Trajectory and predictors of psychological distress and posttraumatic growth among rectal cancer patients undergoing combined modality treatment: An exploratory prospective study.

Objective: This exploratory prospective cohort study aimed to investigate the trajectory of psychological distress and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in rectal cancer patients from diagnosis to follow-up and to explore factors that could predict PTG and psychological distress at follow-up.

Method: We assessed psychological distress (anxiety and depression), PTG, physical symptoms, quality of life, cancer-related coping, state and trait affectivity, resilience, and alexithymia in 43 rectal cancer patients, ) age: 61.6 (12.

Posttraumatic stress symptoms and rumination: the moderator effect of time.

The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) and rumination (intrusive and deliberate) in individuals who experienced a traumatic event at different times. In particular, to better understand the possible mechanisms underlying the association between PTSS and rumination, the study aimed to explore whether the time since the traumatic event could serve as a moderator of the relationship between PTSS and rumination. To achieve this objective, 601 participants were recruited using a snowballing strategy and were asked to complete the PTSD Checklist for the DSM-5 and the Event-Related Rumination Inventory.

The time course of health-related Quality of Life in rectal cancer patients undergoing combined modality treatment.

Background And Purpose: This exploratory prospective observational study investigated the changes in Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in rectal cancer patients (RCPs), from diagnosis to one-year-post-surgery follow-up and explored the role of physical symptoms and psychological determinants on HRQoL at the different time points.

Materials And Methods: We assessed HRQoL, psychological distress, coping, affectivity, alexithymia and social support in 43 RCPs treated with preoperative (chemo)radiation and surgery, at three different assessment time points: diagnosis (T0), one month after the end of preoperative treatment (T1), one month after resection surgery (T2), and at follow-up (T3).

Results: The data showed that HRQoL decreased during active treatments, especially between T1 and T2 ( = 0.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: What Differences in Mentalization Abilities? A Scoping Review.

Mentalization is a psychological process that enables individuals to understand the self and others in terms of intentional mental states. The aim of this scoping review was to provide an overview of the findings on mentalization in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A literature search, in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols extension for Scoping Review guidelines, was conducted in the following bibliographic databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus.

Posttraumatic Growth and Posttraumatic Depreciation: Associations with Core Beliefs and Rumination.

Background: The positive transformation (i.e., posttraumatic growth, PTG) that can emerge after the struggles associated with a stressful life event has been widely investigated.

Alexithymia Among People Living with HIV: A Scoping Review.

The present scoping review aimed to identify studies that investigated alexithymia, defined as a difficulty in identifying and describing one's own emotions, in people living with HIV (PLWH).A literature search, in line with the guidelines of PRISMA-ScR, was conducted in the following bibliographic databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. The databases were queried using the following strings (using Boolean operators): ("alexithymia" OR "alexithymic") AND ("HIV" OR "Human Immunodeficiency Virus").

The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5: Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version.

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the PTSD Checklist for the DSM-V (PCL-5) in a group of adults who had experienced heterogenous traumatic events.

Methods: Six hundred and one participants met the inclusion criteria and completed a set of questionnaires through an online survey. Before administering the survey, the PCL-5 was translated into Italian according to the back-translation method.

From the First to the Second Wave of COVID-19: Anxiety, De-Pressive, and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in the Italian Population.

In the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, high rates of clinically relevant anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) have been reported in the Italian population. The persistence of the pandemic and related restrictive measures highlight the need for a reassessment of psychopathological symptoms. The present longitudinal study consisted of two evaluations conducted during the two waves of infection.

Personality, Defense Mechanisms and Psychological Distress in Women with Fibromyalgia.

Background: Previous studies have shown that many personality traits are associated with fibromyalgia (FM), worsening both the quality of life and psychological distress of patients. Despite the high comorbidity of psychopathological disorders in this syndrome and their association with immature defense styles, few studies have examined the defense mechanisms used by FM patients. The main aim of our study was to investigate personality traits and defense mechanisms in FM patients compared to in a healthy control group (HC).

Expanded version of the Posttraumatic Growth and Depreciation Inventory: Scale validation and refinement among Italian adults.

Objective: The main aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the newly-developed Posttraumatic Growth and Depreciation Inventory (PTGDI-X) in a heterogeneous sample of Italian adults who had experienced a traumatic event.

Method: The instrument was translated following the forward-backward method and completed by 601 participants who met the inclusion criteria. The factorial structure of the PTGDI-X was assessed by means of multiple confirmatory factor analyses (CFA).

Psychological Distress among Italian University Students Compared to General Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic induced numerous changes in the daily life of every individual, with important social, economic, and psychological consequences. Particularly, the psychological impact encountered among students might be affected by social isolation, concern for personal health and for the health of family members and friends, and uncertainty about academic progress. The present study aimed to investigate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on Italian university students compared to general workers.

Traumatic experiences and somatoform dissociation in women with fibromyalgia.

Psychological factors like traumatic life events seem to affect the etiopathogenesis and the exacerbation of fibromyalgia (FM), a chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain syndrome. This Study investigated the prevalence of traumatic events, with a particular attention to the whole life span, and both psychoform and somatoform dissociation in patients with FM, compared with healthy controls (HC). In addition, the possible effects of traumatic events and dissociative experiences on FM symptoms have been analyzed.

Traumatic Stress in Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of the Immediate Impact.

The disease caused by respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) called COVID-19 resulted in a pandemic that has demanded extraordinary physical and mental effort from healthcare workers. This review provides an overview of studies that have explored traumatic stress in healthcare workers and associated factors between January and May 2020. The focus is on the most relevant literature investigating the prevalence of trauma- and stressor-related symptoms.

Mental health of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic represents one of the most stressful events of recent times. Among the population, healthcare professionals who treat COVID-19 patients are most likely to develop psychological distress and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). The present study thus aimed to investigate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on Italian healthcare workers.

Attachment style and parental bonding: Relationships with fibromyalgia and alexithymia.

Objectives: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome, and alexithymia, which is a condition that is characterised by deficits in emotional self-awareness, is highly prevalent among individuals with FM. Insecure attachment styles and inadequate parental care appear to play an important role in the onset and maintenance of both alexithymia and chronic pain. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the associations between attachment styles, parental bonding, and alexithymia among patients with FM and healthy controls (HC).

Pain appraisal and quality of life in 108 outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Individual differences in emotional functioning, pain appraisal processing, and perceived social support may play a relevant role in the subjective experience of pain. Due to the paucity of data regarding individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), the present study aimed to examine pain intensity, emotional functioning (psychological distress and alexithymia), pain appraisal (pain beliefs, pain catastrophizing, and pain-related coping strategies) and social support, and their relationships with the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with RA. Data were collected from 108 female patients diagnosed with RA.

Posttraumatic growth in breast cancer survivors: Are depressive symptoms really negative predictors?

Objective: Breast cancer (BC) diagnosis is a potentially traumatic event, the related challenges of which can trigger positive or negative reactions. Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is defined as a positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle. The present study aimed to shed light on the relationship between the evolution of depressive symptoms over time and PTG in a group of BC survivors.

The Traumatic Experience of Breast Cancer: Which Factors Can Relate to the Post-traumatic Outcomes?

Post-traumatic growth (PTG) is considered a positive outcome of struggling with a traumatic event, distinct, and opposite from negative outcomes, i.e., psychological distress.