Academic performance-related stress levels and reflective awareness: the role of the elicitation approach in an Italian University’s psychological counselling

Could school climate moderate the relationship between school bullying patterns and academic burnout in Chinese adolescents: A large cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Students who are bullied not only affect academic performance, but also produce a range of psychological problems. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between school bullying and academic burnout among Chinese students, assuming school climate to play a moderating role in the aforementioned relationship. This study provides corresponding intervention strategies and reference data for the prevention and treatment of bullying in schools.

METHODS

The data was obtained by a cross-sectional survey of 20,730 Chinese students from 23rd May to 23rd June 2022. Multiple linear regressions and Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) were used to examine the hypotheses.

RESULTS

This study revealed that all dimensions of school bullying and school bullying level (β = -0.09; 95 % CI, -4.946, -3.833) were associated with academic burnout. Verbal bullying (β = 0.15; 95 % CI, 1.689, 1.972) had the strongest association with academic burnout, followed by social (β = 0.14; 95 % CI, 1.496, 1.779) and physical bullying (β = 0.13; 95 % CI, 1.451, 1.734), while cyber bullying (β = 0.08; 95 % CI, 0.847, 1.127) had the weakest association with academic burnout. In addition, school climate can moderate the association between school bullying and academic burnout. Students who experienced school bullying and in bad school climate showed elevated levels of academic.

LIMITATIONS

This study used cross-sectional data, preventing us from drawing conclusions about causation.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggested that creating a harmonious school climate and reducing school bullying may effectively alleviate academic burnout caused by school climate and school bullying.

Academic stress and academic burnout in adolescents: a moderated mediating model

Objective

This study aims to investigate the relationship and mechanisms of action among academic stress, academic anxiety, academic self-efficacy, and academic burnout among adolescents.

Methods

A study of 929 Chinese adolescents (53.71% males, mean age = 11.94 years, SD = 0.77) was conducted using the Study Stress Questionnaire, Academic Anxiety Subscale, Junior Middle School Students' Learning Weariness Scale, and the Academic Self-efficacy Questionnaire.

Results

①Academic stress was significantly and positively correlated with academic anxiety and academic burnout, and significantly and negatively correlated with academic self-efficacy. ②Academic anxiety partially mediated the relationship between academic stress and academic burnout. ③Academic self-efficacy significantly moderated the direct effect of academic stress on academic burnout, and higher academic self-efficacy could buffer the negative effect of academic stress. ④Academic self-efficacy significantly moderated the second half of the mediated model's path (academic anxiety → academic burnout), that is, low academic self-efficacy amplified the risk effect of academic anxiety on academic burnout.

Conclusion

Academic anxiety partially mediates the relationship between academic stress and academic burnout, and this mediating role is moderated by academic self-efficacy.

Post-Traumatic Play in Child Victims of Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Pilot Study with the MCAST-Manchester Child Attachment Story Task and the Coding of PTCP Markers

Background: Play is among the most frequently observed distorted behaviors in victims of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Terr's (1981) studies helped to describe this behavioral distortion as post-traumatic child's play (PTCP). This study aimed to evaluate whether child victims of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) engaging in semi-structured play present the markers of post-traumatic child's play (PTCP) during the administration of the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST), whose playful stories activate the attachment system. Methods: The sample comprised 17 child victims of ACEs (mean age = 6.76). Children were evaluated using the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task. Results: The analysis of the play clearly revealed the presence of markers associated with the characteristics of the post-traumatic play described by Terr (1981), namely, repetition, revisiting, hyperarousal, and danger. In particular, the intrusiveness dimension was observed, which can be identified in the post-traumatic play by the presence of recurrent memories, dreams, and dissociative symptoms. Conclusions: Post-traumatic play is characterized by repetition, containing aspects, scenes, or sequences of the traumatic event, expressed explicitly or symbolically.

Chronic Stress and Depression in Periodontitis and Peri-Implantitis: A Narrative Review on Neurobiological, Neurobehavioral and Immune-Microbiome Interplays and Clinical Management Implications

Besides the well-known systemic factors for periodontal and peri-implant diseases, additional co-factors, such as chronic stress and depression, may also affect disease onset and progression as well as treatment responsiveness. Neurobiological and neurobehavioral pathogenic links between chronic stress and depression, on the one side, and periodontitis and peri-implantitis, on the other side, which have been little investigated and principally related to necrotizing periodontal disease, have been reviewed, along with their putative interconnections with periodontal immune-microbiome balance. Rising evidence suggest that dysregulated neurobiological and neurobehavioral factors, as well as periodontal immune-microbiome unbalance, all related to chronic stress and depression, may crucially interact and thus represent contributing factors in the genesis and worsening not only of necrotizing periodontal lesions, but also of chronic periodontitis and peri-implantitis. Such potential interconnections may be even more relevant in recurrent and aggressive cases of periodontal and peri-implant disease, which are frequently refractory to therapy, and may, if corroborated, coherently pave the way for personalized prevention and treatment strategies, possibly targeting immune-microbiome unbalance and neurobehavioral factors and focusing on neurobiological ones, especially in chronically stressed and depressed subjects with periodontitis and peri-implantitis.

The Multilevel Pathway in MSTs for the Evaluation and Treatment of Parents and Minor Victims of ACEs: Qualitative Analysis of the Intervention Protocol

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may be an important risk factor for the onset of developmental psychopathological disorders. Families involved in ACEs are often the subject of social or welfare policies aimed solely at the victim, without a proper consideration of family functionality. Methods: We describe the results of an Italian intervention project, which aimed to reinforce both the local networking of the Campania region, and the skills of the operators involved in actions to prevent and combat ACEs. The project was characterized by different phases and two actions, namely: (1) diagnosis and therapy aimed at child victims of ACEs and their families; (2) supervision of the operators of the multidisciplinary specialized teams (MSTs). Results: 99% of the cases under review were characterized by intra-family violence; 34% suffered psychological abuse, 33% neglect, 23% inappropriate care, 4% sexual abuse, 3% excessive care and 3% physical abuse. Conclusions: Thanks to the interventions carried out, severe and chronic ACE situations were recognized, and processes of de-institutionalization and the construction of life projects were carried out in accordance with the territorial services. This offered child victims and their families an opportunity to restore the conditions of well-being, both for the growth of the individual and the family system.

Vaccine Hesitancy and the Green Digital Pass: A Study on Adherence to the Italian COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign

Background: In July 2021, the vaccination campaign in Italy suffered a sudden setback, and the number of vaccine administrations decreased dramatically. On 20 July 2021, the obligation of the Green Digital Pass came into force in order to access work and leisure places, penalizing those who had not been vaccinated. The purpose of this work was to investigate the phenomenon of vaccination hesitancy and the underlying reasons, as well as any changes to the membership following the obligation of the Green Pass. Methods: A total of 83 subjects (45.8% F; mean age 22.24 ± 4.308) participated in the survey during the post-vaccine observation phase at the Vaccinal Center of the University Hospital “San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona” (Salerno, Italy). The questionnaire collected anamnestic information, as well as data on state anxiety (STAI-Y), perception of quality of life (SF-12), perception of COVID-19 risks, and vaccine hesitancy. Results: Among participants, 19.3% reported hesitation. The most common concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine concerned safety and efficacy (4.9%) and the obligation of the Green Pass (4.9%). Conclusions: Findings suggest that delving into the phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy can help to enhance vaccination strategies in order to gain widespread acceptance, a key path to ensuring a quick way out of the current pandemic emergency.

A cultura acadêmica do sofrimento: será que isso existe?

Resumo As práticas de ensino e pesquisa na Pós-Graduação têm sido entendidas como uma cultura acadêmica causadora de sofrimento. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar uma compreensão do sofrimento vivido pelos alunos da Pós-Graduação a partir de uma perspectiva culturalista. Para isso, o texto problematiza o contexto da Pós-Graduação e apresenta axiomas da Psicologia Cultural Semiótica que fundamentam a análise dos processos psicológicos que ocorrem na relação do estudante com o meio acadêmico. A cultura acadêmica é entendida como o conjunto compartilhado de signos usados e construídos pelas pessoas na pós-graduação, as quais organizam seus mundos interno e externo, regulam as interações sociais e orientam as ações humanas. Desse modo, o sofrimento é um produto cultural da interação entre as forças canalizadoras da cultura acadêmica e as ações do estudante. Sugere-se que pesquisas futuras possam estudar empiricamente como os pós-graduandos criam uma síntese pessoal a partir da cultura acadêmica.

Online University Counselling Services and Psychological Problems among Italian Students in Lockdown Due to Covid-19

Introduction: With the advent of Covid-19, Italian university students were overwhelmed by fear of the pandemic and the social restrictions of the lockdown phase, with all didactic activity provided online. These stress factors caused people to experience psychological problems and/or the aggravation of pre-existing mental symptomatology. Psychological support is, therefore, important for the university-student population. Aims: (1) Analyzing the psychological difficulties and mental problems relative to lockdown from Covid-19 of students who asked for help from the Center of Psychological Counseling of the University of Salerno. (2) Describing the online services of the university's psychological counseling treatment. Participants: 266 university students, but only 49 were undergoing psychological treatment during the Covid-19 lockdown at the center. Methods: (1) Semistructured interview; (2) Questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic information and ad hoc questions; and (3) Scl-90-r test. Results and Conclusions: Aim 1: The main results highlight high levels of anxiety and stress, concentration disorders, and psychosomatization. In several cases, there was a reactivation of previous traumas and sleep was found qualitatively compromised. Aim 2: Counseling services included telephone listening activities, online psychological interviews, psychoeducational groups for interventions of anxiety management, and workshops on study methods conducted in small groups. The online counseling intervention, in times of emergency, increased the resilience and identified any psychological problems in order to implement timely management.