Publications by authors named "I Bertacchi"

Background: Although self-compassion has been consistently linked to positive outcomes in adults and adolescents, only a few studies have explored self-compassion in children and early adolescents due to a lack of measures specifically designed for younger populations.

Methods: The current study explored the psychometric properties of the Italian translation of the Self-Compassion Scale for Children (SCS-C) in a sample of 230 children (mean age = 10.52, SD = 1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Empathy is crucial to the development of socio-emotional skills in youth and empathy development is central to understanding and subtyping youth with externalizing problems. This study explored for the first time the psychometric properties of the Measure of Empathy in Early Childhood (MEEC) in a sample of 652 Italian children aged 6 to 8 years. The gender invariance of MEEC scores and their associations with other measures of empathy and prosocial behavior, and children's externalizing problems and callous-unemotional (CU) traits were also evaluated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The coping power universal (CPU) is an evidence-based universal prevention program delivered by teachers, and completely integrated into the school agenda. Previous studies have shown its positive effects, though little is known about its longer-term effects, and no previous study has explored whether teachers' occupational stress could influence the CPU efficacy. The current study aimed to explore the 1 year follow up of the CPU on students' externalizing and internalizing problems and prosocial behavior, and the influence of baseline levels of teachers' stress in a sample of 316 3rd graders and their teachers ( = 32).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The present study examined the efficacy of the universal prevention version of the Coping Power Program in reducing behavioral and emotional problems and in promoting prosocial behaviors in middle-school classrooms.

Methods: The study used a randomized control study design; and the sample included 839 middle-school Italian youths (411 males), attending 40 middle-school classrooms. The students were in seventh or eighth grade, and they had an average age of 13.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Universal prevention strategies like the Coping Power Universal program have effectively reduced conduct problems and aggression among children in schools.
  • The study, involving 1030 students from 70 Italian classes, showed that these interventions also positively impacted children's behavior at home and in their communities.
  • The program not only lowered conduct issues as reported by parents and teachers but also fostered greater prosocial behaviors, suggesting its potential as a valuable tool for addressing behavioral challenges in a wider population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF