (average age: 34.20 years) and evaluated through the MMPI-2 test and the Yale-Brown interview. Results: MANOVA, Multiple Linear Regression Analysis and Discriminant Function Analysis confirm that the OCD is marked by the recurrence of three elevated clinical scales (Pt, D, Sc). Hyper-prudential reasoning and some reasoning bias, typically employed by these subjects, could justify such results. Conclusions: This specific configuration could therefore support the clinician during the assessment phases and lead him to identify – as well as differentiate – his characteristics from those of other psychological disorders, thus stimulating him to deepen during the interpretation of the results. }, keywords = {Differential diagnosis; HPC configuration; MMPI-2; Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Psychological assessment}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Bacaro2020, title = {Insomnia in the Italian Population During Covid-19 Outbreak: A Snapshot on One Major Risk Factor for Depression and Anxiety}, author = {Valeria Bacaro and Marco Chiabudini and Carlo Buonanno and Paola De Bartolo and Dieter Riemann and Francesco Mancini and Chiara Baglioni}, editor = {Frontiers in Psychiatry}, url = {https://apc.it/2020-mancini-insomnia-in-the-italian-population/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.579107}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-12-15}, journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry}, abstract = {Objectives: One of the largest clusters of Covid-19 infections was observed in Italy. The population was forced to home confinement, exposing individuals to increased risk for insomnia, which is, in turn, associated with depression and anxiety. Through a cross-sectional online survey targeting all Italian adult population (≥18 yrs), insomnia prevalence and its interactions with relevant factors were investigated. Methods: The survey was distributed from 1st April to 4th May 2020. We collected information on insomnia severity, depression, anxiety, sleep hygiene behaviors, dysfunctional beliefs about sleep, circadian preference, emotion regulation, cognitive flexibility, perceived stress, health habits, self-report of mental disorders, and variables related to individual difference in life changes due to the pandemic's outbreak. Results: The final sample comprised 1,989 persons (38.4 ± 12.8 yrs). Prevalence of clinical insomnia was 18.6%. Results from multivariable linear regression showed that insomnia severity was associated with poor sleep hygiene behaviors [β = 0.11, 95% CI (0.07–0.14)]; dysfunctional beliefs about sleep [β = 0.09, 95% CI (0.08–0.11)]; self-reported mental disorder [β = 2.51, 95% CI (1.8–3.1)]; anxiety [β = 0.33, 95% CI (0.25–0.42)]; and depression [β = 0.24, 95% CI (0.16–0.32)] symptoms. Conclusion: An alarming high prevalence of clinical insomnia was observed. Results suggest that clinical attention should be devoted to problems of insomnia in the Italian population with respect to both prevention and treatment.}, keywords = {Anxiety, COVID-19, depression, home confinement, insomnia, Italian, sleep}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Zaccari2020, title = {A systematic review of instruments to assess guilt in children and adolescent}, author = {Vittoria Zaccari and Marianna Aceto and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Frontiers in Psychiatry}, url = {https://apc.it/2020-zaccari-et-al-a-systematic-review/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.573488}, issn = {1664-0640}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-12-09}, journal = {Frontiers in Psychology }, volume = {11}, number = {573488}, abstract = {Guilt feelings have received considerable attention in past psychological theory and research. Several studies have been conducted that represent a range of views and propose various implications of guilt in children and adolescents. Variations in theoretical definitions of guilt, emphasizing a lack of measurement convergence, make it difficult to derive a comprehensive definition of the construct in childhood and adolescence. Research shows substantial variability in instruments used to measure guilt in children and adolescents. Purpose: The aim is to discuss existing contributions, illustrating the empirical validity of the available instruments used to measure guilt and identifying the nature of their theoretical backgrounds among children and adolescents. Methods: A systematic search was conducted using the following databases: PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed (all years up to February 19, 2020). Search terms were compiled into three concepts for all databases: “measure,” “guilt,” and “childhood/adolescence.” In addition, a search was conducted to detect the gray literature. Results: After removing the duplicates, a total of 1,408 records were screened, resulting in the identification of 166 full-text articles to be further scrutinized. Upon closer examination, there was consensus that 148 of those studies met the study inclusion criteria or were not retrieved. Twenty-five studies were included in the quality assessment. The data were organized on three main categories: (1) interpersonal or prosocial guilt; (2) intrapunitive guilt or that referring to an excessive sense of responsibility; (3) not specifying a theoretical construct. A great heterogeneity in psychometric evaluations and substantial variability in guilt construct emerged. The construct most represented and supported by valid instruments was interpersonal or prosocial guilt. Analysis of the gray literature showed that some instruments were not immediately available to the clinical and scientific communities. Conclusions: The studies analyzed and selected for qualitative review employed various instruments to measure guilt. Results confirmed what is widely documented in the literature about substantial variability in instruments used to measure guilt. We argue the need to develop measures that assess currently overlooked dimensions of guilt and to provide further additional information about the psychometric proprieties of the available developed instruments.}, keywords = {adolescents, children, development, guilt, instrument, measure, systematic review}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Russo2020, title = {Internet addiction disorder: nuova emergenza nel mondo dell’infanzia e dell’adolescenza}, author = {Federica Russo and Roberto Ceria and Jacopo Jarach and Cecilia Laglia and Lavinia Lombardi and Lorenza Isola}, editor = {Franco Angeli }, url = {https://apc.it/2020-russo-internet-addiction-2/}, doi = {Doi: 10.3280/qpc47-2020oa11206}, issn = {1127-6347}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-12-03}, journal = {QUADERNI DI PSICOTERAPIA COGNITIVA }, volume = {47}, abstract = {Le nuove tecnologie hanno cambiato e continuano a cambiare profondamente il nostro modo di vivere. Il continuo processo di adattamento al cambiamento tecnologico condiziona e modifica costantemente le nostre interazioni in tutti gli ambiti di vita. Non ultima la salute mentale e il lavoro in psicoterapia. Il presente lavoro si pone dunque come obiettivo quello di ritrarre lo stato dell’arte di un campo in continua evoluzione ed espansione. Se da un lato questi strumenti risultano essere un’importante opportunità, dall’altro la comunità scientifica ha cominciato a porre attenzione alla problematicità dell’utilizzo degli stessi, con particolare attenzione a Internet e ai dispositivi ad esso associati. Nello specifico, l’obiettivo è di approfondire la controversia che caratterizza la letteratura sull’uso della tecnologia in termini di vantaggi e svantaggi con un focus specifico sui fattori di rischio e di protezione oltre che un’analisi dettagliata degli effetti negativi a breve e lungo termine e degli elementi comuni negli interventi evidence-based nel trattamento dell’Internet addiction nell’infanzia e nell’adolescenza. }, keywords = {adolescenza, fattori di rischio e di protezione, IAD, infanzia}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Luca2020, title = {Asymmetric Contributions of the Fronto-Parietal Network to Emotional Conflict in the Word–Face Interference Task}, author = {Francesca De Luca and Manuel Petrucci and Bianca Monachesi and Michal Lavidor and Anna Pecchinenda}, editor = {MDPI}, url = {https://apc.it/petrucci-2020-asymmetric-contributions-of-the-fronto-parietal-network-to-emotional-conflict/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/sym12101701}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-10-16}, journal = {Symmetry}, abstract = {The fronto-parietal network is involved in top-down and bottom-up processes necessary to achieve cognitive control. We investigated the role of asymmetric enhancement of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (lDLPFC) and right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) in cognitive control under conditions of emotional conflict arising from emotional distractors. The effects of anodal tDCS over the lDLPFC/cathodal over the rPPC and the effects of anodal tDCS over the rPPC/cathodal over the lDLPFC were compared to sham tDCS in a double-blind design. The findings showed that anodal stimulation over the lDLPFC reduced interference from emotional distractors, but only when participants had already gained experience with the task. In contrast, having already performed the task only eliminated facilitation effects for positive stimuli. Importantly, anodal stimulation of the rPPC did not affect distractors’ interference. Therefore, the present findings indicate that the lDLPFC plays a crucial role in implementing top-down control to resolve emotional conflict, but that experience with the task is necessary to reveal this role}, keywords = {fronto-parietal network; left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; right posterior parietal cortex; word–face interference; tDCS; emotional conflict; stimulus valence}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Tenore2020, title = {Imagery Rescripting on Guilt-Inducing Memories in OCD: A Single Case Series Study}, author = {Katia Tenore and Barbara Basile and Teresa Cosentino and Brunetto De Sanctis and Stefania Fadda and Giuseppe Femia and Andrea Gragnani and Olga Ines Luppino and Valerio Pellegrini and Claudia Perdighe and Giuseppe Romano and Angelo Maria Saliani and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Pedro Morgado, University of Minho, Portugal}, url = {https://apc.it/2020-mancini-imagery-rescripting-on-guilt-frontiers/}, doi = {10.3389/fpsyt.2020.543806 }, issn = {1664-0640 }, year = {2020}, date = {2020-09-30}, urldate = {2020-09-30}, journal = {Frontiers in Psychiatry}, volume = {11}, pages = {1018}, abstract = {Background and objectives: Criticism is thought to play an important role in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and obsessive behaviors have been considered as childhood strategies to avoid criticism. Often, patients with OCD report memories characterized by guilt-inducing reproaches. Starting from these assumptions, the aim of this study is to test whether intervening in memories of guilt-inducing reproaches can reduce current OCD symptoms. The emotional valence of painful memories may be modified through imagery rescripting (ImRs), an experiential technique that has shown promising results. Methods: After monitoring a baseline of symptoms, 18 OCD patients underwent three sessions of ImRs, followed by monitoring for up to 3 months. Indexes of OCD, depression, anxiety, disgust, and fear of guilt were collected. Results: Patients reported a significant decrease in OCD symptoms. The mean value on the Yale−Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) changed from 25.94 to 14.11. At the 3-month follow-up, 14 of the 18 participants (77.7%) achieved an improvement of ≥35% on the Y-BOCS. Thirteen patients reported a reliable improvement, with ten reporting a clinically significant change (reliable change index = 9.94). Four reached the asymptomatic criterion. Clinically significant changes were not detected for depression and anxiety. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that after ImRs intervention focusing on patients’ early experiences of guilt-inducing reproaches there were clinically significant changes in OCD symptomatology. The data support the role of ImRs in reducing OCD symptoms and the previous cognitive models of OCD, highlighting the role of guilt-related early life experiences in vulnerability to OCD.}, keywords = {criticism, guilt, imagery rescripting, memories, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Makovac2020, title = {Blood pressure-related hypoalgesia: a systematic review andmeta-analysis}, author = {Elena Makovac and Giuseppina Porciello and Daniela Palombad and Barbara Basile and Cristina Ottaviani}, editor = {Journal of hypertension}, url = {https://apc.it/makovac-basile_etal2020_post_proofcorrection/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000002427}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-08-01}, volume = {38}, number = {8}, pages = {1420–1435}, abstract = {Objective: Spontaneous or experimentally induced high blood pressure (BP) is associated with reduced pain perception, known as BP-related hypoalgesia. Despite its clinical implications, such as the interference with early detection of myocardial infarction in 'at risk' groups, the size of the association between high BP and pain has not yet been quantified. Moreover, the distinct association between high BP and physiological or psychological components of pain has not yet been considered so far. The aim of this study was to overcome this gap by performing separate meta-analyses on nociceptive response versus quantifiable perceptual measures of pain in relation to high BP. Methods: PubMed and Web of Knowledge databases were searched for English language studies conducted in humans. Fifty-nine studies were eligible for the analyses. Pooled effect sizes (Hedges' g) were compared. Random effect models were used. Results show that higher BP is significantly associated with lower nociceptive response (g = 0.38; k = 6) and reduced pain perception, assessed by quantifiable measures (g = 0.48; k = 59). Results: The association between BP and pain perception, derived from highly heterogeneous studies, was characterized by significant publication bias. BP assessment, pain assessment, site of pain stimulation, percentage of female participants in the sample, and control for potential confounders were significant moderators. Conclusion: Current meta-analytic results confirm the presence of BP-related hypoalgesia and point towards the need for a better understanding of its underlying mechanisms.}, keywords = {blood pressure, hypertension, hypoalgesia, Meta-analysis, pain}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Coppola2020b, title = {The Apple of Daddy’s Eye: Parental Overvaluation Links the Narcissistic Traits of Father and Child}, author = {Gabrielle Coppola and Pasquale Musso and Carlo Buonanno and Cristina Semeraro and Barbara Iacobellis and Rosalinda Cassibba and Valentina Levantini and Gabriele Masi and Sander Thomaes and Pietro Muratori}, editor = {MDPI}, url = {https://apc.it/2020-buonanno-the-apple-of-daddy/}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-07-30}, journal = {Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health}, volume = {17}, number = {15}, abstract = {This study contributes to the literature on the parental correlates of children’s narcissism. It addresses whether parental overvaluation may drive the putative link between parents’ narcissism and children’s narcissism and self-esteem. The cross-sectional design involved a community sample of 519 school-age children (age ranging from 9 to 11 years old) and their parents from an Italian urban context. Child-reported measures included narcissistic traits and self-esteem, while parent-reported measures included narcissistic traits and overvaluation, as well as parenting styles. A series of structural equation models, run separately for mothers and fathers, showed that both parents’ narcissism was directly and positively related to overvaluation and the children’s narcissistic traits; overvaluation partially mediated the indirect link between the fathers’ and children’s narcissistic traits. None of the parenting-style dimensions were related to the children’s outcomes, with the exception of the mothers’ positive parenting being directly and positively related to children’s self-esteem. These findings shed new light upon the parental correlates of child narcissism by suggesting that mothers and fathers convey their narcissism to their offspring through differential pathways. Our findings may be understood from universal as well as cultural specifics regarding the parenting roles of mothers and fathers. Clinical implications for the treatment of youth narcissism suggest the potential of targeting not only children but also their parents.}, keywords = {childhood narcissistic traits; parental overvaluation; parenting; father’s narcissism; parenting}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Brasini2020b, title = {The Social Mentalities Scale: A new measure for assessing the interpersonal motivations underlying social relationships}, author = {Maurizio Brasini and Annalisa Tanzilli and Jessica Pistella and Daniela Gentile and Ivan Di Marco and Francesco Mancini and Vittorio Lingiardi and Roberto Baiocco}, editor = {Elsevier}, url = {https://apc.it/2020-the-social-mentalities-scale/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110236}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-07-01}, urldate = {2020-07-01}, journal = {Personality and Individual Differences}, volume = {167}, abstract = {The evolutionary perspective on human emotions and motivations posits that all interpersonal interactions are shaped by an array of social mentalities, dwelling on our species' bio-behavioral disposition to pursue some evolutionarily valuable social goals (i.e., interpersonal motivational systems). The paucity of valid and reliable measures of such mentalities has limited empirical research into how these processes play out in everyday social exchanges. The Social Mentalities Scale (SMS) was developed to evaluate patterns of cognition, affect and behavior from basic interpersonal motivational systems. Two samples of young adults (18–35 years old) completed distinct instrument packets including the SMS and self-report questionnaires. An exploratory factor analysis (740 participants) revealed a six-factor solution: insecurity, prosociality, agonism, belongingness, sexuality, and playfulness. A confirmatory factor analysis (815 participants) supported the goodness of this factor model. Moreover, the SMS's subscales were correlated to specific dimensions of individual psychological functioning in a theoretically coherent way. These results supported the SMS's validity and reliability in assessing the complex and multifaceted portrait of social mentalities that inform human interactions and personality. The SMS is a user-friendly and easy to complete measure that promises to provide a significant contribution in a potentially wide range of clinical and research contexts.}, keywords = {Evolutionary psychology; Social mentality; Multimotivational theory; Interpersonal motivational systems; AIMIT; SMS}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Brasini2020, title = {La psicoterapia come processo creativo basato sul gioco sociale}, author = {Maurizio Brasini}, editor = {Formamente International research journal on digital future}, url = {https://apc.it/2019-brasini/}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-04-29}, journal = {Formamente International research journal on digital future}, volume = {2}, number = {supplement}, pages = {261-283}, abstract = {Since psychotherapy is an activity aimed at change, here we consider it as an example of interpersonal creative process. In this context, creativity consists in identifying new and adaptive solutions to common problems, a skill that can be learned and exercised within a “proximal development zone”. Secondly, it is proposed that the evolutionary social mentality of play is the elective context for the development and the exercise of creativity. Finally, we argue that therapeutic change is the result of a recursive interpersonal process of security seeking and joint advance towards novelty, characterized by an alternation of comfort and enjoyment that leads to increasing levels of intersubjectivity. Play informs and nurtures the thriving instances of this process; therefore, it is proposed that the social play is the engine of creative processes of change in psychotherapy. Finally, some critical issues are discussed which have probably hindered a more playful conception of therapy, and some possible lines of development are sketched for a future operational definition of playfulness as a clinical method.}, keywords = {Creativity, intersubjectivity, social mentality, social play, synchronization, therapeutic process}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Villirillo2020, title = {Luca: il timore di essere contaminato dalla madre e il ruolo dei genitori nel mantenimento della sintomatologia}, author = {Caterina Villirillo and Rossella Cascone and Carlo Buonanno}, editor = {Franco Angeli Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/2020-buonanno-luca-il-timore-di-essere-contaminato/}, doi = {10.3280/qpc46-2020oa10164}, issn = {1127-6347}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-04-26}, journal = {Quaderni di Psicoterapia Cognitiva}, number = {46}, abstract = {In questo lavoro viene descritto il caso di un ragazzo di 16 anni, giunto in terapia con una diagnosi di disturbo ossessivo compulsivo, per la quale aveva già intrapreso una psicoterapia, con presa in carico farmacologica, senza miglioramento dei sintomi. La sintomatologia ossessiva è associata al timore di essere contaminato dall’alito materno. Tuttavia, fin dai primi incontri, emerge con chiarezza una maggiore complessità del quadro, per la presenza in comorbilità di un disturbo schizotipico di personalità, caratterizzato da comportamenti bizzarri e responsabile di una grave compromissione del funzionamento sociale e scolastico. L’intervento è stato realizzato attivando due setting e ha visto coinvolti Luca (20 incontri) e i genitori (10 incontri). Nell’articolo descriveremo la formulazione del caso, differenziando gli interventi sui sintomi ossessivi dalle procedure utilizzate per fronteggiare la sintomatologia schizotipica. Il miglioramento del disturbo ossessivo compulsivo è stato osservato già in fase di condivisione del profilo interno e lavorando sul timore di contaminazione con interventi di ristrutturazione cognitiva. Parallelamente, il trattamento si è focalizzato sull’aumento della cura di sé e la modifica delle abitudini disfunzionali, con un effetto determinante sulla riduzione dei rituali, un aumento della percezione di autoefficacia e una diminuzione sensibile del ritiro sociale.}, keywords = {adolescenza, Disturbo Ossessivo Compulsivo, disturbo schizotipico, parent training, timore di contaminazione, trattamento}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Cosentino2020, title = {Validation and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Fear of Guilt Scale}, author = {Teresa Cosentino and Valerio Pellegrini and Mauro Giacomantonio and Angelo Maria Saliani and Barbara Basile and Marco Saettoni and Andrea Gragnani and Carlo Buonanno and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Sapienza Università di Roma}, url = {https://apc.it/fgs-scale-cosentino-et-al-2020-rp/}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-03-08}, journal = {Rassegna di Psicologia }, volume = {XXXVII}, number = {1}, pages = {59-70}, abstract = {Several studies and clinical observations have proven the central role of the fear of guilt in the genesis and maintenance of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. To date, questionnaires are available in Italian that measure one’s propensity to experience guilt and sensitivity towards this emotion, understood as a tendency to negatively judge this experience and its effects, but not the fear of guilt and the commitment to prevent or neutralise this experience. The purpose of this study is to validate the Italian version of the Fear of Guilt Scale (FOGS), a tool that would facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the weight of this specific factor in the obsessive symptomatology. To this end, the FOGS was administered to two non-clinical samples (Study 1) and to a clinical population diagnosed with either Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder or Anxiety Disorder (Study2). Study 1 confirmed the original two-factors structure (Punishment and Harm Prevention), and showed adequate internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity of the Italian version of the FOGS. Study 2 revealed that the Italian version of the FOGS was able to discriminate between patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and the other clinical control groups, and in predicting the severity of obsessive symptoms. Clinical and research implications are also discussed. }, keywords = {Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Guilt; Fear of Guilt; sensitivity of guilt; FOGS.}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Muratori2020, title = {Rassegne Eziopatogenesi e valutazione dei tratti narcisistici in età evolutiva Origins and evaluation of youth narcissism}, author = {Pietro Muratori and Annarita Milone and Carlo Buonanno and Sabrina Ianni and Emanuela Inguaggiato and Valentina Levantini and Simone Pisano and Elena Valente and Gabriele Masi}, editor = {Il pensiero scientifico Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/2020-buonanno-rassegne-eziopatogenesi-e/}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1708/3333.33021}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-03-01}, urldate = {2020-03-01}, journal = {Rivista di Psichiatria}, volume = {55}, number = {2}, pages = {71-78}, abstract = {Recentemente la ricerca ha focalizzato l’attenzione sul narcisismo come tratto di personalità non necessariamente patologico, che può essere presente fin dall’età scolare e può condurre, in taluni casi, a conseguenze negative nello sviluppo del bambino, come problematiche affettive e comportamentali. Dopo aver illustrato le principali ipotesi sulle origini di questi tratti in età evolutiva, questo articolo cerca di delineare il legame fra i tratti narcisistici, il livello di autostima e le problematiche affettive e comportamentali in età evolutiva. Infine, vengono presentati gli strumenti attualmente disponibili per la valutazione di questi tratti in bambini e adolescenti.}, keywords = {aggressività, autostima, Childhood Narcissism Scale., disturbo oppositivo provocatorio, narcisismo}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Coppola2020, title = {The link between mother and child's obsessive-compulsive symptoms: A test of simple and serial mediation models in a healthy community sample}, author = {Gabrielle Coppola and Alessandro Costantini and Marvita Goffredo and Domenico Vito Antonio Piazzolla and Cristina Semeraro and Rosalinda Cassibba and Maria Grazia Foschino Barbaro and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Elsevier}, url = {https://apc.it/2020-the-link-between-mother-mancini/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2020.100510}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-01-21}, journal = {Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders}, volume = {25}, abstract = {This study intends to build on current literature regarding the parental correlates of obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms among school-age children by addressing a gap related to the possible relations of parental OC symptoms, parenting stress and dysfunctional caregiving behaviors with the child's OC symptoms. The cross – sectional design involved 113 children (61 female; M age = 11.04 years, SD = 1.00) and their mothers (M age = 41.58 years, SD = 4.60), recruited through schools located in urban areas. Child-reported measures included OC symptoms and perceived mothers' caregiving behavior, while mother-reported measures included OC symptoms and parenting stress. Simple and serial mediation models tested using the SPSS macro PROCESS (Hayes, 2013), supported the relation of the mother's OC symptoms with those of the child, through the simple indirect effect of parenting stress, rather than dysfunctional caregiving. Sequential effects from parenting stress on hostility/aggression and on indifference/neglect, linking indirectly the mother and child's OC symptoms, were also supported. These findings add new information to our understanding of the parental correlates of OC symptoms in the child and have important clinical implications for the treatment of pediatric OCD, suggesting the potential to target not only children, but also their mothers.}, keywords = {Mother-child dyads, obsessive compulsive disorder, Parenting behavior, Parenting stress, PARQ-C, School-age children}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @book{Isola2020, title = {SOSTEGNO ALLA GENITORIALITA’: STRUMENTI ED INTERVENTI COGNITIVI}, author = {Lorenza Isola and Monica Mercuriu}, editor = {Erickson}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-01-01}, abstract = {La nascita di un figlio è un’occasione favorevole di cambiamento per i genitori. Il non coglierla rappresenta una rinuncia ad un percorso di sviluppo per tutta la famiglia. La genitorialità va, dunque, intesa come un percorso che risente dei diversi momenti di crescita, dei conseguenti cambiamenti del bambino e delle opportunità e difficoltà dei singoli (padre, madre, fratelli, sorelle, famiglia allargata) componenti della famiglia. La definizione condivisa di genitorialità si riferisce al complesso delle competenze relazionali e sociali dei genitori che permettono loro di sviluppare un accudimento sensibile e mirato alle esigenze fisiche, emotive, cognitive, sociali del proprio figlio. Molti genitori possono attraversare periodi d’incertezza rispetto al ruolo che si trovano ad esercitare. Al contrario, sentirsi efficaci nello svolgere questa funzione da’ loro stabilità e li fa sentire sicuri nell’accudire.}, keywords = {genitorialità}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {book} } @book{Isola2020b, title = {SOSTEGNO ALLA GENITORIALITA’: STRUMENTI ED INTERVENTI COGNITIVI}, author = {Lorenza Isola and Monica Mercuriu}, editor = {Erickson}, url = {https://apc.it/isola-mercuriu-def/}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-01-01}, abstract = {La nascita di un figlio è un’occasione favorevole di cambiamento per i genitori. Il non coglierla rappresenta una rinuncia ad un percorso di sviluppo per tutta la famiglia. La genitorialità va, dunque, intesa come un percorso che risente dei diversi momenti di crescita, dei conseguenti cambiamenti del bambino e delle opportunità e difficoltà dei singoli (padre, madre, fratelli, sorelle, famiglia allargata) componenti della famiglia. La definizione condivisa di genitorialità si riferisce al complesso delle competenze relazionali e sociali dei genitori che permettono loro di sviluppare un accudimento sensibile e mirato alle esigenze fisiche, emotive, cognitive, sociali del proprio figlio. Molti genitori possono attraversare periodi d’incertezza rispetto al ruolo che si trovano ad esercitare. Al contrario, sentirsi efficaci nello svolgere questa funzione da’ loro stabilità e li fa sentire sicuri nell’accudire.}, keywords = {genitorialità}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {book} } @article{Cheli2019b, title = {When Kindness Falls Apart: The Disrupting Effect of Dependency, Perfectionism and Narcissism in Adjusting to Cancer}, author = {Simone Cheli and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Wiley On Line Library}, url = {https://apc.it/2019-when-kidness-falls-apart/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5300}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-11-23}, journal = {Psycho-Oncology}, keywords = {cancer, narcissism, perfectionism}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Basile2019, title = {Early maladaptive schemas in overweight and obesity: A schema mode model}, author = {Barbara Basile and Katia Tenore and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Elsevier}, url = {https://apc.it/2019-early-maladaptive-schemas-in/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02361}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-09-17}, journal = {Heliyon}, volume = {5}, abstract = {Obesity is a growing burden in our societies and, although different kinds of treatments are effective in the short time, weight gain often reoccurs in the longer period. One possible explanation might rely on the little comprehension of obese maladaptive schemas, as developed from early life experiences, which might interfere with treatment enduring efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate early maladaptive schemas, their associated current schema-modes and dysfunctional coping strategies in overweight and obese individuals (N ¼ 48). Results showed that overweight and obese subjects reported more severe insufficient self-control, abandonment, dependence and subjugation schemas, and actual schema-modes (i.e., impulsive and vulnerable child, detached protector), compared against normal-weight controls (N ¼ 37). As well, the former displayed higher dysfunctional eating habits (i.e., bingeing and bulimic symptoms) and more emotional-avoidant coping strategies. Above all schemas, insufficient self-control predicted higher BMI, binge frequency and bulimic symptoms' severity. Furthermore, avoidant coping mediated between specific maladaptive schemas and frequency of bingeing and bulimic symptoms. Our findings illustrate that overweight and obese display more dysfunctional early maladaptive schemas and schema-modes, compared against normal-weight individuals, exhibiting more emotion-avoidant strategies such as over-eating and bingeing, which might stand for a detached self-soother coping mode. The insufficient self-control schema develops from a lack in self-discipline and an inability to tolerate frustration and might be embodied by the impulsive child mode. A deeper comprehension of schemas and modes, as addressed within the Schema Therapy model, might help to understand dysfunctional personality features that might interfere with the long-lasting efficacy of treatment interventions in obesity}, keywords = {Eating disorders Obesity Early maladaptive schemas Bingeing Schema-modes Clinical psychology Psychiatry}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Barcaccia2019c, title = {Interpersonal Forgiveness and Adolescent Depression. The Mediational Role of Self-reassurance and Self-criticism}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia and Marco Salvati and Susanna Pallini and Roberto Baiocco and Giuseppe Curcio and Francesco Mancini and Giovanni Maria Vecchio}, editor = {Springer US}, url = {https://rdcu.be/bQ7DL}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01550-1}, issn = {1573-2843}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-09-14}, journal = {Journal of Child and Family Studies}, abstract = {Objectives Literature indicates that positive feelings towards oneself and others are important assets for well-being. In this study we intended to test the mediational role of self-reassurance, self-hate and self-inadequateness on the relationships between depression and interpersonal forgiveness, avoidance and revenge, respectively. Methods Participants were 2105 adolescents (N= 979 boys; 1126 girls) ranging from 13 to 20 years. Participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring their perceived depressive symptoms (Children’s Depression Inventory), perceived state forgiveness (Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Inventory-18) and perceived Self-Criticism and Self-Reassurance. Results The results showed that the feelings towards oneself mediated the associations of feelings and motivations towards others with depression. Specifically, the more participants were benevolent and forgiving, the more they were self-reassured and, as a consequence, the less they reported depressive symptomatology. On the contrary, the more they were avoidant or vengeful, the more they criticised and attacked themselves, and, as a consequence, the more they reported depressive symptomatology. Conclusions Overall, our findings highlight the importance of promoting a self-reassuring attitude towards oneself, both to reduce the negative effects of avoidance and revenge on depression, and to increase the beneficial effects of interpersonal forgiveness. Self-criticism only exacerbates the suffering, whereas a warm and reassuring attitude both towards others and oneself reduces depressive symptomatology.}, keywords = {Compassion Forgiveness Adolescent depression, Self-hate, Self-inadequateness, Self-ressurance}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Pecchinenda2019, title = {Emotion frst: children prioritize emotional faces in gaze‑cued attentional orienting}, author = {Anna Pecchinenda and Manuel Petrucci}, editor = {Springer link}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-019-01237-8}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-08-08}, journal = {Psychological Research}, abstract = {Children shift their attention based on the gaze direction of another person but it is unclear whether they prioritize only the gaze of fearful faces over neutral ones or more generally, the gaze of emotional faces. School children performed a gazecueing task, in which central, non-predictive happy, angry, and neutral face-cues were briefy presented with averted gaze. Findings for 9–10-year-old children showed that the magnitude of gaze-cueing efects for happy and angry face-cues was similar and it was particularly larger with angry compared to neutral face-cues. In contrast, 6–7-year-old children showed gaze-cueing efects only with happy face-cues. The present fndings clearly indicate that older children show emotionenhanced gaze-cueing efects. In contrast, younger children did not show gaze-cueing efects with neutral and angry faces but they did with happy faces. The implications of age diferences in the ability to prioritize emotional faces when shifting attention based on the observed gaze direction of a non-predictive face-cue are discussed in the context of the extant literature}, keywords = {emotional faces, gaze-cued}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Giacomantonio2019, title = {Am I guilty or not? Deontological guilt, uncertainty, and checking behavior}, author = {Mauro Giacomantonio and Marco Salvati and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {John Wiley & Sons, Ltd}, url = {https://apc.it/2019-am-i-guilty-or-not/}, doi = {10.1002/acp.3600}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-08-02}, journal = {Appl Cognit Psychol}, volume = {1}, number = {9}, abstract = {Literature suggest thet checking behaviors are aimed at reducing feelings of uncertainty both in clinical samples with obsessive-compulsive disorder and in general population. Previous studies also showed that deontological guilt is an emotion often associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the differences in checking behaviors in the condition of high versus low uncertainty, by exploring the moderating role of deontological versus altruistic guilt. Partecipants were 108 undergraduate Italian university students who took part in a visual search a difference was more consistent when participants experienced deontological rather then altruistic guilt. Limitations and further directions are discissed.}, keywords = {Altruistic guilt, checking behaviors, Deontological guilt, obesessive-compulsive disorder, uncertainty}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Barcaccia2019b, title = {Forgiving Adolescents: far from depression, close to well-being}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia and Susanna Pallini and Andrea Pozza and Michela Milioni and Roberto Baiocco and Francesco Mancini and Giovanni Maria Vecchio}, url = {https://apc.it/2019-barcaccia-et-al-2019-forgiving-adolescents/}, doi = {www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01725/full}, issn = {1664-1078 }, year = {2019}, date = {2019-07-24}, journal = {Frontiers in Psychology }, volume = {10}, pages = {1725}, abstract = {Forgiveness has been proven to be an effective way of regulating negative affect and decreasing depression. This study aimed at examining the relationship among constructs particularly relevant to adolescents’ well-being, including forgivingness (dispositional forgiveness) anger, depression and Hedonic Balance (HB). Specifically, using a structural equation modelling approach, the fully mediational role of the different facets of anger in the relationship between forgiveness and depression was tested in 773 adolescents, of which 69% girls. Results showed that forgivingness was positively and negatively related to, respectively, HB and depression, through a general effect of anger, suggesting that more forgiving adolescents had higher HB and lower depression, as they reported a lower general tendency to experience anger. Forgivingness was also positively related both to HB and to depression through the mediation of all the facets of Anger. Moreover, only for HB, a specific effect of Anger-control was found, suggesting that more forgiving adolescents had higher HB, as they reported higher strategies to control anger in a functional manner. Model invariance was supported across gender. Our results suggest that forgiveness is a significant protective factor against depression for adolescents, helping them to effectively control and manage anger, thus fostering emotional health. An important clinical implication of our study regards the potential of forgiveness as a resource for well-being in therapy: among the various possible protective factors in adolescence, forgiveness has the added advantage that it can be fostered in clinical settings, and working on forgiveness in psychotherapy could decrease adolescent depression and improve well-being.}, keywords = {adolescence, Anger, depression, forgiveness, well-being}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gangemi2019, title = {Reducing probability overestimation of threatening events: An Italian study on the efficacy of cognitive techniques in non-clinical subjects}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Andrea Gragnani and Margherita Dahò and Carlo Buonanno}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/4_gangemietal-_clinical19-3-2/}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-06-01}, journal = {Clinica}, volume = {16}, number = {3}, pages = {149-155}, abstract = {Objectives: Our study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy and stability of the “Pie Technique”, “Cumulative Probability” and “Inverted Pyramid”, cognitive techniques applied in a clinical context to reduce overestimation of the probability of threatening events. Method: 319 healthy participants were randomly assigned to one of 8 groups. Groups differed on the level of trait anxiety (high vs. low), and on the cognitive techniques they were to receive (Pie Technique, Cumulative Probability, Inverted Pyramid, Control task). All groups were exposed to an intervention aimed at reassigning the initial probability estimate. Results: In both high and low trait anxiety individuals, all the techniques successfully produced a statistically significant reduction in the estimation of the perceived probability, while no significant outcome was found in the control task group. This effect was significantly maintained at a 4 week follow up. Conclusions: Our study shows that the Pie Technique, the Cumulative Probability and the Inverted Pyramid reduce the estimation of the perceived probability of negative events occurring in both high and low trait anxiety individuals. This effect was considerably maintained at a 4 week follow up. The reduction should mainly be attributed to the technique’s power in contrasting the cognitive mechanism of hyper-focalization. The present study takes into account only general threatening events, and not threats specifically related to the different disorders. Moreover, it demonstrates that all the techniques are useful to reduce danger overestimation but in a group of non-clinical individuals. We can’t thus generalize our results to anxious patients.}, keywords = {anxiety disorder, cognitive techniques, cognitive therapy, probability, Trait anxiety}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Bacaro2019, title = {Considering Sleep, Mood, and Stress in a Family Context: A Preliminary Study}, author = {Valeria Bacaro and Bernd Feige and Andrea Balesio and Paola De Bartolo and Anna F Johann and Carlo Buonanno and Francesco Mancini and Caterina Lombardo and Dieter Riemann and Chiara Baglioni }, editor = {MDPI}, url = {https://apc.it/2019-considering-sleep-bacaro-et-all/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/clockssleep1020022}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-05-10}, urldate = {2019-05-10}, journal = {Clocks & Sleep}, volume = {1}, number = {2}, pages = {259-272}, abstract = {Background: During the first years of life, parental sleep strongly depends on child’s sleep quality. Poor parental sleep may relate to increased stress and negative mood. However, there is a lack of sleep studies focusing on all family members. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sleep, mood, and stress in mothers, fathers and children. Methods: Data were obtained from 65 parental couples and 65 children (2 to 36 months). Data on sleep for all family members and stress of parents were completed by both mothers and fathers through questionnaires and sleep diaries. Results: Toddlers’ positive mood before nocturnal sleep was significantly associated with reduced wake times after sleep onset. Mothers reported worse sleep quality compared to fathers. Shorter sleep onset latency in fathers and better sleep efficiency in mothers were linked with better self-reported mood upon awakening. In mothers, but not in fathers, poor sleep quality was associated with higher perceived stress. Conclusion: Results suggest bidirectional relationships between sleep and mood in children, mothers and fathers. Moreover, results evidence poorer sleep in mothers, compared to fathers, which was linked with increased parenting stress. This gender gap should be further considered in studies with larger samples and in clinical contexts.}, keywords = {sleep; infant sleep; family context; stress; sleep habits; mood}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Barcaccia2019, title = {Il processo di accettazione nella terapia dell'Accettazione e dell'Impegno (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ACT)}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia}, editor = {Edizioni Nuova Cultura}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Il-processo-di-accettazione-nellACT_Barbara-Barcaccia-2019-1.pdf}, doi = {10.4458/1965-06}, issn = {1974-4854}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-03-18}, journal = {Rassegna di Psicologia}, volume = {XXXVI}, keywords = {acceptance and commitment therapy, ACT}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Pugliese2019, title = {Un modello cognitivo delle dipendenze affettive patologiche}, author = { Erica Pugliese and Angelo Maria Saliani and Francesco Mancini }, editor = {Franco Angeli}, url = {https://apc.it/2019-un-modello-cognitivo-delle-dipendenze/}, doi = {10.3280/PSOB2019-001005 }, year = {2019}, date = {2019-02-26}, journal = {Psicobiettivo}, volume = {1}, pages = {43-58}, abstract = {Una versione di questo articolo è stata pubblicata nel fascicolo 1 2019 della rivista Psicobiettivo Riassunto. Negli ultimi anni le dipendenze affettive come forma di sofferenza psicopatologica hanno raccolto sempre più attenzione, pur non essendo riconosciute fra i sistemi nosografici ufficiali. Il presente articolo ha l’obiettivo di definire il costrutto di dipendenza affettiva, tracciare il profilo del dipendente affettivo tipico in termini di scopi, coping disfunzionali, fattori di mantenimento e introdurre il ruolo del conflitto intrapsichico (esterno, semplice o akrasico) nella spiegazione della sofferenza psicopatologica. Questo lavoro rappresenta il punto di partenza per un progetto più ampio, finalizzato a costruire un protocollo cognitivo comportamentale per la riduzione della morbilità e degli esiti subiti in termini di disturbi della salute mentale.}, keywords = {co-dipendenza, dipendenza affettiva, dipendenza emotiva, relazioni violente, stalking, violenza domestica}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Cheli2019, title = {Mindfulness and metacognition in facing with fear of recurrence: A proof‐of‐concept study with breast‐cancer women}, author = {Simone Cheli and Lucia Caligiani and Francesca Martella and Paola De Bartolo and Francesco Mancini and Luisa Fioretto}, editor = {Wiley on line library}, url = {https://apc.it/2019-cheli-et-al_-mindfulness-and-metacognition/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4984}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-01-18}, journal = {Psycho‐Oncology}, abstract = {Abstract Objective Fear of recurrence is a crucial issue in cancer care. On the one hand, the increase of cancer‐survival rates and complexity of care is exposing patients to this type of fear. On the other hand, it is a distressing and recurrent psychosocial risk that affects quality of life and adherence to follow‐up. Patients should have access to targeted psychological interventions aimed at reducing or preventing fear of recurrence. This mixed‐methods pilot study reports the preliminary results of a novel mindfulness‐ and metacognition‐based intervention specifically targeting fear of recurrence. Methods The study was composed of an individual (n = 76) and a group (n = 38) intervention, both lasting 8 weeks, that were evaluated through a preassessment and postassessment and a 1‐month follow‐up. We enrolled women recovering from breast cancer (n = 114) in follow‐up care, with significant psychosocial distress. Patients with more severe psychopathology were assigned to the individual treatment, whereas the less severe ones were assigned to the group treatment. We explored the distress and the fear of recurrence through standardized measures and in‐depth qualitative interviews. Results Results showed that depressive, anxious, and post‐traumatic symptoms were reduced significantly in the entire sample. Patients reported a significant reduction of fear of recurrence, which was described in terms of loss of control, increase of uncertainty, and decrease of metacognitive and interpersonal skills. Conclusions Although further studies are needed, these findings provide preliminary proof‐of‐concept results for the potential of integrated mindfulness‐ and metacognition‐based interventions to reduce fear of recurrence in cancer patients.}, keywords = {breast cancer cancer compassion fear of cancer recurrence metacognition mindfulness oncology}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gangemi2019b, title = {Two reasoning strategies in patients with psychological illnesses}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Katia Tenore and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Frontiers}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2019-two-reasoning-Mancini-1.pdf}, doi = {doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02335}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-01-01}, journal = {Frontiers in Psychology }, abstract = {The hyper-emotion theory states that psychological disorders are conditions in which individuals experience emotions that are appropriate to the situation but inappropriate in their intensity. When these individuals experience such an emotion, they inevitably are compelled to reason about its cause. They therefore develop characteristic strategies of reasoning depending on the particular hyper-emotion they experience. In anxiety disorders (e.g., panic attack, social phobia), the perception of a threat leads to hyper anxiety, and the reasoning is corroboratory, adducing evidence that confirms the risk (corroboratory strategy). In obsessive-compulsive disorders, the perception of the threat of having acted in an irresponsible way leads to both hyper anxiety and guilt, and the reasoning is refutatory , adducing only evidence disconfirming the risk of being guilty (refutatory strategy). We report three empirical studies corroborating these hypotheses. They demostrate that patients themselves recognize the two strategies and spontaneously use them in therapeutic sessions and in evaluating scenarios in an experiment.}, keywords = {Anxiety disorders, corroboratory strategy, Emotions, Hyper Emotion Theory, Obsessive-compulsive disorders, reasoning, Refutatory strategy}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Petrucci2019, title = {Doubts about me, doubts about you: a case of comorbid obsessivecompulsive and paranoid personality disorders}, author = {Manuel Petrucci and Andrea Gragnani}, editor = {Edizioni Erickson}, url = {https://apc.it/petrucci-gragnani-2019-a-case-of-comorbid-ocd-and-paranoid-personality/}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-01-01}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, volume = {25}, number = {3}, pages = {359-375}, abstract = {The case formulation and cognitive-behavior therapy of a patient whose pathology fulfills criteria for both obsessive-compulsive (OCD) and paranoid personality disorders (PPD) is described. Case formulation encompasses all the relevant cognitive, emotional and motivational factors underlying he disorders, emphasizing interactions between processes and strategies aimed at investigating and disconfirming feared scenarios, and reconstructing the ontogeny of pathological beliefs and themes n the patient’s life history. The treatment targeted rumination and dysfunctional interpersonal cycles hat maintained and reinforced pathology, promoting awareness, critical insights, risk acceptance and progressive decline of maladaptive control strategies. The challenges to the therapeutic alliance due to paranoid ideation towards the therapist and the relational strategies used to overcome them are also reported. The case offers clear indications about effective interventions that address both common and specific mechanisms involved in OCD and PPD, and provides observations that might foster future theoretical conceptualizations and research on the involvement of guilt, shame and humiliation in the two conditions. }, keywords = {guilt, Humiliation, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Paranoid personality, Risk acceptance}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Russo2018, title = {Fattori di rischio e fattori di protezione nella genitorialità adottiva}, author = {Federica Russo and Anna Torre and Diana La Rocca and Valeria Semeraro and Rosaria Monfregola and Lorenza Isola }, editor = {Franco Angeli Editore}, doi = {10.3280/QPC2018-043005}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-12-28}, journal = {QUADERNI DI PSICOTERAPIA COGNITIVA }, volume = {43}, pages = {74-96}, abstract = {Sempre più frequentemente si viene a contatto con situazioni cliniche riconducibili a problematiche psicologiche conseguenti al processo adottivo, sia per quanto riguarda la coppia genitoriale sia i soggetti adottati. Per questo motivo ci si è posti l’obiettivo di analizzare l’intero iter adottivo. L’applicazione, ad oggi, di un intervento sulla situazione antecedente presenta una serie di difficoltà. Si è cercato di capire dunque se fosse possibile rintracciare i fattori di rischio e di vulnerabilità insiti in questo percorso al fine di stilare un protocollo utile alla risoluzione dei problemi che si slatentizzano nel momento immediatamente postumo all’adozione. Il focus del presente lavoro è sul CUIDA, un questionario ampiamente utilizzato nella pratica clinica in Spagna, in materia di adozioni, affido e accoglienza dei minori, per la valutazione della coppia genitoriale richiedente. L’idea è di affiancare al questionario precedentemente citato, un’intervista semi-strutturata, creata ad hoc. Il fine è quello di definire, nelle fasi di assessment, i fattori di vulnerabilità della coppia richiedente e del soggetto adottato, in modo da avere un obiettivo terapeutico immediato e condiviso che sia supportato da uno strumento validato e affiancato da un’indagine specifica effettuata tramite l’intervista.}, keywords = {Adozione, CUIDA, fattori di rischio, fattori di vulnerabilità, intervista semi-strutturata}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Rainone2018, title = {When positive emotions lead to feeling bad. The role of secondary evaluation and affect as information in hypomania and mania}, author = {Antonella Rainone and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Il pensiero scientifico editore}, url = {https://apc.it/2018-when-positive-emotion-lead-to-feeling-bad-2/}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-12-01}, journal = {Rivista di Psichiatria}, volume = {56}, number = {6}, pages = {317-323}, abstract = {In this article we focus on hypomania and mania in bipolar disorder and, in all probability, only in some types of bipolar disorder. We deal with positive emotions, whose psychopathogenic role still receives too little attention in experimental and clinical psychology. We propose a hypothesis with regard to the psychological mechanisms involved in hypomanic and manic decompensation that posits in primis the secondary problem or secondary evaluation, which in this case takes on peculiar content characteristics, and subordinately affect as information. We shall see how a certain way of managing the experience of positive affect is involved in the etiology and maintenance of the hypo-maniacal and maniacal pathology, so much so that in this pathology, decompensation is to be found in positive affectivity or better, in the relationship that the person entertains with such affectivity}, keywords = {disregolazione, disturbo bipolare, emozioni positive, ipomania, mania}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Tenore2018b, title = {Schemas, Modes and coping strategies in obsessive-compulsive like symptoms}, author = {Katia Tenore and Francesco Mancini and Barbara Basile}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2018-schemas-modes-and-coping-strategies-tenore-mancini-basile.pdf}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-10-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry}, volume = {15}, number = {6}, pages = {384-392}, abstract = {Objective: Schema Therapy (ST) integrates cognitive-behavior therapy with emotion-focused, gestalt and object relations approaches. ST postulates that unmet emotional core needs in childhood play a role in the development of Early Maladaptive Schemas, that are maintained by dysfunctional coping strategies, and reveal themselves through specific modes. Ad hoc ST conceptualizations for personality disorders or for specific psychological conditions, have been proposed in the last years. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of schemas, modes and coping styles in non-clinical subjects, exploring the association with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms severity. Moreover, we explored schemas, modes and coping styles constructs in two sub-groups, characterized by higher and lower obsessive symptoms. Finally, those constructs have been investigated in specific OC subtypes. Method: Selected from a sample of two-hundred, fifty-one subjects with high OCD symptoms (assessed through the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory–R) and fifty-nine healthy controls were recruited. Measures of schemas, modes and coping styles were collected. Additional indexes of depression were collected. Descriptive, between-group and correlation analyses were performed. Participants were selected from a normal population, thus, the study should be replicated involving a clinical population. Results: Specific schemas (i.e., mistrust/abuse, vulnerability to harm and high standards), modes (i.e., demanding parent) and coping styles (i.e., intra-psychic avoidance) were identified in the high OCD symptoms group, with precise peculiarities for OCD characteristics (i.e., washing, checking and obsessions). Further, OC symptoms severity was positively associated with specific schemas and dysfunctional modes. Conclusions: Our results confirm previous findings investigating schemas and modes in OCD populations. }, keywords = {coping, Early maladaptive schemas, modes, OCD, Schema therapy}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Averna2018, title = {Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Symptoms at Ultra High Risk for Psychosis in Children and Adolescents with Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: Is There an Association with Global, Role, and Social Functioning?}, author = {Roberto Averna and Maria Pontillo and Francesco Demaria and Marco Armando and Ornella Santonastaso and Maria Laura Pucciarini and Cristina Tata and Francesco Mancini and Stefano Vicari}, editor = {MDPI}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-prevalence-and-clinical-significance.pdf}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci8100181}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-09-30}, journal = {Brain Sciences}, volume = {8}, number = {10}, abstract = {In literature nothing is known about the clinical significance of Ultra High Risk (UHR) symptoms in children and adolescents with diagnosis of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). In this study, we examined the prevalence of UHR symptoms and their relationship with severity of obsessive–compulsive symptomatology, global, social, and role functioning, and level of associated depressive symptoms in a clinical sample (n = 51) of children and adolescents aged between 8 and 17 years with a diagnosis of OCD. The prevalence of UHR symptoms in this sample was 43.1%. We divided the whole sample into two groups: children and adolescents with OCD and UHR symptoms (n = 22) and children and adolescents with OCD without UHR symptoms (n = 29). Our findings suggest that the group with OCD and UHR symptoms shows worse global, social, and role functioning than the group with OCD without UHR symptoms. No differences were found on the severity of obsessive–compulsive symptomatology, the number of psychiatric diagnoses associated, and the level of depressive symptoms. The presence of UHR symptoms in children and adolescents with OCD could cause significant functional impairment and should be considered in order to plan specific and targeted therapeutic interventions.}, keywords = {obsessive–compulsive disorder; psychosis; ultra-high risk; functioning; child and adolescent psychiatry}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Luppino2018, title = {A theorical integration of Schema Therapy and Cognitive Therapy in OCD tratment: goals and beliefs of the Obsessive Mind (part 1)}, author = {Olga Ines Luppino and Katia Tenore and Francesco Mancini and Barbara Basile}, editor = {Scientific Research Publishing}, url = {https://apc.it/2018-a-theoretical-integration-part-1/}, doi = {http://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2018.99129}, issn = {2152-7199}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-09-11}, journal = {Psychology}, volume = {9}, number = {9}, pages = {2261-2277}, abstract = {The present work is the first of a trilogy of articles whose purpose, as a whole, is to present a theoretical conceptualization of OCD functioning, which results from the integration between the Cognitive Therapy model, as proposed by Mancini (2018), and the Schema Therapy Mode model. In particular, this first paper aims to synthetically present the cognitive model of OCD functioning. According to the frame offered by Mancini, we will provide some evidence demonstrating the central role of deontological guilt and disgust as proximal psychological determinants in the genesis and maintenance of obsessive symptoms. The theoretical assumptions and the dynamics of the recursive processes at the basis of the maintenance of OCD will be clarified through a clinical exemplification and the clinical intervention goals will be presented. In order to plan an intervention on the experiences representing the historical vulnerability of OCD, the work also aims to present the important role played by particular kinds of early experiences in sensitizing to deontological guilt and disgust. To summarize, the current work presents the theoretical bases of a cognitive OCD conceptualization, in terms of goals and beliefs that are the drivers of obsessive behaviors. This introduction is preparatory to our proposal of integration between the cognitive model and the Schema Therapy Mode model that will be developed in the next two articles. }, keywords = {cognitive therapy, Deontological guilt, Disgust, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Tenore2018, title = {A Theoretical Integration of Schema Therapy and Cognitive Therapy in OCD Treatment: Conceptualization and Rationale (Part II)}, author = {Katia Tenore and Barbara Basile and Francesco Mancini and Olga Ines Luppino}, editor = {Scientific Research Publishing}, url = {https://apc.it/2018-a-theoretical-integration-part-2/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2018.99130}, isbn = {2152-7199}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-09-11}, journal = {Psychology}, volume = {9}, number = {9}, pages = {2278-2295}, abstract = {Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been identified as the first choice treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Although a significant proportion of patients benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, another still fails to respond to CBT. To improve outcomes, new targets of intervention have been broadened, but no clear and comprehensive conceptualizations of the disorder have been suggested. In the last few years, in the context of Schema Therapy (ST), several specific models have been proposed for the treatment of Axis I diagnostic categories (according to the classification of DSM IV), in addition to the more well-known conceptualizations related to Personality Disorders. Concerning OCD, several studies have investigated the effectiveness of ST in the treatment of OCD, but only few have tried to elaborate a conceptualization of the disorder in terms of modes. This lack of knowledge and shared conceptualization might lead to difficulties in planning and evaluating effective interventions. The aim of this work is to present a conceptualization of the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder that results from the integration between the Cognitive Therapy framework, as proposed by Mancini and collaborators, and the framing in terms of modes, in line with ST, starting from the research data available. In particular, the rationale of the intervention will be proposed, aimed at accepting the risk of committing mistakes or of coming into contact with disgusting substances. This general aim will then be articulated in sub-aims, which may direct it, in a more specific way, on the basis of the different modes that characterize the experience of obsessive patients}, keywords = {Acceptance, cognitive therapy, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Schema therapy}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Basile2018b, title = {A Theoretical Integration of Schema Therapy and Cognitive Therapy in OCD Treatment: Experiential Techniques and Cognitive-Based Interventions in Action (Part III)}, author = {Barbara Basile and Olga Ines Luppino and Francesco Mancini and Katia Tenore}, editor = {Scientific Research Publishing}, url = {https://apc.it/2018-a-theoretical-integration-part-3/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2018.99131}, issn = {2152-7199}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-09-11}, journal = {Psychology}, volume = {9}, number = {9}, pages = {2296-2311}, abstract = {This final article is part of the trilogy presenting a possible integration of Schema Therapy (ST) and Cognitive Therapy (CT) in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) treatment. It aims at describing how experiential and cognitive based acceptance techniques might be applied to treat this psychopathological condition. In the first article published in this special issue ( Luppino et al., 2018 ) we reported the main data supporting the role of proximal psychological determinants in the genesis and maintenance of the obsessive symptomatology, highlighting the role of deontological guilt and disgust, and of the Not Just Right Experience. According to these, we described the internal profile of the disorder as conceptualized by Mancini’s (2018)cognitive model. In the second manuscript ( Tenore et al., 2018 ) we proposed a conceptualization of OCD, in terms of schemas and modes (as proposed by ST), integrating it with the previously described cognitive model. In agreement with these two articles, the aim of this work is to explain how experiential and cognitive techniques can be integrated to explain obsessive functioning and to achieve a successful treatment. We first describe emotion focused-experiential procedures derived from the ST framework, specifically focusing on imagery techniques, such as diagnostic imagery, rescripting and Healthy Adult imagery. Secondly we explain how chairwork can be applied to change obsessive dysfunctional schema modes. Finally, we focus on cognitive based acceptance intervention aimed at reducing the typical feelings of deontological guilt and disgust, two core emotions in OCD. In the conclusion we briefly resume the major aspects proposed in the three articles, and we present some potential further applications of a joined approach applied to other psychopathological conditions.}, keywords = {Acceptance, Chairwork, cognitive therapy, Imagery with Rescripting, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Schema therapy}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Barcaccia2018, title = {The more you judge the worse you feel. A judgemental attitude towards one's inner experience predicts depression and anxiety}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia and Roberto Baiocco and Andrea Pozza and Susanna Pallini and Francesco Mancini and Marco Salvati}, editor = {Elsevier}, url = {https://apc.it/2018-the-more-you-judge_barcaccia-et-al-2018/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2018.09.012}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-09-10}, urldate = {2018-09-10}, journal = {Personality and Individual Differences}, volume = {138}, number = {2019}, pages = {33-39}, abstract = {Literature reviews have shown that trait-mindfulness is significantly correlated to emotional wellbeing, both in adults and in children. Particularly, being judgemental towards one's inner thoughts, feelings and sensations, and acting unawares, is associated with higher maladjustment. In the present cross-sectional study, we explored the role of the different facets of mindfulness in both anxiety and depression, controlling for the effects of gender, age, rumination, and worry, and analysed which facets of mindfulness have the strongest effect in predicting depression and anxiety. Two-hundred seventy-four community adults were assessed in the domains of depression, anxiety, rumination, worry, and mindfulness. Regression analyses showed that, among the facets of mindfulness, a judgemental attitude towards one's thoughts and feelings is the strongest predictor of both depression and anxiety. Our study highlights the importance of a normalising, accepting, non-judgemental attitude to decrease anxiety and depression, and to foster wellbeing.}, keywords = {Acceptance, Anxiety, depression, Judgemental attitude, Mindfulness, Rumination, worry}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2018b, title = {Senso di colpa deontologico e senso di colpa altruistico: una tesi dualista}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {Il Mulino}, doi = {doi: 10.1421/92800}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-09-01}, journal = {Giornale italiano di Psicologia}, volume = {3}, abstract = {Riassunto. In questo articolo intendiamo sostenere la tesi che esistano due sensi di colpa ben distinti fra loro: il senso di colpa deontologico e quello altruistico. Presenteremo quindi una tesi dualista, che si contrappone alle tradizionali tesi moniste che si ritrovano nella letteratura sulla colpa (vedi approccio intrapsichico o psicoanalitico vs. approccio interpersonale). Mostreremo come i due sensi di colpa siano diversi per alcune caratteristiche fondamentali e presenteremo anche le prove di questa differenza: prove comportamentali, cognitive ma anche neurali e neurofisiologiche. Mostreremo infine, come questi due sensi di colpa abbiano connessioni diverse con altre funzioni mentali e con altre emozioni. Il senso di colpa altruistico, infatti, appare strettamente connesso con la pena, con l’empatia e con la ToM, mentre quello deontologico appare intimamente connesso con il disgusto, e anzi è quasi sovrapposto ad esso. Una possibile implicazione importante della tesi qui sostenuta è che i due sensi di colpa possano provenire da due percorsi evolutivi diversi. Il senso di colpa altruistico (i.e., la morale altruistica) potrebbe derivare dalla motivazione all’accudimento, mentre il senso di colpa deontologico (i.e., la morale deontologica), potrebbe derivare dal disgusto.}, keywords = {disgusto, Senso di colpa}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Perdighe2018, title = {Efficacia in termini di esiti professionali della formazione in Psicoterapia. Una ricerca sul destino professionale degli specializzati nelle Scuole dell'Associazione di Psicologia Cognitiva-APC e della Scuola di Psicoterapia Cognitiva-SPC negli anni 2009-2016}, author = {Claudia Perdighe and Barbara Basile and Fabio Rossi and Valeria Scalisi and Paolo Pasquini and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Il Mulino}, doi = {rivisteweb.it/doi/10.1421/92817}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-09-01}, journal = {Giornale italiano di Psicologia}, volume = {3}, abstract = {Riassunto. Oggetto del presente lavoro è una ricerca sul destino professionale dei diplomati nelle Scuole di Specializzazione in Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, dell’Associazione di Psicologia Cognitiva (APC) e della Scuola di Psicoterapia Cognitiva (SPC). Attraverso un’intervista on-line o telefonica sono stati raccolti dati su condizioni lavorative, esercizio della psicoterapia, vari indici di soddisfazione professionale, senso di competenza e soddisfazione della formazione ricevuta. Sono stati intervistati, tra metà del 2015 e metà del 2016, 413 diplomati tra il 2009 e il 2016. I risultati mostrano un quadro positivo, con il 97% degli intervistati che dichiara di lavorare in ambito sociosanitario e l’82% che esercita la psicoterapia, nonostante la giovane età di specializzazione e anagrafica del campione. Anche i livelli di soddisfazione e competenza percepita sono positivi.}, keywords = {CBT, professional efficacy, professional satisfaction, psychotherapy training, sense of expertise.}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Migliore2018, title = {Moral Judgment and empathic/Deontological Guilt}, author = {Simone Migliore and Giulia D'Aurizio and Francesca Parisi and Sabrina Maffi and Barbara Squitieri and Giuseppe Curcio and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Sage}, url = {https://apc.it/2018_moral-judgment-and-empathic_-deontological-guilt/}, doi = {doi.org/10.1177/0033294118787500}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-07-19}, journal = {Psychological Reports}, pages = {1-17}, abstract = {People often make complicated decisions to help or to punish perfect strangers. Harming someone or breaking some moral imperative is usually linked to feeling guilt, and several researches suggested the existence of two different kinds of guilt: altruistic/empathic and deontological. Aim Our study aimed to investigate the decision-making processes in moral and nonmoral judgments and assess how specific situations in which the subject is close to the victim or flanked by an authority can influence his decisions. Methods We used three different moral conditions: Empathic Moral (the decision has made while physically close to the potential victims), Deontological Moral (the decision has made while flanked by an “authority”), and Standard Moral (without any influence); a fourth condition is represented by Nonmoral dilemmas (the subject must make a choice between two different things and this does not cause any harm or victims). Previously, a pilot study was carried out for validating the experimental stories to be used in the main study. Results We observed a higher number of utilitarian/positive responses when individuals had to respond to Empathic Moral condition, with respect to Deontological Moral and Nonmoral dilemmas. Moreover, looking at the time needed to read the dilemma, under empathic guilt condition, people tended to be slower in reading the dilemmas than in other conditions and this both in case of positive and negative responses. No significant differences in time needed to effectively respond emerged. Conclusions These findings suggested that be physically close to potential victims or be flanked by an “authority” differentially influence the decision-making processes in moral judgment, inducing slower decisions and more utilitarian answers, particularly in the scenario of physical proximity.}, keywords = {altruistic, decision-making, deontological, Emotions, guilt, moral dilemma}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Ottaviani2018, title = {I obsessively clean because deontological guilt makes me feel physiologically disgusted!}, author = {Cristina Ottaviani and Alberto Collazzoni and Francesca D'Olimpio and Tania Movetta and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Elsevier}, url = {https://apc.it/2019-i-obsessively-clean-because-deontological-guilt-me-feel-ottaviani-et-all-3/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2018.01.004}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-05-07}, urldate = {2018-05-07}, journal = {Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders}, abstract = {The emotions of guilt and disgust play a pivotal role in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The present study hypothesized the existence of a distinctive relation between deontological (but not altruistic) guilt and subjective and physiological correlates of disgust. Moreover, we aimed at testing whether the evoked emotion of disgust may activate OCD-like washing behaviors. Gender-matched healthy participants were randomly assigned to altruistic (n = 31) or deontological guilt (n = 30) inductions followed by a cleaning task, while their electrocardiogram was continuously recorded to derive vagally-mediated heart rate variability (HRV). At baseline and after each experimental condition, participants’ momentary emotional state was assessed by visual analog scales (VAS). Compared to altruistic guilt, deontological guilt had the effect of: a) enhancing the physiological correlate of disgust (i.e. augmented HRV); b) increasing OCD-like washing behaviors (e.g. checking). In both groups, washing behaviors had the effect to reduce the physiological correlate of disgust. These effects were stronger in participants with higher OC tendencies, as indicated by scores on the dispositional questionnaires. Results support previous reports on a distinctive relation between deontological guilt and both disgust and OCD symptoms.}, keywords = {Altruistic guilt, Deontological guilt, Disgust, Heart rate variability, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Ottaviani2018b, title = {I obsessively clean because deontological guilt makes me feel physiologically disgusted!}, author = {Cristina Ottaviani and Alberto Collazzoni and Francesca D'Olimpio and Tania Moretta and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Elsevier}, url = {https://apc.it/2019-i-obsessively-clean-because-deontological-guilt-me-feel-ottaviani-et-all/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2018.01.004}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-05-07}, urldate = {2018-05-07}, journal = {Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders}, volume = {20}, pages = {21-29}, abstract = {The emotions of guilt and disgust play a pivotal role in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The present study hypothesized the existence of a distinctive relation between deontological (but not altruistic) guilt and subjective and physiological correlates of disgust. Moreover, we aimed at testing whether the evoked emotion of disgust may activate OCD-like washing behaviors. Gender-matched healthy participants were randomly assigned to altruistic (n = 31) or deontological guilt (n = 30) inductions followed by a cleaning task, while their electrocardiogram was continuously recorded to derive vagally-mediated heart rate variability (HRV). At baseline and after each experimental condition, participants’ momentary emotional state was assessed by visual analog scales (VAS). Compared to altruistic guilt, deontological guilt had the effect of: a) enhancing the physiological correlate of disgust (i.e. augmented HRV); b) increasing OCD-like washing behaviors (e.g. checking). In both groups, washing behaviors had the effect to reduce the physiological correlate of disgust. These effects were stronger in participants with higher OC tendencies, as indicated by scores on the dispositional questionnaires. Results support previous reports on a distinctive relation between deontological guilt and both disgust and OCD symptoms.}, keywords = {Obsessive-compulsive disorderHeart rate variabilityDisgustDeontological guiltAltruistic guilt}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Brasini2018, title = {Fairness is a more effective interpersonal motive than care for sustaining prosocial behaviour}, author = {Maurizio Brasini and Sasha Del Vecchio and Edoardo Gregni and Chiara Casali and Francesca Mira and Nicolina Capuano and Valentina Questa and Mauro Giacomantonio and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Scientific Research Publishing }, url = {https://apc.it/2018-fairness-is-a-more-effective-interpersonal-motive-than-care-for-sustaining-prosocial-behaviour-2/}, doi = {10.4236/psych.2018.96087}, issn = {2152-7199}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-04-27}, journal = {Psychology}, abstract = {The present study stems from three general assumptions about prosocial behav-iour: a) that it has an evolutionary foundation; b) that it is sensitive to the inter-personal context in which it takes place; and c) that it can be supported by different values and motives. An experiment based on the Dictator Game (DG) was carried out, in which two groups of participants with different Social Values Orientation (SVO) established how to share either €30 gain and a €30 loss, also considering the varying intentions of the other, which could have been selfish, fair or altruistic. Results confirmed that other’s selfish intentions gave rise to a lesser sharing, while other’s fair/altruistic intentions were reciprocated with a balanced sharing. However, when sharing a loss, Proself participants tended to exploit the altruistic intentions of the other. Moreover, the analysis of the relevant motivations in the decisions showed that only an individual orientation towards fairness predicted a higher resource allocation; more specifically, sharing a loss when the other showed altruistic intentions was found to be a matter of fairness. These results support the evolutionary hypothesis that fairness, as a key feature of peer cooperation, offers an interpersonal motivational framework more conducive to prosocial behaviour than empathy-based altruism, which is a key feature of the caregiving/care-seeking interpersonal motivational framework.}, keywords = {Dictator Game (DG), Evolutionary Theory of Motivation, Moral Foundations Theory (MFT), Peer Cooperation, Prosocial Behaviour, Social Values Orientation (SVO)}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Basile2018, title = {Investigating schema therapy constructs in individuals with depression}, author = {Barbara Basile and Katia Tenore and Francesco Mancini}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018-Investigating-schema-therapy-Basile-et-al.pdf}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-04-25}, journal = {Journal of Psychology and Clinical Psychiatry}, volume = {9}, number = {2}, pages = {214-221}, abstract = {Background: Schema Therapy (ST) has been applied to several psychological disorders. The aim of this study was to further corroborate Renner’s ST model for depression (2012), investigating maladaptive schemas, modes, and avoidant coping styles in a large non-clinical sample and in two sub-groups of subjects with high and low depression rates. Descriptive, correlation and multiple regression analyses were run on the whole sample and in the two sub-groups, with additional analyses comparing ST constructs in highly depressed versus not depressed individuals. Within the total sample, a positive correlation was observed between levels of depression and most maladaptive schemas, dysfunctional modes and intra-psychic avoidant coping strategies. Significant differences emerged with respect to the two sub-groups. Within the depressed group, positive associations occurred between the disconnection and rejection schema domain, the demanding parent mode and dissociative avoidant coping and symptoms severity. Multiple regression analyses also revealed the role of specific predictor variables explaining depression levels. Despite some important caveats, like the recruitment of a non-clinical sample, our data further support Renner’s schema model for depression, adding some new evidences about the role of specific modes and avoidant coping strategies that seem to play a role in this psychopathological condition.}, keywords = {avoidant coping strategies, depression, Early maladaptive schemas, modes, Schema therapy}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2018, title = {Rescripting Memory, Redefining the Self: A Meta-Emotional Perspective on the Hypothesized Mechanism(s) of Imagery Rescripting}, author = {Alessandra Mancini and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {frontiers in Psychology}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018-Rescripting-Memory-Mancini-A.-Mancini-F..pdf}, doi = {doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00581}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-04-20}, journal = {frontiers in Psychology}, volume = {9}, number = {581}, abstract = {Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) is a therapeutic technique that aims to reduce the distress associated with negative memories of early aversive experiences. It consists of prompting patients to rescript the autobiographical memory in line with their unmet needs. In recent years, ImRs was found effective in reducing symptoms of disorders such as depression, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and personality disorders. However, the cognitive mechanisms underlying such broad effectiveness are currently an object of debate. Empirical evidence has shown that ImRs reduces the negative self-belief derived from aversive memories in different types of mental disorders. However, existing accounts are not very accurate in explaining how this change in self-belief occurs and therefore why ImRs is effective across psychopathologies. We propose that ImRs changes the semantic self-representation encapsulated in the aversive memory by reducing the meta-emotional problem (i.e., perceiving a negative emotion as problematic and unacceptable). Empirical evidence implicates the meta-emotional problem or “secondary problem” in the maintenance of different disorders and has shown that treating it leads to symptoms reduction. Here we hypothesize that: (i) ImRs as a standalone treatment may lead to a reduction of symptoms; negative self-belief and the meta-emotional problem; and (ii) the reduction of the meta-emotional problem might mediate the relation between symptoms and negative self-belief reduction. To test our hypothesis, we present an experimental procedure that could be used in future studies. We conclude discussing the existing theoretical frameworks that attempt to unravel the mechanisms that play a role in ImRs. }, keywords = {autobiographical memory, emotional invalidation, imagery rescripting, meta-emotional problem, psychopathology, secondary problem, self-rapresentation}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Trincas2018, title = {Il ruolo delle credenze sulle emozioni nei processi di regolazione emotiva. Una rassegna della letteratura su teorie, ricerche e trattamento}, author = {Roberta Trincas and Laura Bernabei and Pina Cristina Bellizzi and Cecilia Laglia and Alessandra Nachira and Giuseppe Vitali and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Il Mulino}, url = {https://apc.it/2018-il-ruolo-delle-credenze-bozza-non-pubblicata-3/}, doi = {10.1421/90325}, issn = {0390-5349}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-03-01}, journal = {Giornale italiano di Psicologia}, pages = {187-216}, abstract = {Despite strong support for the effects of emotion regulation strategies (ERS) for maintenance of psychopathology, little is known about mechanisms involved in the use of maladaptive ERS, as people beliefs about their emotions. This review aims to understand the characteristics of the link between emotion beliefs and emotion regulation processes. First of all, the review examines main theories, researches, measures and therapeutic methods on this topic. The review highlight that emotion beliefs may influence emotion regulation abilities. Specifically, there is a specific association between beliefs and different ER strategies. Finally, beliefs have a role on development and maintenance of symptoms and mental disorders. Most of studies examined this mechanisms in non clinical samples, so it would be necessary to extend the investigation on the field of psychopathology.}, keywords = {Emotion Beliefs, Emotion Regulation, psychopathology, Secondary Appraisal, Secondary Emotion Reactions}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Basile2018c, title = {Early life experiences in ocd and other disorders: a retrospective observational study using imagery with re-scripting}, author = {Barbara Basile and Brunetto De Sanctis and Stefania Fadda and Olga Ines Luppino and Claudia Perdighe and Angelo Maria Saliani and Katia Tenore and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018-Early-life-Experiences-in-ocd-2.pdf}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-02-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry }, volume = {15}, number = {5}, pages = {299-305}, abstract = {Objective: The close link between obsessive symptomatology, guilt and inflated responsibility is well documented, although one might suppose that guilt sensitiveness and dysfunctional beliefs about responsibility are rooted further in time. imagery with rescripting (iwr) is an emotion-focused technique that binds actual stressful emotions to past memories where similar feelings were activated. it is used to change the meaning of emotionally distressing memories, turning aversive mental images into positive ones, and achieving a healthier prospective on the event. the aim of this study was to compare the content of iwr exercises, collected during an on-going cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, in OcD and non-OcD patients, in order to explore eventual differences in their early negative childhood memories. we expected guilt and blame-related childhood episodes to be more frequent in OcD, compared against non-OcD patients. Method: forty-one imagery exercises were collected and categorized according to their content, emotions, needs, type of re-scripting, and fnal cognitive re-attribution. Results: OCD patients reported signifcantly more blame/reproach memories, expressing more guilt emotion and needs for acceptance. within the re-scripting phase, all patients, regardless of their diagnosis, concluded the exercise protecting, reassuring and fostering emotional and needs expression, with no specifc difference between groups. Conclusions: this work has several limitations, including the subjective nature of the study, the small sample size and unbalanced gender distribution across samples. However, our fndings are in line with cognitive models on OCD, supporting the role of guilt-related early experiences that seem to be specifc to this disorder }, keywords = {early experiences, guilt, Imagery with Rescripting, OCD, Schema therapy}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Faraci2018, title = {RELIABILITY, VALIDITY AND FACTOR STRUCTURE OF THE COMPULSIVE ACQUISITION SCALE (CAS)}, author = {Palmira Faraci and Claudia Perdighe and Claudio Del Monte and Angelo Maria Saliani}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/2018-reability-validity-and-factor-structure-faraci-et-al.pdf}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-02-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry}, volume = {15}, abstract = {Objective: Much research and theorizing suggest that compulsive acquisition is a central component of hoarding disease. The Compulsive Acquisition Scale (CAS; Frost et al. 2002) is a self-rating scale measuring the extent to which individuals acquire and feel compelled to acquire possessions. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the CAS, in terms of reliability and construct validity. Method: The scale was administered to a sample of 491 non-clinical adults along with a battery of selected self-report measures. Participants were randomly divided into two subsamples. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Support for construct validity was provided by correlations between CAS and the other administered measures. Results: Unlike the originally suggested 2-factor structure, both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed an underlying 3-factor structure (Emotions, Time and Money, and Free Stuff). Our outcomes showed good subscales homogeneity; support for concurrent validity was provided by significantly positively correlations between CAS scores and the other measures of hoarding severity; convergent validity was gathered examining correlations between CAS and measures of depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Conclusions: Overall, empirical results indicated promising psychometric properties of the CAS Italian version in a nonclinical sample. Limitations of the study and the need for further research are discussed.}, keywords = {compulsive acquisition, Compulsive Acquisition Scale, compulsive hoarding, free stuff, purchase}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Ottaviani⁠2018, title = {Deontological morality can be experimentally enhanced by increasing disgust: A transcranial direct current stimulation study}, author = {Cristina Ottaviani⁠ and Francesco Mancini and Samantha Provenzano and Alberto Collazzoni and Francesca D'Olimpio}, editor = {Elsevier}, url = {https://apc.it/2018-ottaviani-et-al-deontological-morality-can-be-neuropsychologia/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.09.009}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-01-01}, urldate = {2018-01-01}, journal = {Neuropsychologia}, keywords = {Disgust, Heart rate variability, insula, Morality, obsessive compulsive disorder, transcranial current direct stimulation}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Fojanesi2018, title = {Risultati preliminari sull’associazione tra stili di attaccamento e livelli di ormone della crescita in un campione di bambini affetti da deficit di crescita non organico}, author = {Marta Fojanesi and Mariana Gallo and Matteo Spaziani and Federica Russo and Martina Valentini and Francesco Saverio Bersani and Massimo Biondi and Antonio Radicioni}, editor = {Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1708/2866.28923}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-01-01}, journal = {Rivista di Psichiatria}, volume = {53}, number = {1}, pages = {49-52}, abstract = {Introduzione. La riduzione dell’ormone della crescita (GH) in assenza di lesioni ipofisarie è una delle cause di bassa statura e della condizione clinica di deficit di crescita non organico, nota come “non-organic failure to thrive” (NOFTT). I progressi nell’ambito della psicologia dello sviluppo hanno messo in evidenza il ruolo delle emozioni e dei comportamenti del caregiver nell’organizzazione della personalità e della psicobiologia del bambino, considerando il legame di attaccamento madre-figlio come un’esperienza fondamentale nello sviluppo. Il presente studio preliminare si pone come obiettivo quello di valutare l’esistenza di correlazioni significative tra modelli di attaccamento e livelli di GH in un campione di soggetti affetti da NOFTT. Metodi. Sono stati arruolati nello studio 27 bambini (età media: 9,49±2,63) con NOFTT. La sicurezza della percezione di attaccamento è stata valutata attraverso la Scala di Sicurezza (SS) e le sottoscale inerenti il grado di sicurezza materna e paterna. La correlazione parziale di Pearson è stata usata per indagare le associazioni tra i livelli di GH e le misure SS, covariando per i fattori confondenti (ossia età, sesso e BMI). Risultati. In tutti i soggetti, il valore di GH era positivamente correlato in modo statisticamente significativo alla percezione della sicurezza generale (r=0,425; p=0,038) e della sicurezza materna (r=0,451; p=0,027) e non significativamente correlato con la sicurezza paterna (r=0,237, p=0,264). Discussione. Questi dati suggeriscono preliminarmente che l’associazione tra i livelli di GH e la sicurezza nella percezione dell’attaccamento possano svolgere un ruolo nella fisiopatologia del NOFTT, e si aggiungono al filone di evidenze inerenti il fatto che certi modelli di attaccamento possano essere associati a condizioni psico-endocrine specifiche.}, keywords = {bambini, deficit di crescita non organico, ormone della crescita, stile di attaccamento.}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Petrucci2017, title = {Sparing and impairing: Emotion modulation of the attentional blink and the spread of sparing in a 3-target RSVP task}, author = {Manuel Petrucci and Anna Pecchinenda}, editor = {Springer link}, url = {https://apc.it/petrucci-2018-emotional-modulation-of-the-ab-and-spread-of-sparing-in-a-3-target-rsvp-task/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-017-1470-y}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-12-14}, journal = {Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics}, volume = {80}, pages = {439-452}, abstract = {The performance impairment (attentional blink, AB) on a second target (T2) when it is presented within 200-500 ms after a first target (T1) during rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) is typically attributed to resource depletion. The AB does not occur when targets appear in immediate sequence (sparing). Recently, this account has been challenged by findings that the lag 1 sparing can spread to later lags when using a 3-target RSVP. Two experiments using the 3-targets RSVP investigated the relative contribution of resource depletion and attentional enhancement and/or inhibition on the AB and the sparing when T1 (Exp. 1) or T3 (Exp. 2) are emotionally salient. Findings showed a greater sparing for neutral T3s when preceded by negative compared with neutral T1s (Exp. 1) and for negative T3s (Exp. 2). In contrast, the AB on neutral T3s was greater after negative than after neutral T1s (Exp. 1), but it was reduced when T3 was negative (Exp. 2). The AB and the sparing also depended on how many targets before T3 were correctly reported. These findings indicate that although there is a cost for processing multiple targets, the emotional modulations of the AB and the sparing are better explained by an interplay between emotion-enhancement and capacity limitations on temporal selective attention.}, keywords = {Attentional blink, Sparing Emotion, Temporal attention}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Marin2017, title = {Romanian immigrants in Italy: mental healt and potential protective and vulnerability factors}, author = {Ioana A. Marin and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {expert projects publishing house}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017-Marin-Mancini-romanian-immigrants-rcis59_02.pdf}, issn = {1584-5397}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-12-12}, journal = {Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala}, volume = {59}, pages = {21-33}, abstract = {We investigated the mental health, in terms of reported Axis I psychiatric symptoms, of a sample of Romanian Immigrants in Italy, using the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (PDSQ). Moreover, we explored the association between psychological distress or specific disorders and a few demographic and cultural variables connected to the immigration process and identified as possible vulnerability/protective factors. Results showed a high frequency of above cut-off scores for Obsessive-compulsive disorder (45.8%, n=49), Psychosis (38.3%, n=41), Somatisation (35.5%, n=38), Generalized Anxiety (32.7%, n=35), PTSD (31.8%, n=34), Major Depression (30.8%, n=33) and Social Phobia (30.8%, n=33). Perceived ethnic discrimination and low language proficiency were identified as important vulnerability factors, predictive of clinical levels of anxiety and depression. }, keywords = {DSM-IV, immigration and mental health, protection and vulnerability factors immigration, Romanian immigrants}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Russo2017, title = {L’impulsività nel disturbo da deficit di attenzione e iperattività (DDAI) e nel disturbo da uso di sostanze (DUS)}, author = {Federica Russo and Emiliana Stendardo and Carlo Buonanno }, editor = {Franco Angeli}, doi = {https://DOI:10.3280/QPC2017-041003}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-11-30}, journal = {QUADERNI DI PSICOTERAPIA COGNITIVA }, number = {41}, pages = {35-51}, abstract = {L’impulsività è un tratto di personalità caratterizzato da una predisposizione a emettere azioni rapide e spesso premature, senza appropriate considerazioni sulle ripercussioni future. Recenti sviluppi nell’ambito delle neuroscienze hanno evidenziato la multicomponenzialità dell’impulsività distinguendo l’impulsività motoria (l’inabilità a frenare una risposta motoria impellente), dall’impulsività decisionale (preferire ricompense immedia- te e piccole a fronte di ricompense più consistenti ma ritardate nel tempo) e dall’incapacità a mantenere il focus attentivo (attenzione sostenuta). Ciascuna di queste componenti è caratterizzata da specifici correlati neurali e risponde a trattamenti farmacologici ben precisi. Inoltre, dall’analisi fattoriale condotta sulla Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), il questionario self report più utilizzato in clinica per misurare l’impulsività, è emersa la pre- senza delle tre sottocomponenti. In tale articolo definiremo le tre sottocomponenti, descrivendo i diversi strumenti di laboratorio utilizzati per misurarle e, attraverso un’attenta ana- lisi della letteratura, andremo ad analizzare tali costrutti nel DDAI e nel DUS. Termineremo con una breve rassegna delle tecniche utilizzate nelle terapie cognitivo-comportamentali ad oggi disponibili che possano aiutare il terapeuta e il paziente a gestire i diversi tipi di impulsività.}, keywords = {Disturbo da deficit dell’attenzione e iperattività (DDAI), disturbo da uso di sostanze (DUS), impulsività, terapia cognitivo-comportamentale.}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Cosentino2017, title = {Bias attentivo verso gli stimoli inerenti la colpa nel disturbo ossessivo-compulsivo: un'indagine preliminare}, author = {Teresa Cosentino and Enrico Iuliano and Angelo Maria Saliani and Claudia Perdighe and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Franco Angeli Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cosentino-et-al.-2017-bias-attentivo.pdf}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-11-10}, urldate = {2017-11-10}, journal = {Quaderni di Psicoterapia Cognitiva}, number = {41}, abstract = {Several studies and clinical observations support the hypothesis that the obsessive activity is intended to prevent the possibility of being guilty, experience judged intolerable and unacceptable from such patients. This study fits into this line of research. Starting from the evidence that in most anxiety disorders there was a selective attention directed towards the stimuli inherent threat feared, we expected to find in obsessive patients the presence of an attentional bias towards stimuli inherent to guilt. To assess the presence of attentional bias, sixteen subjects with obsessive-compulsive disorder and sixteen non-clinical control subjects underwent a Stroop Emotional Test based on stimulus words concerning guilt and neutral stimulus words. The results show that only the obsessive-compulsive subjects had greater slowness in naming the color of the words concerning guilt compared to the neutral ones. These results, although preliminary as derived from a small sample of subjects, seem to indicate that the patient’s obsessive attention is selectively directed towards the stimuli inherent guilt, confirming the patient’s sensitivity to this experience. The clinical implications of this phenomenon and the desirable future developments of this study are discussed.}, keywords = {bias attentivo, disturbi d’ansia, isturbo ossessivo-compulsivo, Senso di colpa, Stroop Test emotivo}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Barcaccia20172, title = {Interpersonal forgiveness: a concept analysis. Effectiveness, risks and benefits for psychological wellbeing of forgiveness therapy}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia}, editor = {Edizioni nuova cultura}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017-Psicologia-e-Psicoterapia-del-perdono_Barbara-Barcaccia-RDP-1.pdf}, doi = {10.4458/9453}, issn = {1125-5196}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-11-02}, journal = {Rassegna di Psicologia}, volume = {XXXIV}, number = {3}, pages = {55-66}, abstract = {Lo studio scientifico del perdono ha avuto inizio a partire dagli anni '80 del secolo scorso. La letteratura scientifica comprende ormai una mole molto ampia di ricerche sul perdono, lavori correlazionali, longitudinali e sperimentali. Una serie di studi correlazionali dimostra elevata correlazione negativa tra perdono e dimensioni di sofferenza psicologica: le persone che tendono a perdonare di più sono anche meno depresse e meno ansiose. Sono stati inoltre pubblicati anche numerosi studi sperimentali in cui si è dimostrato che incrementando la disposizione a perdonare e i comportamenti di perdono, come nella terapia del perdono, non solo diminuiscono significativamente diverse dimensioni di sofferenza psicopatologica, come ansia, rabbia e depressione, ma aumentano le variabili di benessere, come fiducia, speranza, auto-efficacia e gioia. Nell'articolo si definisce il costrutto del perdono, si esamina la sua funzione e le variabili a esso connesse, come la vendetta e l'evitamento, si esplorano infine l'efficacia, i benefici e i rischi della terapia del perdono.}, keywords = {benefici del perdono, efficacia della terapia del perdono, perdono interpersonale, psicopatologia, terapia del perdono}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Basile2017, title = {Schema Therapy mode model applied to OCD}, author = {Barbara Basile and Katia Tenore and Olga Ines Luppino and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017-schema-therapy-mode-Basile-et-al-clinical-neuropsychiatry.pdf}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-11-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry}, volume = {14}, number = {6}, pages = {407-414}, abstract = {Objective: Schema Therapy (ST) places particular emphasis on affective experiences, therapeutic relationship and early life experiences. Ad hoc ST conceptualizations for specific psychological conditions, mainly focusing on personality disorders, have been suggested in the last decade. The aim of this study was to explore schemas, modes and coping styles in outpatients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Method: thirty-four patients with OCD [DSM5 criteria, mean age(SD)=33(8.38) years; 12 females] were recruited. Schemas, modes and coping styles were measured. Indexes of OCD symptoms’, guilt and disgust levels were also collected. Descriptive, correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed. Results: OCD symptoms’ severity was significantly associated with social isolation, failure, subjugation and punishment schemas, and with the punitive parent mode. A positive relationship was also detected between OCD severity, and avoidance and intra-psychic coping styles and disgust intensity. Regression analyses revealed that the social isolation and punitiveness schemas, the punitive parent mode and behavioral avoidance coping style predicted OCD severity, with behavioral avoidance playing a significant mediation role between dysfunctional schemas and symptoms. Conclusions: Our data confirm previous findings on Schema model applied to OCD. An important limitation of the study is represented by the lack of an Italian control group. }, keywords = {coping strategies, Early maladaptive schemas, modes, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Schema therapy}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Barcaccia2017bb, title = {Is expressive writing effective in decreasing depression and increasing forgiveness and emotional wellbeing if preadolescents?}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia and Tyler Schaeffer and Viviana Balestrini and Fabio Rizzo and Francesca Mattogno and Roberto Baiocco and Francesco Mancini and Barry Howard Schneider}, editor = {Sociedad Chilena de Psicologia Clinica}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2017-Expressive-Writing-and-forgiveness-in-preadolescents_Barcaccia-et-al.-2017.pdf}, doi = {10.1037//0022-3514.82.4.675}, issn = {0716-6184}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-08-31}, journal = {Terapia psicológica}, volume = {35}, number = {3}, pages = {213-222}, abstract = {Expressive writing (EW) can be an effective way to alter maladaptive emotional reactions to stressful life events, although little is known about how pre-adolescents may beneft from it. In this quasi-experimental study, we compared measures of depression, anger, forgiveness, positive and negative affect in pre-adolescents before and after EW in both an experimental group undergoing the EW paradigm and a control group (N=138). No signifcant effects between control and experimental groups were found for the considered variables, except for positive and negative affect. We suggest potential reasons accounting for these results. Given that the theorised mechanisms involved in the EW paradigm include executive functioning abilities, it is possible that preadolescents may not be able to beneft from it, due to not fully developed executive functioning skills. Our results provide useful information in order to better design future studies and prevention/intervention programmes to be implemented with preadolescents.}, keywords = {Anger, depression, Expressive Writing, forgiveness, Pre-adolescents}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2017, title = {Obsessive patients and deontological guilt: a review}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {Psychopathology Review}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2017-obsessive-patients-and-deontological-guilt-a-review-Gangemi-paper-1.pdf}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.5127/pr.045916}, issn = {2051-8315}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-04-17}, journal = {Psychopathology Review}, volume = {4}, number = {2}, pages = {155-168}, abstract = {In line with the Appraisal Theories of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), in this review we present some experiments aimed at demonstrating the role of fear of guilt in OCD. What kind of guilt do OC patients want to prevent? Several studies suggest the existence of two different types of guilt emotions, namely deontological guilt and altruistic guilt. This research suggests that the former, more than the latter, is involved in OCD. Moreover, it demonstrates that the deontological guilt is related to disgust, and that this relationship could explain why both fear of contamination and fear of guilt are often co-present in obsessive patients. Finally, research shows that the Not Just Right Experience (NJRE) in OCD can be influenced by the deontological guilt. Future research should further verify the actual role of deontological guilt in OCD, and its therapeutical implications }, keywords = {Apparaisal theories, Deontological guilt, fear of contamination, Not just right experience, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{doi:10.1080/13617672.2017.1381439, title = {Forgiveness and religious practice: a study on a sample of Italian preadolescents}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia and Jessica Pistella and Roberto Baiocco and Susanna Pallini and Angelo Maria Saliani and Francesco Mancini and Marco Salvati}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2017.1381439}, doi = {10.1080/13617672.2017.1381439}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Beliefs & Values}, volume = {0}, number = {0}, pages = {1-10}, publisher = {Routledge}, abstract = {In this study we examined the gender differences in self-reported forgiving behaviours in a sample of Italian preadolescents (aged 11 to 14 years), who were either involved or not involved in religious practises. Were asked 289 Catholic, Italian preadolescent students were asked about their involvement in the religious practises. They also completed measures of forgiveness, avoidance and revenge motivations. The results showed that forgiveness was negatively correlated to avoidance and revenge, as expected, given that these constructs represent two different forms of non-forgiveness. Avoidance and revenge motivations were positively inter-correlated, highlighting how these forms of non-forgiveness are two distinct, but related pathways, leading away from forgiveness. Regarding age, younger participants reported higher degrees of forgiveness than their older counterparts. Lastly, regarding the association between involvement in one’s faith and gender as predictors of forgiving behaviours, only girls actively practising their faith emerged as significantly more forgiving than the other participants.}, keywords = {forgiveness, Italian preadolescents, religious involvement, revenge}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Barcaccia2017, title = {Dysfunctional eating behaviors, anxiety, and depression in Italian boys and girls: the role of mass media}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia and Viviana Balestri and Angelo Maria Saliani and Roberto Baiocco and Francesco Mancini and Barry Howard Schneider}, editor = {Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Dysfuntional-eating-behaviors-and-Media_Barcaccia-et-al.-2017-1.pdf}, doi = {doi:10.1590/1516-4446-2016-2200}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-01-01}, urldate = {2017-01-01}, journal = {Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria}, abstract = {Extensive research has implicated identification with characters in mass media in the emergence of disordered eating behavior in adolescents. We explored the possible influence of the models offered by television (TV) on adolescents’ body image, body uneasiness, eating-disordered behavior, depression, and anxiety. Methods: Three hundred and one adolescents (aged 14-19) from southern Italy participated. They completed a questionnaire on media exposure and body dissatisfaction, the Eating Disorder Inventory-2, the Body Uneasiness Test, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory – Form Y. Results: The main factors contributing to females’ eating-disordered behaviors were their own desires to be similar to TV characters, the amount of reality and entertainment TV they watched, and the discrepancy between their perceptions of their bodies and those of TV characters. Friends’ desire to be similar to TV characters contributed most to depression, anxiety, body uneasiness, and eating disorders for both males and females. Conclusion: Our data confirm that extensive watching of reality and entertainment TV correlates with eating-disordered behavior among females. Moreover, the well-known negative effects of the media on adolescents’ eating-disordered behaviors may also be indirectly transmitted by friends who share identification with TV characters}, keywords = {adolescents, child psychiatry, eating disorders, gender differences, women}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Brasini2017, title = {La preclusione al gioco e le motivazioni dell'azzardo. Commento al caso clinico di Giulio}, author = {Maurizio Brasini}, editor = {Franco Angeli Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/brasini2017giocopatologico/}, doi = {DOI: 10.3280/PSOB2017-003009}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-01-01}, journal = {Psicobiettivo}, volume = {XXXVII}, number = {3}, pages = {157-162}, abstract = {l’ipotesi che guida la discussione di questo caso è che il gioco patologico, considerato come sintomo, suggerisca la paradossale impossibilità di accedere ad una dimensione interpersonale giocosa. Tale ipotesi viene sostenuta alla luce delle teorie “gemelle” dei sistemi emozionali di J. Panksepp e dei sistemi motivazionali di G. Liotti, nel tentativo di integrare le conoscenze relative alle cosiddette neuroscienze sociali ed affettive con la pratica clinica}, keywords = {bias cognitivi, controllo esecutivo, dipendenze patologiche, gioco d’azzardo, Giovanni Liotti, Jaak Panksepp, reward system, sistemi emotivi, sistemi motivazionali}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Pecchinenda2016, title = {Emotion Unchained: Facial Expression Modulates Gaze Cueing under Cognitive Load}, author = {Anna Pecchinenda and Manuel Petrucci}, editor = {Alessio Avenanti, University of Bologna, ITALY}, url = {https://apc.it/petrucci-2016-facial-expression-modulates-gaze-cueing-under-cognitive-load/}, doi = {DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0168111}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-12-13}, journal = {PLOS ONE}, abstract = {Direction of eye gaze cues spatial attention, and typically this cueing effect is not modulated by the expression of a face unless top-down processes are explicitly or implicitly involved. To investigate the role of cognitive control on gaze cueing by emotional faces, participants performed a gaze cueing task with happy, angry, or neutral faces under high (i.e., counting backward by 7) or low cognitive load (i.e., counting forward by 2). Results show that high cognitive load enhances gaze cueing effects for angry facial expressions. In addition, cognitive load reduces gaze cueing for neutral faces, whereas happy facial expressions and gaze affected object preferences regardless of load. This evidence clearly indicates a differential role of cognitive control in processing gaze direction and facial expression, suggesting that under typical conditions, when we shift attention based on social cues from another person, cognitive control processes are used to reduce interference from emotional information.}, keywords = {facial expression}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{D'Olimpio3000, title = {“Don’t Play God!”: Is inaction Preference linked to obsessive compulsive characteristics?}, author = {Francesca D'Olimpio and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2016-dont-play-god-3.pdf}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-12-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry}, volume = {13}, number = {6}, pages = {122-129}, abstract = {Objective: two kinds of guilt feelings have been postulated: altruistic and deontological. the latter seems to play a role in the genesis and maintenance of obsessive-compulsive Disorder (ocD) and to be linked to inaction choice in moral dilemmas. This paper aims to investigate whether inaction choices in moral dilemmas are specifically linked to obsessive-compulsive (OC) characteristics and to deontological guilt. Methods: In the first study, participants completed questionnaires for depression, anxiety and oc and answered to moral and non-moral dilemmas. In the second study, after deontological or altruistic guilt or of shame induction and in control condition (no emotive induction), they answered to moral and non-moral dilemmas and to Padua Inventory}, keywords = {deontological guilt; altruistic guilt; shame; moral dilemma; obsessive-compulsive characteristics}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Trincas2016, title = {Specific Beliefs about Emotions Are Associated with Different Emotion-Regulation Strategies}, author = {Roberta Trincas and Elena Bilotta and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Scientific Research Publishing}, url = {http://file.scirp.org/pdf/PSYCH_2016111815130610.pdf}, doi = {10.4236/psych.2016.713159 }, issn = {2152-7180}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-11-18}, journal = {Psychology}, volume = {7}, pages = {1682-1699}, abstract = {Despite evidence pointing to the associations of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (ERS) with psychopathology, little is known about their underlying mechanisms. Coherently with cognitive models, this study tested the hypothesis that specific beliefs about emotions may be associated with difficulties in emotion regulation and the use of different ERS (reappraisal, suppression, acceptance, rumination, avoidant coping, experiential avoidance). Consistently with the role of avoidance in the cognitive model of worry, we sought testing a mediation pattern where negative beliefs about emotions were connected to maladaptive ERS through experiential avoidance. 309 participants filled out an online questionnaire that measured beliefs about emotions, difficulties in emotion-regulation, and the tendency to adopt different ERS. Results showed that negative beliefs and high fear of emotions were associated with the use of specific ERS and avoidance coping. Fear of depressed mood and anxiety was associated with rumination and emotional avoidance, whereas emotion suppression was mainly associated with fear of anger and positive affect. Also, we found that experiential avoidance mediated the association between beliefs about emotion, rumination and emotional avoidance. Results provided evidence about the specific associations between beliefs about emotions and emotion-regulation processes, suggesting that beliefs about emotions may play a role in orienting specific ER styles.}, keywords = {Beliefs about Emotions, Difficulties in Emotion-Regulation, Emotion-Regulation Processes, Experiential Avoidance, Fear of Emotion}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Petrucci2016, title = {The role of cognitive control mechanisms in selective attention towards emotional stimuli}, author = {Manuel Petrucci and Anna Pecchinenda}, editor = {Taylor and Francis on line}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2016.1233861}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-09-30}, journal = {Cognition and Emotion}, volume = {31}, number = {7}, pages = {1480-1492}, abstract = {The role of cognitive control mechanisms in reducing interference from emotionally salient distractors was investigated. In two experiments, participants performed a flanker task in which target-distractor affective compatibility and cognitive load were manipulated. Differently from past studies, targets and distractors were presented at separate spatial locations and cognitive load was not domain-specific. In Experiment 1, words (positive vs. negative) and faces (angry, happy or neutral faces), were used respectively as targets and distractors, whereas in Experiment 2, both targets (happy vs. angry) and distractors were faces. Findings showed interference from distractor processing only when cognitive load was high. The present findings indicate that, when targets and distractors are presented at different spatial locations, cognitive control mechanisms are involved in preventing interference from positive (Exp. 1) or negative distractors (Exp. 2). The role of stimulus valence and type is also discussed with regard to different patterns of interference observed.}, keywords = {cognitive load, emotional stimuli, flanker task, Selective attention}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Muratori2016, title = {Moral disengagement and callous-unemotional traits: A longitudinal study of Italian adolescents with a disruptive behaviour disorder}, author = {Pietro Muratori and Marinella Paciello and Carlo Buonanno and Annarita Milone and Laura Raglioni and John E. Lochman and Gabriele Masi}, editor = {Wiley Online Library}, url = {https://apc.it/2016-buonanno-moral-disengagement/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/cbm.2019}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-09-13}, journal = {Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health}, volume = {27}, number = {5}, abstract = {Background Callous–unemotional traits have been proposed as risk factors for a poorer prognosis in young people with disruptive behaviour disorders. Identification of factors that may cause or maintain elevated levels of such traits could help in developing targeted therapeutic interventions. Some previous studies have investigated the role of moral cognitive mechanisms, such as moral disengagement, but these previous studies focused primarily on normal or ‘at‐risk’ samples. Aim We aimed to evaluate associations and possible interactions between moral disengagement as a cognitive dimension and callous–unemotional traits as an affective dimension in adolescents with disruptive behaviour disorders. Method We recruited 55 adolescents with a disruptive behaviour disorder from a community care hospital in Pisa. They were evaluated at baseline and after one year with measures that included a moral disengagement scale, the Antisocial Process Screening Device, to assess callous traits, and the Youth Self‐Report, to explore externalising behaviour problems. Results Structural equation modelling showed that higher initial moral disengagement scores were associated with later higher levels of callous–unemotional traits in adolescents and vice versa, even after, respectively, controlling for previous levels of callous traits and moral disengagement. Conclusion As impairments in either cognitive or affective traits may predispose to problematic development of the other, our findings would suggest that screening at the earliest opportunity possible for both moral disengagement and callous–unemotional traits among children with disruptive behaviour disorders could help to map natural outcome pathways and thus tailor more accurate interventions for prevention of antisocial or criminal behaviour. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.}, keywords = {adolescents, Disruptive Behaviour Disorder, moral disengagement}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Couyoumdjian2016, title = { Reducing the meta-emotional problem decreases physiological fear response during exposure in phobics}, author = {Alessandro Couyoumdjian and Cristina Ottaviani and Nicola Petrocchi and Roberta Trincas and Katia Tenore and Carlo Buonanno and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Martial Mermillod}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/fpsyg-07-01105.pdf}, doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01105}, issn = {1664-1078}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-07-25}, issuetitle = {Original Research}, journal = {Frontiers in psychology}, number = {7}, pages = {1105}, abstract = {Anxiety disorders may not only be characterized by specific symptomatology (e.g., tachycardia) in response to the fearful stimulus (primary problem or first-level emotion) but also by the tendency to negatively evaluate oneself for having those symptoms (secondary problem or negative meta-emotion). An exploratory study was conducted driven by the hypothesis that reducing the secondary or meta-emotional problem would also diminish the fear response to the phobic stimulus. Thirty-three phobic participants were exposed to the phobic target before and after undergoing a psychotherapeutic intervention addressed to reduce the meta-emotional problem or a control condition. The electrocardiogram was continuously recorded to derive heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) and affect ratings were obtained. Addressing the meta-emotional problem had the effect of reducing the physiological but not the subjective symptoms of anxiety after phobic exposure. Preliminary findings support the role of the meta-emotional problem in the maintenance of response to the fearful stimulus (primary problem).}, keywords = {autonomic nervous system, double standard, Heart rate, Heart rate variability, meta-emotional problem, phobic stimuli, self-criticism, specific phobia}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2016, title = {Sulla necessità degli scopi come determinanti prossimi della sofferenza psicopatologica}, author = {Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Franco Angeli Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/02Mancini16-1.pdf}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-06-01}, volume = {13}, number = {1}, pages = {7-20}, abstract = {In this article one of the most signifi cant limits of Clinical Cognitivism is highlighted: the scarce relevance attributed to “goals” in explaining psychopathology. In the standard Clinical Cognitivism the role of beliefs and cognitive processes is highly stressed, while the role of goals in orienting the cognitive processes, and thus, in the development and maintenance of beliefs, is neglected. It is, in current Clinical Cognitivism, the recourse to dispositional concepts ‒ e.g. intolerance to uncertainty ‒ which appear to be more descriptive than explanatory, and to cognitive defi cits, which are open to several criticism}, keywords = {beliefs, clinical cognitivism, cognitive processes, goals}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Simone2016, title = {Association between Attention and Heart Rate Fluctuations in Pathological Worriers}, author = {Simone Gazzellini and Maria Dettori and Francesca Amadori and Barbara Paoli and Antonio Napolitano and Francesco Mancini and Cristina Ottaviani }, url = {http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00648}, doi = {10.3389/fnhum.2016.00648}, issn = {1662-5161}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience}, volume = {10}, pages = {648}, abstract = {Recent data suggests that several psychopathological conditions are associated with alterations in the variability of behavioral and physiological responses. Pathological worry, defined as the cognitive representation of a potential threat, has been associated with reduced variability of heart beat oscillations (i.e., decreased heart rate variability; HRV) and lapses of attention indexed by reaction times (RTs). Clinical populations with attention deficit show RTs oscillation around 0.05 and 0.01 Hz when performing a sustained attention task. We tested the hypothesis that people who are prone to worry do it in a predictable oscillating pattern revealed through recurrent lapses in attention and concomitant oscillating HRV. Sixty healthy young adults (50% women) were recruited: 30 exceeded the clinical cut-off on the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (High-Worry); the remaining 30 constituted the Low-Worry group. After a diagnostic assessment, participants performed two 15-minute sustained attention tasks, interspersed by a standardized worry-induction procedure. RTs, HRV, and moods were assessed. The analyses of the frequency spectrum showed that the High-Worry group presents a significant higher and constant peak of RTs oscillation around 0.01 Hz (period 100 s) after the induction of worry, in comparison with their baseline and with the Low-Worry group that was not responsive to the induction procedure. Physiologically, the induction significantly reduced high-frequency HRV and such reduction was associated with levels of self-reported worry. Results are coherent with the oscillatory nature of the default mode network and further confirm an association between cognitive rigidity and autonomic nervous system inflexibility.}, keywords = {Heart rate variability, reaction times, sustained attention, time-frequency analysis, worry}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{57965, title = {L’utilizzo della mindfulness con gli adolescenti}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia and Francesco Mancini and Roberto Baiocco}, editor = {Franco Angeli Editore}, url = {http://www.francoangeli.it/Riviste/Scheda_rivista.aspx?idArticolo=57965}, doi = {10.3280/QPC2016-039006}, issn = {2281-6046}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {QUADERNI DI PSICOTERAPIA COGNITIVA}, number = {39}, pages = {83-98}, abstract = {Negli ultimi anni l’utilizzo della mindfulness per il trattamento di problemi psicologici in eta evolutiva e andato significativamente incrementando: sia nei disturbi esternalizzanti che nei disturbi internalizzanti puo essere effettivamente utile addestrare i ragazzi a lasciar andare i propri contenuti mentali, siano essi pensieri depressivi, ansiosi, o aggressivi, una volta che sono comparsi alla mente. In particolare la disposizione mindful e correlata con livelli piu bassi di psicopatologia in adolescenza rispetto ai ragazzi che presentano un’alta mindfulness di tratto. Inoltre, vi sono diversi dati incoraggianti per il trattamento di alcuni disturbi mentali anche per questa fascia d’eta. Ciononostante, gli studi finora disponibili rivelano la necessita di adottare metodologie piu rigorose, cosi come l’incremento del numero degli studi, per migliorare la valutazione dell’uso della mindfulness in adolescenza. Per quanto riguarda l’adattamento delle pratiche agli adolescenti, e utile proporre loro una varieta di pratiche diverse, per evitare noia e disimpegno, oltre a porre attenzione all’utilizzo di esercizi "su misura", come l’uso dello smartphone consapevole, o l’ascolto mindful di brani musicali. Anche la durata dei vari esercizi va adattata, riducendo considerevolmente la lunghezza delle pratiche a circa dieci minuti, a seconda della pratica considerata. L’acquisizione di capacita di mindfulness sembra essere una competenza centrale per gli adolescenti, al fine di gestire meglio l’impulsivita, modulare le emozioni, ridurre l’oppositivita a emozioni negative indesiderate, incrementarne l’accettazione, cosi come la capacita di provare emozioni positive. Le pratiche di mindfulness potrebbero costituire un elemento innovativo ed efficace per la gestione e riduzione di sintomatologia esternalizzante e internalizzante in adolescenza. }, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Barcaccia2016, title = {Obsessive-compulsive disorder: the strength of psycological models of mental illness}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Franco Angeli}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2016-obsessive-compusive-disorder-Barcaccia_Mancini-1.pdf}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, volume = {13}, number = {6}, pages = {85-87}, abstract = {From the first compelling psychoanalytic formulation at the biginning of last century by Sigmund Freud, to the latest cognitive-behavioural models, psychology has been at the forefront of the understanding of Obsessive-Compulsive Dosorder (OCD). Psychological accounts of the disorder have been proven to be sound and accurate, explaining many facets of OCD, and having important implications for treatment.}, keywords = {cognitive-behavioural therapy, EABCT, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychological models}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Spitoni2015, title = {The two dimensions of the body representation in women suffering from Anorexia Nervosa}, author = {Grazia Fernanda Spitoni and Andrea Serino and Armando Cotugno and Francesco Mancini and Gabriella Antonucci and Luigi Pizzamiglio}, editor = {Elsevier Ireland Ltd}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2015-the-two-dimension-of-the-body-rapresentation.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.psychres.2015.08.036}, issn = {0165-1781}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-08-28}, journal = {Psychiatry Research}, volume = {230}, number = {2}, pages = {181-188}, abstract = { A core symptom of Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a severe alteration of body representations. Evidence from somatoperception studies point to a generic disturbances of somatosensory components of body representations. Here we have investigated whether AN patients (N=18) and controls differed in the perception of tactile stimuli differently oriented along the body axes. We tested the hypothesis that patients perceive and represent their body selectively larger in only one dimension. To this aim we used elementary tactile measures for tactile acuity (Von Frey's test and two-point discrimination thresholds – 2 PD) and tactile discrimination measures. The rationale is based on the assumption that AN patients have a wider body representation, and that tactile body representation tasks (Tactile Distance task) oriented across the bodies (horizontally) are influenced by distorted body representations compared with tactile stimuli oriented along the bodies (vertically) which should not be influenced by body representations. Results showed that patients judged horizontal tactile stimuli significantly wider than the same stimuli oriented vertically.These results suggest that human brain perceives things differently based on body representations and that the beliefs concerning body size influence the specific somatosensory process of tactile experience.}, keywords = {Affective touch, Anorexia Nervosa, Body discontent, Body representation, Somatoperception, Tactile discrimination}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Bilotta2015, title = {Being alexithymic: Necessity or convenience. Negative emotionality x avoidant coping interaction and alexithymic}, author = {Elena Bilotta and Mauro Giacomantonio and Luigi Leone and Francesco Mancini and Giovanna Coriale}, editor = {The British Psychological Society}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Bilotta-et-al.-2015-PAPT.pdf}, doi = {10.1111/papt.12079}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-08-03}, journal = {Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice}, abstract = {Objectives We aimed to clarify the associations between negative emotionality, avoidant coping, and alexithymia. We hypothesized that negative emotionality and avoidance strategies would interact negatively in associating with alexithymia. Design We examined, in one study conducted in Italy and another in the US (total N = 415), the associations among avoidant coping, negative emotionality, and alexithymia, using cross-sectional designs. Method Study 1: Participants completed paper-and-pencil measures of alexithymia, avoidant coping, and negative emotionality. Study 2: Participants completed the above-mentioned measures plus a measure of experiential avoidance (EA), by means of an online questionnaire. Results As expected, an antagonistic avoidant coping × negative emotionality interaction was found to relate to alexithymia in both studies. In Study 2, EA mediated the effects of such interaction on alexithymia (mediated moderation). The interaction found implied that alexithymia would be adopted as a defence against negative affect or as a consequence of avoidant strategies. Conclusions The studies suggested that two different psychological pathways to alexithymia may be at work: Preference for avoidance and negative emotionality. This result appeared theoretically relevant and may stimulate further research. Practitioner points Alexithymia may develop from habitual avoidance, regardless of negative emotionality. Practitioners could consider addressing negative emotional regulation or automatic and habitual avoidant responses in dealing with alexithymic patients.}, keywords = {alexithymia}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Paciello2015, title = {Personal Values and Moral Disengagement Promote Aggressive and Rule-Breaking Behaviours in Adolescents With Disruptive Behaviour Disorders: A Pilot Study}, author = {Marinella Paciello and Pietro Muratori and Laura Ruglioni and Annarita Milone and Carlo Buonanno and Rosario Capo and John E. Lochman and Barbara Barcaccia}, url = {https://apc.it/2015-buonanno-personal-valeus-and-moral/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X15589593}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-07-02}, journal = {International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology}, volume = {61}, number = {1}, pages = {46–63}, abstract = {The pilot study presented in this article investigated the role of moral-cognitive features in understanding aggressive and rule-breaking behaviours in adolescents with Disruptive Behaviour Disorder (DBD). We collected two samples. The community sample was composed of 85 adolescents, whereas the DBD sample was composed of 30 adolescents. Compared with a community sample, adolescents with DBD are more inclined to use moral disengagement (MD) to legitimize their aggressive and rule-breaking behaviours. Moreover, regression models showed that self-enhancement values and MD foster externalizing behaviours taking into account both gender and the group they belonged to, that is, either clinical or community sample. Instead, self-transcendence values could prevent externalizing problems by inhibiting MD. Implications of these findings for assessment and therapeutic interventions are discussed.}, keywords = {adolescence, aggression, Disruptive Behaviour Disorder, moral disengagement, personal values}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Cosentino2015, title = {Family accommodation in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a study on associated variables}, author = {Teresa Cosentino and Palmira Faraci and Daniela Coda and Rosaria D’Angelo and Lorena Assunta De Pari and Maria Rosaria di Crescenzo and Luisa Esposito and Amalia Scelza}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore s.r.l.}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/2015-family-accommodation.-cosentino-et-all.pdf}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-05-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry}, volume = {12}, number = {5}, pages = {128-134}, abstract = {The present study aimed to examine family accommodation in relatives of obesessive-compulsive disease (OCD) patients. Accommodation was assessed in a sample of 31 relatives of OCD patients by means of the Family Accommodation Scale. Other variables measured as predictor of accommodation were tendency of a familymember to feel guilty, sensitivity to guilt, anxiety sensitivity and the prevalence of a passive communication style. Accommodation was found to be rather widespread in the family members who took part in our study, and they tended to show more accommodation the greater their sensitivity to guilt and the stable tendency to experience this emotion as well as anxiety sensitivity and passive communication style. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that, among the variables considered, the family member's sensitivity to guilt is the only factor which can predict accommodation with regard to the patient's demands for involvement. On the other hand, the small number of family members in the sample and the lack of clinical data of patients (such as the severity, typology and duration of their obsessive-compulsive disorder) pose limits to the generalizability of the results and point to the need for further research.}, keywords = {family, family accommodation, guilt, obsessive-compulsive disorder, relatives}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{C.2015, title = {Individual differences in guilt sensitivity scale (GSS)}, author = {Claudia Perdighe and Teresa Cosentino and Palmira Faraci and Andrea Gragnani and Angelo Maria Saliani and Francesco Mancini }, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Perdighe-et-al._2015.pdf}, doi = {10.4473/TPM22.3.3}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-05-01}, urldate = {2015-05-01}, journal = {Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology}, volume = {22}, number = {3}, pages = {349-362}, abstract = {Individual differences can be observed in the propensity to experience certain emotions; for some emotions, most notably anxiety and disgust, the notion of sensitivity was also explored, namely one's tendency to evaluate negatively a given emotion and its effects. Based on observations made in the clinical practice, the authors suggest that this distinction may be usefully applied also to guilt, creating a specific instrument to measure guilt sensitivity. In the wake of such considerations, the authors developed the Guilt Sensivity Scale, a 10-item scale. It evaluates subjective sensitivity to guilt feelings by investigating: the tendency to avoid this feeling, its influence on the patient's life, and his/her ability to tolerate it. The major goal of this study is testing the psychometric properties of this scale. To this end, the scale was administered to a sample of 916 participants. In terms of psychometric properties, the instrument seems to be characterized by a significant, promising reliability and validity.}, keywords = {guilt, Guilt scale, Individual differenc es, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Sensitivity}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Makovac2015, title = {Effect of Parasympathetic Stimulation on Brain Activity During Appraisal of Fearful Expressions}, author = {Elena Makovac and Sarah N Garfinkel and Andrea Bassi and Barbara Basile and Emiliano Macaluso and Mara Cercignani and Giovanni Calcagnini and Eugenio Mattei and Daniela Agalliu and Pietro Cortelli and Carlo Caltagirone and Marco Bozzali and Hugo Critchle}, editor = {Neuropsychopharmacology}, url = {https://apc.it/makovac_basile2015_parasympathetic_stimulation_on_brain_during_fearfull_faces/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2015.10}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-03-04}, volume = {40}, pages = {1649-1658}, abstract = {Autonomic nervous system activity is an important component of human emotion. Mental processes influence bodily physiology, which in turn feeds back to influence thoughts and feelings. Afferent cardiovascular signals from arterial baroreceptors in the carotid sinuses are processed within the brain and contribute to this two-way communication with the body. These carotid baroreceptors can be stimulated non-invasively by externally applying focal negative pressure bilaterally to the neck. In an experiment combining functional neuroimaging (fMRI) with carotid stimulation in healthy participants, we tested the hypothesis that manipulating afferent cardiovascular signals alters the central processing of emotional information (fearful and neutral facial expressions). Carotid stimulation, compared with sham stimulation, broadly attenuated activity across cortical and brainstem regions. Modulation of emotional processing was apparent as a significant expression-by-stimulation interaction within left amygdala, where responses during appraisal of fearful faces were selectively reduced by carotid stimulation. Moreover, activity reductions within insula, amygdala, and hippocampus correlated with the degree of stimulationevoked change in the explicit emotional ratings of fearful faces. Across participants, individual differences in autonomic state (heart rate variability, a proxy measure of autonomic balance toward parasympathetic activity) predicted the extent to which carotid stimulation influenced neural (amygdala) responses during appraisal and subjective rating of fearful faces. Together our results provide mechanistic insight into the visceral component of emotion by identifying the neural substrates mediating cardiovascular influences on the processing of fear signals, potentially implicating central baroreflex mechanisms for anxiolytic treatment targets.}, keywords = {Fearful Expressions, Parasympathetic Stimulation}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01251, title = {Do not play God: contrasting effects of deontological guilt and pride on decision-making}, author = {Alessandra Mancini and Francesco Mancini}, url = {http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01251, citation}, doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01251}, issn = {1664-1078}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-01-01}, journal = {Frontiers in Psychology}, volume = {6}, pages = {1251}, abstract = {Recent accounts support the existence of two distinct feelings of guilt: altruistic guilt, arising from the appraisal of not having been altruistic towards a victim and deontological guilt, emerging from the appraisal of having violated an intuitive moral rule. Neuroimaging data has shown that the two guilt feelings trigger different neural networks, with deontological guilt selectively activating the insula, a brain area involved in the processing of disgust and self-reproach. Thus, insula activation could reflect the major involvement of self-reproach in deontological guilt rather than in altruistic guilt. However, only a few studies have empirically tested whether and how deontological and altruistic guilt differently affect decision making and none have compared enhanced self-worth. Here we asked three groups of participants, respectively induced with either pride, deontological or altruistic guilt, to participate in a third–party version of the ultimatum game in which they were asked to decide on behalf of others to accept or reject economic offers with several degrees of fairness. Results revealed that only deontological participants had higher median acceptances of Moderately Unfair offers as compared to proud participants. However fairness judgments were not different between groups, suggesting that deontological participants’ moral standards had not decreased. Crucially, a higher increase in deontological guilt was associated with an increase in the odds of accepting 30:70 offers. The opposite effects that deontological guilt and pride exert on self-worth can account for these results. Specifically, proud participants felt entitled enough to take action in order to restore equity, while deontological participants followed the “Do not play God” principle, which limited their decisional autonomy, not allowing them to decide on behalf of others.}, keywords = {Do not play God principle, Moral choices, Omission bias, Trolley dilemma}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gangemi201590, title = {An experimental re-examination of the inferential confusion hypothesis of obsessive–compulsive doubt}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Francesco Mancini and Reuven Dar}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005791615000269, citation https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2015-an-experimental-re-examination.pdf, article}, doi = {10.1016/j.jbtep.2015.02.008}, issn = {0005-7916}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry}, volume = {48}, pages = {90 - 97}, abstract = {AbstractBackground and objectives The inferential confusion hypothesis postulates that obsessive doubt is perpetuated by a subjective form of reasoning characterized primarily by a distrust of reality and an overreliance on imagined possibilities. However, experimental evidence for this hypothesis may be compromised by a potential confound between type of information (reality vs. possibility) and its valence (danger vs. safety). In the present study we aimed to untangle this potential confound. Methods Forty OCD and 40 non-clinical participants underwent two versions of the Inferential Processes Task (Aardema, F., et al. (2009). The quantification of doubt in obsessive–compulsive disorder. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 2, 188–205). In the original version, the reality-based information is congruent with the safety hypothesis, whereas the possibility-based information is congruent with the danger hypothesis. In the modified version incorporated in the present study, the reality-based information is congruent with the danger hypothesis, whereas the possibility-based information is congruent with the safety hypothesis. Results Our findings did not support the inferential confusion hypothesis: both OCD and control participants changed their estimations of the probability of unwanted events based on the type of information they received (whether it conveyed danger or safety) regardless of whether it was framed as reality or possibility. Limitations The design of the present study does not lend itself to examining alternative explanations for the persistence of doubt in OCD. Conclusions The hypothesized inferential confusion in OCD requires further validation. It is particularly important to demonstrate that findings do not reflect a prudential reasoning strategy.}, keywords = {Doubt, Inference processes task, Inferential confusion, Obsessive e compulsive disorder, Prudential reasoning}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2015157, title = {Deontological guilt and obsessive compulsive disorder}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {ELSEVIER ScienceDirect}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Mancini-Gangemi-rev1.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.jbtep.2015.05.003}, issn = {0005-7916}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry}, volume = {49, Part B}, pages = {157 - 163}, abstract = {Background and objectives The emotion of guilt plays a pivotal role in the genesis and maintenance of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). But what kind of guilt do OC patients want to prevent? Several studies suggest the existence of two different types of guilt emotions, namely deontological and altruistic guilt. This research suggests that the former, more than the latter, is involved in OCD. Studies in which people must hypothetically choose between killing one person to save a few (consequentialist choice) or take no action and allow things to take their course (omission choice), have found that the latter is consistent with the “Do not play God” moral principle whereas the former is consistent with altruistic motivations. This paper is aimed at verifying whether both OC patients, with no induction, and nonclinical participants, after the induction of deontological guilt prefer omission more often than a consequentialist option. It is hypothesized that people with OCD will be motivated to avoid feeling deontological guilt and thus will be more likely to opt for omission. Similarly, nonclinical participants who receive a deontological guilt induction will also be more likely to choose omission. Method In two studies participants were given seven scenarios (four moral dilemmas, three control scenarios). Twenty patients with OCD, 20 anxious controls, and 20 healthy participants took part in study 1. In study 2, we recruited 70 healthy participants who were randomly assigned to receive a deontological guilt or a control induction. Results Consistent with hypotheses, in Study 1 OC patients preferred omission, instead of the consequentialist option, moreso than did the clinical and nonclinical controls. In Study 2, the group receiving the deontological guilt induction preferred omission to a greater extent than did the altruistic group. Limitations The present study cannot establish that the goal of preventing or neutralizing deontological guilt actually drives obsessions and compulsions. Conclusions These results provide further evidence that people with OCD are more sensitive to deontological guilt, compared to other people. They thus contribute to improve the moral appraisal theory of OCD.}, note = {Special Issue: Innovations in Understanding and Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder}, keywords = {Altruistic guilt emotion, Deontological guilt emotion, Moral trolley dilemma, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Battagliese201560, title = {Cognitive-behavioral therapy for externalizing disorders: A meta-analysis of treatment effectiveness}, author = {Gemma Battagliese and Maria Caccetta and Olga Ines Luppino and Chiara Baglioni and Valentina Cardi and Francesco Mancini and Carlo Buonanno}, editor = {Elsevier ScienceDirect}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2015-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-for-externalizing-disorders.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.brat.2015.10.008}, issn = {0005-7967}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-01-01}, journal = {Behaviour Research and Therapy}, volume = {75}, pages = {60 - 71}, abstract = {Abstract Externalizing disorders are the most common and persistent forms of maladjustment in childhood. The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis evaluating the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to reduce externalizing symptoms in two disorders: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositive Defiant Disorder (ODD). The efficacy of CBT to improve social competence and positive parenting and reduce internalizing behaviors, parent stress and maternal depression was also explored. The database PsycInfo, PsycARTICLES, Medline and PubMed were searched to identify relevant studies. Twenty-one trials met the inclusion criteria. Results showed that the biggest improvement, after CBT, was in ODD symptoms (−0.879) followed by parental stress (−0.607), externalizing symptoms (−0.52), parenting skills (−0.381), social competence (−0.390) and ADHD symptoms (−0.343). CBT was also associated with improved attention (−0.378), aggressive behaviors (−0.284), internalizing symptoms (−0.272) and maternal depressive symptoms (−0.231). Overall, CBT is an effective treatment option for externalizing disorders and is also associated with reduced parental distress and maternal depressive symptoms. Multimodal treatments targeting both children and caregivers' symptoms (e.g. maternal depressive symptoms) appear important to produce sustained and generalized benefits.}, keywords = {ADHD, Cognitive behavioral treatment, Externalizing disorders, ODD, Parenting strategies}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{mancini2015, title = {The relevance of maintaining and worsening processes in psychopathology}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {Cambridge University Press}, url = {http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9750023&fulltextType=AC&fileId=S0140525X14000375}, doi = {10.1017/S0140525X14000375}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-00-08}, journal = {Behavioral and Brain Sciences}, volume = {38}, publisher = {Cambridge University Press}, address = {New York, USA}, abstract = {AbstractThe states called “psychopathology” are very diverse, but Lane et al.'s single-process explanation does little to account for this diversity. Moreover, some other crucial phenomena of psychopathology do not fit this theory: the role of negative evaluations of conscious emotions, and the role of emotions without physiological correlates. And it does not consider the processes maintaining disorders.}, keywords = {psychopathology}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Basile2014, title = {Neurobiological mechanisms underlying abnormal processing of guilt, disgust and intentionality in obsessive-compulsive disorder: A critical review}, author = {Barbara Basile and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2014-neurobiological-mechanism-basile-mancini.pdf}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-12-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry}, volume = {11}, number = {6}, pages = {187-193}, abstract = {Many different and innovative neuroimaging techniques have been developed in the last decades. Functional neuroimaging allows detecting what is happening in our brain at rest or while performing a specific cognitive or emotional task, while structural methods are concerned with the physical organization of the brain, considering both micro- and macro-structural aspects. Starting from these recent developments, neuroimaging techniques have been applied to healthy individuals, as well as to clinical populations. Functional and quantitative imaging research has also focused on what is going in the brain of patients suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). There is consisting clinical and experimental evidence showing that patients suffering from OCD are particularly sensitive to guilt and disgust emotions, with both contributing to the disorder’s onset and maintenance. Further, OCD patients also show impairment in the ability to consciously control, or inhibit, specific behaviors, resulting in compulsive acting. In this review we want to provide some neurobiological evidence on the cerebral mechanisms underlying guilt and disgust processing in OCD, also considering the neural aspects of motor intentionality. Overall, neuroimaging studies suggest that the Fronto-Parieto-sub-Cortical circuit, including both cortical and sub-cortical regions, as well as their inter-connecting fibers, is involved in OCD. Overall, findings show more frontal regions, extending to the insular cortices, to be involved, in action monitoring, error detection, decision making, and in guilt and disgust processing, while the midbrain, including basal ganglia and extending to more parietal areas, is involved in movement selection, correction and inhibition, in intentionality and social cognition. We think these data might contribute in explaining the neurobiological substrate underlying some core aspects of OCD clinical manifestation, which does not necessarily rely upon a dysfunction of the central nervous system. We suggest here, that eventual OCD patients’ psychological processes may affect neuronal responses, contributing to the peculiarities observed. }, keywords = {Disgust, emotion processing, guilt, intentionality, Neuroimaging, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Nocentini2014, title = {Exploration of the relationships between regional grey matter atrophy and cognition in multiple sclerosis}, author = {Ugo Nocentini and Marco Bozzali and Barbara Spanò and Mara Cercignani and Laura Serra and Barbara Basile and Rosalba Mannu and Carlo Caltagirone and John De Luca }, editor = {Springer Lynk}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-012-9170-7}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-09-01}, journal = {Brain Imaging and Behavior}, volume = {8}, pages = {378-386}, abstract = {Cognitive impairment may result in significant disability in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Previous Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies on cognition in MS were mainly based on measures of gross brain involvement. This study, using voxel-based morphometry (VBM), aims to investigate associations between the regional distribution of grey matter (GM) damage and cognitive performance in patients with MS. Eighteen MS patients underwent an extensive neuropsychological battery and MRI, including T2-weighted scans and T1-weighted volumes. A group of 18 healthy individuals were also investigated by MRI and served as controls for the VBM. A cross-sectional analysis was first performed, to assess the pattern of regional GM atrophy in MS patients. Then, the impact of regional GM damage on patients’ neuropsychological performance was investigated by multiple regression analyses in the patient group. Correlations between global indexes of brain damage and neuropsychological measures were also assessed for comparison with previous literature. The comparison between MS patients and healthy controls revealed a widespread pattern of regional GM atrophy. Consistent with previous studies, associations were found between neuropsychological scores, and global brain atrophy and T2-lesion volumes. Critically, significant associations were found between scores on the Symbol Digit Modalities test and Long Delay Cued Recall on the California Verbal Learning Test, and regional GM volumes in well localized areas of the prefrontal, parietal, temporal, and insular cortex. This study confirms that global assessments of brain damage correlate with measures of cognitive impairment in MS. Interestingly, VBM contributes to clarify those brain regions that more likely determine the cognitive deficits observed in patients. These findings clarify the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment in MS, and propose measures which could be considered for longitudinal monitoring of patients.}, keywords = {Attention, Cognitive impairment, Grey matter, Memory, VBM}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Barcaccia2014, title = {Towards a deeper understanding of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore S.r.l.}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2014-towards-a-deeper-understanding-of-ocd.pdf}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-05-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry}, volume = {11}, number = {6}, pages = {149-151}, abstract = {Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has been ranked by the World Health Organization as one of the ten most handicapping illnesses by lost income and decreased quality of life (Veale 2007). It is well known that the disorder is not limited to one culture or one period of time, since it has been found in different culture or one period of time, since it has been found in different cultures and in different parts of the world, with its basic characteristics transcending cultures and eras (de Silva 2006).}, keywords = {obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2014, title = {Do we need a cognitive theory for obsessive-compulsive disorder? Yes, we do}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Barbara Barcaccia}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore s.r.l.}, url = {http://www.clinicalneuropsychiatry.org/pdf/14-6Mancini.pdf}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-05-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry}, volume = {11}, number = {6}, pages = {197-203}, abstract = {Nowadays a general trend in psychiatry and clinical psychology, claming to explain mental illness and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in particular as a neurological disease, seems to be in ascendant. The purpose of this position paper is to rebut this perspective on OCD and demonstrate that an Appraisal Theory (AT) of the disorder, is necessary and sufficient in order to account for proximal determinants in the genesis (proximal determinants) and maintenance of OC sympomatology.}, keywords = {appraisal theory, beliefs, cognitive deficits, goals, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2014b, title = {Meriti e demeriti della nuova categoria del DSM-5: “Disturbo ossessivo-compulsivo e disturbi correlati”}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Claudia Perdighe}, editor = {Edizioni Erickson – Trento}, url = {https://apc.it/2014-meriti-e-dmeriti-mancini-perdighe-2/}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-05-01}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, volume = {20}, number = {3}, pages = {281-293}, abstract = {Negli ultimi decenni si è arrivati a una comprensione sempre più accurata dello stato mentale che regola i pensieri e comportamenti ossessivi. Questa comprensione della complessa fenomenologia del disturbo ossessivo-compulsivo rischia di perdersi nel momento in cui, come fa il DSM-5 con l’introduzione della categoria disturbo ossessivo-compulsivo e disturbi correlati, si promuove una comprensione dei disturbi in termini di mera condivisione di segni e forma dei sintomi. In questo articolo saranno esaminati gli aspetti secondo noi critici di questa categoria, sia dal punto di vista concettuale che dal punto di vista della pratica clinica.}, keywords = {Disturbi correlati, Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo, DSM-5, Spettro ossessivo-compulsivo}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{N.2014, title = {The Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3: Factor structure and psychometric properties in Italian clinical and non- clinical samples}, author = {Nicola Petrocchi and Katia Tenore and Alessandro Couyoumdjian and Andrea Gragnani}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-05-01}, urldate = {2014-05-01}, journal = {Bollettino di Psicologia Applicata (BPA)}, number = {269}, pages = {53-64}, abstract = {Lo studio descrive le caratteristiche psicometriche dell’Anxiety Sensitivity Index - 3 (ASI-3) che è stato tradotto in italiano con la procedura della back-translation e somministrato ad un campione misto di pazienti con disturbi d’ansia (n = 154) e soggetti non clinici (n = 629), assieme a misure di anxiety sensitivity, depressione e ansia. L’analisi fattoriale confermativa ha confermato la struttura con un fattore generale e tre sotto-fattori (fisico, mentale e sociale). L’ASI-3 ha dimostrato buone proprietà psicometriche. Tutti i gruppi di pazienti hanno ottenuto punteggi totali superiori rispetto al gruppo non clinico; pazienti con Disturbo di Panico e Disturbo d’Ansia Generalizzato hanno riportato punteggi totali più elevati rispetto agli altri gruppi clinici (Disturbo Ossessivo Compulsivo e Fobia Sociale).}, keywords = {Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Italy, validity}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Fava2014, title = {Review of Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Theories}, author = {Leonardo Fava and Sara Bellantuono and Andrea Bizzi and Maria Luisa Cesario and Benedetta Costa and Elisa De Simoni and Milena Di Nuzzo and Stefania Fadda and Simone Gazzellini and Annalisa Lo Iacono and Claudia Macchini and Paola Mallozzi and Dominga Marfisi and Fulvia Franca Mazza and Emanuela Paluzzi and Chiara Pecorario and Massimo Esposito and Pola Pierini and Daniela Saccucci and Valentina Siçlvestre and Rita Stefani and Kyril Strauss and Simona Turreni and Francesco Mancini }, editor = {Savvy Science Publisher}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/rewiev-of-OCD-theories.pdf }, year = {2014}, date = {2014-05-01}, urldate = {2014-05-01}, journal = {Global Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health}, volume = {1}, number = {1}, pages = {1-13}, abstract = {The present review aimed to analyze the scientific literature untill 2010 about the theories of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in order to make clear how a biological and cognitive hypotheses might be integrated in a comprehensive point of view. In the analysis, at biological level were included neuroanatomic and neurophysiologic models and animal models; instead at cognitive level were included different theories of Salwoskies, Van den Hout, Mancini e Rachman. Biological, cognitive, and behavioral elements of the theories have to be clearly distinguished between specific and general conditions, as do critical past events and current trigger conditions. The theories compared were drawn from the neuro- biological, cognitive, and behavioral literature that proposed empirical supported models. We conclude that there are substantive differences among the cognitive theories and between the biological theories reviewed. However, cognitive and biological theories appear to be compatible in principle. It is not clear whether substantive differences among theories are due to the existence of subtypes of OCD or due to the predominance of multifactorial cause. It is argued that current treatment methods imply particular theories, and that particular patterns of success and failure can be understood in relation to theory through the methods we have employed. }, keywords = {animal models, compulsive behavior, Multifactorial cause, neuroanatomic and neurophysiological factors, neurochemical and genetics aspects, repetitive thoughts}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mencattini2014, title = {Speech emotion recognition using amplitude modulation parameters and a combined feature selection procedure}, author = {Arianna Mencattini and Eugenio Martinelli and Giovanni Costantini and Massimiliano Todisco and Barbara Basile and Marco Bozzali and Corrado Di Natale}, editor = {Elsevier}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-04-02}, journal = {Knowledge-Based Systems }, volume = {63}, pages = {68-81}, abstract = {Speech emotion recognition (SER) is a challenging framework in demanding human machine interaction systems. Standard approaches based on the categorical model of emotions reach low performance, probably due to the modelization of emotions as distinct and independent affective states. Starting from the recently investigated assumption on the dimensional circumplex model of emotions, SER systems are structured as the prediction of valence and arousal on a continuous scale in a two-dimensional domain. In this study, we propose the use of a PLS regression model, optimized according to specific features selection procedures and trained on the Italian speech corpus EMOVO, suggesting a way to automatically label the corpus in terms of arousal and valence. New speech features related to the speech amplitude modulation, caused by the slowly-varying articulatory motion, and standard features extracted from the pitch contour, have been included in the regression model. An average value for the coefficient of determination of (maximum value of for fear and minimum of for sadness) is obtained for the female model and a value for of (maximum value of for anger and minimum value of for joy) is obtained for the male model, over the seven primary emotions (including the neutral state).}, keywords = {Audio signal modulation, Circumplex model of emotions, Partial least square (PLS) regression, Pearson correlation coefficient, Pitch contour characterization, Speech emotion recognition (SER)}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{doi:10.1080/13546783.2014.980755, title = {Feelings of error in reasoning—in search of a phenomenon}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Sacha Bourgeois-Gironde and Francesco Mancini}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13546783.2014.980755}, doi = {10.1080/13546783.2014.980755}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-01-01}, journal = {Thinking & Reasoning}, volume = {21}, number = {4}, pages = {383-396}, abstract = {Recent research shows that in reasoning tasks, subjects usually produce an initial intuitive answer, accompanied by a metacognitive experience, which has been called feeling of rightness. This paper is aimed at exploring the complimentary experience of feeling of error (FOE), that is, the spontaneous, subtle sensation of cognitive uneasiness arising from conflict detection during thinking. We investigate FOE in two studies with the “bat-and-ball” (B&B) reasoning task, in its standard and isomorphic control versions. Study 1 is a generation study, in which participants are asked to generate their own response. Study 2 is an evaluation study, in which participants are asked to choose between two conflicting answers (normative vs. intuitive). In each study, the FOE is measured by the FOE questionnaire. Results show that the FOE is significantly present in the standard B&B task when participants give a wrong answer, that our questionnaire can measure it, and furthermore, that it is diagnostic of genuine error.}, keywords = {Bat-and-ball problem, Cognitive biases, Feelings of error, Feelings of error questionnaire, Feelings of rightness}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{vandenHout2014489, title = {Behavior as information about threat in anxiety disorders: A comparison of patients with anxiety disorders and non-anxious controls}, author = {Marcel van den Hout and Amelia Gangemi and Francesco Mancini and Iris M. Engelhard and Marleen M. Rijkeboer and Marcel van Dams and Irene Klugkist}, editor = {Elsevier}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005791614000524, citation https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/replication-Gangemi.pdf, article}, doi = {10.1016/j.jbtep.2014.07.002 }, issn = {0005-7916}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry}, volume = {45}, number = {4}, pages = {489 - 495}, abstract = {AbstractBackground Gangemi, Mancini, and van den Hout (2012) argued that anxious patients use safety behaviors as information that the situation in which the safety behaviors are displayed is dangerous, even when that situation is objectively safe. This was concluded from a vignette study in which anxious patients and non-clinical controls rated the dangerousness of scripts that were safe or dangerous and in which the protagonist did or did not display safety behaviors. Patients were more likely to take safety behavior as evidence that the situation was dangerous, especially in safe situations. Their non-clinical group may not have been psychologically naïve. We critically replicated the Gangemi et al. study using a psychologically non-informed control group. Method The same materials were used and patients (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Phobia; n = 30 per sub-group) were compared to matched non-patients. Using Bayesian statistics, data from the Gangemi et al. samples and the present groups were (re-)analyzed testing the hypothesis relative to non-patients, patients infer threat from safety behaviors, especially if displayed in safe situations. Results The Gangemi et al. data yielded a Bayes factor of 3.31 in support of the hypothesis. The present Bayes Factor was smaller (2.34), but strengthened the support for the hypothesis expressed by an updated Bayes factor of 3.31 × 2.34 = 7.75. Conclusions The finding that anxious patients infer threat from safety behaviors, in particular in safe contexts, was corroborated, suggesting one way in which safety behaviors are involved in the maintenance of anxiety disorders.}, keywords = {Anxiety disorders, Behavior as information, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Panic disorder, Safety-seeking behaviors, Social phobia}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{D’Olimpio01112014, title = {Role of Deontological Guilt in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder–Like Checking and Washing Behaviors}, author = {Francesca D’Olimpio and Francesco Mancini}, url = {https://apc.it/2014-role-of-deontological-giult-dolimpio-mancini/ }, doi = {10.1177/2167702614529549}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-01-01}, journal = {Clinical Psychological Science}, volume = {2}, number = {6}, pages = {727-739}, abstract = {Questa è una bozza quindi questa versione non corrisponde esattamente all'orginale. Obsessions and compulsions are driven by the goal of preventing or neutralizing guilt. We investigated whether inducing deontological versus altruistic guilt in healthy volunteers could activate checking behaviors and physical cleaning. Participants were asked to listen to stories that induced deontological guilt, altruistic guilt, or a neutral control state, and then were asked to classify 100 colored capsules into 12 small pots (Study 1) or to clean a Plexiglas cube (Study 2). Before and after hearing the story and after completing the task, participants completed a visual analog scale that assessed their current emotions. Finally, participants completed a self-report questionnaire about discomfort, doubts, and perceived performance. Participants in the deontological group checked more (Study 1), cleaned the cube more times (Study 2), and scored higher in doubts and discomfort than did participants in the altruistic or control groups. These data suggest that deontological guilt is the mental state specifically related to checking and cleaning compulsions.}, keywords = {cognition and emotion, guilt, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00451, title = {Counterfactual thinking in moral judgment: an experimental study}, author = {Simone Migliore and Giuseppe Curcio and Francesco Mancini and Stefano F. Cappa}, editor = {Sarah F. Brosnan}, url = {http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00451, citation https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Counterfactual-thinking-in-moral-judgment-an-experimental-study.pdf, article}, doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00451}, issn = {1664-1078}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-01-01}, journal = {Frontiers in Psychology}, volume = {5}, pages = {451}, abstract = {Counterfactual thinking is thinking about a past that did not happen. This is often the case in 'if only...' situations, where we wish something had or had not happened. To make a choice in a moral decision-making situation is particularly hard and, therefore, may be often associated with the imagination of a different outcome. The main aim of the present study is to investigate counterfactual thinking in the context of moral reasoning. We used a modified version of Greene’s moral dilemmas test, studying both the time needed to provide a counterfactual in the first and third person and the type of given response (in context-out of context) in a sample of 90 healthy subjects.We found a longer response time for personal vs. impersonal moral dilemmas. This effect was enhanced in the first person perspective, while in the elderly there was an overall slowing of response time. Out of context/omissive responses were more frequent in the case of personal moral dilemmas presented in the first person version, with females showing a marked increase in this kind of response.These findings suggest that gender and perspective have a critical role in counterfactual thinking in the context of moral reasoning, and may have implications for the understanding of gender-related inclinations as well as differences in moral judgement.}, keywords = {aging, decision making, gender, moral dilemma, utilitaristic reasoning}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Lombardo2014, title = {Perfezionismo e impulsività nella bulimia purgativa e nell’anoressia restrittiva}, author = {Caterina Lombardo and Monica David and Rita Maria Esposito and Gemma Battagliese and Farraele Ruocco and Francesco Saverio Marucci and Aldo Stella and Lucrezia Maccioli and Maria Assunta Pierotti}, url = {https://apc.it/2014-david-perfezionismo-e-impulsivita/}, doi = {10.7379/76446}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-01-01}, journal = {Rassegna di Psicologia}, volume = {1}, pages = {25-38}, abstract = {Aim of the study is to examine the differences between patients with Eating Disorders (ED) and people without ED on perfectionism and impulsivity and evaluate the relationship between these personality dimensions in each subtype of ED. Participants.  people with diagnosis of nervous anorexia (NA) and of nervous bulimia (NB) (mean age , ± ,) were compared to  people (university students) without eating disorders (mean age , ± ,) using scores obtained to questionnaires of perfectionism (MPS-F e MPS-HF), impulsivity (BIS-) and eating (DEQ, EAT-). Results. The group with eating disorders in negative perfectionism reported values higher than those of the control group. However, the NA group scores in negative perfectionism were not different to those of NB one; on the contrary the values of NA group with respect to those of NB were higher in positive perfectionism. Considering the impulsivity dimension of personality, eating disorders group showed values higher than those reported from group without eating disorders. The NA group respect to NB one showed an higher score in non-planning impulsiveness, but for the attentional impulsiveness the score of the people with NA and NB was similar. On the contrary the difference was obtained between groups with NB and NA disorders in motor impulsiveness: the former showed values higher than those of the latter. }, keywords = {alimentary disorders, impulsivity, perfectionism, risk factor}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{andBozzali2013, title = {Abnormal processing of deontological guilt in obsessive--compulsive disorder}, author = {Barbara Basile and Francesco Mancini and Emiliano Macaluso and Carlo Caltagirone and Marco Bozzali}, editor = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Basile_Mancini_2013_Guilt_in_OCD_fMRI.pdf}, doi = {10.1007/s00429-013-0570-2}, issn = {1863-2661}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-12-01}, journal = {Brain Structure and Function}, volume = {219}, number = {4}, pages = {1321--1331}, abstract = {Guilt plays a significant role in the occurrence and maintenance of obsessive--compulsive disorder (OCD). Two major types of guilt have been identified: one deriving from the transgression of a moral rule (deontological guilt DG), another (altruistic guilt AG), relying on the assumption of having compromised a personal altruistic goal. Clinical evidence suggests that OCD patients are particularly sensitive to DG, but not AG. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, we investigated brain response of OCD patients while processing DG and AG stimuli. A previously validated fMRI paradigm was used to selectively evoke DG and AG, and anger and sadness, as control emotions in 13 OCD patients and 19 healthy controls. Patients' behavioral results showed a prominent attitude to experience guilt, compared to controls, while accomplishing task. fMRI results revealed that patients have reduced activation in the anterior cingulate (ACC) and frontal gyrus when experiencing guilt, regardless of its specific type (DG or AG). When separately considering each type of guilt (against each of its control), patients showed decreased activation in the ACC, the insula and the precuneus, for DG. No significant differences were observed between groups when processing AG, anger or sad stimuli. This study provides evidence for an abnormal processing of guilt, and specifically DG, in OCD patients. We suggest that decreased activation may reflect patients' cerebral efficiency, which derives from their frequent exposure to guilty feelings (``neural efficiency hypothesis''). In conclusion, our study confirms a selective abnormal processing of guilt, and specifically DG, in OCD.}, keywords = {Altruistic guilt, Deontological guilt, Emotional processing, guilt, Neuroimaging, Obsessive–compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Trincas2013, title = {Specific Dysphoric Symptoms Are Predicted by Early Maladaptive Schemas}, author = {Roberta Trincas and Cristina Ottaviani and Alessandro Couyoumdjian and Katia Tenore and Grazia Spitoni and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Hindawi Publishing Corporation}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2013_Trincas_Ottaviani_Specific-Dysphoric-Symptoms_Are_Predicted_by_Early-Maladaptive_Schemas.pdf}, doi = {10.1155/2014/231965}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-10-18}, journal = {The Scientific World Journal}, number = {231965}, pages = {7}, abstract = {Early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) are cognitive patterns resulting from unmet core emotional needs in childhood that have been linked to the development of psychopathology. As depression is a multifaceted phenomenon, we hypothesized that specific dysphoric symptoms would be predicted by different EMSs. Four hundred and fifty-six participants completed a measure of EMSs (Young Schema Questionnaire) and reported on the severity of the symptoms of criterion A for major depression in DSM-IV during the occurrence of a dysphoric episode in the previous 12 months. A series of stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to investigate the predictive power of the EMSs for the severity of each specific depressive symptom. When controlling for gender and current levels of depression, specific symptoms were predicted by different EMSs: sadness by Negativity/Pessimism; anhedonia by Failure; self-harm by Emotional Deprivation and Vulnerability to Harm or Illness; worthlessness by Failure and Negativity/Pessimism; psychomotor retardation/restlessness by Vulnerability to Harm or Illness and Entitlement/Grandiosity; and poor concentration by Insufficient Self-Control/Self-Discipline. The more physical symptoms of fatigue, insomnia/hypersomnia, and appetite loss/appetite gain were not predicted by any of the EMSs. Although the cross-sectional design of the study does not allow for conclusions about the direction of effects, results suggest that depression is not a unitary phenomenon and provide a possible explanation for previous inconsistent findings.}, keywords = {Early maladaptive schemas}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{D’Olimpio2013, title = {Obsessive-compulsive disorder and propensity to guilt feelings and to disgust}, author = {Francesca D’Olimpio and Teresa Cosentino and Barbara Basile and Katia Tenore and Andrea Gragnani and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore s.r.l.}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-and-propensity-to-guilt.pdf}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-10-18}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry}, volume = {10}, number = {3}, pages = {20-29}, abstract = {Objective: According to a large scientific literature, propensity to guilt feeling and to disgust plays an important role in pathogenesis and maintenance of OCD. However it is still not completely clear whether OC patients show greater guilt and disgust propensity, when compared to healthy subjects and other anxiety disorders, whether checkers and washers OCD subtypes show some differences in their guilt and disgust propensity, whether there is an association between guilt and disgust propensity and OC symptoms severity. The aim of the present research is to answer to these questions. Method: We recruited 73 OCD patients (11 washers, 49 checkers, 13 both), 19 other-anxiety disorders patients and 87 non-clinical controls (NCC). Results: Results confirmed that OCD patients were more prone to guilt feelings and disgust than both anxious and NCC. There were no differences between OC subtypes. Propensity to guilt feelings and to disgust was significantly correlated with OC symptom severity. Moreover, propensity to guilt feelings was significantly correlated to disgust propensity only in OCD group. Conclusions: These findings are in line with results of other research suggesting that OCD patients suffer of deontological guilt, which is strictly connected to disgust}, keywords = {checking, disgust propensity, guilt feelings, obsessive-compulsive disorder, washing compulsions}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @misc{Blanchette2013, title = {Emotion, reasoning, and psychopathology}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Francesco Mancini and P.N. Johnson-Laird}, editor = {Isabelle Blanchette and Psychology Press}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/emotion-reasoning-and-psychopathology-Gangemi-Mancini-Johnson-Laird.pdf}, doi = {10.4324/9781315888538}, isbn = {978-1-84872-118-0}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-09-19}, pages = {-1}, publisher = {Routledge}, abstract = {This chapter addresses the two main mysteries of psychopathology: what causes psychological illnesses and what maintains them. One prevalent view is that both result from faulty reasoning. Yet, healthy individuals also err in their reasoning. The chapter outlines an alternative account, the hyper-emotion theory that attributes these illnesses to emotions of a pathological intensity. These hyper-emotions enhance patients’ reasoning, which in turn prolongs their illnesses. Empirical studies corroborate this theory. They show that basic emotions tend to occur al the onset of psychological illnesses, that psychiatrists and patient can identify the strategies of reasoninf in different illnesses, even when the content is held constant, and that patients suffering from a psycholocical illness reason better than control participants about contentspertinent to their illnesses. Psychological illnesses are acordingly disorders in emotion, not intellect.}, keywords = {Emotion, reasoning}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {misc} } @article{JCLP:JCLP22041, title = {Phobias of Attachment-Related Inner States in the Psychotherapy of Adult Survivors of Childhood Complex Trauma}, author = {Giovanni Liotti }, editor = { Wiley InterScience}, url = {http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jclp.22041/references}, doi = {10.1002/jclp.22041}, issn = {1097-4679}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-08-28}, journal = {Journal of Clinical Psychology}, volume = {69}, number = {11}, pages = {1136--1147}, abstract = {The clinical case described in this article illustrates the value of taking into account the dynamics of disorganized attachment in the assessment of attachment-related phobias (phobia of attachment and phobia of attachment loss) during the psychotherapy of chronically traumatized patients. These seemingly opposite phobias typically coexist in the same patient, appear as phobias of both inner states (affect phobias) and relational experiences, and are linked to dissociated representations of self-with-other. Theory and research on attachment disorganization provide a clinician-friendly conceptual framework for capturing both the intrapsychic (e.g., intrusive and nonintegrated mental states) and the relational (e.g., dramatic unsolvable dilemmas in interpersonal exchanges) aspects of the attachment-related phobias. The therapeutic strategy and the key interventions that logically follow from a case formulation based on this conceptual framework are examined.}, keywords = {attachment disorganization, dissociation, phobia of attachment, phobia of attachment loss}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @conference{Gangemi2013b, title = {Moral choices: The influence of the “Do not play God” principle}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Cooperative minds: Social Interaction and group dynamics}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/moral-choices.pdf}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-08-01}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 35th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society}, pages = {2973-2977}, publisher = {Cooperative minds: Social Interaction and group dynamics}, organization = { Cognitive Science Society}, abstract = {A wide literature demonstrates that people prefer harm caused by omissions over equal or lesser harm caused by actions. This omission bias has been explained referring to several principles, such as causality or responsibility. A convincing research view has been suggested by Sunstein (2005): harmful acts are generally worse than harmful omissions when moral intuitions reflect the “Do not play God” principle: inactions interfere less with the “natural order.” In two preliminary studies, we examine the influence of the “Do not play God” principle on individuals moral preferences, using the switch version of the trolley problem. Study 1 demonstrates that our participants’ justifications for their inaction choice explicitly refer to the intention of not interfering with the “natural order”. Study 2 demonstrates that the presence of stimuli influencing a reduction of protagonist’s decisional autonomy (e.g. an authority) activates the “Do not play God” principle, leading them to prefer inaction.}, keywords = {Do not play God principle, Moral choices, Omission bias, Trolley dilemma}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {conference} } @article{Lombardo2013c, title = {Severity of insomnia, disordered eating symptoms, and depression in female university students}, author = {Caterina Lombardo and Gemma Battagliese and Chiara Baglioni and Monica David and Cristiano Violani and Dieter Riemann}, editor = {The Australian Psychological Society}, url = {https://apc.it/2013-david-severity-of-insomnia/}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1111/cp.12023}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-07-22}, journal = {Clinical Psychologist}, volume = {18-2014}, pages = {108-115}, abstract = {Background Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders, and it frequently co‐occurs with several other psychiatric conditions. The relationship between insomnia and eating disorders is supported by clinical evidence indicating that patients with eating disorders experience poor sleep even if they rarely complain of it. Furthermore, indirect evidence comes from studies indicating that poor sleep predicts obesity and several studies also evidence that restrictive‐type eating disorders are associated to objective reduction of sleep quality. Methods One thousand nineteen female university students volunteered for participating to the study. Valid and reliable questionnaires were used and the mediating role of depressive mood assessed. Results Evidence was found that increased severity of insomnia is associated with higher severity of disordered eating. Both insomnia and disordered eating symptoms were related to depression. The mediation analysis evidenced that both the direct path linking insomnia symptoms and eating disorder symptoms are significant and also the indirect paths related to the mediation of depression. Conclusions These findings support the existence of both a direct and an indirect relationship between insomnia symptoms and eating disorder symptoms.}, keywords = {depressive, habitsindirect, mooddirect, relationshipeating, relationshipinsomnia}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Strauss20132967, title = {Parent inclusion in early intensive behavior interventions for young children with ASD: A synthesis of meta-analyses from 2009 to 2011}, author = {K. Strauss and Francesco Mancini and Leonardo Fava}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/parent-inclusion-in-early-intensive-behavior-interventions-Strauss-Mancini-SPC-group-Fava.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.ridd.2013.06.007}, issn = {0891-4222}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, journal = {Research in Developmental Disabilities}, volume = {34}, number = {9}, pages = {2967 - 2985}, abstract = {Abstract This paper presents a comprehensive synthesis of six meta-analyses of early intensive behavioral interventions (EIBI) for young children with autism spectrum disorders published from 2009 to 2011. Analysis was conducted in three steps to account for different formats of treatment delivery and the extent to which parents took part in treatment. The three components of the synthesis were (a) descriptive analysis, (b) effect size analysis, and (c) mediator analysis via partial correlation and linear regressions. We completed the analysis by obtaining standardized mean difference effect sizes for 13 comparative studies ordered by comparison study type and 22 mean change effect sizes ordered by treatment delivery type. Results suggest that EIBI leads generally to positive medium-to-large effects for three available outcome measures: intellectual functioning, language skills and adaptive behaviors. Although favorable effects were apparent across comparative studies, analysis by type of delivery format revealed that EIBI programs that include parents in treatment provision are more effective. Mediator analyses suggest that treatment variables and child characteristics impact program effectiveness when accounting for the extent of parent inclusion. Clinical implications toward individualized treatment tailoring are discussed.}, keywords = {Autism, Early intensive behavioral intervention, Effectiveness, Meta-analysis, Parent inclusion}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @periodical{Iazzetta2013, title = {Relazioni tra temperamento, carattere e predisposizione alla noia nei disturbi da uso di sostanze}, author = {Paolo Iazzetta and Giuseppe Gagliardo and Michela Lupo and Tancredi Pascucci and Debora Pratesi and Diletta Sabatini and Marco Saettoni and Andrea Gragnani}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore S.r.l.}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Relazioni-tra-temperamento-carattere-e-predisposizione-alla-noia-nei-disturbi-da-uso-di-sostanze-Cognitivismo-Clinico-10-2.pdf}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, journal = {Cognitivismo Clinico}, volume = {10}, number = {2}, series = {134-148}, abstract = {La noia è inquadrabile dal punto di vista scopistico come un’emozione che segnala lo stallo del sottosistema-mente, per la rilevazione dell’assenza di scopi attivi o l’impossibilità di arricchire il patrimonio di conoscenze. L’inclinazione alla noia è correlata in letteratura con dimensioni come il sensation seeking, che paiono avere un ruolo importante nei Disturbi da Uso di Sostanze (DUS). Sono stati reclutati 29 pazienti con DUS in fase di compenso e 29 soggetti sani, utilizzando SCID e SCID-NP per l’inquadramento diagnostico. Sono state somministrate la SIN in versione likert a 5 punti e la TCI-R, per valutare le correlazioni tra inclinazione alla noia e dimensioni temperamentali e caratteriali della personalità.}, keywords = {disturbi da uso di sostanze, noia, teoria della mente}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {periodical} } @article{L.Lari2013, title = {La noia nei disturbi dell’umore: esperienze cliniche e di ricerca}, author = {L.Lari and Andrea Gragnani and S. Calugi and M. Saettoni}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore S.r.l.}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Lisi-et-al-Noia-CC-10-1-2013.pdf}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, journal = {Cognitivismo Clinico}, volume = {10}, number = {1}, pages = {45-64}, abstract = {In questo lavoro ci proponiamo di descrivere la noia come antecedente di alcuni pattern comportamentali attraverso un confronto clinico tra 4 soggetti, 2 con Depressione Maggiore Ricorrente (DMR) e 2 con Disturbo Bipolare (DB) e di indagare eventuali correlazioni fra inclinazione alla noia e disturbi dell'umore in 32 pazienti ambulatoriali affeti da DMR o da DB in fase eutimica.}, keywords = {depressione maggiore ricorrente, disturbo bipolare, noia}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Carnì2013, title = {Intrapsychic and interpersonal guilt: a critical review of the recent literature}, author = {Serena Carni and Nicola Petrocchi and Carlamaria Del Miglio and Francesco Mancini and Alessandro Couyoumdjian }, editor = {International Quarterly of Cognitive Science}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/intrapsychic-and-personal-guilt.pdf}, doi = {10.1007/s10339-013-0570-4}, issn = {1612-4790}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, journal = {Cognitive Processing}, volume = {14}, number = {4}, pages = {333--346}, abstract = {Various authors hold that some emotions (i.e., moral emotions) have the function of orienting people toward ethical actions. In addition to embarrassment, shame and pride, the moral emotion of guilt is believed to affect humans' behavior when they carry out transgressions that violate social and cultural standards. Over the past century, many studies (including controversial ones) have been conducted on guilt. In this study, we analyzed and summarized mainly the most recent literature on this emotion. On one side, the destructiveness of guilt is emphasized. It inflicts punishment and pain on individuals for their errors and can lead to psychopathology (e.g., depression). On the other side, it is described as a ``friendly'' emotion that motivates behavior adapted to social and cultural rules. How can this asymmetry be explained? Different existing views on guilt are presented and discussed, together with recent proposals, supported by research data. Finally, we discussed some systematic models that try to incorporate these different views in a single framework that could facilitate future researches.}, keywords = {Altruism, guilt, Morality, Self-conscious emotions, Shame}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Ottaviani201357, title = {Autonomic correlates of physical and moral disgust}, author = {Cristina Ottaviani and Francesco Mancini and Nicola Petrocchi and Barbara Medea and Alessandro Couyoumdjian}, editor = {Elsevier}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Ottaviani-et-al-Autonomic-correlates-of-physical-and-moral-disgust-2013.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2013.05.003}, issn = {0167-8760}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, journal = {International Journal of Psychophysiology}, volume = {89}, number = {1}, pages = {57 - 62}, abstract = {Abstract Given that the hypothesis of a common origin of physical and moral disgust has received sparse empirical support, this study aimed to shed light on the subjective and autonomic signatures of these two facets of the same emotional response. Participants (20 men, 20 women) were randomly assigned to physical or moral disgust induction by the use of audio scripts while their electrocardiogram was continuously recorded. Affect ratings were obtained before and after the induction. Time and frequency domain heart rate variability (HRV) measures were obtained. After controlling for disgust sensitivity (DS-R) and obsessive–compulsive (OCI-R) tendencies, both scripts elicited disgust but whereas the physical script elicited a feeling of dirtiness, the moral script evoked more indignation and contempt. The disgust-induced subjective responses were associated with opposite patterns of autonomic reactivity: enhanced activity of the parasympathetic nervous system without concurrent changes in heart rate (HR) for physical disgust and decreased vagal tone and increased HR and autonomic imbalance for moral disgust. Results suggest that immorality relies on the same biological root of physical disgust only in subjects with obsessive compulsive tendencies. Disgust appears to be a heterogeneous response that varies based on the individuals' contamination-based appraisal.}, keywords = {Anger, Contempt, Disgust sensitivity, Heart rate, Heart rate variability, Moral disgust, Obsessive compulsive tendencies, Physical disgust}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Barcaccia2013, title = {Why is research so important and why should scholars, researchers and psychotherapists in the field of obsessive-compulsive disorder join forces in order to deepen their knowledge of this highly disabling disorder?}, author = {Barbara Barcaccia and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore s.r.l.}, url = {http://www.clinicalneuropsychiatry.org/pdf/Editorial.pdf}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, journal = {Clinical Neuropsychiatry}, volume = {11}, number = {6}, pages = {149-151}, abstract = {Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (oCd) has been ranked by the world Health organization as one of the ten most handicapping illnesses by lost income and decreased quality of life (veale 2007). it is well known that the disorder is not limited to one culture or one period of time, since it has been found in different cultures and in different parts of the world, with its basic characteristics transcending cultures and eras (de silva 2006), even though the concept of “quality of life” (Qol) is complex and somewhat ambiguous (barcaccia et al. 2013), it is certainly true that individuals with oCd experience very low life-satisfaction. Jacoby et al. (2014) highlighted the distinction between quality of life and functional impairment in obsessive-Compulsive disorder, considering Qol as more connected with subjective well-being, and functional impairment more linked to objective indicators of dysfunction.}, keywords = {Obsessive e compulsive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gangemi2013, title = {Models and cognitive change in psychopathology}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Francesco Mancini and P. N. Johnson-Laird}, editor = {Psychology Press}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/2012_models_and_cognitive_change_in_psychopathology.pdf}, doi = {10.1080/20445911.2012.737318}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Cognitive Psychology}, volume = {25}, number = {2}, pages = {157-164}, abstract = {The hyper-emotion theory attributes psychological illnesses to emotions of aberrant intensity, which in turn prompt better reasoning about their causes. Two experiments in which participants drew their own conclusions from syllogistic premises tested this prediction. Individuals from the same populations as the experimental participants rated the believability of likely conclusions. One experiment compared patients with depression with controls, and the other experiment compared students scoring high on anxiety with controls. Controls tended to draw believable conclusions and not to draw unbelievable conclusions, and this belief bias was greater for invalid inferences. The clinical groups were better reasoners than the controls, and did not show belief bias. As our hypothesis predicted, they drew many more valid conclusions concerning their illness than controls drew valid believable conclusions. But, contrary to the hypothesis, they refrained from drawing invalid conclusions about neutral topics more than controls refrained from drawing invalid unbelievable conclusions.}, keywords = {beliefs, Emotions, Hyper-emotion theory, Psychological illnesses, reasoning, Syllogisms}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Lombardo2013, title = {Psychophysiological reactivity to symptom-related emotional stimuli in insomnia: A replication and extension to disordered eating}, author = {Caterina Lombardo and Gemma Battagliese and Monica David and Barbara Lorusso and Chiara Baglioni and Colin Espie and Cristiano Violani}, editor = {Wiley Online Library}, url = {https://apc.it/2013-david-psychophysiological-reactivity/}, doi = {doi:10.1111/j.1479-8425.2012.00587.x}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, journal = {Sleep and biological rhythms}, volume = {11}, pages = {20-28}, abstract = {The present study examined psychophysiological reactivity to emotional stimuli in people with persistent insomnia alone or comorbid with disordered eating and in healthy controls. Female participants (39) were presented with 5 blocks of stimuli differing for valence (positive, negative or neutral) and for relatedness to the symptoms complied (sleep or food and body shape). Facial EMG over the corrugator and the zygomatic muscles, Heart Rate, Skin Conductance Level and subjective ratings of valence and arousal were recorded. Results confirmed that people complaining of symptoms of persistent insomnia show reduced activation of the corrugator muscle when exposed to positive stimuli related to sleep. This effect, interpreted as craving, was also found in the asymptomatic control group for the stimuli depicting fit bodies or healthy foods. An enhancement of the corrugator activity indicative of a worry effect was found in the healthy control group for negative sleep related stimuli and in the group with a mixed symptomatology for the negative stimuli related to food and body shape.}, keywords = {disordered eating, Emotions, facial EMG, insomnia}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Lombardo2013b, title = {Risposte emozionali e regolazione delle emozioni nei Disturbi dell’Alimentazione}, author = {Caterina Lombardo and Monica David and Alessandra Moreschini and Gemma Battagliese and Lucrezia Maccioli and Assunta Pierotti}, editor = {Edizioni Erickson}, url = {https://apc.it/2013-david-risposte-emozionali/}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, volume = {19}, number = {2}, pages = {191-207}, abstract = {Emotional responses and emotion regulation in eating disorders This study compares the use of Expressive Suppression and Cognitive Reappraisal strategies, measured through ERQ (Gross and John, 2003), by patients with Eating Disorders and healthy controls. Results highlight that patients with Eating Disorders, and especially those with Bulimia, report higher use of suppression and lower use of reappraisal when compared to controls. Moreover, they also report experiencing greater urges to overeat in presence of negative emotions when compared to controls. Consistent with existing literature, it is possible to interpret these results as an indication that the use of dysfunctional strategies promotes the development and maintenance of eating disorders, through the promotion of a more frequent experience of negative emotions, which, in turn, is associated with the urge to overeat, as a strategy for regulating them. However, longitudinal studies are needed in order to confirm this speculation}, keywords = {eating disorders, Emotion Regulations, Expressive Suppression, Negative Emotions, Reappraisal}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Couyoumdjian2012, title = {The Role of Personal Goals in Depressive Reaction to Adverse Life Events: A Cross-Sectional Study}, author = {Alessandro Couyoumdjian and Cristina Ottaviani and Roberta Trincas and Grazia Spitoni and Katia Tenore and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Hindawi Publishing Corporation}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/The-Role-of-Personal-Goals-in-Depressive-Reaction-to-Adverse-Life-Events.pdf}, doi = {10.1100/2012/810341}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-11-01}, journal = {The Scientific World Journal}, number = {810341}, pages = {8}, abstract = {Consistent with cognitive views of depression, we aimed to investigate the mediating role of personal goals in the relationship between stressful events and distinct patterns of depressive symptoms in a nonclinical sample. Participants identified a dysphoric episode that occurred in the previous year by reporting the severity of 12 depressive symptoms and their plausible cause. A goal taxonomy was used to determine how much the event interfered with the achievement of a series of personal goals. After controlling for age and current level of depression, the patterns of symptoms differed based on the triggering events. The relationship between sadness and affective losses was partially mediated by the personal goal of lovableness, and success was a partial mediator in the association between an event of failure and symptoms of worthlessness and anhedonia. Although the cross-sectional design of the study does not allow for conclusions on the direction of effects, findings suggest the importance of motivational factors in the development of specific patterns of depressive symptoms to adverse events. Assuming a continuum from low mood to clinical depression, treatment models could benefit from a precise identification of the specific stressors that initiate depressive behaviour and the personal meaning assigned to those events.}, keywords = {depression}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Cosentino2012, title = {«Do I love her or not?!» Intervention on fear of being despised: An obsessive-compulsive disorder case presentation}, author = {Teresa Cosentino and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Edizioni Erickson - Trento Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Cosentino-Mancini_2012-PCC_18-2_bozza.pdf}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-01-01}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, volume = {18}, number = {2}, pages = {1-3}, abstract = {In this article we present a patient with obsessive-compulsive (OCD), treated with cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). The patient was afraid of behaving immorally and of being despised by others or by himself because of his behaviour. We focused on his acceptance of the possibility that one could be despised instead of focusing on intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviour (originating from his fear), as is the usual approach in CBT. We expected a decrease in the OCD symptoms and reduced vulnerability to future relapses by reducing the patient’s efforts in guilt and scorn prevention. The outcome confirmed our hypothesis. Although dysfunctional behaviours (i.e. rumination and avoidance behaviour) were not treated directly, they decreased spontaneously during treatment. This outcome was maintained after a one year follow-up.}, keywords = {acceptance of threat, fear of being despised, imagery exposure, in vivo exposure, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2012, title = {Perché si soffre? Il ruolo della non accettazione nella genesi e nel mantenimento della sofferenza emotiva}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Claudia Perdighe}, editor = {Associazione di Psicologia Cognitiva e Scuola di Psicoterapia Cognitiva SPC srl}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2012-Perch%C3%A9-si-soffre1.pdf}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-01-01}, journal = {Cognitivismo Clinico}, volume = {9 , 2, 95-115}, number = {2, 95-115}, pages = {95-115}, abstract = {In questo articolo ci poniamo il problema della cause prossimali e distali della sofferenza emotiva in una cornice cognitivista. La tesi che sosteniamo è la seguente: la sofferenza può essere concettualizzata come un problema di non accettazione, ovvero di iperinvestimento su uno scopo compromesso o su uno scopo minacciato. La compromissione di uno scopo personale produce inevitabilmente un qualche grado di disagio emotivo, che nella gran parte dei casi si risolve con l’ottenimento dello scopo, con la sua ridefinizione o con la rinuncia. Ci sono dei casi, però, in cui lo scopo non viene ottenuto né c’è una rinuncia, ovvero non si accetta la compromissione anche quando questa mancata accettazione crei sofferenza. La non accettazione può essere ricondotta a due ordini di ragioni: l’investimento su uno scopo attiva effetti funzionali che facilitano l’investimento piuttosto che la rinuncia (cicli di autoalimentazione dell’investimento e, dunque, della sofferenza); ci sono fattori, che riguardano la definizione degli scopi e gli standard etici, che creano una vulnerabilità personale alla difficoltà ad accettare la compromissione o minaccia a uno scopo personale}, keywords = {accettazione, scopo, sofferenza emotiva}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Saliani2012, title = {Il paziente ossessivo: rappresentazioni relative all’intervento di aiuto e impasse terapeutiche}, author = {Angelo Maria Saliani and Francesco Mancini }, editor = {Associazione di Psicologia Cognitiva e Scuola di Psicoterapia s.r.l.}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Impasse-DOC-2012.pdf}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-01-01}, journal = {Cognitivismo Clinico}, volume = {9}, number = {2}, abstract = {Questo lavoro ha lo scopo di descrivere le impasse terapeutiche che si incontrano nel trattamento del disturbo ossessivo avendo come oggetto privilegiato della nostra analisi le rappresentazione del paziente. In particolare, cercheremo di rispondere alle seguenti domande: come valuta il paziente ossesso l'aiuto psicologico proposto dal terapeuta? Quali sono le specifiche valutazioni che ostacolano o rendono persino vano tale aiuto? Risponderemo muovendo da una delle tesi più accreditate nel mondo del cognitivismo clinico: quella secondo cui la sintomatologia ossessiva sia determinata da un senso ipertrofico di responsabilità (Arntz et al. 2007; Ladouceur et al. 1997; Lopatka e Rachman 1995; Mancini et al. 2004; Salkovskis 1985, 1989; Salkovskis e Forrester 2002; Shafran 1997) ed in particolare da un timore di colpa morale (Basile e Manini 2011; Gangemi et al. 2007; Mancini 2005; Mancini e Gangemi 2004: Mancini et al. 2008; Rachman 1993; Shafran et al.1996; Shapiro e Stewart 2011). Sosterremo, in accordo con tale tesi e sulla base della osservazione clinica, che è possibile interpretare gran parte delle resistenze al trattamento e delle impasse relazionali come effetti di valutazioni riconducibili alle stesse strutture psicologiche implicate nelle genesi della sintomatologia ossessiva (Saliani e Mancini 2010) e forniremo, con l'aiuto di esemplificazioni cliniche e stralci di dialogo interno riferito dai pazienti, una descrizione dettagliata di tali valutazioni operanti nelle diverse fasi del trattamento.}, keywords = {Disturbo Ossessivo Compulsivo, impasse dell'alleanza terapeutica, timore di colpa morale}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Perdighe2012, title = {A case report of obsessive- compulsive disorder: Reduce fear of guilt to reduce symptoms}, author = {Claudia Perdighe and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Edizioni Erickson – Trento}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/2012_A%20case%20report%20of%20obsessive-%20compulsive%20disorder-%20Reduce%20fear%20of%20guilt%20to%20reduce%20symptoms_Perdighe-e-Mancini.pdf}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-01-01}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, volume = {18}, number = {3 }, pages = {343-356}, abstract = {n this study, we present the case of a 27-year-old man who experienced obsessive symptoms for over ten years and then underwent treatment focused on reducing feelings of guilt. Although the patient had already received behavioural cognitive therapy, his symptoms did not significantly improve. After only a few interventions intended to manipulate guilt into non-symptomatic domains, we observed a reduction in obsessive symptoms. Although generalizations cannot be made based on a single case, this treatment seems consistent with the hypothesis that a sense of guilt has a central role in generating and maintaining obsessive-compulsive disorder. Furthermore, this case study highlights the importance of developing therapeutic procedures aimed at reducing feelings of guilt. }, keywords = {Controlli, Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo, Lavaggi, Senso di colpa, Terapia cognitiva}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Cosentino2012b, title = {Acceptance of being guilty in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder}, author = {Teresa Cosentino and Francesca D’Olimpio and Claudia Perdighe and Giuseppe Romano and Angelo Maria Saliani and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Edizioni Erickson – Trento}, url = {https://apc.it/doctors/teresa-cosentino/attachment/cosentino-et-al_supp_2012/}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-01-01}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, number = {Monograph Supplement}, pages = {39-56}, abstract = {Results of different studies support the notion that obsessive activity is aimed at preventing misdeeds in the symptomatic domain and that OC patients judge the possibility of being guiltyas unacceptable. These findings lead to the hypothesis that increasing acceptability of being guilty, even in non-symptomatic domains, reduces OC symptoms. This paper reports the outcomes of 4 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder who were treated in a multiple-baseline across subjects design. The intervention was centred on acceptance of guilt in non-symptomatic domains. The dependent variable is the score recorded by the patients daily on a report that showed time occupied by obsessive activity and degree of interference with daily activities. Furthermore, each patient was administered the Y-BOCS, CORE-OM and QSC at the beginning and after twenty therapy sessions.Results confirmed that intervention centred on accepting guilt in non-symptomatic domains is able to produce a significant reduction of OC symptoms.}, keywords = {Acceptance of guilt, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Self-forgiveness, Sensitivity to guilt, Treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gangemi20121032, title = {Behavior as information: “If I avoid, then there must be a danger”}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Francesco Mancini and Marcel van den Hout}, editor = {Elsevier - ScienceDirect}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/2012_Behavior%20as%20information_%20if%20i%20avoid%20then%20there%20must%20be%20a%20danger.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.jbtep.2012.04.005}, issn = {0005-7916}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry}, volume = {43}, number = {4}, pages = {1032 - 1038}, abstract = {Background and objectives Cognitive models of anxiety disorders view safety-seeking behaviors (i.e., avoidance, washing, etc.) as playing a crucial role in the maintenance of irrational fear. An explanation of how these behaviors may contribute to the maintenance of unrealistic beliefs is that patients use their safety behaviors as a source of information about the situation (behavior as information): the behavior is clear evidence of the danger. This study investigates whether, relative to non-clinical control participants, anxious participants actually infer danger on the basis of their safety behaviors, rather than on the basis of objective information. Methods Three groups of individuals affected by anxiety disorders (31 obsessive-compulsive participants, 22 panic participants, and 17 participants with social phobia) and a group (31) of non-clinical controls rated the danger perceived in scripts in which information about objective safety vs. objective danger, and safety behavior vs. no-safety behavior were systematically varied. Results As expected, anxious participants were influenced by both objective danger information and safety behavior information, while the non-clinical controls were mainly influenced by objective danger but not by safety behavior information. The effect was disturbance specific, but only for individuals with social phobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Conclusions The tendency to infer danger on the basis of the use of safety behavior may play a role in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders.}, keywords = {Anxiety disorders, Behavior as information, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Panic disorder, Safety-seeking behaviors, Social phobia}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2011, title = {Fear of deontological guilt and fear of contamination in obsessive-compulsive disorder}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi }, editor = {Association of Cognitive Psychotherapy}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2011_fear_of_deontological_guilt_and_fear_of_contamination_in_OCD.pdf}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, volume = {17}, number = {3}, pages = {35-404}, abstract = {Con la finalità di contribuire a una maggiore comprensione del disturbo ossessivo-compulsivo, nel presente articolo sosterremo l'esistenza di due differenti emozioni di colpa: il senso di colpa altruistico e il senso di colpa deontologico. Secondo le teorie dell'appraisal, i due sensi di colpa differiscono rispetto agli scopi che potrebbero essere minacciati: lo scopo altruistico di non trarre profitto da un altro o lo scopo deontologico del principio "Non giocare a fare Dio". Saranno presentate evidenze, provenienti da diversi studi, a supporto dell'esistenza di questi due distinti sensi di colpa. Sosterremo poi: a) l'esistenza di una particolare relazione tra senso di colpa deontologico e disgusto e b) che i pazienti ossessivo-compulsivi siano maggiormente sensibili alla colpa deontologica che a quella altruistica. Dati sperimentali, coerenti con le due ipotesi, saranno presentati.}, keywords = {colpa altruistica, colpa deontologica, disgusto, disturbo ossessivo-compulsivo, emozione di colpa}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Basile2011, title = {Eliciting Guilty Feeling: A preliminary Study Differentiating Deontological and Altruistic Guilt}, author = { Barbara Basile and Francesco Mancini }, editor = {Scientific Research Publishing}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2011_eliciting-guilt-basile-mancini-1.pdf}, doi = {10.4236/psych.2011.22016}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {Psychology}, volume = {2}, number = {2}, pages = {98-102}, abstract = {Guilt has been identified as both an intrapsychic and an interpersonal emotion. The current study presents evidence of the existence of two senses of guilt, deontological and altruistic guilt, induced through different experimental paradigms. Deontological guilt evolves from having slighted moral authority or norms, while altruistic guilt arises from selfish behavior and the distress of others. We hypothesize that specific stimuli would evoke, separately, deontological guilt and altruistic/interpersonal guilt feelings. Two different procedures were used to test our hypothesis, adding two emotions as control conditions (i.e. anger and sadness). Results clearly indicate that two different guilt emotions can be evoked separately, by appropriate stimulation. Findings and possible clinical implications are discussed.}, keywords = {Altruistic guilt, Deontological guilt, Emotions, guilt}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Macaluso2011, title = {Deontological and Altruistic Guilt: Evidence for Distinct Neurobiological Substrates}, author = {Barbara Basile and Francesco Mancini and Emiliano Macaluso and Carlo Caltagirone and Richard S.J. Frackowiak and Marco Bozzali}, editor = {Neuroimaging Laboratory}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Deontological%20and%20Altruistic%20Guilt_%20Evidence%20for%20Distinct%20Neurobiological%20%20Substrates%20(mancini%20et%20al).pdf}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {Human Brain Mapping }, number = {2}, pages = {229–239}, abstract = {The feeling of guilt is a complex mental state underlying several human behaviors in both private and social life. From a psychological and evolutionary viewpoint, guilt is an emotional and cognitive function, characterized by prosocial sentiments, entailing specific moral believes, which can be predominantly driven by inner values (deontological guilt) or by more interpersonal situations (altruistic guilt). The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a distinct neurobiological substrate for these two expressions of guilt in healthy individuals. We first run two behavioral studies, recruiting a sample of 72 healthy volunteers, to validate a set of stimuli selectively evoking deontological and altruistic guilt, or basic control emotions (i.e., anger and sadness). Similar stimuli were reproduced in a event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm, to investigate the neural correlates of the same emotions, in a new sample of 22 healthy volunteers. We show that guilty emotions, compared to anger and sadness, activate specific brain areas (i.e., cingulate gyrus and medial frontal cortex) and that different neuronal networks are involved in each specific kind of guilt, with the insula selectively responding to deontological guilt stimuli. }, keywords = {altruistic, anterior cingulate cortex, deontological, Emotion, fMRI, guilt}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @inbook{Saliani2011, title = {Interpersonal Vicious Cycles in Anxiety Disorders}, author = {Angelo Maria Saliani and Barbara Barcaccia and Francesco Mancini }, editor = {Michela Rimondini}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Saliani-Barcaccia-Mancini-2011-English.pdf}, doi = {10.1007/978-1-4419-6807-4_7}, isbn = {978-1-4419-6807-4}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, booktitle = {Communication in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy}, pages = {149--183}, publisher = {Springer New York}, address = {New York, NY}, keywords = {Anxiety disorders}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inbook} } @article{Mancini2011b, title = {I paradossi delle depressione}, author = {Francesco Mancini}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2010-i-paradossi-della-depressione-Mancini.pdf}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {Cognitivismo Clinico 7, 2, 142-159}, volume = {7}, number = {2}, pages = {142-159}, abstract = {Gli essere umani, di solito, reagiscono depressivamente alla compromissione di scopi, se non si rappresentano una speranza di ripristino o di valida sostituzione. La compromissione può assumere la forma della perdita di un bene o di un fallimento. Per semplicità faremo riferimento solo alla perdita di un bene, fermo restando che intendiamo con questa espressione anche fallimenti o, più in generale, compromissione di scopi. La reazione depressiva ha due caratteristiche fondamentali: il dolore per la perdita e la riduzione delle attività, che a sua volta, assai plausibilmente, rimanda al pessimismo e alla anedonia.}, keywords = {bene perduto, errore, paradosso, pessismo, reazione depressiva}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gragnani2011, title = {Trattamento breve con l’uso dell’esposizione enterocettiva in un caso di disturbo di panico con agorafobia}, author = {Andrea Gragnani and Teresa Cosentino and Antonella Bove and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Associazione di Psicologia Cognitiva}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Gragnani%20et%20al%20%202011.pdf}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, volume = {17}, number = {2}, pages = {235-250}, abstract = {Nell’articolo si descrive un trattamento cognitivo-comportamentale breve centrato sul sintomo in un paziente con disturbo di panico con agorafobia. L’intervento si è avvalso di tecniche di esposizione enterocettiva per modificare l’interpretazione erronea dei sintomi temuti. Al termine del trattamento, il paziente ha riportato una remissione della sintomatologia e una generalizzazione a situazioni di vita quotidiana. I risultati sono mantenuti a un follow-up a un anno e confermano che anche un trattamento breve focalizzato su sintomi specifici può rivelarsi efficace.}, keywords = {accettazione, agorafobia, anxiety sensitivity, disturbo di panico, esposizione enterocettiva}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2011c, title = {Un modello cognitivo del disturbo di panico e dell'agorafobia : aspetti psicopatologici e trattamento}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Andrea Gragnani and Giulia Paradisi}, editor = {Franco Angeli}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2011-Un-modello-cognitivo-del-Disturbo-di-Panico-e-dell%E2%80%99Agorafobia-Psicobiettivo.pdf}, doi = {10.3280/PSOB2011-003003}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {Psicobiettivo}, volume = {XXXI}, number = {3}, pages = {36-54}, abstract = {Lo scopo di questo articolo risiede nel presentare un perfezionamento del modello cognitivista del Disturbo di Panico, in particolare quello di Clark, che nonostante abbia conseguito negli anni robuste prove empiriche e cliniche a supporto, considera l’agorafobia esclusivamente come una sottoclasse di evitamenti del Disturbo di Panico. Il nostro modello si propone di superare i limiti esplicativi del modello classico e prevede la presenza di una specifica classe di sensazioni temute dall’agorafobico, quelle legate all’indebolimento del senso di sé ed una peculiare valutazione catastrofica delle stesse. Essa si manifesta apparentemente sotto forma di timori di morte ed impazzimento, ma sarebbe riconducibile al timore relativo alla perdita di controllo percepita come dissolvimento definitivo e irrecuperabile del senso di sé.}, keywords = {agorafobia, disturbo di panico, esposizione enterocettiva, Terapia cognitiva}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{RIPPPO12, title = {Il ragionamento nel Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {PAGE Press Scientific Publications, Pavia, Italy}, url = {https://apc.it/2011-mancini-il-ragionamento-nel-disturbo-ossessivo-compulsivo/}, issn = {2239-8031}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {Research in Psychotherapy: Psychopathology, Process and Outcome}, volume = {13}, number = {2}, pages = {191--216}, abstract = {In questo articolo riassumiamo alcuni risultati di un filone di ricerca realizzato nell’ambito della Scuola di Psicoterapia Cognitiva (SPC) Associazione di Psicologia Cognitiva (APC), dedicato principalmente alla spiegazione del disturbo ossessivo compulsivo, vale a dire alla identificazione degli scopi e delle rappresentazioni che regolano la attività ossessivo-compulsiva e in particolare il ragionamento ossessivo. I risultati di queste ricerche si sono rivelati interessanti, però, anche per la spiegazione di alcuni altri problemi della psicologia clinica e della psicologia generale, quali ad esempio la natura del senso di colpa, l’influenza degli stati emotivi ed intenzionali sui processi cognitivi, in particolare dell’influenza della colpa sul ragionamento e sulle decisioni e del contributo di tale influenza al mantenimento della patologia, cioè alla spiegazione del paradosso nevrotico, e infine, i rapporti tra razionalità e patologia.}, keywords = {colpa, Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo, emozioni, ragionamento, scopi}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Perdighe2011, title = {Il lutto: dai miti agli interventi di facilitazione dell’accettazione}, author = {Claudia Perdighe and Francesco Mancini }, editor = {Franco Angeli}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/articolo-lutto-bozza.pdf}, doi = {10.3280/PSOB2010-003010}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {Psicobiettivo}, volume = {XXX}, number = {3}, pages = {127-146}, abstract = {Lo scopo di questo articolo è porre l’attenzione da un lato su alcuni aspetti del lutto non ancora del tutto condivisi dai terapeuti, benché supportati da ampie evidenze cliniche e sperimentali, dall’altro sugli aspetti critici per l’accettazione o patologizzazione di un evento di perdita. L’articolo si inserisce nel più generale tema dell’accettazione, ovvero del fronteggiamento di una perdita. Il lutto è, infatti, il prototipo delle esperienze di perdita, che implicano un cambiamento permanente e che non possono essere eluse o modificate, ovvero implicano un processo di accettazione. Parole chiave: lutto; accettazione; terapia cognitivo-comportamentale.}, keywords = {accettazione, lutto, terapia cognitivo-comportamentale}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Saliani2010, title = {Ipocondria}, author = {Angelo Maria Saliani and Andrea Gragnani and Francesco Mancini and Claudia Perdighe}, editor = {Fioriti Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Ipocondria%20Saliani%20Gragnani%202010.pdf}, isbn = {9788895930763}, year = {2010}, date = {2010-01-01}, journal = {Elementi di Psicoterapia Cognitiva}, volume = {II}, pages = {175-207}, abstract = {In questo volume, in accordo con la tradizione cognitivista, la sfida lanciata dagli autori è proprio quella di utilizzare, nel modo più raffinato possibile e migliorandola, la psicologia intuitiva o ingenua della mente, nel tentativo di estenderla anche alla risoluzione di problemi che tradizionalmente la psicologia del senso comune ha avuto difficoltà ad affrontare, come ad esempio il fenomeno del paradosso nevrotico, o della resistenza al cambiamento, ovvero: come è possibile che un individuo persista in una condotta per lui fonte di infelicità e nociva, nonostante le informazioni di cui dispone, i suoi strumenti cognitivi e i suoi scopi rendano possibile ed opportuno un cambiamento? l’intento è quello di coniugare la psicologia del senso comune con le conoscenze della psicologia di base per spiegare, più in generale, la bizzarria delle condotte psicopatologiche}, keywords = {ipocondria}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Cosentino2010, title = {Disturbo post Traumatico da Stress in Elementi di Psicoterapia Cognitiva}, author = {Teresa Cosentino and Carlo Buonanno and Andrea Gragnani}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore }, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Post%20Traumatico%20Gragnani%20Cosentino%20%202010.pdf}, isbn = {978-88-95930-16-9}, year = {2010}, date = {2010-01-01}, journal = {Elementi di Psicoterapia Cognitiva}, volume = {II}, number = {8}, pages = {149-161}, abstract = {In questo volume, in accordo con la tradizione cognitivista, la sfida lanciata dagli autori è quella di utilizzare, nel modo più raffinato possibile e migliorandola, la psicologia intuitiva o ingenua della mente, nel tentativo di estenderla anche alla risoluzione di problemi che tradizionalmente la psicologia del senso comune ha avuto difficoltà ad affrontare, come ad esempio il fenomeno del paradosso nevrotico, o della resistenza al cambiamento, ovvero: come è possibile che un individuo persista in una condotta per lui fonte di infelicità e nociva, nonostante le informazioni di cui dispone, i suoi strumenti cognitivi e i suoi scopi rendano possibile ed opportuno un cambiamento? l'intento è quello di coniugare la psicologia del senso comune con le conoscenze della psicologia di base per spiegare, più in generale, la bizzarria delle condotte psicopatologiche}, keywords = {disturbo post traumatico da stress}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Olatunji01032009, title = {Confirming the Three-Factor Structure of the Disgust Scale—Revised in Eight Countries}, author = {Bunmi O Olatunji and Melanie W. Moretz and Dean McKay and Fredrik Bjorklund and Peter J. de Jong and Jonathan Haidt and Timo J. Hursti and Sumio Imada and Silvia Koller and Francesco Mancini and Andrew C. Page Anne and Schienle }, editor = {SAGE Publications}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2009_confirming-the-3-factor-structure-of-the-dscale.pub068.pdf}, doi = {10.1177/0022022108328918}, year = {2009}, date = {2009-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology}, volume = {40}, number = {2}, pages = {234-255}, abstract = {The current study evaluates the factor structure of the Disgust Scale—Revised (DS-R) in eight countries: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States (N = 2,606). Confirmatory factor analysis is used to compare two different models of the DS-R and to investigate the invariance of the factor structure of the DS-R across countries and gender. A three-factor solution consisting of three different but interrelated disgust factors (a 12-item core disgust factor, an 8-item animal-reminder disgust factor, and a 5-item contamination disgust factor) best accounted for the data in all countries except the Netherlands. Relative to the United States, the three-factor solution is invariant in Australia, Brazil, and Japan but not in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The three-factor solution is also invariant across gender in most countries. The implications of these cross-cultural findings for promoting a more valid and reliable assessment of disgust dimensions, as assessed by the DS-R, are discussed.}, keywords = {cross-culture, Disgust Scale–Revived, Disgust sensitivity, factor structure}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2009, title = {La moralità nel disturbo antisociale di personalità}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Rosario Capo and Livia Colle}, editor = {Associazione di Psicoterapia Cognitiva}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2009-la-moralit%C3%A0-nel-disturbo-antisociale-di-personalit%C3%A0.pdf}, year = {2009}, date = {2009-01-01}, journal = {Cognitivismo Clinico}, volume = {6}, number = {2}, pages = {161-177}, abstract = {In questo articolo si esaminano le prove a favore delle sue tesi esplicative del disturbo antisociale di personalità che sono attualmente dominanti: le tesi del deficit di capacità empatica e la tesi del deficit di fearfuless. Entrambe le tesi presentano importanti limiti. Nella seconda parte dell'articolo si propone una tesi diversa perché riconduce il Disturbo Antisociale ad un particolare insieme di scopi ed assunzioni, appreso in seguito a peculiari esperienze precoci, e non ad un deficit, da cui deriverebbe principalmente scarso rispetto dei diritti degli altri e della autorità.}, keywords = {aggressività, Disturbo Antisociale di Personalità, moralità, psicopatia, sensi di colpa}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2009bb, title = {Current Targets in Obsessive-Compulsive Patients}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Claudia Perdighe and Francesca Micaela Serrani}, editor = {Edizioni Erickson}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/2009-Mancini-et-al-Current-target-in-OCD-1.pdf}, year = {2009}, date = {2009-01-01}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, volume = {15}, number = {3}, pages = {353-363}, abstract = {Scopo del presente articolo è fornire un contributo alla definizione degli scopi che effettivamente regolano l’attività ossessiva. A tal fine verranno presentati i dati emersi da una prima indagine clinica finalizzata a identificare gli obiettivi perseguiti con i comportamenti ossessivi da un gruppo di pazienti giunto alla nostra osservazione. Per ciascun paziente, al fine di identificarne le principali ossessioni e compulsioni, tre psicoterapeuti cognitivi hanno compilato uno schema diviso in 5 parti. Successivamente, a 18 giudici indipendenti, tutti psicologi e all’oscuro delle finalità dello studio, è stato chiesto di classificare la parte relativa alla prima valutazione dello schema secondo 4 categorie scelte sulla base della letteratura: Timore di colpa, Timore del giudizio altrui, Timore di contaminazione da sostanze disgustose, Timore di un danno ma senza colpa. I risultati suggeriscono che l’attività ossessiva dei pazienti fosse finalizzata, principalmente, a due scopi: prevenire una colpa e la contaminazione da parte di sostanze disgustose.}, keywords = {colpa, contaminazione, Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo, scopi, teorie di valutazione cognitiva}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2008, title = {Bloccati tra illusione e disperazione. Una nuova ipotesi cognitivista sul disturbo bipolare}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Antonella Rainone}, editor = {Associazione di psicotrapia cognitiva Roma}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2008-bloccati-tra-illusione-e-disperazione.pdf}, year = {2008}, date = {2008-01-01}, journal = {Cognitivismo Clinico}, volume = {5}, number = {1}, pages = {64-87}, abstract = {In questo lavoro viene presentata un'ipotesi cognitivista di comprensione dei disturbi dell'umore nuova e alternativa a quella classica. Tale ipotesi individua nel processo di lutto il modello basico della depressione e nella perdita il nucleo dell'esperienza depressiva, come già Freud e poi Bowlby avevano suggerito. Adottando quest'ipotesi all'interno di una visione cognitiva funzionalista, analizzeremo le alterazioni patologiche dell'umore, partendo dal funzionamento normale della mente e, senza dimenticare il ruolo eziopatogenico dei fattori biologico-genetici, descriveremo i fattori psicologici implicati nella patologia.}, keywords = {disturbo bipolare, Disturbo dell'umore, lutto, modello cognitivo, perdita, ricorrenza, vulnerabilità}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2008b, title = {I sensi di colpa altruistico e deontologico}, author = {Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Associazione di Psicoterapia Cognitiva Roma}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2008-i-sensi-di-colpa-altruistico-e-deontologico-Mancini.pdf}, year = {2008}, date = {2008-01-01}, journal = {Cognitivismo Clinico}, volume = {5}, number = {2}, pages = {123-144}, abstract = {La tesi proposta in questo articolo è che vi siano due diverse e ben distinte emozioni di colpa: il senso di colpa altruistico e il senso di colpa deontologico. Si tratta di due emozioni diverse per manifestazioni, ingredienti cognitivi e funzioni. Si descrivono le caratteristiche delle due emozioni e si danno delle prove della loro sostanziale differenza.}, keywords = {Senso di colpa, Senso di colpa altruista, Senso di colpa deontologico}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2008162, title = {Not just right experience: Is it influenced by feelings of guilt?}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi and Claudia Perdighe and Chiara Marini}, editor = {Elsevier ScienceDirect}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2008_Non-just-right-experience_is-it-influenced-by-feelings-of-guilt.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.jbtep.2007.02.002}, issn = {0005-7916}, year = {2008}, date = {2008-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry}, volume = {39}, number = {2}, pages = {162 - 176}, abstract = {Individuals with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) experience increased guilt. Further, these individuals often report uncomfortable sensations of things being not quite right (“not just right experiences”—NJREs). As to the relation between these psychological phenomena, it was hypothesized that feelings of guilt may enhance NJRE. In two experiments, we demonstrated that the induction of a guilty emotion resulted in increased NJRE, and this finding was qualified by an interaction with trait guilt. Induced guilt was followed by stronger feelings of things being not just right only in high-trait-guilt participants. In the low-trait-guilt participants NJRE was weaker. Moreover, we found a meaningful relationship between both NJRE and trait guilt and OCD features.}, keywords = {guilt, Not just right experience, Obsessive–compulsive disorder, Obsessive–compulsive features, Trait-guilt}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{10142125829, title = {Il ruolo del ragionamento nella psicopatologia secondo la Hyper Emotion Theory}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi and Philippe N. Johnson-Laird}, editor = {Il Mulino}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/2007%20articolo%20bersaglio_il%20ruolo%20del%20ragionamento%20nella%20psicopatologia%20secondo%20la%20HET.pdf}, doi = {10.1421/25829}, issn = {0390-5349}, year = {2007}, date = {2007-01-01}, journal = {Giornale italiano di psicologia}, number = {4/2007}, pages = {763--794}, publisher = {Società editrice il Mulino}, abstract = {Il modo in cui si ragiona svolge un ruolo cruciale nella genesi e nel mantenimento della psicopatologia. Diversi dati suggeriscono, però, che il ragionamento nei casi patologici non segua regole diverse da quelle che segue in chiunque. Alcuni risultati sperimentali dimostrano, anzi, che i pazienti ragionano in modo formalmente più corretto dei soggetti senza disturbi psicopatologici, ma solo nei loro domini sintomatici. Ciò sembra dipendere dal fatto che, con il tempo, i pazienti diventano esperti nel dominio critico e di conseguenza più abili nel costruire modelli mentali della situazione problematica. Il ragionamento nei casi patologici, come nei normali, è al servizio degli scopi dell'individuo e tende ad essere orientato in modo da ridurre il rischio di errori gravi. In accordo con la Hyper Emotion Theory (Johnson-Laird, Mancini e Gangemi, 2006), le valutazioni cognitive attivano delle emozioni e queste sono responsabili dell'orientamento assunto dai processi di pensiero. La tipologia del ragionamento dipende dal tipo di emozione e dalla sua intensità. In questo articolo esaminiamo in dettaglio due strategie di ragionamento che si riscontrano nella psicopatologia: il ragionamento cosiddetto better safe than sorry che è regolato da emozioni di ansia e paura conseguenti alla anticipazione di una minaccia, e il ragionamento ossessivo che è regolato dal timore di essere colpevoli, vale a dire di non essere alla altezza delle proprie responsabilità.}, keywords = {emozioni, psicopatotlogia, ragionamento}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{BDM:BDM536, title = {Guilt and focusing in decision-making}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Francesco Mancini }, editor = { John Wiley & Sons, Inc}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/guilt-and-decision-making.pdf}, doi = {10.1002/bdm.536}, issn = {1099-0771}, year = {2007}, date = {2007-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Behavioral Decision Making}, volume = {20}, number = {1}, pages = {1--20}, publisher = {John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.}, abstract = {In this paper we examined the impact of a specific emotion, guilt, on focusing in decision-making. Through the focusing mechanism, when making decisions, individuals tend to restrict their thoughts to what is explicitly represented in the decisional task, disregarding alternatives. In this paper, three experiments are performed to investigate whether an emotional state of guilt can critically guide individuals' focusing, and even prevailing over the focusing mechanism. Guilty emotional state was induced by asking participants to write about a guilty related life event. The emotional state was thus neither generated by nor related to the tasks used in the experiments. Results of the first two studies show that guilt affects focusing in decision-making in the case of only one explicitly specified option (a positive or a negative one). Guilty participants, when presented with a stated option that has predominantly positive characteristics, prefer other, unspecified options over the positive one. Guilty participants faced with a stated option that has predominantly negative features tend to prefer it to other, unspecified, options, instead. Finally, experiment 3 shows that guilty participants presented with two different options (a negative vs. a positive one) having different degrees of explicitness (i.e. they are not equally represented in the decision frame), focus on the negative option, even though the latter was not explicitly represented but only hinted at the end of the text. Overall, these results suggest that guilt emotion state can play a crucial role in either strengthening or reducing the focusing mechanism. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.}, keywords = {cognition, Emotion, focusing, guilt, mechanism}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gangemi20072387, title = {Feeling guilty as a source of information about threat and performance}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Francesco Mancini and Marcel van den Hout}, editor = { Elsevier ScienceDirect}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/feeling%20guilty%20as%20a%20source%20of%20information%20about%20threat%20and%20performance.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.brat.2007.03.011}, issn = {0005-7967}, year = {2007}, date = {2007-01-01}, journal = {Behaviour Research and Therapy}, volume = {45}, number = {10}, pages = {2387 - 2396}, abstract = {OCD patients experience increased feelings of guilt, threat and uncertainty about harm prevention. As to the relation between these phenomena, it was hypothesised that the experience of guilt acts as “information” that increases the sense of threat and decreases the sense that preventive action is effective. We tested whether state guilt is used as information about risk and prevention effects and whether people high in trait guilt do so more than others. Participants high and low in trait guilt were included. Three types of affect were experimentally induced: guilt, anxiety and a neutral affect. Then, participants estimated the likelihood and severity of a negative outcome, and the dissatisfaction with preventive performances in two OCD relevant scenarios. Relative to low-trait guilt participants, people high in trait guilt had higher ratings of risk after induction of state guilt. With regards to dissatisfaction with preventive performance, there was only a trend for high-trait guilt participants to respond stronger to state guilt. The results suggest that people with a general inclination to feel guilty use temporary feelings of guilt as information about the threat content of a situation and do so even if the source of state guilt is unrelated to the situation. Implications for the understanding of OCD are discussed.}, keywords = {Affect-as-information, Emotional reasoning, Evaluative judgements, guilt, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gangemi2007, title = {Il ragionamento ed il suo ruolo nei disturbi d’ansia e dell’umore}, author = { Amelia Gangemi and Francesco Mancini }, url = {https://apc.it/pubblicazioni/argomento/il-ragionamento-ed-il-suo-ruolo-nei-disturbi-dansia-e-dellumore/}, year = {2007}, date = {2007-01-01}, journal = {Teorie & Modelli}, volume = { XI}, number = {3, 2006}, pages = {51-80}, abstract = {Lo scopo di questo articolo è illustrare alcuni tipi di ragionamento che si riscontrano nei disturbi d'ansia e dell'umore, identificarne le ragioni e mostrarne il contributo alla sofferenza psicopatologica. In questo articolo si riprende, quindi, l'interesse per i processi di pensiero, tipico dell'approccio cognitivista standard e ben espresso da uno dei pionieri della psicoterapia cognitiva, Beck.}, keywords = {disturbi d'ansia, ragionamento}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2006, title = {Trattamento Cognitivo-Comportamentale nel Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo: risultati di uno studio di esito naturalistico in aperto con follow-up a 6, 12 e 24 mesi }, author = {Francesco Mancini and Barbara Barcaccia and Rosario Capo and Amelia Gangemi and Andrea Gragnani and Claudia Perdighe and Antonella Rainone and Giuseppe Romano}, editor = {Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/trattamento%20cognitivo%20comportamentale%20nel%20disturbo%20ossessivo%20compulsivo%20risultati%20di%20uno%20studio%20naturalistico.pdf}, doi = {10.1708/129.1406}, issn = {2038-2502}, year = {2006}, date = {2006-07-06}, urldate = {2016-07-28}, journal = {Rivista di psichiatria}, number = {41}, series = {2}, abstract = {Le linee-guida internazionali indicano nella terapia farmacologica e nella terapia cognitivo-comportamentale i trattamenti d’elezione. Scopo del presente lavoro è sottoporre a verifica un protocollo d’intervento che coniuga procedure di dimostrata efficacia e interventi che enfatizzano il tema dell’accettazione di quegli stati cognitivi ed emotivi che numerose e recenti ricerche indicano come scarsamente tollerati dai soggetti con DOC. Inoltre si è voluta verificare l’efficacia del trattamento secondo un disegno di tipo naturalistico e in un setting privato. Metodo. Al fine di sottoporre a verifica il nostro programma di terapia, negli ultimi tre anni abbiamo sottoposto a questo trattamento 59 pazienti con diagnosi di DOC, reclutati unicamente con il criterio della richiesta di terapia. La valutazione degli esiti è stata eseguita mediante la somministrazione della Y-BOCS. Risultati. Al momento della ricerca hanno completato il trattamento 39 pazienti. I dati evidenziano una diminuzione della sintomatologia, sia nei pazienti che hanno portato a termine la terapia sia nei pazienti ancora in trattamento. L'ANOVA a misure ripetute effettuata sulla variabile trattamento a 3 livelli (pre-post-follow) risulta molto significativa (p<.0001). Sono state condotte anche una serie di ANOVA fattoriale miste con fattore between SESSO / tipologia di disturbo DOC / comorbilità / durata del trattamento / durata del disturbo, e con fattore within il TRATTAMENTO (3 livelli): esse evidenziano che il solo fattore significativo è il TRATTAMENTO. Le analisi post hoc per la variabile TRATTAMENTO rivelano che la differenza significativa si ha tra il livello pretrattamento e i livelli post-trattamento e follow-up.}, keywords = {Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo, efficacia, terapia cognitivo-comportamentale}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Perdighe2006, title = {Il disagio dei pazienti ossessivi di fronte ad espressioni facciali di rabbia e disgusto: risultati di una indagine preliminare}, author = {Claudia Perdighe and Francesco Mancini and Francesca Micaela Serrani and Amelia Gangemi }, editor = {Associazione di Psicoterapia Cognitiva Roma}, url = {http://win.apc.it/public/pdf/Sensibilit%C3%A0Facce.pdf}, year = {2006}, date = {2006-07-06}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, volume = {12}, number = { 2}, pages = {197-201}, abstract = {In questo articolo presentiamo i risultati di una ricerca preliminare tesa a controllare due ipotesi: la prima è che i pazienti ossessivi scelgono le espressioni di rabbia e disgusto come quelle capaci di metterli maggiormente a disagio, più spesso di quanto accade a pazienti con altri disturbi d’ansia. La seconda ipotesi è che i pazienti ossessivi, più spesso degli altri pazienti ansiosi, immaginano che, se si realizzassero i loro timori, allora si troverebbero di fronte ad una espressione di rabbia o disgusto. Hanno partecipato allo studio 16 pazienti ossessivi e 22 pazienti ansiosi ma non ossessivi. Ai soggetti sono state presentate due serie di foto tratte dalla raccolta di Ekman. (1976): una serie includeva le foto di un volto femminile, sempre lo stesso, che esprimeva rabbia, paura, tristezza, disgusto, gioia, sorpresa e neutralità emotiva. L’altra serie era di un volto maschile che esprimeva le stesse emozioni. Ai soggetti veniva suggerito di immaginare che le espressioni fossero rivolte a loro, vale a dire di essere l’oggetto della espressione facciale. Per ciascuna serie si chiedeva ai soggetti di indicare le due foto che li mettevano maggiormente a disagio. Ai soggetti veniva suggerito, successivamente, di immaginare la realizzazione dei timori alla base della loro sintomatologia e poi gli si chiedeva se, nello scenario immaginato, sarebbero stati oggetto di una delle espressioni rappresentate nelle foto. I risultati sono compatibili con le ipotesi formulate.}, keywords = {disgusto, Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo, Espressioni facciali delle emozioni, Rabbia}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Johnson-Laird2006, title = {A hyper-emotion theory of psychological illnesse}, author = {Philippe N. Johnson-Laird and Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {the American Psychological Association}, url = {http://mentalmodels.princeton.edu/papers/2006hyperemotiontheory.pdf}, doi = {10.1037/0033-295X.113.4.822}, year = {2006}, date = {2006-01-01}, journal = {Psychological Review 113, No. 4, 822–841}, volume = {113}, number = {4}, pages = {822–841}, abstract = {A “hyper-emotion” theory of psychological illnesses is presented. The theory postulates the processes that construct bodily feelings and basic emotions are computationally crude and outside voluntary control. Psychological illnesses have an onset in which a cognitive evaluation initiates a sequence of unconscious transitions yielding a basic emotion. This emotion is appropriate for the situation but inappropriate in its intensity. Whenever it recurs, it leads individuals to focus on the precipitating situation, and to characteristic patterns of inference that can bolster the illness. Individuals with a propensity to psychological illness accordingly reason better than more robust individuals, but only on topics relevant to their illness. The theory is assessed in light of previous studies, a small epidemiological study of patients, and three empirical studies}, keywords = {cognitive therapy, Emotions, Psychological illnesses, reasoning, unconscious processes}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2006333, title = {The role of responsibility and fear of guilt in hypothesis-testing}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {Elsevier ScienceDirect}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Role%20of%20Responsibility%20and%20Fear%20of%20Guilt.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.jbtep.2006.03.004}, issn = {0005-7916}, year = {2006}, date = {2006-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry}, volume = {37}, number = {4}, pages = {333 - 346}, abstract = {Recent theories argue that both perceived responsibility and fear of guilt increase obsessive-like behaviours. We propose that hypothesis-testing might account for this effect. Both perceived responsibility and fear of guilt would influence subjects’ hypothesis-testing, by inducing a prudential style. This style implies focusing on and confirming the worst hypothesis, and reiterating the testing process. In our experiment, we manipulated the responsibility and fear of guilt of 236 normal volunteers who executed a deductive task. The results show that perceived responsibility is the main factor that influenced individuals’ hypothesis-testing. Fear of guilt has however a significant additive effect. Guilt-fearing participants preferred to carry on with the diagnostic process, even when faced with initial favourable evidence, whereas participants in the responsibility condition only did so when confronted with an unfavourable evidence. Implications for the understanding of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are discussed.}, keywords = {Fear of guilt from behaving irresponsibly, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Responsibility; Hypothesis-testing}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2005, title = {L'esposizione con prevenzione della risposta come pratica della accettazione}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Andrea Gragnani}, editor = {Associazione di Psicoterapia Cognitiva Roma}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/4-lesposizione-con-prevenzione-della-risposta-come-pratica-della-accettazione_mancini-gragnani-38-58.pdf}, year = {2005}, date = {2005-01-01}, urldate = {2005-01-01}, journal = {Cognitivismo Clinico}, volume = {2}, number = {1}, pages = {38-58}, abstract = {L'esposizione con prevenzione della risposta è la tecnica con maggior efficacia misurata nella terapia del Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo e di altri disturbi d'ansia (ad esempio, nel Disturbo di Panico). Esistono, tuttavia, delle difficoltà di ordine pratico come la difficoltà di accettazione da parte di molti pazienti ad intraprendere il trattamento e un numero elevato di drop out, e delle difficoltà tecniche in pazienti affetti da DOC caratterizzati da una sintomatologia covert. Queste difficoltà riducono l'applicabilità e quindi l'efficacia dell'intervento. Dalla necessità di superare i limiti tecnici ora descritti, deriva l'opportunità di comprendere meglio il meccanismo di funzionamento dell'E/RP. La speranza infatti è che comprendendo meglio il meccanismo di azione sia possibile organizzare l'E/RP in un modo più consono alla difficoltà e alle esigenze del paziente. L'obiettivo del nostro lavoro è duplice. Il primo obiettivo è esaminare in maniera critica le spiegazioni (alcune comportamentali quali l'abituazione, l'estinzione, il controcondizionamento; ed altre relative a cambiamenti cognitivi: l'autoefficacia, l'aspettativa e la ristrutturazione cognitiva) proposte per il meccanismo d'azione dell'E/RP annoverando le critiche che via via sono state mosse dalla letteratura sperimentaleper ciascuna di queste spiegazioni. Il secondo obiettivo è presentare un'interpretazione dell'efficacia dell'E/RP basandoci sulla considerazione che il meccanismo di azione dell'E/RP consista in un processo cognitivo che conduce all'ccettazione di livelli di minaccia via via più elevati, in sostanza considereremo la E/RP come la pratica dell'accettazione.}, keywords = {Accettazione della minaccia, Disturbo Ossessivo Compulsivo, E/RP, Esposizione, Prevenzione della risposta}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2004, title = {Gli Homework Nel Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Andrea Gragnani }, editor = {McGraw Hill}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Homework%20DOC%20-%20Mancini%20e%20Gragnani%202004.pdf}, year = {2004}, date = {2004-01-01}, journal = {Home work: un’antalogia di prescrizioni terapeutiche}, volume = {2004}, pages = {105-136}, abstract = {È possibile distinguere due approcci cognitivisti al DO C (Tal lis, 1995a). Il primo ricorre a disfunzioni neuropsicologiche e cognitive di base. Rientra no in questo approccio le spiegazioni in termini di underinclusion , cioè d i tendenza ad ipercategorizzare l’esperienza, i deficit delle funzioni esecutive e della memoria visuo- spaziale (Reed, 1985; Tallis, 1995a, b; Galderisi, Amida e Maj, 1996; Dèttore, 2003). Particolare attenzione ha ricevuto l’ipotesi de l deficit mestico. Negli ultimi anni numerose ricerche sperimentali (Radom sky e Rachm an, 1999) hanno rivelato, però, che nei pazienti ossessivi non vi è un deficit di memoria m a piuttosto scarsa fiducia nella propria memoria e che tale sfiducia s i accentua drasticamente in caso di con trolli ripe tuti (van den Hout e Kindt, 2002). Più il paziente ripete una azione di controllo più diminuisce la salienza del ricordo della singola azione e più aumenta la familiarità della azione, di conseguenza diminuisce la fiducia nel ricordo di aver compiuto quella azione (van den Hout e Kindt, 2002). }, keywords = {Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{10142213062, title = {L'influenza del timore di colpa sui processi cognitivi: il caso del disturbo ossessivo compulsivo}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {Il Mulino}, url = {https://www.rivisteweb.it/doi/10.1422/13062}, doi = {10.1422/13062}, issn = {1120-9550}, year = {2004}, date = {2004-01-01}, journal = {Sistemi intelligenti}, number = {1/2004}, pages = {113--144}, publisher = {Società editrice il Mulino}, abstract = {Gli stati mentali, vale a dire gli scopi e le credenze attivi in un dato momento nella mente di un individuo, influenzano i suoi processi cognitivi? E nel caso, in quale direzione? In particolare, il timore di non essere all'altezza delle proprie responsabilità e dunque di essere colpevole, influenza, in modo particolare, alcuni processi di ragionamento quali, ad esempio, il processo di controllo ingenuo delle ipotesi e i processi decisionali? In questo articolo si affrontano tali questioni da una prospettiva particolare che è quella chimica. Vi sono infatti numerosi dati che suggeriscono la centralità del timore di colpa nella patogenesi di ossessioni e compulsioni, che, come è noto, costituiscono le manifestazioni caratteristiche del disturbo ossessivo-compulsivo (DOC). Il DOC è uno dei disturbi d'ansia più frequenti: infatti la sua prevalenza life-time è di circa il 2,3% (si prevede cioè che più di 2 individui su 100 svilupperanno un DOC nell'arco della loro esistenza) (Weissman et al. 1994).}, keywords = {Disturbo Ossessivo Compulsivo, Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2004109, title = {Fear of guilt from behaving irresponsibly in obsessive–compulsive disorder}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {Elsevier ScienceDirect}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Fear-of-guilt-from-behaving-irresponsibly-in-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-Mancini_Gangemi.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/j.jbtep.2004.04.003}, issn = {0005-7916}, year = {2004}, date = {2004-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry}, volume = {35}, number = {2}, pages = {109 - 120}, abstract = {Previous cognitive models of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) propose that inflated responsibility plays a key role in the maintenance of symptoms (Behav.Res.Ther. 28 (1985) 571). In this manuscript, we propose that this thesis may be improved by emphasizing that instead, OCD may be characterized by a fear of guilt that would result from behaving irresponsibly and/or from not behaving responsibly. We believe that this concept provides a better explanation for the anxious and fearful nature of OCD than do more traditional conceptualizations of inflated responsibility. We support this idea with empirical evidence and propose that OCD symptoms are consistent with patients acting in a prudential mode because of their fears of guilt.}, note = {Experimental approaches to understanding OCD}, keywords = {beliefs, guilt, OCD, Responsibility}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{doi:10.1080/13546780442000060, title = {The influence of responsibility and guilt on naive hypothesis-testing}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {Taylor & Francis Group}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/the-influece-of-responsibility-and-guilt.pdf}, doi = {10.1080/13546780442000060}, year = {2004}, date = {2004-01-01}, journal = {Thinking & Reasoning}, volume = {10}, number = {3}, pages = {289-320}, abstract = {Three experiments were used to investigate individuals' hypothesis-testing process as a function of moral perceived utilities, which in turn depend on perceived responsibility and fear of guilt. Moral perceived utilities are related to individuals' moral standards and specifically to people's attempt to face up to their own responsibilities, and to avoid feeling guilty of irresponsibility. The results showed that responsibility and fear of guilt in testing hypotheses involved a process defined as prudential mode, which entails focusing on and confirming the worst hypothesis, and then reiterating the testing process. In particular, the results showed that responsible and guilt-fearing individuals: (1) tended to search prudentially for examples confirming the worst hypothesis and to search for counter-examples falsifying the positive hypothesis; (2) focused on the worst alternative, and tended to confirm it; (3) prudentially kept up the testing process, even if faced with initial positive evidence. Our discussion of the results emphasises how people are largely pragmatic in their hypothesis testing, using efficient cognitive strategies that focus on error minimisation rather than on truth detection. In a context of responsibility and guilt, the errors are linked to people's failure to face up to their own responsibilities, and are thus moral errors.}, keywords = {hypothesis-testing}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{CPP:CPP418, title = {Aversion to risk and guilt}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {John Wiley & Sons}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2004_aversion%20to%20risk%20and%20guilt.pdf}, doi = {10.1002/cpp.418}, issn = {1099-0879}, year = {2004}, date = {2004-01-01}, journal = {Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy}, volume = {11}, number = {3}, pages = {199--206}, publisher = {John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.}, abstract = {Much research has shown that cognitive processes are largely guided by individuals' states of mind (Mancini & Gangemi, 2002a, in press; Smeets, de Jong, & Mayer, 2000). In this paper, we specifically consider a state of mind characterized by guilt for having acted irresponsibly. This state is currently considered the breeding ground for the obsessive–compulsive disorder (Rachman, 2002; Salkovskis & Forrester, 2002). Our aim is to examine the impact of this state of mind on decision under risk. We hypothesize that individuals' choices (risk seeking/risk aversion) depend on how they evaluate themselves, as guilty or as victims of a wrong, and thus on moral values. People who evaluate them-selves as guilty are expected to show a risk-averse preference. People who evaluate themselves as victims are expected to show a risk-seeking preference. In two different experiments, we demonstrated that non-clinical participants' aversion to risky choices and preference for risky choices vary as a function of their moral role (guilty/victim). As predicted, in both the experiments, participants experienced intolerance for risk, making more riskless choices, in the context of guilt. Thus, aversion to risk-taking is actually affected by a mental state of guilt. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.}, keywords = {aversion to risk, guilt}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2004449, title = {Manipulation of responsibility in non-clinical subjects: does expectation of failure exacerbate obsessive–compulsive behaviors?}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Francesca D'Olimpio and Luca Cieri}, editor = {Elsevier ScienceDirect}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2004_manipulation-of-responsibility-in-non_clinical-subjects-does-expectation-of-failure-exacerbate-obsessive_compulsive-behaviors.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/S0005-7967(03)00153-0}, issn = {0005-7967}, year = {2004}, date = {2004-01-01}, journal = {Behaviour Research and Therapy}, volume = {42}, number = {4}, pages = {449 - 457}, abstract = {An exaggerated sense of responsibility is currently considered as the ground for the obsessive–compulsive disorder. Obsessive-like behaviors, such as hesitations and checks, may be induced in non-clinical subjects by increasing perceived responsibility (i.e., perceived personal influence on negative outcomes). In line with Salkovskis’ proposal [The cognitive approach to anxiety: threat beliefs, safety-seeking behavior, and the special case of health anxiety and obsessions, in: P.M. Salkovskis (Ed.), Frontiers of Cognitive Therapy, Guilford, New York], we tested the hypothesis that reduced coping abilities (i.e., an exaggerated expectation of failure) are another effectual factor contributing to obsessive-like behaviors. We examined 47 normal volunteers in a visuo-spatial memory task, and manipulated their perceived personal influence and expectation of failure by giving differential instructions and feedback about their performance. Increase of perceived personal influence induced slowness, hesitations and checks without enhancing performance. Expectation of failure exacerbated obsessive-like behaviors, again without affecting performance. These results confirm the role of responsibility in obsessive-like behavior and indicate that reduced coping abilities may contribute to worsen dysfunctional strategies.}, keywords = {checking, Compulsive, Coping ability, Hesitation, Obsessive, Responsibility}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gragnani2003, title = {L’efficacia delle tecniche cognitive nella riattribuzione della stima della probabilità}, author = {Andrea Gragnani and Beatrice Toro and Lara De Luca and Maura Cavagnoli and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Associazione di Psicologia Cognitiva - Roma }, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Articolo%20LEFFICACIA%20DELLE%20TECNICHE%20COGNITIVE%20NELLA%20RIATTRIBUZIONE%20DELLA%20STIMA%20DELLA%20PROBABILITA%202003.pdf}, year = {2003}, date = {2003-01-01}, urldate = {2003-01-01}, journal = {Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale}, volume = {9}, number = {2}, pages = {91-108}, abstract = {Lo scopo di questo studio è valutare l'efficacia ed i principi di funzionamento di alcune tecniche di intervento utilizzate in ambito clinico al fine di ridurre la sovrastima delle probabilità di accadimento di eventi temuti. L' ipotesi principale del presente lavoro è che le tecniche cognitive "torta", "probabilità cumulate" (Van Oppen, Arntz, 1994) "piramide capovolta" (Wells, 1997) sono efficaci nel produrre una riduzione significativa della probabilità percepita di un evento negativo e che tale riduzione è collegata al potere che tali tecniche possiedono di contrastare il meccanismo cognitivo della focalizzazione. La ricerca è stata condotta con soggetti normali dato che tra soggetti ansiosi, per i quali queste tecniche sono state messe a punto, e non ansiosi non si riscontrano differenze qualitative di ragionamento probabilistico (Nesse e Klaas, 1994). I 223 soggetti normali sono stati sottoposti ad un protocollo sperimentale suddiviso in 4 parti: 1) racconto relativo ad un evento negativo; 2) stima della probabilità d'accadimento dell'evento negativo; 3) intervento volto alla riattribuzione della stima di probabilità (6 condizioni); 4) nuova stima sulla probabilità dell'accadimento dell'evento. Le tecniche sono risultate tutte efficaci nel produrre una riduzione statisticamente significativa della stima delle probabilità percepita dell'evento negativo e si sono inoltre riscontrate importanti differenze nell'entità di tale riduzione a seconda della tecnica utilizzata.}, keywords = {Adulti, Disturbi d ’ansia, Prob abilità, Psicoterapia Cognitiva, Tecniche d i inte rvento}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2003, title = {Disgusto, Contagio e Cognizione, Psichiatria e Psicoterapia}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Andrea Gragnani}, editor = {Associazione di Psicologia Cognitiva - Roma}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Disgusto%20Contagio%20e%20Cognizione%202003.pdf}, year = {2003}, date = {2003-01-01}, journal = {Psichiatria e Psicoterapia Analitica}, volume = {22}, number = {1}, pages = {38-47}, abstract = {Il disgusto è stato considerato fin da Darwin (1872) come un’emozione basica al pari della paura, della tristezza, della gioia, della rabbia. Da una ricerca di Oatley e Duncan (1994) risulta che tra le cinque emozioni fondamentali sperimentate nella vita quotidiana da soggetti normali, il disgusto è la meno frequente, mentre quella più frequente è la rabbia.}, keywords = {cognizione, contagio, disgusto, psichiatria e psico}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gangemi2003b, title = {Responsibility, guilt and decision under risk}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Francesco Mancini }, editor = {US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health }, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2003_responsibility,%20guilt%20and%20decision%20under%20risk.pdf}, doi = {10.2466/pr0.2003.93.3f.1077}, year = {2003}, date = {2003-01-01}, urldate = {2003-01-01}, journal = {Psychological Reports}, number = {93 }, pages = {1077-1079 }, abstract = {In this paper, we hypothesize that individuals' choices (risk-seeking/risk-aversion) depend on moral values, and in particular on how subjects evaluate themselves, as guilty or as victims of a wrong, rather than on the descriptions of the outcomes as given in the options and evaluated accordingly as gains or losses (framing effect). People who evaluate themselves as victims are expected to show a risk-seeking preference (context of innocence). People who evaluate themselves as guilty, are expected to show a risk-averse preference (context of guilt). In our experiment the responses of 232 participants to a decision problem were compared in four different conditions involving two-story formats (innocence/guilt) and two-question-options formats (gain/loss). The results show that, regardless of the format of the question options, the story format appears to be an important determinant of individuals' preferences.}, keywords = {decision under risck, guilt, Responsibility}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2003, title = {Anxiety Sensitivity in età evolutiva. Rilevanza nella genesi e nel trattamento di alcuni disturbi mentali}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Rosario Capo}, editor = {Psichiatria dell'infanzia e dell'adolescenza}, year = {2003}, date = {2003-01-01}, volume = {40}, pages = {661-672}, abstract = {Nel presente elaborato vengono presi in esame i principali meccanismi ricorsivi responsabili della genesi e del mantenimento di disturbi mentali in età evolutiva. La trattazione si concentra prevalentemente sulla Anxiety Sensitivity, che consiste in una particolare attitudine cognitiva a temere le sensazioni neurovegetative connesse all'ansia. Vengono prese in esame le implicazioni per la genesi e il mantenimento di alcuni disturbi mentali in età evolutiva e per l'intervento preventivo.}, keywords = {Anxiety disorders, anxiety sensitivity, childrens and adolescents}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Gangemi2003, title = {Timore di colpa e intolleranza all'incertezza}, author = {Amelia Gangemi and Barbara Baldini and Francesca Carini and Luca Cieri and Roberta Ciocci and Annarita Cioce and Serenella Ercoli and Tiziana Frellicca and Marinella Frenza and Diletta Masi and Eva Pozzolo and Bianca Reale and Francesco Mancini}, editor = {Erickson}, year = {2003}, date = {2003-01-01}, volume = {9}, number = {1}, abstract = {La letteratura cognitivista clinica riconosce allo stato mentale di colpa e di responsabilità un ruolo speciale nella genesi e nel mantenimento del Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo (DOC). Tra gli altri aspetti il DOC si caratterizza per l'intolleranza all'incertezza, intesa come avversione alle scelte rischiose e preferenza per le scelte certe. Può lo stato mentale della colpa e della responsabilità contribuire a produrre l'avversione per le scelte rischiose? Noi ipotizziamo che le scelte (certe o avverse al rischio) operate dai soggetti siano influenzate da quanto essi si ritengono dalla parte del torto o della ragione, vale a dire colpevoli o vittime di una ingiustizia, e dunque da valori morali. In questo studio, abbiamo dimostrato che in soggetti normali (N=718) la predilezione per scelte rischiose o avverse al rischio varia proprio in funzione del ruolo morale assunto dal soggetto: la percezione di essere colpevoli, e dunque dalla parte del torto, implica la preferenza per scelte certe, ovvero l'avversione per le scelte rischiose, mentre la percezione di essere vittime di un danno ingiusto implica la preferenza per scelte rischiose. Possiamo dunque concludere, che in soggetti non clinici, lo stato mentale di colpa e responsabilità implica l'avversione per le scelte rischiose, e quindi, un comportamento simil-ossessivo. }, keywords = {colpa, Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo, Intolleranza all'incertezza; Scelte rischiose e avverse al rischio}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini01082002, title = {Role of Responsibility in Conditional Reasoning}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Amelia Gangemi}, editor = {SAGE Publications}, url = {http://prx.sagepub.com/content/91/1/275.abstract}, doi = {10.2466/pr0.2002.91.1.275}, year = {2002}, date = {2002-01-01}, urldate = {2002-01-01}, journal = {Psychological Reports}, volume = {91}, number = {1}, pages = {275-288}, abstract = {A series of recent studies showed that facilitation on the Wason Selection Task could be produced by perceived utilities. The present work was aimed at testing whether a similar factor could also be involved in human reasoning performance in the context of responsibility. We supposed that the motivation of the subject assuming responsibility is affected by normative goals. These goals prescribe the actions and the results to be achieved, also considering the different social roles. In this experiment the responses of different groups of subjects (N = 270) to a selection task were compared in two different conditions involving different responsibility contexts. The results show that the subjects' strategies in searching for possible violators depended on the condition (responsibility vs no responsibility). In particular, only in the context of responsibility were the performances elicited by conditional rules characterised by a falsification strategy.}, keywords = {conditional reasoning, Responsibility}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini2002401, title = {Obsessions and compulsions and intolerance for uncertainty in a non-clinical sample}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Francesca D'Olimpio and Marisa Del Genio and Fabrizio Didonna and Elena Prunetti}, editor = {Elsevier ScienceDirect}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2002_obsession%20and%20compulsions%20and%20intolerance%20for%20uncertainty%20in%20a%20non_clinical%20sample.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/S0887-6185(02)00133-0}, issn = {0887-6185}, year = {2002}, date = {2002-01-01}, journal = {Journal of Anxiety Disorders}, volume = {16}, number = {4}, pages = {401 - 411}, abstract = {It has been hypothesized that decision-making difficulties in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder may arise from intolerance for uncertainty. We investigated the relationship between obsessivity and intolerance for uncertainty (defined in terms of need for cognitive closure), controlling for state and trait anxiety and depression. We tested non-clinical subjects through the Need for Closure Scale (NFCS), the Padua Inventory Revised (PI-R), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form-Y; STAI-Y). A principal component analysis showed a lack of correlation between the PI-R and the NFCS subscales. A set of multiple regression analyses performed on PI-R subscales showed that the need for cognitive closure cannot be considered as a strong predictor of obsessions and compulsions. These results speak against the hypothesis that people with high obsessivity have difficulties in taking decisions because of a cognitive need for certainty. We instead argue that difficulties in taking decisions may be related to other specific cognitive beliefs or meta-beliefs.}, keywords = {depression, Intolerance for uncertainty, Need for Closure Scale, Padua Inventory, State anxiety, Trait anxiety}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini20011173, title = {The connection between disgust and obsessions and compulsions in a non-clinical sample}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Andrea Gragnani and Francesca D'Olimpio}, editor = {Elsevier ScienceDirect}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/OCD%20and%20Disgust%202001.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/S0191-8869(00)00215-4}, issn = {0191-8869}, year = {2001}, date = {2001-01-01}, journal = {Personality and Individual Differences}, volume = {31}, number = {7}, pages = {1173 - 1180}, abstract = {Although obsessive-compulsive patients (OCD) frequently report thoughts and compulsions about dirt and contamination, there is scarce evidence for a relationship between disgust and OCD. This study investigates whether there is a specific relationship between obsessive symptoms and disgust, independently of general psychological distress symptoms. We tested 278 non-clinical volunteers, through the Disgust Scale [Haidt, J., McCauley, C., & Rozin, P. (1994). Individual differences in sensitivity to disgust: a scale sampling seven domains of disgust elicitors. Personality Individual Differences. 16, 701–713], the Padua Inventory — Revised [PI-R; van Oppen, P., Hoekstra, R. J., & Emmelkamp, M. G. (1985). The structure of obsessive-compulsive symptoms.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33, 15–23], the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., Lushene, R., Vagg, P. R., & Jacobs, G. A. (1983). Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press], and the Beck Depression Inventory [Beck, A. T., & Steer, R. (1987). Beck depression inventory scoring manual. The psychological corporation. New York: Harcourt Brace Janovich]. A multiple regression analysis showed a significant positive relationship between disgust and obsessive symptoms, after controlling for gender, age, anxiety, and depression. Washing and checking behaviors were best predicted by disgust, while impulses and rumination were best predicted by anxiety and/or depression. These findings are in line with the hypothesis of a specific relationship between disgust and at least some kinds of obsessive symptoms.}, keywords = {Anxiety, depression, Disgust, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Padua Inventory-Revised}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{CPP:CPP292, title = {Responsibility attitude, obsession and compulsion: further support in a non-clinical sample}, author = { Francesco Mancini and Francesca D'Olimpio and Stefania D'Ercole}, editor = {John Wiley & Sons, Ltd}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Responsibility%20attitude,%20obsessione%20and%20compulsion%20a%20further%20support%20in%20a%20non%20clinical%20sample.pdf}, doi = {10.1002/cpp.292}, issn = {1099-0879}, year = {2001}, date = {2001-01-01}, journal = {Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy}, volume = {8}, number = {4}, pages = {274--281}, publisher = {John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.}, abstract = {Responsibility is one of the most investigated constructs in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Although there are an increasing number of studies on this topic, results seem to be questionable. Whereas several authors reported a significant link between OC behaviour and responsibility in nonclinical as well as in clinical samples, the findings of many authors failed to demonstrate the presence of such an association. In the current study, we examined the relationship between obsessive-compulsive behaviour and responsibility. To this aim, participants filled in five inventories: the Responsibility Attitude Scale (RAS), the Responsibility Questionnaire (RQ), the Padua Inventory Revised (PI-R), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results showed a relationship between obsessive-compulsive behaviour (PI-R scores) and responsibility, as measured by both RAS and RQ. A principal component analysis showed that RAS can be interpreted as a four-factor scale, accounting for 63% of the variance overall. Regression analyses showed that responsibility can be considered a significant predictor of obsession and compulsion behaviour, as measured by PI-R. Furthermore, showing a connection between specific factors of responsibility and certain kinds of obsessive-compulsive behaviour, results seem to confirm the hypothesis that responsibility is more salient in checking than in cleaning symptoms. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.}, keywords = {Disturbo Ossessivo Compulsivo, obsessive-compulsive disorder}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini1999919, title = {Obsessions and compulsions: normative data on the Padua Inventory from an Italian non-clinical adolescent sample}, author = {Francesco Mancini and Andrea Gragnani and Floriana Orazi and Maria Grazia Pietrangeli}, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PI%20and%20Adolescent%20199.pdf}, doi = {10.1016/S0005-7967(98)00195-8}, issn = {0005-7967}, year = {1999}, date = {1999-01-01}, journal = {Behaviour Research and Therapy}, volume = {37}, number = {10}, pages = {919 - 925}, abstract = {In the present study the structure of obsessive–compulsive phenomena in non-clinical adolescents was investigated by `The Padua Inventory' (PI). The PI is a self-report measure of obsessive and compulsive symptoms which is used in clinical and research settings. The use of PI in adolescents has been limited by the lack of normative data. Consequently, adolescent validation has both theoretical and practical implications. PI was administered to 566 normal Italian high school subjects, ranging in age from 15 to 18 years. The mean total score of PI and the mean score of `mental activities', `becoming contaminated' and `urges and worries' sub-scales points to significant differences between males and females. Females reported more obsessions and cleaning rituals than males. Males show more urges and fears than females. Moreover, our data underline that younger subjects get higher mean scores than older subjects in all scales.}, keywords = {Adolescent, Italian, Obsessive–compulsive disorder, Padua Inventory}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Mancini9112593, title = {Quantitative magnetic resonance analysis in vascular dementia.}, author = {Franco Giubilei and Stefano Bastianello and Andrea Paolillo and Claudio Gasperini and Paolo Tisei and Anna Rosa Casini and Andrea Gragnani and Luigi Bozzao and Cesare Fieschi }, editor = {J Neurol. }, url = {https://apc.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/1997.pdf}, year = {1997}, date = {1997-01-01}, journal = {Journal of neurology}, volume = {244}, number = {4}, pages = {246-251}, abstract = {The potential role of mag- netic resonance imaging (MRI) in differentiating between specific causes of cognitive decline in pa- tients with vascular dementia (VD) has not yet been fully established. We therefore decided to assess the supratentorial cerebral contents in 24 patients with a diagnosis of prob- able VD and in 24 normal subjects, matched for age and education level, using MRI volumetric parameters obtained by means of a quantitative method. The volumes of subarach- noid and ventricular spaces, cerebral tissue, and hyperintense areas on T2- weighted images were calculated. In order to reduce interindividual vari- ability caused by differences in in- tracranial size, each absolute mea- surement was normalized to the rela- tive size of the intracranial volume. In addition, we calculated the ratio between the areas of the corpus cal- losum (CC) and supratentorial brain at the same level on the Tl-weighted image midsagittal plane. The MRI data were correlated with the deterio- ration of cognitive functions. Patients with VD showed significantly lower cerebral tissue volume and CC area, and higher ventricular space volume than normal subjects. Furthermore, the total volume of the T2 signal al- terations was higher in VD patients than in normal subjects. In VD pa- tients, this volume was found to be proportional to the increase in the volume of the ventricular space. On the other hand, no correlation was found between the volume of the T2 signal alterations and the area of the CC. The degree of global cognitive dysfunction and the score of each neuropsychological test did not show any correlation with the MRI data. Our results suggest that ventricular enlargement in VD patients is corre- lated with the increase in volume of the T2 signal abnormalities, but that the degree of global cognitive dys- function is not influenced by the vol- ume of these T2 signal abnormali- ties. Furthermore, the CC atrophy does not influence the score of any neuropsychological test or the degree of global cognitive dysfunction.}, keywords = {Magnetic resonance imaging, Neuropsychological assessment, Vascular dementia}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @article{Francesca2016, title = {“Don’t Play God!”: Is inaction preference linked to obsessive compulsive characteristics?}, author = {D'Olimpio Francesca and Mancini Francesco}, editor = {Giovanni Fioriti Editore s.r.l.}, volume = {13}, number = {6}, keywords = {deontological guilt; altruistic guilt; shame; moral dilemma; obsessive-compulsive characteristics}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } @bachelorthesis{nokey, title = {TREATING GUILT-INDUCING SELF-TALK IN OCD WITH DRAMATIZED SOCRATIC DIALOGUE: A STEP BY STEP INTERVENTION}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {bachelorthesis} }