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Dysfunctions in emotion regulation appear to be a central feature of Gambling Disorder (GD). Theoretical literature asserted that dissociation is a core process of Gambling Disorder used to defensively regulate emotional arousal induced by traumatic experiences memories. However, few is known on the relationship between emotion regulation capacities and dissociation among individuals with GD. We administered to a sample of individual with GD (n = 80) and a sample of community participants (n = 70) the Problem Gambling Index Scale (PGSI), the Dissociative Experience Scale 2nd version (DES-II) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). Individuals with GD scored higher, compared to community participants, on the Suppression subscale of the ERQ and on both the Amnesia and Absorption subscales of the DES-II. Also, they showed lower levels of Cognitive Reappraisal compared to the comparison group. Correlations analyses indicated that only two subscales of the DES-II correlated positively with the scores obtained on the PGSI. The inverse pattern of results was found for Cognitive Reappraisal dimension. Finally, we found that Dissociation predicted significantly GD severity along with Emotion regulation strategies. Theoretical assumptions on the role of both dissociation and emotion regulation in GD are supported and argued for treating these aspects in GD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The attachment theory is a useful framework for interpreting the phenomenon of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Although several studies have examined the relationship between attachment and IPV perpetration, a meta-analysis of these results has yet to be conducted. Method: After a search on five databases (PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed) and a screening of 3,852 records recruited, 52 studies comprising 13,653 individuals met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. Results: Results showed a significant effect size for both the anxiety and avoidance dimensions of attachment. However, while the effect sizes for anxiety were consistent (r =.19–.35) for all types of violence considered, the effect size for avoidance was not significant for generic violence (r =.07), low for physical (r =.12) and psychological violence (r =.14), and medium for sexual violence (r =.20). Only a few of the examined moderators were significant. Conclusions: The findings highlight some differences in the roles of the two attachment dimensions in IPV. The results underscore the need for additional research to explore the role of other potential moderating and mediating variables in the relationship between attachment and IPV perpetration in order to better support the development of prevention and treatment interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychopathological conditions related to the umbrella-term "depression" are various and often associated with significant impairments of the individual's quality of life. These also cause important costs from the individual, social and economic points of view. Fortunately, professionals operating in the field of mental health have been early involved in the development of interventions, psychological and not, that aim to treat these conditions. Moreover, the efficacy of these interventions has been a target of empirical investigations conducted by the scientific community. These efforts produced an important number of information that the clinician, that want to treat individual suffering from depression, should know and consider in order to provide an optimal intervention. In the attempt to divulgate the principal conclusions that can be drawn from a deepen examination of such material, different institutions developed guidelines with the aim to increase the capacity of clinicians to take informed clinical decisions. In our contribution, we present a summary, not exhaustive, of some relevant aspects of international guidelines related to the the clinical psychologist's practices. In addition, some scientific contributions are illustrated, that reported some empirical evidence recently produced that appear particularly relevant in order to formulate useful indications for clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder are two psychopathological conditions often associated with a relevant subjective suffering for the individual as well as a significant impairment of general functioning. The need to care for who is suffering from these disorders led a number of clinicians to develop and/or perfectionate effective interventions. In parallel, the scientific community has been involved in the empirical test of the absolute and relative efficacy of most of these interventions. However, the clinician interested in the topic may often feel confused because of the vastness and the complexity of the specialized literature on this topic. This may be considered one of the motivations that underlined the attempt of some institutions to develop guidelines regarding the treatment of patients suffering from these two disorders. Despite the fact that the aim of these documents is not to dogmatically establish clinical practice standards, these are a valuable material that can help both the patient and the clinician to take informed decisions. In this current contribution, an overview of guidelines developed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and by the American Psychiatric Association are provided. Then, some empirical contributions (systematic reviews and meta-analyses), retained especially relevant, are illustrated in order to familiarize the reader with the specialized literature on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spitefulness is the inclination to inflict harm to someone else even at one's own expenses. The development of a self‐report measure (the Spitefulness Scale [SS]) has fostered the investigation of the relationships between spitefulness and aggression‐related variables. Objective: The present study aims to investigate the construct of spitefulness in violent offenders. Through a translation/back‐translation procedure, the SS was translated into Italian, and its psychometric properties were examined. Method: A sample of 249 male violent offenders and 172 male community participants filled out the SS, the Self‐Report Psychopathy Scale‐IV, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and the Dirty Dozen Scale. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis results supported the unidimensional factor structure of the SS. Further results indicated that the scale had good internal consistency and met criteria for configural invariance, partial weak invariance and partial strong invariance across samples. Correlational analyses evidenced positive and significant associations between the SS scores and measures of the dark triad and emotion dysregulation. The offender sample scored significantly higher than the community sample on the SS. Conclusion: Results support the internal structure and construct validity of the SS, suggesting its potential utility for the study of the construct of spitefulness in violent offenders. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has demonstrated that individuals suffering from Gambling Disorder (GD) are characterized by abnormal responses to pleasant stimuli and a proneness to act rashly in response to positive emotions. However, psychological impairments that may explain these results remain unexplored. This study tests the hypothesis that individuals with GD would show impairments in the capacity to appreciate positive emotions. The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), the Impulsive Behavior Scale Short Form (UPPS-P) and the Ways of Savoring Checklist (WOSC) were administered to clinical sample (n = 87) and to controls (n = 99). Scores of the clinical sample significantly differed from scores obtained by controls on some subscales of the WOSC (Comparing and Killjoy Thinking) and the UPPS-P. The proneness to act rashly in response to positive emotions and the capacity to appreciate positive emotional states emerged as predictors of GD's severity. Findings support previous data showing a role played by the emotional facets of impulsivity in GD and suggest that individuals suffering from GD may experience dysfunctions in the capacity to appreciate positive emotions. This study suggests that individuals suffering from GD may fail to normally appreciate positive emotional states because of abnormalities in the savoring capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a debilitating condition that tends to be chronic. To date, a multiplicity of interventions aiming to treat this disorder exists. The vastness of literature and the difficulty for the clinician to orientate within this context drove several institutions to develop guidelines related to the treatment of OCD. Despite the aim of these guidelines is not to establish clinical standard for professional practice, these provide precious material that aim to take informed decisions. In this contribution, we offer a summary of the guidelines developed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and by the American Psychiatric Association as well as a brief overview of their development process. Then, a selection of some relevant contributions is summed up - systematic reviews and meta-analyses-that sometimes supported the process of formulation of recommendations contained in the illustrated guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of researches showed high prevalence of personality disorders among addicted gamblers. However, there are still few studies investigating the role of pathological personality facets in Gambling Disorder (GD). Moreover, the nature of the relationship between GD and pathological personality is not clear. We administered to a group of addicted gamblers (N = 79) and a group of healthy participants (N = 101) a battery of self‐report questionnaires encompassing the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), The Personality Inventory for DSM‐V (PID‐5), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). Analyses of variance showed that addicted gamblers, compared to healthy participants, scored higher on most of the subscales of the DERS, on the Suppression Dimension of the ERQ and on the five main domains of the PID‐5 whereas they obtained lower scores on the Reappraisal subscale of the ERQ. Moreover, multiple regression analyses indicated that some specific facets of pathological personality, emotion dysregulation and lack of cognitive reappraisal, significantly predict GD's severity. Finally, emotion dysregulation levels and lack of cognitive reappraisal partially mediated the relationship between these and GD's severity. Our results confirmed the central roles played by both pathological personality and deficit in emotion regulation capacities in GD. Specifically, Impulsivity, Lack of Perseverance and Suspiciousness may be important predictors of GD severity. Moreover, emotion dysregulation and lack of adaptive emotion regulation strategies partially explained such relationship. As such, training for emotion regulation abilities appears strategically useful in the treatment of addicted gamblers with pathological personality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Personality dysfunctions and deficits in the capacity to cope with negative emotional states have been related to internet addictions. However, in relation to Facebook addiction, this issue remains poorly investigated. Specifically, few studies explored the role played by grandiose and vulnerable narcissism in Facebook addiction. Furthermore, the relationship between alexithymia and pathological narcissism has not yet been explored in relation to problematic Facebook use. The main objective of this study was to examine the association among Facebook addiction, pathological narcissism and alexithymia., Method: A cross sectional study was designed to this aim. A sample of adult participants (N=270; M age =41.05; SD=14.05) was administered the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS), The Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20)., Results: Results showed that pathological narcissism, and especially grandiose narcissism, appears to be an important factor associated to problematic Facebook usage among adults. Moreover, difficulties in the capacity to identify their own emotional states may be a risk factor for such condition., Conclusions: In conclusion, these results are in line with other data found in the field of behavioral addictions and add further reflection for planning more specific clinical intervention programs for individuals addicted to Facebook with narcissistic traits. These may benefit from a greater focus on the impairments in self-monitoring capacities such as emotional awareness. Personality psychopathologies should be targeted by clinical interventions, but also broader functional impairments (as such as alexithymia) should be addressed as more strategic therapeutic objectives in the field of Facebook Addiction.