This study examined how peer victimization functions as a mediating mechanism and how perceived family support operates as a moderating condition in the association between teacher - student relationship quality and psychological difficulties in early adolescence. Drawing on a sample of Italian middle school students (N = 694; M age = 12.28 years, SD = 0.95), participants completed validated measures assessing teacher - student closeness and conflict, peer victimization, family support, and psychological symptoms. A moderated mediation model indicated that peer victimization explained part of the association between both teacher - student closeness and conflict and students' psychological difficulties (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, and hyperactivity). Furthermore, family support altered the strength of these indirect associations, buffering the negative impact of conflictual teacher - student relationships on psychological distress. These findings highlight the importance of integrated, multi-systemic interventions addressing teacher, peer, and family dynamics to promote adolescent psychological adjustment within school settings.

The possibility of physical interaction is often described as a supportive element for children's social-emotional development during the pre-school years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, distancing rules and extended periods of online instruction reduced opportunities for teachers and young children to engage in ordinary, everyday physical contact. In this study, we examined whether a decrease in such contact was associated with teachers' reports of children's psychological difficulties, and whether the quality of the teacher - child relationship played a moderating role. Eighty-one teachers (78 female; Mage = 48.89, SDage = 8.69) completed the Student - Teacher Relationship Scale, the Questionnaire of Reduced Physical Contact, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, providing information on 1,080 children (549 female; Mage = 6.3, SDage = 1.76). When teachers reported lower levels of closeness in their relationships with children, a greater reduction in physical contact was associated with higher overall psychological difficulties. A similar pattern was observed for specific domains, particularly conduct problems and hyperactivity, where closeness again moderated these associations. The findings provide a snapshot of how pandemic restrictions were reflected in early educational settings and highlight relational factors that may be relevant when planning future support strategies.

The aim of the study is to investigate the possible association between early maladaptive schemas (EMS), emanating from traumatic relationships with attachment figures and acknowledged as a risk factor that increases the susceptibility to various forms of psychopathology, notably muscle dysmorphia (MD) within a cohort of Italian adolescents. The sample consisted of 1793 Italian high school students aged 13–20 years (Mage = 16.69, SD = 1.66; 59.3

The possible etiology of muscle dysmorphia (MD) is still poorly understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible association between parental rejection and MD in male adolescents and to explore the possible mediating role of disconnection and rejection (RD)-related early maladaptive schemas in this association. Data were collected in Northern and Central Italy. Participants were 704 male high school students (aged 13 to 20 years: M-age = 16.8, SD = 1.72) who completed an anonymous questionnaire that included measures of parental rejection, MD, and RD. It was found that parental rejection was positively associated with MD and that this association was mediated by three specific RD: abandonment, mistrust/abuse, and defectiveness/shame schemas. In particular, parental rejection was positively associated with three specific RDs, which in turn were positively associated with MD symptoms. MD may represent a strategy to compensate for negative cognitions about self and others, likely stemming from previous experiences of perceived rejecting relationships with parents.

This study examined the pathways through which perceived teacher unfairness affects students' psychological adjustment, focusing on the mediating role of self-handicapping and the moderating role of perceived social support. The study investigated whether self-handicapping mediates the association between perceived teacher unfairness and students' psychological functioning, and whether perceived social support moderates this indirect relationship. The sample comprised 694 students aged 10–14 (M_age = 12.30, SD = 0.95; 52.2% female) attending public schools in Northern Italy. Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing perceived teacher unfairness, self-handicapping, perceived social support, and psychological functioning. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were conducted. Self-handicapping significantly mediated the relationship between perceived teacher unfairness and psychological outcomes, including emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, and prosocial behaviour. Moderated mediation analyses indicated that perceived social support buffered the negative effects of self-handicapping. Specifically, the indirect effects of teacher unfairness on emotional and behavioural difficulties via self-handicapping were weaker among students reporting higher levels of social support, while no significant effects were found for peer relationship problems. Teacher unfairness may contribute to maladjustment through increased self-handicapping, while social support serves as a protective factor. Conclusion: Interventions promoting teacher–student fairness and strengthening support networks may enhance adolescent well-being.

Objective This study investigated sharenting, social appearance anxiety, and internalizing symptoms among adolescents, examining the moderating role of social media use intensity.Background Sharenting, the practice of parents sharing detailed information about their children's lives on social media, has become increasingly common in contemporary parenting. Previous research suggests that this phenomenon might negatively impact adolescents' psychological well-being by heightening concerns related to social appearance and increasing vulnerability to internalizing problems.Methods A sample of 610 Italian adolescents (57.70% female; mean age = 14.28, SD = 2.29) completed measures assessing their perception of their parents' sharenting, social media use intensity, social appearance anxiety, and internalizing symptoms.Results Results from moderated mediation analyses revealed that sharenting was directly associated with both social appearance anxiety and internalizing symptoms. Notably, social media use intensity moderated these relationships, with stronger effects observed at lower levels of social media use. The relationship between sharenting and internalizing symptoms was partially mediated by social appearance anxiety, but this indirect effect was also contingent on social media use intensity, being significant only at low to moderate levels of use. Female gender emerged as a significant risk factor for both social appearance anxiety and internalizing symptoms.Conclusions These findings suggest that sharenting may have unintended negative consequences for adolescent psychological well-being, particularly among those less engaged with social media.Implications The results have important implications for parenting practices in the digital age and highlight the need for increased awareness of how parental social media behavior affects adolescent development.

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) represents a growing public health concern among young adults, yet cross-national evidence in this population remains limited, particularly among university students. This study examined the prevalence of probable IGD and its associated factors in two convenience samples of university students from Spain and Italy. Participants included 798 Spanish students (Mean age = 21.48, SD = 5.01; 67.2% female) and 717 Italian students (Mean age = 22.20, SD = 3.83; 49.4% female). Standardized self-report measures assessed IGD symptoms, gaming behaviors, impulsivity traits, emotional intelligence, and social and contextual factors related to gaming. The estimated prevalence of probable IGD was low in both countries (2.1% in Spain and 2.4% in Italy), but increased among active gamers (6.1% and 4%, respectively). Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, correlations, and binomial logistic regressions, revealed different risk profiles across countries. In Spain, gaming with strangers, lower emotional intelligence, and low premeditation were associated with higher IGD risk. In Italy, positive urgency and a greater number of hours spent gaming emerged as significant predictors. Overall, findings support the multifactorial nature of IGD and highlight meaningful cross-national differences, underscoring the international relevance of preventive and targeted interventions.

This study presents an Italian adaptation of the Teachers' Reporting Attitude Scale for Child Sexual Abuse (TRAS-CSA), aiming to assess teachers' attitudes towards reporting suspected cases of child sexual abuse (CSA) and to explore the scale's psychometric properties in the Italian context. Given the critical role schools play in identifying and addressing CSA, understanding teachers' attitudes is vital for improving reporting rates and protecting victims. A sample of 1318 Italian teachers (12.8% male; age: 25-65; M = 46.71; SD = 10.25) from various educational levels participated in the study. Exploratory factor analysis identified two primary factors: Awareness of Role and Commitment to Reporting (Factor 1) and Concern and Distrust Towards Reporting (Factor 2). Results indicated that male teachers demonstrated significantly higher scores on the concern factor, while teachers from secondary schools exhibited higher commitment to reporting compared to those from preschool and primary levels. The adapted TRAS-CSA demonstrates solid psychometric properties, providing a valuable tool for future research and intervention strategies in Italy to enhance awareness and action against child sexual abuse within educational settings. Implications for educational policies and teacher training frameworks are discussed to bolster the preventive efforts against CSA.

BACKGROUND:This study examined the pathways through which perceived teacher unfairness affects students' psychological adjustment, focusing on the mediating role of self-handicapping and the moderating role of perceived social support. AIMS:The study investigated whether self-handicapping mediates the association between perceived teacher unfairness and students' psychological functioning, and whether perceived social support moderates this indirect relationship. MATERIALS AND METHODS:The sample comprised 694 students aged 10-14 (M_age = 12.30, SD = 0.95; 52.2% female) attending public schools in Northern Italy. Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing perceived teacher unfairness, self-handicapping, perceived social support, and psychological functioning. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were conducted. RESULTS:Self-handicapping significantly mediated the relationship between perceived teacher unfairness and psychological outcomes, including emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, and prosocial behaviour. Moderated mediation analyses indicated that perceived social support buffered the negative effects of self-handicapping. Specifically, the indirect effects of teacher unfairness on emotional and behavioural difficulties via self-handicapping were weaker among students reporting higher levels of social support, while no significant effects were found for peer relationship problems. DISCUSSION:Teacher unfairness may contribute to maladjustment through increased self-handicapping, while social support serves as a protective factor. CONCLUSION:Interventions promoting teacher-student fairness and strengthening support networks may enhance adolescent well-being.

Teachers are a risk group for developing burnout, especially student-related burnout. However, the associated risk factors have hardly been researched. Our cross-sectional study investigates the possible association between previous traumatic childhood experiences and student-related burnout risk and the possible mediating role of emotional self-efficacy and emotional dysregulation. Participants is Italian K-12 teachers (N = 1203; females: 88.1%; age: M= 46.93; SD = 10.22). Teachers completed an anonymous self-report questionnaire that included information about previous childhood traumatic experiences, emotional dysregulation, self-efficacy, and student-related burnout. The data show that teachers who report previous traumatic experiences tend to have a higher risk of student-related burnout. This relationship was also mediated by emotional dysregulation. Furthermore, emotional self-efficacy mediated the relationship between emotional dysregulation and student-related burnout, but not the relationship between a teacher's previous traumatic experiences in childhood and student-related burnout. Thus, our data seems to suggest that teachers with prior traumatic experiences are more likely to report a higher risk of student-related burnout and that measures of their ability to regulate emotions and feel effective in managing emotions contribute to their risk of reporting burnout associated with their relationship with students. Limitations, practical implications and future directions for research are described.

In the digital age, adolescents spend considerable time online, heightening their exposure to both cyberbullying and traditional bullying. However, few studies have investigated both forms of victimization simultaneously, particularly regarding their impact on adolescents in Middle Eastern countries such as Oman. This study used latent profile analysis to identify victimization profiles based on indicators of verbal, social, physical, and cyberbullying victimization. The participants included 1204 Omani students (604 girls, 50.2%; M = 14.04, SD = 0.20, aged 14–15). Three victimization profiles emerged: (1) non-victims (n = 989, 82.1%), (2) traditional victims (n = 156, 13.0%), and (3) dual victims (n = 59, 4.9%). The BCH approach revealed that adolescents in the non-victims profile, with the lowest levels of both traditional and cyberbullying victimization, reported the lowest levels of internalizing (M = 10.14, SD = 0.11) and externalizing symptoms (M = 10.36, SD = 0.10) and the highest academic performance (M = 4.59, SD = 0.02), whereas their prosocial behaviors were relatively low (M = 4.71, SD = 0.08). Adolescents in the traditional victims’ profile had moderate levels on nearly all outcomes. Adolescents in the dual victims’ profile, who experienced both traditional and cyberbullying, reported the highest levels of behavioral symptoms (Minternalizing = 11.94, SDinternalizing = 0.34; Mexternalizing = 12.81, SDexternalizing = 0.38) and prosocial behaviors (M = 5.63, SD = 0.36), along with the lowest academic performance (M = 4.37, SD = 0.11). These findings underscore the need for culturally sensitive, multi-level interventions to protect Omani adolescents from both traditional and cyberbullying and to support their academic and psychosocial well-being.

IntroductionEarly maladaptive schemas (EMSs) have been found to associate to aggressive behavior, though the cognitive pathways underlying that association remain scarcely investigated, particularly considering the different forms and functions of aggression. The current work explores the sequential mediation pathways linking EMSs and variables related to social information processing (SIP; i.e., hostile attribution of intent and evaluation of overt and relational responses) to aggressive behaviors.MethodsA sample of 516 adolescents (Mage = 16.54, 69.4% female) filled in self-report questionnaires on EMSs, SIP, and the forms and functions of aggression. A model generation approach based on retaining only significant direct pathways was applied to four mediation models that differed in the outcome variable: reactive overt aggression, proactive overt aggression, reactive relational aggression, and proactive relational aggression.ResultsResults showed the salience of EMSs within the disconnection and rejection and the impaired limits domains and of a positive evaluation of aggressive response options. Alternatively, specific results were found for hostile attribution of intent in relation to relational aggression regardless of its function, for reactive overt aggression, and for proactive overt aggression (e.g., hostile attribution of intention impacted indirectly on relational aggression, directly on reactive overt aggression and did not impact on proactive overt aggression).DiscussionOverall and specific findings are discussed based on both developmental (e.g., early neglectful or punitive experiences) and current interaction processes (e.g., social or personal gains associated with the practice of aggressive behavior). Overall, adolescent aggression seems sustained by cognitive pathways that may be more malleable to change based on joint intra and interpersonal intervention efforts.

Background: Children with disabilities face an increased risk of neglect and maltreatment due to their dependence on caregivers, social isolation, and challenges in seeking help. While extensive research has examined child abuse, neglect remains an underexplored yet pervasive issue affecting this vulnerable population. Objective: This scoping review synthesizes literature from the past decade to assess the prevalence, characteristics, and risk factors of neglect among children with disabilities, aiming to identify gaps in research and inform policy and intervention efforts. Methods: Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across multiple electronic databases, including PsycNET, Social Services Abstracts, ERIC, PubMed, and EBSCO. Studies were included if they focused on neglect among children with disabilities and were published in English within the last ten years. Thematic analysis was employed to extract and categorize findings. Results: Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria, revealing a significantly higher prevalence of neglect among children with disabilities compared to their typically developing peers. The type and severity of disability influenced the likelihood and nature of neglect, with children with intellectual disabilities (ID), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and sensory impairments facing particularly high risks. Key risk factors included parental stress, economic hardship, limited access to resources, and systemic failures in early identification and intervention. Despite the severity of neglect, evidence-based preventive strategies remain scarce, and existing child protection frameworks often fail to account for the unique needs of children with disabilities. Conclusions: The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions, specialized training for professionals, and policy reforms to address the neglect of children with disabilities. Future research should focus on developing and evaluating culturally sensitive and disability-specific support systems to mitigate the long-term consequences of neglect.

The aim of this study is to extend our knowledge of the possible association between (maternal and paternal) parental rejection and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms in early adolescence by investigating the possible mediating role of alexithymia. A sample of Italian early adolescents (N = 234; Mage: 11.86, SD = 0.93; 47% male) was recruited from several schools in northwestern Italy. Participants completed an anonymous self-report questionnaire that included information on experience of parental rejection, alexithymia, and GAD symptoms. Our results show an association between parental rejection (both maternal and paternal) and GAD symptoms. Furthermore, the data show that alexithymia tends to mediate the relationship between maternal/paternal rejection and GAD. In this sense, parental rejection is associated with an increase in alexithymic symptoms, which in turn is associated with an increase in GAD symptoms in early adolescents. Limitations of the research and practical implications are discussed.

In the era of the mobile Internet, online groups, which often serve as a primary form of communication and socialization and provide support within personal networks, have become an important cyberspace for adolescents. While the prevalence of being kicked out from online groups is relatively high, the influence of such online exclusion and its underlying mechanisms have been less studied. This study examined the relationship between being kicked out (BKO) from WhatsApp groups and students' school achievement was explored. Valid participants were 858 students (Mage = 14.01 years, SDage = 2.23) from middle schools and high schools. A negative relationship was found between BKO and students' grade point average. Fear of missing out, problematic social media use, and internalizing symptoms played mediating roles in this association. This study may provide valuable insights for programs aimed at improving students' academic performance and well-being.

The present study explores how Italian primary school children represent nature through drawing. A convenience sample of 2997 students (aged 9-11; 50.4 % female) from grades 3 to 5 in public elementary schools in northern Italy participated. Each child completed two drawings: one illustrating nature in the present and one envisioning nature in the future. Content analysis revealed a tendency to depict environmental issues and a largely negative view of nature in the future. A cluster analysis identified five distinct representational profiles, with "Balanced Realists" (30 %) being the most prevalent and "Technological Futurists" (10 %) the least. Gender differences emerged: females were more likely to portray environmental degradation and biotic elements, while males favored urban and technological features. An exploratory within-subject analysis further showed that while some children maintained consistent orientations across both time frames, many shifted from neutral or positive depictions of the present to negative depictions of the future. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating children's environmental perceptions into education programs to foster ecological awareness and sustainable thinking. Study limitations and future research directions are discussed.

Background: Childhood traumatic experiences can profoundly impact individuals, posing risks to the physical and psychological well-being of children and influencing their psychological development. Teachers in primary schools play a critical role in identifying and reporting suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment (CAM), which initiates child protection interventions. However, the psychological factors that influence teachers' likelihood of reporting suspected CAM cases remain largely unexplored. Aim: This study investigates the influence of teachers' childhood traumatic experiences and psychological factors (i.e., cognitive empathy and psychological detachment) on their reporting behavior regarding child abuse and maltreatment, addressing an important social issue. Participants: The study involved 1380 primary school teachers from Italy (88.3 % female; aged 21-69, Mage 46.7, DS 10.3). Results: The results reveal that teachers with a history of childhood emotional abuse tend to report a higher number of suspected child abuse and maltreatment cases. Other forms of traumatic childhood experiences were not significantly associated with teachers' reporting suspected cases of CAM. Additionally, cognitive empathy and psychological detachment emerge as significant predictors of teachers' reporting behavior. Conclusions: This research contributes to the existing literature by providing unique insights into actual reporting behavior within an unexplored cultural context.

INTRODUCTION:Recent evidence demonstrates an association between social media addiction (SMA) and aggressive behaviors; however, the longitudinal relationship between these two variables remains not fully understood. The aim of this study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between SMA and aggressive behaviors (overt and relational aggression) in early adolescence and to identify gender differences in this relationship. METHODS:A sample of 568 Italian early adolescents (52.3% girls; Mage = 12.59, SD = 0.87) attending middle schools in northern Italy was recruited from different schools. Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire to assess SMA and the perpetration of overt and relational aggressive behaviors. The questionnaire was completed twice with a 1-year intervals (T1 and T2). RESULTS:The findings showed that females were at higher risk of SMA and relational aggression, whereas males exhibited higher levels of overt aggression at both time points (T1 and T2). Longitudinal analyses revealed that SMA at T1 was associated with higher likelihoods of both overt and relational aggression at T2 across both genders and that only in females was relational aggression at T1 associated with higher levels of SMA at T2. CONCLUSIONS:The study suggests a relationship between SMA and aggressive behaviors and reveals gender differences in this pattern. Limitations, future directions, and practical implications of the research are discussed.