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The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of psychological flexibility in mediating the beneficial effects of resilience on distress and quality of life (QoL) in people with MS (PwMS). The psychological flexibility framework underpinning acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) was used to conceptualise psychological flexibility. A total of 56 PwMS completed an online survey that assessed global psychological flexibility and each of its six core sub-processes, resilience, distress, mental and physical health QoL, socio-demographics, and illness variables. Mediation analyses showed that, as hypothesised, higher levels of global psychological flexibility and its sub-processes were associated with increases in the positive impacts of resilience on distress and mental and physical health QoL via a mediational mechanism. These findings suggest that psychological flexibility skills build resilience capacities in PwMS. The psychological flexibility framework offers an ACT-based intervention pathway to build resilience and enhance mental health and QoL in PwMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) is a valuable tool for the treatment and prevention of psychiatric disorders and dysfunctional behaviors. Although VR software is mainly developed following a disorder-specific approach, this randomized controlled trial (RCT) will test the efficacy of a new transdiagnostic VR application (H.O.M.E. VR-based psychological intervention) in improving dysfunctional behaviors, three transdiagnostic factors concurrently (emotion regulation, experiential avoidance, and psychological flexibility), and stress. Three groups screened as at-risk for nicotine dependence, alcohol abuse, and eating disorders will be assigned to the H.O.M.E. VR intervention and compared to a waiting-list (WL) condition. Participants will be assessed before and after the H.O.M.E. intervention/WL and at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups in the levels of the displayed dysfunctional behavior, the three transdiagnostic factors, and stress. Changes in dysfunctional behaviors, transdiagnostic factors, and stress in each population VR group and differences in such improvements between each population of the VR and WL groups will be evaluated using mixed-model repeated measure analyses of variance. It is expected that, after the H.O.M.E. intervention and at follow-ups, participants will display improvements in physical and psychological health compared to controls. The H.O.M.E. protocol is expected to result in a cost-effective option to tackle cognitive–behavioral factors shared among several psychopathologies and dysfunctional behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: This multi-center study aimed to identify a risk profile for disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) based on their dietary intake, lipid profile, body mass index (BMI-SDS), and glycometabolic control. (2) Methods: Adolescents aged 11 to 18 years from five centers across Italy were recruited. Lipid profile, HbA1c, BMI-SDS, and dietary intake data were collected. The risk for developing DEBs was assessed via the Diabetes Eating Problems Survey-R (DEPS-R) questionnaire. A latent class analysis (LCA) was performed using a person-centered approach. (3) Results: Overall, 148 participants aged 11–18 (12.1, ±3.34), 52% males with a mean diabetes duration of 7.2 (±3.4), were enrolled. Based on the results of the DEBS-R score, LCA allowed us to highlight two different classes of patients which were defined as "at-risk" and "not at-risk" for DEB. The risk profile for developing DEBs is characterized by higher BMI—SDS (23.9 vs. 18.6), higher HbA1c (7.9 vs. 7.1%), higher LDL cholesterol (99.9 vs. 88.8 mg/dL), lower HDL cholesterol (57.9 vs. 61.3 mg/dL), higher proteins (18.2 vs. 16.1%), and lower carbohydrates (43.9 vs. 45.3%). Adolescents included in the "at-risk" class were significantly older (p = 0.000), and their parents' SES was significantly lower (p = 0.041). (4) Conclusions: This study allowed us to characterize a risk profile for DEBs based on dietary behavior and clinical parameters. Early identification of the risk for DEBs allows timely intervention and prevention of behavior disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental illness or disability has wide ranging impacts on offspring. Due to the lack of an Italian contextually sensitive measure of youth caregiving, this study explored the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Italian version of the Young Carer of Parents Inventory-Revised (YCOPI-R). Seven hundred and seventy-four youth aged 11–24 (386 young carers and 388 young non-carers) completed a questionnaire regarding youth caregiving, parental illness, caregiving context variables, and youth adjustment. The Italian YCOPI-R demonstrated good psychometric properties. Part A factor structure was replicated while two new factors emerged for Part B: Caregiving Stigma and Caregiving Resentment. Discriminant and convergent validity were evinced by differentiation between young carers and non-carers and associations between YCOPI-R factors and measures of caregiving activities and caregiving context. Predictive validity was supported as most Italian YCOPI-R factors were related to poorer youth adjustment, while Caregiving Confidence and Worry about Parents predicted higher levels of health-related quality of life. The Italian YCOPI-R is a psychometrically sound measure of caregiving experiences in Italian youth. Findings confirm the multidimensional nature of youth caregiving, the mix of costs and rewards associated with it, and the link between youth caregiving and diverse adjustment outcomes. Given the global rise in the number of youth caring for an ill or disabled family member and the association between youth caregiving and greater risks for mental and physical health problems, elevated youth caregiving is a significant public health issue. The Italian version of the YCOPI-R is a valid and reliable measure of youth caregiving experiences in the Italian context. The Italian YCOPI-R offers a promising tool for better identifying young carers who are at risk for adverse psychosocial outcomes and in evaluating young carer support services and preventive interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study refined the conceptualisation of youth caregiving by testing the tripartite model of youth caregiving proposed by Pakenham and Cox, comprising caregiving responsibilities, experiences, and tasks. We also investigated convergent validity of the model by examining the unique and joint contributions of the three youth caregiving components to youth adjustment outcomes. A total of 681 Italian youth, 325 young carers and 356 non-carers, aged 11 to 24 years participated in a cross-sectional study. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing demographics, youth caregiving, and psychosocial adjustment. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that compared to a one-factor model, the three-factor youth caregiving model provided a better fit to the data in the young carer and non-carer subgroups. The three youth caregiving components predicted variations in youth adjustment. Caregiving experiences were the strongest predictor of poorer youth adjustment while caregiving tasks predicted improvement in two youth adjustment outcomes in diverse youth caregiving contexts. Findings support the validity of a three-factor model of youth caregiving, indicating that caregiving responsibilities, experiences, and tasks represent empirically distinct but related youth caregiving components. Interventions should mitigate the adverse and cultivate the positive effects of youth caregiving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]