Search

(1) Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic was a source of stress for families, this study aimed to investigate the influence of dispositional factors, such as personality traits and sociodemographic variables, on parental burnout among Italian parents during two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the study assessed personality traits and sociodemographic variables as protective or risk factors for parental burnout levels. (2) Methods: The study consisted of two cross-sectional samples collected during the second and fourth waves of the Italian pandemic. The participants included 600 Italian parents: 245 from the second wave (average age = 37.12, SD = 2.78) and 355 from the fourth wave (average age = 36.89, SD = 3.14). The measures used were the Balance between Risks and Resources, the Personality Inventory, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. (3) Results: The t -test showed that parents in the fourth wave had lower parental burnout levels. Moreover, stepwise multiple linear regression revealed that sociodemographic variables did not have an effect, while significant effects of personality traits were found. Specifically, neuroticism was identified as a risk factor for parental burnout, while agreeableness and openness were identified as protective factors. (4) Conclusions: The findings indicated that similar stress levels were reported between the two waves of parents and that personality traits play a crucial role in facilitating or limiting the management of parental competencies during a risk condition.

In recent years, the increasing number of long-duration space missions has prompted the scientific community to undertake a more comprehensive examination of the impact of microgravity on the human body during spaceflight. This review aims to assess the current knowledge regarding the consequences of exposure to an extreme environment, like microgravity, on the human body, focusing on the role of heat-shock proteins (HSPs). Previous studies have demonstrated that long-term exposure to microgravity during spaceflight can cause various changes in the human body, such as muscle atrophy, changes in muscle fiber composition, cardiovascular function, bone density, and even immune system functions. It has been postulated that heat-shock proteins (HSPs) may play a role in mitigating the harmful effects of microgravity-induced stress. According to past studies, heat-shock proteins (HSPs) are upregulated under simulated microgravity conditions. This upregulation assists in the maintenance of the proper folding and function of other proteins during stressful conditions, thereby safeguarding the physiological systems of organisms from the detrimental effects of microgravity. HSPs could also be used as biomarkers to assess the level of cellular stress in tissues and cells exposed to microgravity. Therefore, modulation of HSPs by drugs and genetic or environmental techniques could prove to be a potential therapeutic strategy to reduce the negative physiological consequences of long-duration spaceflight in astronauts.

Minipuberty is the second phase of physiological activation of the reproductive axis, playing a role in the postnatal development of sexual organs. The course of female minipuberty was found to be affected by low maternal vitamin D status and hypothyroidism during pregnancy. The aim of the current study was to assess the hormonal profile and the size of sexual organs in daughters of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus. The study included three matched groups of infant girls: daughters of healthy women without metabolic disorders during pregnancy (group 1), daughters of women with poorly controlled gestational diabetes mellitus (group 2), and daughters of women with gestational diabetes mellitus adequately controlled during pregnancy (group 3). Urinary levels of gonadotropins, salivary levels of estradiol, testosterone, DHEA-S and progesterone, ovarian volume, uterine length and breast diameter were measured from postnatal month 1 to postnatal month 18. Concentrations of FSH, LH and estradiol were higher, while concentration of progesterone was lower in group 2 than in the remaining groups. There were no between-group differences in concentrations of testosterone and DHEA-S. Levels of LH, FSH, estradiol and progesterone correlated with maternal whole-blood levels of glycated hemoglobin. Group 2 was also characterized by the longest detection periods for LH and estradiol. Ovarian volume, uterine length and breast diameter were greater in group 1 than in the remaining two groups. Over the entire observation period, there were no differences in hormone levels and sizes of the sexual organs between groups 1 and 3. The obtained results suggest that poorly controlled, but not well controlled, gestational diabetes mellitus affects the course of female minipuberty.

Objectives: Currently available research data points to COVID-19-related multi-organ system damage. This study aims to evaluate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the reproductive health, that is, plasma levels of FSH, LH, estradiol, AMH, and antral follicular count, of women undergoing level II ART techniques., Methods: This is a multicenter, prospective, and observational study by the reproductive medicine centers of Palermo's Ospedali Riuniti Villa Sofia-Cervello Hospital and Vanvitelli University. From September 2022 to March 2024, 203 patients aged 24-43 were enrolled, all with diagnosed infertility and a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Symptomatic women, patients testing positive for HIV or other liver viruses, and patients with a history of ovarian cancer or who had taken gonadotoxic drugs were excluded. Plasma measurements of FSH, LH, estradiol, AMH, and antral follicular count were performed before and after infection., Results: The analysis accounting for the concentration of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) before and after COVID-19 infection shows an average concentration decrease from 1.33 ng/mL before SARS-CoV-2 infection to 0.97 ng/mL after infection. Average decrease after infection was -27.4%; average reduction of 1 follicle (95% CI: from -0.74 to -1.33) was reported following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Levels of E2 before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection did not vary significantly. Average FSH and LH levels before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection pointed to an increase., Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 infection damages female reproductive health, causing significant reductions in AMH (-27.4%) and AFC (-1 antral follicle) values and an increase in FSH (+13.6%) and LH (+13.4%) values. No effect on E2 levels was reported. The pandemic has also affected the ability of infertile patients to access ART procedures, and that calls for a novel, updated blueprint designed to enhance our preparedness in the event that similar circumstances should occur again.

Background: The longitudinal study examines the effectiveness of a psychological support treatment for high-risk pregnancies using a between-groups design. It assesses the treatment's impact on depression and fear of COVID-19 at three time points, and on prenatal attachment between the 20th and 24th weeks of gestation (T0), postnatal attachment 15-20 days after birth (T1), and three months after birth (T2). Additionally, the study evaluates the treatment's effectiveness on PTSD related to childbirth and parental distress at T1 and T2., Methods: The study involved 117 parents experiencing high-risk pregnancies from a Sicilian hospital: 84 mothers (40 in the experimental group, 44 in the control group) and 33 fathers (19 in the experimental group, 14 in the control group)., Results: ANOVA results showed that the psychological treatment was effective for maternal variables such as postnatal attachment and parental distress, and for paternal variables such as depression, prenatal attachment, PTSD symptoms, and parental distress (ANOVA, p < 0.05)., Conclusions: The study highlights the growing evidence for providing continuous psychological support to couples with high-risk pregnancies, emphasizing that this support should extend beyond childbirth to assist families through this transition.

A physiological mechanism of programmed cell death called eryptosis occurs in aged or damaged red blood cells (RBCs). Dysregulated eryptosis contributes to abnormal microcirculation and prothrombotic risk. Cigarette smoke extract (CSE) induces a p38 MAPK-initiated, Fas-mediated eryptosis, activating the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC). Indicaxanthin (Ind) from cactus pear fruits, is a bioavailable dietary phytochemical in humans and it is able to incorporate into RBCs enhancing their defense against numerous stimuli. This in vitro work shows that Ind, at concentrations that mimic plasma concentrations after a fruit meal, protects erythrocytes from CSE-induced eryptosis. CSE from commercial cigarettes was prepared in aqueous solution using an impinger air sampler and nicotine content was determined. RBCs were treated with CSE for 3 h in the absence or presence of increasing concentrations of Ind (from 1 to 5 μM). Cytofluorimetric measurements indicated that Ind reduced CSE-induced phosphatidylserine externalization and ceramide formation in a concentration-dependent manner. Confocal microscopy visualization and coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that Ind prevented both CSE-triggered Fas aggregation and FasL/FADD/caspase 8 recruitment in the membrane, indicating inhibition of DISC assembly. Ind inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, caspase-8/caspase-3 cleavage, and caspase-3 activity induced by CSE. Finally, Ind reduced CSE-induced ATP depletion and restored aminophospholipid translocase activity impaired by CSE treatment. In conclusion, Ind concentrations comparable to nutritionally relevant plasma concentrations, can prevent Fas-mediated RBC death signaling induced by CSE, which suggests that dietary intake of cactus pear fruits may limit the deleterious effects of cigarette smoking., (© 2024 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.)

Background/Objectives : The study presented in this paper seeks to examine how personality traits and depressive symptoms, influenced by the fear of COVID-19, interact in infertile couples, who are on the verge of commencing treatments with assisted reproductive technology (ART). The purpose of this observational study was to explore the relationship between personality traits in infertile couples and the occurrence of depressive symptoms, taking into account the mediating effect of COVID-19 fear. Methods : The study sample consisted of 108 women and 71 men (N = 179), all of whom had received an infertility diagnosis and expressed a desire to begin ART treatment at a Sicilian ART center; they were subsequently recruited. The Personality Inventory (PI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Fear of COVID (FCV-19S) were used for data collection. Results : The FCV-19S demonstrates a significant positive correlation with both neuroticism (r = 0.25, p = 0.001) and agreeableness (r = 0.19, p = 0.012). In addition, there is a significant correlation between FCV-19S (r = 0.67, p < 0.001) and depression symptoms. The mediation analysis reveals that neuroticism is a predictor of fear of COVID-19 (β = 1.77, p = 0.001) and depression (β = 0.22, p = 0.002). Additionally, the fear of COVID-19 significantly influences (β = 0.12, p < 0.001) depression. Conclusions : This study found that neuroticism and agreeableness are positively linked to the fear of COVID-19, and women displayed notable mild mood disorders. Neuroticism predicted both depression and fear of COVID-19, while fear of COVID-19 predicted depressive symptoms. However, the total efficacy of the mediation model was not significant, thereby suggesting that the variables do not fully explain this model., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Purpose: This article illustrates the replication of asthma and COPD conditions in a laboratory setting and the potential applications of this methodology., Introduction: Biologic drugs have been shown to enhance the treatment of severe asthma and COPD. Monoclonal antibodies against specific targets have dramatically changed the management of these conditions. Although the inflammatory pathways of asthma and COPD have already been clearly outlined, alternative mechanisms of action remain mostly unexplored. They could provide additional insights into these diseases and their clinical management., Aims: In vivo or in vitro models have thus been developed to test alternative hypotheses. This study describes sophisticated ex vivo models that mimic the response of human respiratory mucosa to disease triggers, aiming to narrow the gap between laboratory studies and clinical practice., Results: These models successfully replicate crucial aspects of these diseases, such as inflammatory cell presence, cytokine production, and changes in tissue structure, offering a dynamic platform for investigating disease processes and evaluating potential treatments, such as monoclonal antibodies. The proposed models have the potential to enhance personalized medicine approaches and patient-specific treatments, helping to advance the understanding and management of respiratory diseases.

Background. The limitations imposed by governments for containing the spread of COVID-19 have affected familial relationships, especially those of families dealing with children with special needs or chronic illness conditions. The current study aims to better understand what pathological/disability condition has impacted parental resources, sense of competence, and perception of children’s executive functioning the most. Methods. A sample of 648 parents was asked to answer a survey assessing children’s condition (typical development, specific learning disorder, autism spectrum syndrome, chronic illness), parental resources, parenting sense of competence (distinguished into parental satisfaction and self-efficacy), and parents’ perception of their children’s executive functioning. A MANOVA model was performed to assess differences in parental resources, sense of competence, and perception of the children’s executive functions according to their condition. A path analysis model was performed to examine the impact of sense of competence and children’s condition on parental resources and children’s executive functions. Results. Parents with children with specific learning disorder reported lower scores of parental resources in terms of total scores, common antecedents, and specific antecedents compared to parents with typically developed children (total scores: MD = 56.45, p < 0.001; common antecedents: MD = 22.28, p < 0.00; specific antecedents: MD = 34.17, p < 0.001), parents with autistic children (total scores: MD = 62.79, p = 0.01; common antecedents: MD = 24.03, p = 0.01; specific antecedents: MD = 38.76, p = 0.02) and parents of children with chronic illness (total scores: MD = 37.42, p = 0.04; common antecedents: MD = 16.59, p = 0.01). The path analysis model shows a direct effect of parental satisfaction (β = 0.26) and pathology/disability (β = −0.10) on parental resources that, in turn, influence parents’ perception of their children’s executive functioning (β = 0.24). Conclusion. Although no data about the prepandemic situation is available, the current study highlights that parental stress influence children’s cognition. Moreover, parents of children with special needs seemed to be challenged during COVID-19, especially parents of children with specific learning disorders, that are already stressed out by their children’s condition. Therefore, academic services should undertake preventive measures to preserve parental well-being and to provide a supportive environment for children, especially for those with atypical development.

An assessment of the genetic diversity and structure of a population is essential for designing recovery plans for threatened species. Italy hosts two brown bear populations, Ursus arctos marsicanus ( Uam ), endemic to the Apennines of central Italy, and Ursus arctos arctos ( Uaa ), in the Italian Alps. Both populations are endangered and occasionally involved in human-wildlife conflict; thus, detailed management plans have been in place for several decades, including genetic monitoring. Here, we propose a simple cost-effective microsatellite-based protocol for the management of populations with low genetic variation. We sampled 22 Uam and 22 Uaa individuals and analyzed a total of 32 microsatellite loci in order to evaluate their applicability in individual identification. Based on genetic variability estimates, we compared data from four different STR marker sets, to evaluate the optimal settings in long-term monitoring projects. Allelic richness and gene diversity were the highest for the Uaa population, whereas depleted genetic variability was noted for the Uam population, which should be regarded as a conservation priority. Our results identified the most effective STR sets for the estimation of genetic diversity and individual discrimination in Uam (9 loci, PIC 0.45; PID 2.0 × 10 -5 ), and Uaa (12 loci, PIC 0.64; PID 6.9 × 10 -11 ) populations, which can easily be utilized by smaller laboratories to support local governments in regular population monitoring. The method we proposed to select the most variable markers could be adopted for the genetic characterization of other small and isolated populations.

This study aimed to investigate the maternal sense of competence and maternal burnout in Italian mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample was composed of 278 mothers of children/adolescents aged 4 to 17 years old. Participants were recruited after the end of the first spring total Italian lockdown (June-October 2020) through online advertisements on websites and social media. We hypothesized a model in which a specific personality trait, such as neuroticism, affected maternal competence by the mediating role of maternal burnout. Results showed that neuroticism was directly and negatively predictive of perception of maternal competence, and it was negatively associated with maternal burnout, specifically specific antecedents that were strictly related to parental burnout. ANOVA results highlighted that the maternal level of education affected maternal competence in terms of satisfaction. In contrast, the working regimen during the first lockdown for COVID-19 affected maternal competence in terms of efficacy. Maternal burnout was affected by atypical child development in terms of both common (job burnout, stress management abilities) and specific (parental burnout) antecedents. COVID-19 strongly increased the risk of maternal burnout, resulting in mothers having a poor perception of their own competency. This is particularly the case in the presence of a neurotic personality.

The development of an in vitro 3D model for the growth of the nasal mucosa cells can improve the therapy and the study of pathological states for subjects with chronic airway conditions. We have previously characterized a system consisting of a scaffold with an internal channel and a perfusion bioreactor with two independent flows provided by an external and an internal circuit, respectively. In this paper, this system was designed as a model of the nasal cavity, in which cells, grown on the inner surface of the scaffold channel, would be in contact at the same time with both culture medium, supplied by the external circuit, and air, provided with the internal flow. To ensure adequate nutrient supply to the cells in the scaffold channel, the radial diffusion of the culture medium through the porous matrix was evaluated first in qualitative and, then, in quantitative terms, demonstrating the capability of the system to control the value and direction of this flux. As a preliminary study, the culture of epithelial cells in the scaffold channel is also discussed in static, maintaining the air-liquid interface condition for up to 3 weeks. Despite minor abnormalities, such as a gap between cell layers and some detachments from the scaffold, the scaffold ensured cell survival and growth during the experimental time., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction: One of the most important complications of OSAHS in children is growth delay. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in clinical body growth, and laboratory growth in children with OSAHS after adeno-tonsillar surgery., Materials and Methods: In our study, among 102 children suffering from sleep-disordered breathing, 70 met the inclusion criteria because they were affected by OSAHS and adenotonsillar hypertrophy. In total, 96 children affected by adeno-tonsillar hypertrophy (55 males and 41 females) underwent nocturnal cardiorespiratory monitoring with Embletta MPR, monitoring for post-operative 24 hours. Patients underwent blood sampling to evaluate preoperative GH and IGF-1 serum levels, "placement" in Cacciari's growth charts and adenotonsillectomy and saturation monitoring for post-operative 24 hours. According to auxological parameters, 82.86% of the patients were below the fiftieth percentile of BMI Cacciari's growth charts and IGF-1 preoperative serum levels were below the normal range. All patients underwent adenotonsillectomy., Results: All 70 patients recovered from OSAHS according to the results of nocturnal cardiorespiratory monitoring after six months. IGF-1 serum levels significantly increased after three months and one year after. All the auxological parameters showed a significant increase after surgery. We calculated the average annual growth in height of the patients before and after adenotonsillectomy (AT): the growth rate was impaired by OSAHS (5.4±1.3 cm/year), while in the following year post-surgery we found a significant growth speed acceleration (9.9±1.7 cm/year, P=0.001)., Conclusions: In conclusion, growth delay in children can be caused by OSAHS, and when it is due to adenotonsillar hypertrophy, adenotonsillectomy is to be considered as the therapy of choice.

Introduction: The paths of medically assisted reproduction represent the most important scientific progress to cope with the inability to achieve spontaneous conception (SC) and to reach desired parenthood. Couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) and couples not facing ovulation induction and artificial fertilization show sufficient levels of well-being and psychological adjustment. However, in some cases couples undergoing ART show lower perceived quality of life than couples with SC.Our aim is to investigate the main psychological variables involved in the special risk condition of medically assisted reproduction and how they could direct specific guidelines to enhance mental wellbeing in dealing with infertility., Material and Methods: In this regard, we performed a systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines. From all the studies included, the considered outcome measures were psychological, social, and relational variables and are presented in a systematic approach., Results: A total of 14 studies were included in this article, according to our strict inclusion criteria., Conclusions: Conflicting results have been proven by this systematic review. Even though all underlined the importance of taking charge of the psychological variables in infertility, few studies monitored and evaluated the effectiveness of these interventions. Moreover, none of the selected studies monitored the evolutionary implications of parental competence on the development of children born from ART., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Termedia.)

The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and the consequential first italian lockdown to minimize viral transmission, have resulted in many significant changes in the every-day lives of families, with an increased risk of parental burnout. This study explores the impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy on parental distress and parental perceptions of children's executive functions (EFs). Participants were 308 Italian parents with children between 4 and 17 years of age; they were recruited through online advertisements on websites and social media, and they were given an online survey. The measures were: the balance between risks and resources (BR2) and the executive functioning self-report (EF). Findings of the study suggest that the most distressed parents perceived their children as less competent in EF, highlighting a cognitive fragility on attention, memory, and self-regulation (Pearson correlation coefficient, p < 0.05); significant differences were found between parents of children exhibiting typical and atypical patterns of development (ANOVA, p < 0.05). The study reinforces the need to provide families with psychological aid to support parental competence in restrictive lockdown conditions.

The study was conducted with 104 mothers (average age 32.5 years, SD 6.1) of preterm infants (very and moderately preterm but still healthy) to monitor the perceived maternal role competence from the time of hospitalisation to post-discharge, in order to define an intervention program to support mothers during this transition. A targeted Q-Sort tool (Maternal Competence Q-Sort in preterm birth) was applied at two different times as a self-observation tool for parenting competence in neonatology. A tendency towards dysregulation of the maternal role competence was detected, mainly in terms of low self-assessment and was found to worsen during post-discharge, particularly with regard to caregiving ability. This study suggests the importance of accompanying parenting competence in preterm birth conditions, not only during hospitalisation in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) but also following discharge in order to promote the development of premature infants. This paper reports in the last part a specific integrated psychoeducational intervention program (psychologist and nurses), which we defined precisely in light of the suggestions offered by the study data on perceived maternal competence created with the Q-sort.

A few reports suggest that molecular mimicry can have a role in determining the more severe and deadly forms of COVID-19, inducing endothelial damage, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and multiorgan failure. Heat shock proteins/molecular chaperones can be involved in these molecular mimicry phenomena. However, tumor cells can display on their surface heat shock proteins/molecular chaperones that are mimicked by SARS-CoV-2 molecules (including the Spike protein), similarly to what happens in other bacterial or viral infections. Since molecular mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 and tumoral proteins can elicit an immune reaction in which antibodies or cytotoxic cells produced against the virus cross-react with the tumor cells, we want to prompt clinical studies to evaluate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on prognosis and follow up of various forms of tumors. These topics, including a brief historical overview, are discussed in this paper., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

This is the second of two papers concerning our study into an integrated approach to psychotic disorders conducted at the University Psychiatry Unit of Palermo's Polyclinic over approximately 15 years; this paper concentrates on the clinical phenomena. The study aimed to find the best possible treatment and to improve the prognosis of this patient group. We have explored the efficacy of a range of psycho-therapeutic (cognitive-behavioural, systemic-relational, psychodynamic, group and others), psycho-pharmaceutical, psychiatric rehabilitative and psycho-educational treatments, with a hermeneutic approach instead of a systematic one. The study's conclusions, described in the paper, are that all psychotic functions start with a nuclear psychic issue connected to emotional development. We describe how the most significant symptoms of acute psychotic manifestations (delusions and misperceptions) make use of an encrypted psychological meaning that can be decoded through the patient's symbolic language. This language is a key element in diagnosis and in the choice of treatment. The paper describes how we revised our understanding of psychosis from being a brain disease to being a process aimed at the rearrangement of psychic functioning. Our significant results are described., (© 2021, The Society of Analytical Psychology.)

Research for the most selective drug delivery to tumors represents a fascinating key target in science. Alongside the artificial delivery systems identified in the last decades (e.g., liposomes), a family of natural extracellular vesicles (EVs) has gained increasing focus for their potential use in delivering anticancer compounds. EVs are released by all cell types to mediate cell-to-cell communication both at the paracrine and the systemic levels, suggesting a role for them as an ideal nano-delivery system. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) stands out among currently untreatable tumors, also due to the difficulties in achieving an early diagnosis. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment of MPM are both unmet clinical needs. This review looks at indirect and direct evidence that EVs may represent both a new tool for allowing an early diagnosis of MPM and a potential new delivery system for more efficient therapeutic strategies. Since MPM is a relatively rare malignant tumor and preclinical MPM models developed to date are very few and not reliable, this review will report data obtained in other tumor types, suggesting the potential use of EVs in mesothelioma patients as well.

The present study focuses on the relation between coping strategies of children with leukemia during treatment and locus of control of their mothers. In particular, the study aims to determine whether maternal locus of control can influence sick children's coping styles, and if this relation can be used to predict maladjustments. The study analyzed a cohort of 60 pediatric leukemia patients undergoing treatment and a group formed by their mothers. The participants were recruited from two Pediatric Onco- Hematology Units in Italy. The Child Behavioral Style Scale (CBSS) was used to assess children's coping strategies, whereas the Parental Health Locus of Control Scale (PHLCS) was employed to analyze maternal locus of control. A linear regression model was applied to verify a possible interdependent relationship between children's coping styles and maternal locus of control. The differences in mean CBSS scores were analyzed by K-S test. Multivariate analysis of variance was performed to assess any potential effect of child's gender, hospital context and maternal socio-cultural status on children's coping strategies. Our results show a significant relationship between children's coping strategies and maternal locus of control. In particular, the scales mass media, fate and healthcare professionals display a predictive effect on children's monitoring coping style, given the positive correlation observed (F=3.28, P=0.008). In contrast, the same scales negatively correlate with blunting coping style (F=3.5, P=0.005). Our results reveal several interesting resources having a profound impact on the psychological functioning of children with leukemia undergoing treatment as well as their mothers. Furthermore, with regard to the central hypothesis of the study, our findings show both positive and negative correlations between specific scales of maternal locus of control and children's coping style, which could be used to predict children at risk of emotional maladjustment., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: the authors declare no conflict of interests., (©Copyright: the Author(s).)

This study has explored the valence of sibship that may empower the self-esteem of children with asthma at the interpersonal, environmental control competence, emotionality management, and body-image levels. It has been assumed that the relationship between siblings may have a moderating effect on the negative impact that asthma has on child's development. Seventy children suffering from chronic asthma have been involved: 40 children with siblings (experimental group) and 30 sibling-free children (control group). The children with asthma have exhibited higher levels of self-esteem in comparison with the sibling-free children. The results of the study, at the clinical significance level, highlight how meaningful could be the involvement of healthy siblings to support the development, and to ease the compliance of children suffering from asthma. The outcomes have confirmed the supportive valence of sibship for the self-esteem of the children with asthma.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a very distressing experience for children and requires a special effort of adjustment. Therefore, it seems to be crucial to explore coping resources for the experienced risk condition. In this sense, the study focuses on coping strategies and locus of control in children with ALL during the treatment phase, and on their possible relation. The correlation between children and maternal coping strategies is also investigated. The participants involved were an experimental group of 40 children with ALL and their mothers, and 30 healthy children as the control group. The tools used were: the Child Behavioral Style Scale and the Monitor-Blunter Style Scale to assess the coping strategies of children and mothers; the locus of Control Scale for Children to analyze the children's perception of controlling the events. Both children with ALL and their mothers resorted to monitoring coping strategies with a statistically significant rate of occurrence (children: M=17.8, SD=3.8; mothers: M=10.48, SD=3.4). The data concerning the locus of control show this tendency towards internal causes (M=53.1, SD=4.7). There were statistically significant correlations between monitoring coping strategies and external locus of control (r=0.400, P<0.05). The results gained from the control group are almost equivalent. The outcomes show several interesting resources of the psychological functioning of children as well as of their mothers.