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Ruch and colleagues (Ruch, Willibald, Gabriele Köhler & Christoph Van Thriel. 1996. Assessing the “humorous temperament”: Construction of the facet and standard trait forms of the state-trait-cheerfulness-inventory — STCI. Humor 9(3–4). 303–340) postulated high cheerfulness, low seriousness, and low bad mood contribute to exhilaration and enjoyment of humor. Although robust findings have corroborated that cheerfulness is associated with well-being and greatly enhances one’s social desirability, no studies have investigated the effects of social desirability on the assessment of cheerfulness. For this study, 997 undergraduate students completed the State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory (STCI) and validity measures. Exploratory factor analyses that controlled for social desirability suggest several items on the STCI cheerfulness subscale loaded on social desirability, whereas seriousness subscale items showed few positive loadings on social desirability and bad mood subscale items loaded negatively on social desirability. Despite associations with social desirability, items overall showed strong loadings onto their respective factors. Factor loadings free of social desirability ranged from 0.39 to 0.84 in cheerfulness, 0.49 to 0.76 in seriousness, and 0.50 to 0.81 in bad mood. Cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood subscale scores demonstrated partial correlations in the expected directions with well-being when controlling for social desirability, albeit smaller in size but not significantly different. The STCI scores demonstrated strong psychometric properties with good reliability, structural validity, and criterion validity when controlling for social desirability.

Purpose This study aims to understand the association between positive personal resources (i.e., optimism, hope, courage, trait mindfulness, and self-efficacy), resilience, and psychological distress (i.e., anxiety, depression, stress) in women with breast cancer and breast cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that personal positive resources can directly influence resilience, which in turn prevented psychological distress. Methods The research sample consisted of 409 Italian women (49% patients, 51% survivors) who were administered a questionnaire to assess positive resources, resiliency, and distress. structural equation model (SEM) analysis was carried out to confirm the hypothetical-theoretical model. Results Personal positive resources had a direct positive effect on resilience, which prevented from distress. These results were observed across cancer patients and survivors, and regardless the level of direct exposure to COVID-19. Conclusions In both patients and survivors, the relationships between positive personal resources, resilience, and psychological distress is strong enough to be not influenced by the level of exposure to COVID-19 and despite COVID-19 pandemic caused the disruption of active treatment plans and delays in routine check-ups. Implications for cancer survivors Implications of this study suggest the urgency to screen positive resources and to identify women with lower resilience and a potentially higher susceptibility to develop psychological distress. For these women, our findings suggest the implementation of psychological interventions that build resilience.

The temperamental basis of the sense of humor involves high cheerfulness, low seriousness, and low bad mood that would contribute to exhilaration and enjoyment of humor. In a sample of undergraduate participants (N = 946), the present study investigated whether (1) use of humor under stress (HUS) mediates the association between cheerfulness and depression and (2) seriousness moderates the cheerfulness and HUS association. HUS had an indirect effect on the negative association between cheerfulness and depression. Moreover, seriousness moderated the cheerfulness and HUS correlation. For individuals with high cheerfulness, HUS scores were comparable across seriousness scores (Mean ± 1 SD). For those with low cheerfulness, individuals with low seriousness reported greater use of HUS. Hence, low seriousness may only predict greater use of humor during stressful situations in individuals with low cheerfulness. This study informs the theoretical conceptualization of temperamental traits in predicting humor-related variables and psychological distress.

The routine use of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in clinical practice improves quality of care, it helps in reducing the access to emergency services and unscheduled visits, and it can improve cancer patients’ time survival. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) is a PRO largely used in different care settings to monitor physical and psychological symptoms. Nonetheless, along with these symptoms, literature also highlighted the presence and effect of spiritual pain, financial distress, and social isolation on quality of care, treatment effectiveness, and survival. The aims of the current study were (a) to complete the Italian version of the ESAS validation process by adding the missing symptom “insomnia” and (b) to develop and validate the ESAS–Total Care (ESAS-TC) that is intended to evaluate and screen not only physical and psychological symptoms but also spiritual pain, discomfort deriving from financial problems associated with illness, and suffering related to social isolation. A sample of Italian native outpatients, who referred to the dedicated Supportive Care Unit of the Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale deiTumori (INT), Milano, were asked to fill the ESAS-TC to assess item properties, factorial structure, internal consistency, test–retest reliability (patients were asked to retake the scale after 2–6 weeks), and external validity. Concerning the latter, other self-administered scales were employed to assess perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), unmet needs (using theNeed Evaluation Questionnaire that describes informative, assistance/care, relational, needs for psycho-emotional support, material needs), and perceived social support (administering the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support that evaluates perceived support of family, friends, and significant others in the wider social field). The scales were administered to 243 patients with solid (90%) and hematologic (10%) cancers, mean age 62.6, female 76.5%. Analysis suggested that a single factor better represents the structure of the ESAS scales, their internal consistency and test–retest reliability were good, and evidence of construct and criterion validity were provided. Additionally, incremental validity of the ESAS-TC was proved showing that the added items offer a unique contribution in predicting the patient’s stress. Finally, known groups validity was confirmed testing the differences in the ESAS scores due to the Karnofsky Performance Status. The current study allowed to complete the validation of the Italian version of the ESAS and to develop a psychometrically sound scale, the ESAS-Total Care, that potentially helps in moving cancer research toward personalized total cancer care.

The present study investigates the mediating roles of psychological inflexibility and differential coping strategies on perceived stress and post-traumatic symptoms and growth in the context of COVID-19. Study one recruited 662 participants (54.8% women; Mage = 40.64 years, SD = 13.04) who completed a cross-sectional questionnaire. It was proposed that orientation to the problem, avoidance strategies, psychological inflexibility, and positive attitude were mediators for the positive association between perceived stress and PTSD symptoms. The fit indices for the path model were excellent: CFI = 0.977, TLI = 0.950, RMSEA = 0.057 [90%CI = 0.043–0.081], and SRMS = 0.042. Gender and stressful events encountered had indirect effects on the endogenous variables. In study two, 128 participants (57.8% women; Mage = 42.30, SD = 12.08) were assessed for post-traumatic growth one year later. Psychological inflexibility and orientation acted as mediators between perceived stress and PTSD symptoms. Furthermore, a novel path model was constructed in which psychological inflexibility and orientation to the problem as mediators for perceived stress and PTSD symptoms. The indices for the path model were excellent: CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.055 [90%CI = 0.001–0.144], and SRMS = 0.49. Furthermore, PTSD symptoms, psychological inflexibility, and orientation to the problem predicted post-traumatic growth. Specifically, both orientation to the problem (β = .06 [90%CI: .01;.13]) and psychological inflexibility (β = .14 [90%CI: .08;.26]) had an indirect effect on post-traumatic growth. Overall, these results significantly contribute to the literature as orientation to the problem positively predicted PTSD symptoms and post-traumatic growth one year later while psychological inflexibility predicted PTSD symptoms and less post-traumatic growth one year later. These results underline the importance of assessing both symptomology and psychological growth to determine adaptive coping strategies in specific contexts.

Abstract. The Essential Resilience Scale (ERS) measures global trait resilience and three factors of physical, emotional, and social resilience. This study developed an Italian adaptation of the ERS and recruited participants from Italy ( N = 500) to complete the measure along with criterion validity measures of broad personality traits and related psychological concepts. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) demonstrated robust evidence for a well-fitting three-factor model of the ERS, with items strongly loading onto their respective latent factors. Utilizing Samejima’s graded response model, most item discrimination values were moderate-to-high, and category threshold parameters were well-distributed throughout the latent continuum. The ERS showed correlations in the expected directions with extraversion, emotionality, optimism, mastery, resilience, behavioral activation, behavioral inhibition, stress, and well-being. Cultural invariance was supported (at the scale- and item-level) with multigroup CFA and differential item functioning (DIF) with a sample of Canadian English speakers ( N = 874). Findings evinced the internal consistency (i.e., total MacDonald’s ω), factorial validity (i.e., three-factor CFA), criterion validity (i.e., personality, temperament), and convergent validity (i.e., trait resilience and well-being) of the Italian ERS. Results suggest the Italian ERS can be applied for measuring resilience for future research studies in Italian-speaking populations.

Abstract. Video gaming behavior may offer information about the players and the widespread diffusion of this form of entertainment produces a staggering amount of data about gaming behaviors. The aim of the current study was to investigate the possibility to use the information about the way the player acts and reacts in a competitive video game to assess personality traits inside the HEXACO space. Deep learning was used to train deep neural networks that classified a sample of players ( N = 41) with different personality traits by how they play in a Massive Online Battle Arena (MOBA) video game. Results suggested that the likelihood of correctly identifying the player’s trait level was above chance for five out of the six personality dimensions, but there is a medium to high margin of error in the classification. These findings provide interesting suggestions to set the premises for future studies to test the feasibility of this alternative assessment tool.

The present study aims to validate the Italian version of the revised Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-R). The scale was administered to a large sample of Italian adults (N = 689; 54.3% females, Mage = 34.09, SD = 16.27, range = 18–84) along with measures of related psychological concepts. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated adequate fit for the three-factor structure of the scale (i.e., manageability, balance, and reflection). Internal consistency and temporal stability indices confirmed the reliability of the scale and associations with related constructs, including personality, general resistance resources, well-being, and stress, provided evidence of its validity. This study demonstrated that the Italian version of the SOC-R is a valid and reliable measure that can be utilized for clinical and research purpose.

Although humor production and creativity may be interrelated, no study has examined whether the temperamental basis of humor promotes creativity. The present study investigates whether humor temperament is associated with creativity. Study 1 (N = 620) investigates the associations between humor temperament (i.e., cheerfulness, seriousness, bad mood), self-report creativity, and judges’ ratings of verbal creativity (i.e., wit, originality, humor). Self-report findings revealed cheerfulness (r = .49, Bayes factor [BF]10 . 100) and seriousness (r = .24, BF10 . 100) were positively associated with self/everyday creativity, whereas bad mood (r = –.36, BF10 . 100) was negatively associated with self/everyday creativity. Cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood were not associated with judges’ ratings of originality, wit, and humor in verbal creativity. Study 2 (N = 439) evaluated the associations between humor temperament and judges’ ratings of how well individuals coped with daily stressors. Cheerfulness was associated with judges’ ratings of effective stress management (r = .23, BF10 . 100) and conflict management (r = .19, BF10 .100), whereas bad mood was negatively associated with effective stress management (r = –.29, BF10 .100). Study 3 (N = 234) examined the associations between humor temperament, comic styles (e.g., fun, nonsense, satire), and judges’ ratings of creativity (i.e., originality, wit, humor) in a humor production task. Whereas humor temperament traits were not associated with creativity, comic styles “humor” and “nonsense” were associated with creativity. Results inform the impact of cheerfulness on increasing cognitive flexibility in generating innovation in everyday creativity.

The State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory–Trait Version (STCI-T60) measures the temperamental basis of sense of humor involving theoretically derived personality dispositions of cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood. The reliability and validity of the newly developed STCI-T60 Italian version were assessed in a sample of Italian speakers ( N = 683). Proper fit for a three-dimensional factor structure observed in previous studies was replicated and each factor demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and test–retest reliability. The associations between the STCI subscales and major personality dimensions, optimism, resilience, stress, and general well-being were further examined and results were in the expected directions (e.g., cheerfulness and bad mood being positively and negatively associated with well-being variables, respectively). Cross-cultural invariance examination was conducted to provide more validity data for the Italian STCI. Metric invariance was found between Italian and Canadian English speakers ( N = 632), but scalar invariance was not shown.

The State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory-trait version (STCI-T60) consists of three dimensions of cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood integrated to measure the temperamental basis of the sense of humour. The present study replicated the three-dimensional factor structure of the STCI in China using 60 items consistent with other standard trait versions (e.g., English, Chilean-Spanish). Closer examination of associations between traits suggested bad mood showed curvilinear associations with both cheerfulness and seriousness, such that cheerfulness and bad mood were negatively associated for those low and average in trait bad mood but not for those with high trait bad mood. Seriousness was positively associated with bad mood at high levels of trait bad mood, but not at average or low levels of bad mood. Associations between the STCI traits and major personality dimensions, humour styles, and well-being were further examined. Cheerfulness and seriousness showed positive associations with satisfaction with life and emotional well-being (EWB) while bad mood showed a curvilinear association with EWB. Using multi-group confirmatory factor analyses, partial metric invariance was found between English and Chinese versions of the STCI-T60, but structural invariance was not observed. Implications based on the empirical literature in dialecticism and cross-cultural assessment were thoroughly discussed.

The assessment of well-being remains an important topic for many disciplines including medical, psychological, social, educational, and economic fields. The present study assesses the reliability and validity of a five-item instrument for evaluating physical, psychological, spiritual, relational, and general well-being. This measure uniquely utilizes a segmented numeric version of the visual analog scale in which a respondent selects a whole number that best reflects the intensity of the investigated characteristic. In study one, 939 clinical (i.e., diagnosed with cancer and liver disease with cirrhosis) and non-clinical (i.e., undergraduate students and their family and acquaintances) participants between the ages of 18 to 87 years (M= 47.20 years,SD= 19.62, 54% males) were recruited. Results showed items have strong discriminant ability and the spread of threshold parameters attests to the appropriateness of the response categories. Moreover, convergent and discriminant validity were found with other self-report measures (e.g., depression, anxiety, optimism, well-being) and the measure showed responsiveness to two separate interventions for clinical populations. In study two, 287 Canadian (ages ranged from 18 to 30 years;M= 20.78,SD= 3.32; 23% males) and 342 Italian undergraduate psychology students (age ranged from 18 to 29 years,M= 21.21 years,SD= 1.73, 38% males) were recruited to complete self-report questionnaires. IRT-based differential item functioning analyses provided evidence that the item properties were similar for the Italian and English versions of the scale. Additionally, the validity results obtained in study one were replicated and similar relationships between criterion variables were found when comparing the Italian- and the English-speaking samples. Overall, the current study provides evidence that the Italian and English versions of the WB-NRSs offer added value in research focused on well-being and in assessing well-being changes prompted by intervention programs.

The State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory (STCI) assesses latent traits and states of cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood to represent the temperamental basis of humor. The present study (1) tested the generalizability of the three-factor model in both state and trait versions of the STCI across European Canadian (N = 489) and first generation Chinese Canadian (N = 147) participants completing the English version of the STCI and (2) compared latent mean differences. Results indicated the confirmatory factor analyses of the three-factor model for European White participants born in Canada and Chinese participants born in China showed adequate fit for both trait and state measures. Furthermore, substantial equivalence of factor model parameters and partial scalar invariance were found for both the state and trait STCI measures. In examining latent mean differences, European White Canadian participants reported significantly higher trait cheerfulness, z = 3.30, p < .001, d = 0.84, and lower trait bad mood z = 3.25, p < .01, d = 0.80 compared to the Chinese Canadian groups. European White Canadian participants reported significantly lower state bad mood, z = 3.59, p < .001, d = 1.15, compared to the Chinese Canadian groups. Limitations and future directions based on study findings are discussed.

Background Compassionate love is defined as awareness and understanding of one’s suffering, connecting with the distress, and being emotionally and cognitively moved to alleviate suffering. The Compassionate Love Scale for Humanity (CLS-H) was developed to measure compassion towards strangers who need help and/or are vulnerable. The present study aimed to develop an abbreviated version of the CLS-H using item response theory to provide a precise and non-redundant compassion measure for use in research and practice. Methods Undergraduate students (N = 790; 65.8% females) completed the CLS-H and other measures intended to establish external validity. Items for the short version were selected based on high amounts of information and taking into account the content coverage of the construct. Results The shortened scale consisted of 9 items and performed well in measuring a large spectrum of the underlying construct with acceptable reliability. In terms of validity, the previously observed pattern of correlations was confirmed demonstrating positive associations between compassionate love and measures of self-esteem, positive affect, and life satisfaction, as well as negative associations with negative affect and anxiety. Conclusions Using IRT, we obtained a brief, precise, and valid tool for assessing compassionate love.

The present study investigated the structure and facet-to-facet systematic links (controlled for other links) across the temperamental basis of humor along with humor traits using network analysis. Undergraduate students (N = 747) completed the state-trait cheerfulness inventory and humor trait measures (e.g., comic styles, benevolent and corrective humor, humor styles, gelotophobia). The EBICglasso estimator was used to conduct partial correlations between facets in the network. Results showed cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood were largely interconnected to humor-related traits, further providing evidence for criterion validity of the temperamental basis of humor model. The nodes humorlessness in cheerful evoking situations (i.e., SE6), cheerful interactive style (CH5), verbal humor, laughter, katagelasticism, humor in everyday life, prevalence of sadness (i.e., BM2), and gelotophobia were strength central personality traits. The correlation stability-coefficients were 0.75 for strength, edge weight, and expected influence, suggesting that centrality indices were highly stable. Implications regarding the theoretical model for the temperamental basis of humor and meaningful components that emerge visually in the network (e.g., laughing at others, laughing with others, mixed styles) are discussed.

Objectives:Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III (ACE-III) is a brief cognitive screening tool to assess five cognitive domains: attention/orientation, verbal fluency, memory, language, and visuospatial abilities. This study aimed to provide normative data (for total score and subscale scores) of the Italian version of ACE-III for gender, age, and education.Methods:A total of 574 healthy Italian participants (mean age 68.70 ± 9.65; mean education 9.15 ± 4.04) were recruited from the community and included in the study. Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of age, gender, and education on the ACE-III total performance score.Results:Age and education exerted a significant effect on total and subscale ACE-III scores, whereas gender was on attention/orientation, language, and visuospatial subscale scores. From the derived linear equation, correction grids to adjust raw scores and equivalent scores (ESs) with cut-off values were provided.Conclusions:The present study provided normative data, correction grids, and ESs for ACE-III in an Italian population.

Abstract. The present study aimed at evaluating if the three-item sense of coherence (SOC) scale developed by Lundberg and Nystrom Peck (1995) can be effectively used for research purpose in both nonclinical and clinical samples. To provide evidence that it represents adequately the measured construct we tested its validity in a nonclinical (N = 658) and clinical sample (N = 764 patients with cancer). Results obtained in the nonclinical sample attested a positive relation of SOC – as measured by the three-item SOC scale – with Antonovsky’s 13-item and 29-item SOC scales (convergent validity), and with dispositional optimism, sense of mastery, anxiety, and depression symptoms (concurrent validity). Results obtained in the clinical sample confirmed the criterion validity of the scale attesting the positive role of SOC – as measured by the three-item SOC scale – on the person’s capacity to respond to illness and treatment. The current study provides evidence that the three-item SOC scale is a valid, low-loading, and time-saving instrument for research purposes on large sample.

The 15-item version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) is widely employed to assess depression in old people, but it is unclear if there are biases in the total score depending on respondents’ gender and age. In the current study, we investigated the measurement equivalence of the GDS-15 to provide evidence that the test is a fair screening tool when administered to young-old, old-old, and oldest-old men and women. Item Response Theory-based Differential Item Functioning analyses were applied on a large sample of Italian old people. One item exhibited Differential Item Functioning when comparing men and women, and one item showed Differential Item Functioning across different age-groups. Nonetheless, the magnitude of Differential Item Functioning was small and did not produce any differential test functioning. The gender and age measurement equivalence of the GDS-15 confirms that the test can be used for clinical and research screening purposes.

Gender studies have showed that women take fewer risks than men do. Previous research has also provided evidence for a link between negative affect (anxiety and depressive mood) and risk-taking. Little is known about the relationships among these factors. We examined the role of state anxiety in the relationship between gender and risk-taking. Fully 149 undergraduate students filled out the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory–II (BDI) before playing the hot version of the Columbia Card Task (hot CCT), which is designed to measure emotionally based risk-taking behavior. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that gender and state anxiety were associated with risk-taking even when controlling for age, depressive mood, and trait anxiety. Moreover, results pointed out that gender is related to risk-taking through state anxiety. These results offer insights into gender research, as well as affective and decision science. Implications for future studies and applied interventions are discussed.

Probabilistic reasoning skills are important in various contexts. The aim of the present study was to develop a new instrument (the Probabilistic Reasoning Scale – PRS) to accurately measure low levels of probabilistic reasoning ability in order to identify people with difficulties in this domain. Item response theory was applied to construct the scale, and to investigate differential item functioning (i.e., whether the items were invariant) across genders, educational levels, and languages. Additionally, we tested the validity of the scale by investigating the relationships between the PRS and several other measures. The results revealed that the items had a low level of difficulty. Nonetheless, the discriminative measures showed that the items can discriminate between individuals with different trait levels, and the test information function showed that the scale accurately assesses low levels of probabilistic reasoning ability. Additionally, through investigating differential item functioning, the measurement equivalence of the scale at the item level was confirmed for gender, educational status, and language (i.e., Italian and English). Concerning validity, the results showed the expected correlations with numerical skills, math-related attitudes, statistics achievement, IQ, reasoning skills, and risky choices both in the Italian and British samples. In conclusion, the PRS is an ideal instrument for identifying individuals who struggle with basic probabilistic reasoning, and who could be targeted by specific interventions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Given the widespread prevalence of mathematics anxiety (MA) and its detrimental long-term impact on academic performance and professional development, it is essential to develop standardized tools capable of identifying MA as early as possible. One of the scales most often used to assess MA is the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS) (Hopko, Mahadevan, Bare, & Hunt, 2003). The first aim of the present study was to validate this tool in a large sample of Italian primary school children, to confirm the factor structure of the AMAS and to develop standardized norms that can be used in the clinical field. Moreover, as the relation between MA and gender has been extensively reported in adult samples, a second goal of the study was to test the invariance of the scale across genders.

Financial toxicity (FT) is the unintended, potential economic harm or damage of oncologic treatments that has become a medical problem with political implications. To assess FT, the COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity (COST) questionnaire was developed. Since an Italian version is not available yet, we aimed to validate the Italian version of the COST questionnaire in a population of cancer patients during oncologic treatments or follow-up. A sample of Italian native outpatients were asked to fill the Italian version of the COST and five other self-administered questionnaires to assess quality of life, treatment-related symptoms, hope, distress, and unmet needs. Additionally, a subsample of patients was asked to retake the COST after 2–6 weeks. A single factor better represents the scale structure. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were good. Evidence of convergent and discriminant validity was provided and criterion validity was established, showing that financial toxicity predicts the patient’s distress. Finally, known-groups validity was confirmed, testing the differences related to treatment-related expenses, sociodemographic characteristics, stage of the disease, and performance status. The current findings suggest the Italian version of the COST is a psychometrically sound scale that potentially offers an added value in assessing FT in patients with cancer.

Communication can be affected by age related cognitive decline and mental deterioration. The second edition of the Communication Activities of the Daily Living (CADL 2) appears as an interesting ecological assessment tool of cognitive functions in old age. The aim of this work is to (1) develop an Italian version of CADL 2, (2) to test its psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity, and (3) to measure CADL 2 discriminative capacity between cognitively healthy and cognitively impaired older subjects. One hundred and eleven subjects were enrolled (36 M; 75 F, age 80, 80.85 ± 7 years, education 9.3 ± 4.7 years). The CADL 2 was administered together with a standard neuropsychological battery. The CADL 2 showed good reliability and correlates with all the cognitive evaluation tests. The CADL 2’s area under the curve was equal to 0.80, index of good diagnostic accuracy. The CADL 2 is an appropriate assessment tool for communication skills in aging.