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In Europe, the widespread transition from the Traditional Staircase (TS) model to the Housing First (HF) model is transforming the way social service providers work with people experiencing homelessness. This study examined social service providers’ perspectives in both models regarding factors that facilitate or hinder their work. Data were collected through 17 photovoice projects involving 81 social service providers from eight European countries. The results show factors affecting social service providers’ work at three levels: systemic, organizational, and individual. Professionals in TS and HF identified similar topics; however, TS providers discussed more obstacles to work. Implications for practice are discussed. Comissão Européia info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

This study proposes an innovative use of a modified version of photovoice for cross‐national qualitative research that allows participants to express their ideas, experiences, and emotions about a topic through photographic language. We examine factors affecting social service providers' work on people experiencing homelessness in Europe. We highlight five advantages of using photovoice in cross‐national research: visual language, methodological flexibility, participatory data analysis, the bottom‐up process, and the promotion of social change. Moreover, we identify key stages of the process: writing a detailed protocol for the implementation and fidelity of the projects, using two levels of data analysis, and disseminating the results. This study provides lessons learned for others who may want to use photovoice in cross‐national research. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

In the discussion about wage inequality, principles of fairness and need for incentives are juxtaposed as opposing motivations for wage inequality acceptance. While previous literature focused on ideal inequality, in one correlational and one preregistered experimental study (Ntotal = 473) we tested the hypothesis of a threshold of inequality acceptance. Participants were asked to indicate what a CEO should earn, ideally (i.e., ideal pay gap) and at maximum (i.e., highest acceptable pay gap), given the wage of a worker. Results showed that individuals generally indicated higher values for highest acceptable than for ideal pay gaps. In conclusion, these studies pave the way for new research on the cognitive and motivational underpinnings of attitudes towards economic inequalities.

A Padova, per l'emergenza COVID-19, è stato attivato il progetto di gestione del volonta-riato "Per Padova noi ci siamo". La presente ricerca ha l'obiettivo di conoscere le caratteristi-che dei volontari e capire quali fattori sono legati alla disponibilità a continuare il volontariato post-emergenza. In aprile-maggio 2020, 299 volontari hanno completato un questionario onli-ne che indagava l'esperienza di volontariato e alcune dimensioni psicosociali. Dalle analisi emerge la relazione tra l'intenzione a continuare il volontariato e la crescita post-traumatica, il senso di appartenenza e la partecipazione a riunioni di quartiere. Alla luce dei risultati, sono elaborate delle proposte per aiutare le organizzazioni a stimolare e fidelizzare le persone che hanno intenzione di continuare a svolgere volontariato.

The aim of the present study was to test an explanatory model for individual and social wellbeing which incorporates the advantages of using digital technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was carried out in Italy, one of the countries that has been most severely affected by the pandemic worldwide. The study was designed to include variables that might be specifically pertinent to the uniqueness of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Adults living in Italy (n = 1412) completed an online survey during the lockdown period in March 2020. Results showed two distinct digital interaction processes highlighted by the facilitating use of online emotions (“e-motions”) and online social support (“e-support”). In short, e-motions were positively related to posttraumatic growth, which in turn was positively associated with positive mental health and higher engagement in prosocial behaviors. Moreover, individuals who perceived themselves as having greater e-support were characterized by higher levels of positive mental health, which it turn was positively associated with prosocial behaviors. Collectively, these two digital interaction processes suggest that digital technologies appear to be critical resources in helping individuals cope with difficulties raised by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current study examines the association between different components of school climate (teacher–principal and teacher–parent relationships, parents’ involvement in school activities, connection between school and the local services) and teachers’ competences and knowledge regarding the adoption experience. Participants were 573 teachers (95.7% women; mean age = 47.06, SD = 8.66, ranging between 25 and 65) residing in three Italian regions characterised by rates of international adoptions that are higher than the national average. The association between school climate and teachers’ knowledge and competences on adoption was evaluated via independent multiple logistic regression analyses. Findings show that three of the components of school climate under examination are associated to teachers’ knowledge and competences regarding the adoption experience. Thus, interventions aimed at improving school climate hold promise for promoting teachers’ capacity to handle the challenges of the adoption process.

Few studies so far have analysed the potential role of mentoring in decreasing hyperactivity and inattention problems. The aim of the current study is to investigate the impact of the Italian Mentor-UP mentoring program on hyperactivity and inattention problems in a non-clinical sample of mentees. “Mentor-UP” is a weekly school- and community-based mentoring program implemented in northern Italy over a period of 8 months. The sample included 468 students, 65 from the experimental group (mentees) and 403 as comparison group. Participants’ age ranged between 8 and 14 years (M = 11.31, SD = 1.40), 46% were females and 20% were non-Italian youths. Students reported their levels of hyperactivity and inattention problems at the beginning and at the end of the program. A significant interaction between time and group revealed a significant effect of the program on hyperactivity and inattention problems (B = −0.10, t (450) = −2.00, p = 0.04), which decreased in mentees (Cohen’s d = −0.21) but not in the comparison group. Results supported the effectiveness of Mentor-UP in decreasing youths’ hyperactivity and inattention. This might be due to the structural characteristics of the mentoring relationships established in the context of Mentor-UP.

espanolRESUMEN La investigacion en EE.UU. ha demostrado que la mentoria juvenil es una estrategia prometedora para aumentar la autoestima y la conexion escolar en jovenes en situacion de riesgo. Sin embargo, ha habido escasa confirmacion de estos hallazgos a nivel internacional. El estudio actual evalua el impacto de la mentoria por parte de estudiantes universitarios capacitados en autoestima y conexion escolar de los ninos en comparacion con los companeros de escuela que no participaron en el programa. Mentor-UP es un programa de mentoria semanal llevado a cabo en la escuela y la comunidad que se implemento en el norte de Italia durante un periodo de siete meses. Los participantes (209 estudiantes, 34 en el grupo experimental y 175 en el grupo de comparacion de edades comprendidas entre 11 y 13 anos, 56% hombres, 27% inmigrantes) informaron de su nivel de autoestima y conexion escolar al principio y al final del programa. Los resultados mostraron un aumento significativo en la autoestima de los ninos mentorizados en comparacion con el grupo de control, mientras que la diferencia en la conexion escolar no fue significativa. Los hallazgos respaldan la efectividad de Mentor-UP para fomentar la autoestima de los jovenes. EnglishABSTRACT Research in the United States has shown that youth mentoring is a promising strategy for increasing self-esteem and school connectedness in at-risk youth. There has been little confirmation of those findings internationally. The current study evaluates the impact of mentoring by trained university students on children’s self-esteem and school connectedness compared to schoolmates not involved in the program. Mentor-UP is a school- and community-based weekly mentoring program implemented in northern Italy over a period of seven months. Participants (209 students – 34 in the experimental group and 175 in the comparison group – aged between 11 and 13, 56% male, 27% immigrants) reported their levels of self-esteem and school connectedness at the beginning and at the end of the program. Results showed a significant increase in mentees’ self-esteem compared to the control group, while the difference in school-connectedness was nonsignificant. The findings support the effectiveness of Mentor-UP in nurturing youth’s self-esteem.

Previous research has identified numerous risk and protective factors of adolescent problematic gaming (PG) at the individual and social levels; however, the influence of socio-economic indicators on PG is less known. This study aimed to measure the contribution of individual and socio-economic factors involved in PG risk among adolescents from 30 European countries.Multi-level logistic regression analysis of survey data from the 2019 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) cross-sectional study using self-administered anonymous questionnaires.Thirty European countries.A representative cohort of 15-16-year-old students (n = 88 998 students; males = 49.2%).The primary outcome measure was adolescents' (low and high) risk of PG. Individual key predictors included self-report assessments of socio-demographic characteristics, time spent gaming and family variables (parental regulation and monitoring, family support). Main country-level predictors comprised Gini coefficient for economic inequalities and benefits for families and children (% gross domestic product), retrieved from international public data sets and national thematic reports. The data analysis plan involved multi-level logistic regression.Participants who reported stronger parental regulation [odds ratio (OR) = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.79-0.83] and higher family support (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.91-0.95) reported lower risk of PG. At the country-level, economic inequalities (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.03-1.07) were positively associated with the risk of PG, while benefits for families and children (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.70-0.89) were negatively correlated with the risk of PG.Supportive family environments, lower country-level economic inequalities and higher government expenditures on benefits for families and children appear to be associated with a lower risk of problematic gaming among European adolescents.

Contains fulltext : 232434.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) The complexity of homeless service users' characteristics and the contextual challenges faced by services can make the experience of working with people in homelessness stressful and can put providers' well-being at risk. In the current study, we investigated the association between service characteristics (i.e., the availability of training and supervision and the capability-fostering approach) and social service providers' work engagement and burnout. The study involved 497 social service providers working in homeless services in eight different European countries (62% women; mean age = 40.73, SD = 10.45) and was part of the Horizon 2020 European study "Homelessness as Unfairness (HOME_EU)." Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), findings showed that the availability of training and supervision were positively associated with providers' work engagement and negatively associated with burnout. However, results varied based on the perceived usefulness of the training and supervision provided within the service and the specific outcome considered. The most consistent finding was the association between the degree to which a service promotes users' capabilities and all the aspects of providers' well-being analyzed. Results are discussed in relation to their implications for how configuration of homeless services can promote social service providers' well-being and high-quality care.

Research evidence suggests that problematic Facebook use (PFU) affects large numbers of people worldwide. A variety of studies have investigated the relationship between PFU and psychological dysfunction, revealing that negative mood and cognitive self-regulation are common among problematic Facebook users. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of craving, emotion regulation and desire thinking in predicting PFU. An online survey was administered to 750 participants (Mage = 23.38 years; SDage = 5.72). Correlation analyses indicated that all predictor variables were positively associated with PFU. Path analysis showed that imaginal prefiguration was associated with craving, which, in turn, was associated with verbal prefiguration that was directly linked to PFU, beyond the direct effect of emotion regulation. These findings provide further support for the importance of desire thinking in predicting problematic behaviours. Desire thinking and emotion regulation should be considered in the modification of problematic Facebook use.

Burnout has recently been identified as a disorder by the World Health Organization. Although helping professions are the most exposed to burnout, there is a lack of research on work-related stress in social service workers, such as frontline workers in homeless services. The aim of this study is to evaluate burnout in a sample of Italian providers working in homelessness services, exploring the differences between traditional services and Housing First. Burnout was measured through the Link Burnout Questionnaire, consisting of four dimensions investigating Psychophysical exhaustion, Depersonalization, Professional inefficacy and Disillusion. A total of 69 participants (40 social providers and 29 educators of both types of service) responded to the survey. The results show similar levels of burnout in providers and educators working in the two types of services.La sindrome del burnout è stata recentemente riconosciuta dall’Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità come un disturbo medico. Le professioni d’aiuto sono quelle più esposte al rischio di burnout, ma sono pochi gli studi dedicati allo stress lavoro-correlato negli operatori dei servizi sociali, come educatori ed operatori di servizi per persone senza dimora. L’obiettivo del presente lavoro è indagare la presenza di burnout nei professionisti dei servizi per persone senza dimora, esplorando le differenze tra i servizi tradizionali e quelli che usano il modello di Housing First. Lo strumento utilizzato è il Link Burnout Questionnaire costituito da quattro dimensioni che indagano l’Esaurimento psicofisico, il Deterioramento relazionale, l’Inefficacia professionale e la Disillusione. Le analisi sono state svolte su un campione di 69 partecipanti (40 operatori e 29 educatori di entrambe le tipologie di servizio). I risultati non evidenziano differenze significative per le quattro dimensioni del burnout tra le diverse tipologie di servizi.

The experiences documented in the literature of using photovoice to analyze work situa-tions appear to be quite limited, including the literature on services for homeless people. Few studies have analyzed the organizational characteristics that actually facilitate working with the homeless and determined the elements that help social workers to work in contexts that are often difficult and put them at risk of stress. The aim of the present research is to explore, through the photovoice methodology, which factors are perceived as hindering or facilitating the work effectiveness in teams working with homeless people. In this paper the results related to the point of view of social workers working in services for homeless people in Italy will be presented. In total, three photovoice projects were carried out, involving 18 social workers who took 195 photographs. The results suggest the importance of the relationship with other local services and of providing tools to support the professional team. Indeed, the themes emerged from the discussion of the photos are related with the feeling of impotence experienced by social workers.

Although risk-taking has been found to be associated with economic deprivation, there is little evidence on whether the relationship between individual deprivation and propensity for risk-taking is inherent to all individuals, or varies across cultural contexts. Consequently, the present study investigated the interaction effects of macroeconomic factors [Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and Human Development Index (HDI)] in the relationship between individual deprivation and propensity for risk-taking using the World Values Survey data from 58 countries (N = 87,223). On average, individuals in more developed countries (higher HDI) had less propensity for risk-taking. However, in contradiction to this, the positive association between individual deprivation and risk-taking was stronger in countries with higher GDP per capita. The present study suggests that the association between individual deprivation and propensity for risk-taking varies with environmental variables assessing the socio-economic development of a country.

The aim was to investigate the role of different forms of social support in early sexual intercourse and contraceptive use.The study sample included 18,918 15-year-olds who took part in the 2018 Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Multivariable multilevel logistic regressions were performed taking into account geographical region and socioeconomic status.21.7% of adolescents reported early sexual intercourse. 71.9% used a condom at last sexual intercourse, 12.2% oral contraceptives 41.2% other contraceptive methods (multiple response question). High support from family and from teachers were associated with a lower likelihood of early sexual intercourse in both genders, while peer support was shown to increase this likelihood among boys. Adolescents with high social support were more likely to use condoms.Social support can have a positive influence on adolescents' sexual behaviour. Sexual education programmes should aim to engage peers and those significant adults who can influence adolescents' lives, in and out of school.

The current study examined the association between adolescent emotional competence, operationalized and measured at both the individual and the school levels, and gang membership. The study involved a sample of 12,040 students (51.4% females; mean=16.9 years) participating in the biennial state department of education coordinated California Healthy Kids Survey, which assesses a range of adolescent health-related behaviors. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that higher levels of individual emotional competence were associated with a lower likelihood of identifying as a gang member. Moreover, a stronger negative association between emotional competence and identifying as a gang member was found when emotional competence was operationalized at the school level. Implications include the role of schools in promoting emotional regulation, empathy, and behavioral regulation of their entire student body as part of an overall strategy to reduce individual student's attraction to gangs.

Research on youth civic engagement has emphasized the importance of growing up in a civic context. We examined the relative influence of neighborhood characteristics (neighborhood opportunities and intergenerational closure), civic education at school, friends’ civic engagement, and parents’ civic engagement on civic attitudes and civic behaviors among youths. Participants were 403 11- to 15-year-old adolescents randomly selected from the city register of a midsized city in Italy. The hierarchical regression analysis found that all analyzed contexts were related to adolescent civic engagement. In particular, intergenerational closure, friends’ civic engagement, and parents’ civic engagement were associated with both civic attitudes and civic behaviors. Findings highlighted the importance of considering multiple contexts to understand what factors are associated with youth civic engagement. We discuss ways that findings can be transmitted into further research and practice to address the multiple contexts in which youths are embedded and their relative influence on adolescent civic engagement.

Family affluence plays a crucial role in adolescent well-being and is potential source of health inequalities. There are scarce research findings in this area from a cross-national perspective. This study introduces several methods for measuring family affluence inequality in adolescent life satisfaction (LS) and assesses its relationship with macro-level indices. The data (N = 192,718) were collected in 2013/2014 in 39 European countries, Canada, and Israel, according to the methodology of the cross-national Health Behavior in School-aged Children study. The 11-, 13- and 15-year olds were surveyed by means of self-report anonymous questionnaires. Fifteen methods controlling for confounders were tested to measure social inequality in adolescent LS. In each country, all measures indicated that adolescent from more affluent families showed higher satisfaction with their life than did those from less affluent families. According to the Poisson regression estimations, for instance, the lowest inequality in LS was found among adolescents in Malta, while the highest inequality in LS was found among adolescents in Hungary. The ratio between the mean values of LS score at the extreme highest and lowest family affluence levels (Relative Index of Inequality) derived from the regression-based models distinguished for its positive correlation with the Gini index, and negative correlation with Gross National Income, Human Development Index and the mean Overall Life Satisfaction score. The measure allows in-depth exploration of the interplay between individual and macro-socioeconomic factors affecting adolescent well-being from a cross-national perspective.

BackgroundPrevious research has found that area-level income inequality and individual-level relative deprivation both contribute to disordered gambling in adults. However, the socioeconomic factors that contribute to disordered gambling in youths and protective factors in their social environment have not been fully explored. This study examined the association between relative deprivation and youth disordered gambling and the potential moderating role of social support in this association.MethodsWe used data on family material assets and self-reported symptoms of disordered gambling symptoms in 19 321 participants of the 2013/2014 Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Relative deprivation was measured using the Yitzhaki index and classmates as a social reference group. Its association with disordered gambling was tested using multilevel negative binomial regression analyses. We also tested moderated effects of relative deprivation on disordered gambling by four sources of social support: families, peers, teachers and classmates.ResultsRelative deprivation related to a fourfold increase in the rate of disordered gambling symptoms (incidence rate ratio=4.18) after differences in absolute family wealth and other variables were statistically controlled. Symptoms were also more prevalent in males, first-generation immigrants and less supported youth. Peer support moderated the association between relative deprivation and symptoms, suggesting that high deprivation and low peer support have interactive links to disordered gambling.ConclusionRelative deprivation among classmates relate to youth symptoms of disordered gambling. Youth who live in economically unequal settings and perceive a lack of social support may be at greatest risk.

This study examines the individual and contextual factors associated with sociopolitical control expressed by immigrants in southern Spain. We used hierarchical linear modeling to evaluate the relations between individual (community participation, social connectedness, and perceived cultural competence of receiving community services) and municipality characteristics (city community participation, city social connectedness, and city community services’ cultural competence) and immigrants’ feelings of sociopolitical control. Data were analyzed using a two‐level model based on 707 Moroccan immigrants in 25 municipalities. After adjusting for gender, educational level, and psychosocial confounding factors, we observed a positive association between social connectedness and sociopolitical control at the individual level. At the contextual level, we observed a positive association between (a) city community participation, (b) city social connectedness, and (c) city community services’ cultural competence, and sociopolitical control. Indeed, living in a municipality where there are community services with high levels of cultural competence and where, on average, many people participate in organizations and neighbors are connected, was associated with higher levels of perceived control in the sociopolitical domain for immigrants. We also discuss implications for community‐based research and practice. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España SEJ2006‐14470 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España PSI2011‐25554 Junta de Andalucía 2007/87

In Italy, many organizations are experimenting with the Housing First (HF) model to promote a change in how they work with homeless people. This change creates some difficulties, especially in promoting freedom of choice in people involved in the HF programs. This study explored the definition of “home” in homeless people’s points of view. The study participants were 5 homeless men involved in a HF program called “The Road Home” implemented in the city of Padua. Data were collected using Photovoice, a photographic method based on participatory action research. During the project, the participants took photographs to illustrate their definitions of “home” and then engaged in a critical dialogue about the images represented in the photographs. The results of the study showed that occupants identified the home as being related to family, friendship, cohabitation, and hope for the future. The Photovoice project provided an opportunity to promote discussions that revealed the true needs of the people i...

This study examined the association between two characteristics of school climate (sense of community and teacher support, measured both at the individual and at the school level) and students' feelings of being unsafe at school. The study involved a sample of 49,638 students aged 10-18years who participated in the 2010-2012 California Healthy Kids Survey. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), our findings revealed that, at the individual level, students perceiving higher levels of sense of community and teacher support at school were less likely to feel unsafe within the school environment. At the school level, sense of community was negatively associated with unsafe feelings, whereas there was no association between school-level teacher support and feelings of being unsafe at school.

Existing literature clearly documents the association between cybervictimization and psychological symptoms; less clear is the association between cybervictimization and somatic symptoms. This study aims to verify the association between cybervictimization and both psychological and somatic symptoms on a representative sample of Italian early adolescents.This study used data from 24 099 students aged 13 years participating in the 2009/2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Survey. Self-completed questionnaires, devised by the HBSC international group, were administered in classrooms. Multilevel models of logistic regression (controlling for traditional bullying victimization, computer use and demographics) were used to investigate the association between cybervictimization and psychological and somatic symptoms.Overall, 3.1% of the students reported having been bullied frequently electronically and 8.7% occasionally (compared, respectively, to 4.0 and 9.2% victims of traditional forms of bullying). Overall, prevalence of students reporting psychological and somatic symptoms was 32.5 and 12.0%, respectively. Being victims of cyberbullying was positively associated to students' psychological and somatic symptoms, after controlling for traditional bullying victimization and computer use.Cybervictimization has similar psychological and somatic consequences for boys and girls, thus suggesting that intervention and prevention efforts should focus on both gender groups.

Aims To estimate the role of family and socio-economic indicators of welfare state in accounting for probable problem gambling during adolescence in a representative sample of students living in nine European countries. Design Data from the 2011 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) Study were used for cross- sectional analyses of adolescent probable problem gambling. Setting Representative surveys in nine European countries. Participants A total of 31 236 16-year-old students. Measurements Respondents' probable problem gambling, socio-demographic characteristics and parenting (regulation, monitoring and caring) were measured indi- vidually. Indicators of wealth (gross domestic product per capita, GDP), expenditure on public health (% GDP) and benefit in kind for families/children (% GDP) were obtained from national public databases. Findings Students who perceived more parental caring (odds ratio (OR) = 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.85-0.98) and monitoring (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.53-0.62) reported less involvement in probable problem gambling. Moreover, students who perceived stronger parental regulation (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.09-1.23) were more likely to be possible problematic gamblers. At the country level, expenditure on public health was associated negatively with probable problem gam- bling (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.78-0.97), whereas GDP per capita (OR = 1, 95% CI = 1.00-1.00) and the benefits in kind for families/children (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.89-1.51) showed no association with probable problem gambling. Conclusions Family characteristics and expenditure on public health may play a key role in explaining probable problem gambling among adolescents in Europe.

Youth gang involvement is a serious public health challenge as adolescents involved in gangs are more likely than others to engage in violence and aggression. To better understand gang involvement, we examined the role of protective (empathy and parental support) and risk (peer deviance and lack of safety at school) factors, as well as their interactions, in predicting adolescent gang affiliation. The study involved a sample of 26,232 students (53.4% females; mean age = 14.62, SD = 1.69) participating in the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS), a survey investigating a wide range of youth health and risk behaviors administered in all California schools every 2 years. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), findings indicated that high levels of empathy and parental support were associated with a lower likelihood of affiliating with a gang. Associating with deviant peers and perceiving the school as unsafe were positively correlated with gang membership. At the school level, lack of safety and type of school (special education, vocational, or alternative school vs. comprehensive schools) were associated with greater probability of gang membership. Empathy mitigated the association between deviant peers and gang membership.

Civic engagement, defined as involvement in community life, is influenced by reciprocal relationships between individuals and contexts and is a key factor that contributes to positive youth development. The present study evaluates a theoretical model linking perceived democratic school climate with adolescent civic engagement (operationalized as civic responsibility and intentions for future participation), taking into account the mediating role of civic discussions and perceived fairness at school. Participants were 403 adolescents (47.9 % male) ranging in age from 11 to 15 years old (mean age = 13.6). Path analysis results partially validated the proposed theoretical model. Higher levels of democratic school climate were associated with higher levels of adolescent civic responsibility; the association was fully mediated by civic discussions and perceived fairness at school. Adolescents' civic responsibility, then, was positively associated with a stronger intention to participate in the civic domain in the future.

The aim of the study is to validate the two-dimensional structure of the Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) in a sample of Italian adolescents and to investigate associations of this interpersonal component of psychological empowerment with different measures of psychosocial adjustment. The questionnaires were filled out by a sample of 1,376 (57.6% females; mean age = 17.24, standard deviation = .99) 11th- to 13th-grade students. The two-dimensional structure of the SPCS-Y provided a significantly better fit to the data than the one-factor model in the sample. Furthermore, students high in both leadership competence and policy control were found to be higher in perceived school importance, neighborhood attachment, and community and school participation. The results are consistent with previous studies from other countries and indicate that the SPCS-Y is a valid instrument to assess sociopolitical control among Italian adolescents and possibly among those from other Mediterranean countries. C

The present study examined links between perceived teacher unfairness and bullying behavior in early adolescence, and the potential mediating role of instrumental social goals (specifically, agentic and separate goals). Based on social information processing theory, our model of proactive aggression was evaluated using path analysis in a sample of 662 Italian students aged between 11 and 13 years old (mean age = 12.55, SD = 0.99; 50.6% males). Results showed that perceived teacher unfairness positively relates to bullying, and that this relationship is partially mediated by the endorsement of instrumental goals. Our findings offer promising implications for future research and for intervention programs that aim to prevent school bullying through modifying the classroom context.

The pathways through which the neighborhood can influence civic development in adolescence are not fully understood. The present study aims to develop an integrative model linking neighborhood social connectedness (neighborhood intergenerational closure, neighborhood trust and reciprocity, social relationships with neighbors and neighborhood friends) and different components of youth civic engagement (local and global civic responsibility, civic competencies, civic behaviors), taking into account the mediating effects of attachment to the neighborhood and non-parental adults' network. Participants were 403 early- and middle-adolescents (47.9% males), randomly selected, coming from a mid-sized Italian city. The theoretical model proposed in the current study was partially validated. Neighborhood social connectedness is associated with higher levels of civic engagement in adolescence, and adolescents' network of adults and their levels of attachment to the neighborhood mediate this association. The results offer important implications for future research and prevention programs that aim to impact social systems to nurture adolescents' civic engagement.

Adopting a multi-informant methodology, the current study examines the relative influence of multiple parental characteristics (civic responsibility, encouragement of civic action, parent-youth closeness) on adolescents’ civic responsibility (local and global). The participants were 384 early and middle adolescents (47.9% male), randomly selected from an Italian city (mean age = 13.6; SD = 1.63), and one parent for each adolescent. The results show a positive association between the parents’ local civic responsibility and the adolescents’ responsibility toward the local community, and between the parents’ global civic responsibility and the adolescents’ responsibility toward societal issues. Moreover, parental encouragement of civic action and parent-youth closeness were positively associated with the adolescents’ civic responsibility. Finally, an interaction between the parents’ local civic responsibility and parent-child closeness was found in which parents’ civic responsibility had stronger influence on youth civic responsibility when the parent-child relationship was characterized by medium or high levels of closeness.

Background: Previous studies have indicated that electronic media use may affect the health of school-aged children. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between computer use and psychological symptoms among Italian adolescents, taking into account the mediating role of difficulty in getting to sleep. Patients and Methods: This study used data from 23,941 15-year-old students participating in the health behavior in school-aged children survey (mean age, 15.7 years; 50.1% girls). Self-completed questionnaires were administered in classrooms. Measures included computer use, psychological symptoms, and difficulty in getting to sleep. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the associations among variables. Results: On average, students spent approximately 2 hours per day using computers and about one-third of the sample reported weekly psychological symptoms (feeling low, irritable, and nervous). Further, 15.8% of Italian adolescents reported experiencing difficulties in getting to sleep more often than once a week or almost daily over the last six months. The structural equation model showed that more frequent computer use was associated with a higher frequency of psychological symptoms in adolescents, and the difficulty in getting to sleep partly mediated this association. Conclusions: Overall, these results indicate the role of computer use in influencing the sleep quality and health of adolescents. Educational programs are recommended to increase awareness among families and students of the effects of computer use and sleep habits on health.

Background: \ud Studies have shown that problems related to adult gambling have a geographical and social gradient. For instance, adults experiencing gambling-related harms live in areas of greater deprivation; are unemployed, and have lower income. However, little is known about the impact of socioeconomic inequalities on adolescent problem gambling. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the contextual influences of income inequality on at-risk or problem gambling (ARPG) in a large-scale nationally representative sample of Italian adolescents. A secondary aim was to analyze the association between perceived social support (from family, peers, teachers, and classmates) and ARPG.\ud Methods: \ud Data from the 2013–2014 Health Behavior in School-aged Children Survey (HBSC) Study was used for cross-sectional analyses of ARPG. A total of 20,791 15-year-old students completed self-administered questionnaires. Region-level data on income inequality (GINI index) and overall wealth (GDP per capita) were retrieved from the National Institute of Statistics (Istat). The data were analyzed using the multi-level logistic regression analysis, with students at the first level and regions at the second level.\ud Results: \ud The study demonstrated a North–South gradient for the prevalence of ARPG, with higher prevalence of ARPG in the Southern/Islands/Central Regions (e.g., 11% in Sicily) than in Northern Italy (e.g., 2% in Aosta Valley). Students in regions of high-income inequality were significantly more likely than those in regions of low-income inequality to be at-risk or problem gamblers (following adjustment for sex, family structure, family affluence, perceived social support, and regionale wealth). Additionally, perceived social support from parents and teachers were negatively related to ARPG.\ud Conclusions: \ud Income inequality may have a contextual influence on ARPG. More specifically, living in regions of highest income inequality appeared to be a potential factor that increases the likelihood of becoming an at-risk or problem gambler. Findings of the study suggest that wealth distribution within societies affected by economic policies may indirectly have an influence adolescent gambling behaviors.

Presence and absence of both psychological distress and well-being are important in predicting life outcomes among youths. Recently, scholars have been paying increased attention to the role of positive mental health (PMH) in predicting psycho-social well-being among young people. The present study aims to test a model designed to assess the unique contribution of personality traits and metacognitions to four domains of PMH (belief-in-self, belief-in-others, emotional competence, and engaged living) among young adults. A total of 795 Italian college students participated in the study. Path analysis revealed that different personality traits were contributors to different PMH domains, and that four of the five metacognitions domains (negative beliefs about thoughts, cognitive confidence, need to control thoughts, and cognitive self-consciousness) differently predicted the four PMH domains. In conclusion it would appear that a combination of personality traits and metacognitions are differently involved in PMH domains. These should be taken into account when developing preventive programmes to promote PMH among young adults.