Postpartum depression is a common and complex phenomenon that can cause relevant negative outcomes for children, women and families. Existing literature highlights a wide range of risk factors. The main focus of this paper is to jointly investigate different types of risk factors (socio-demographic, psychopathological, relational, and related to labor and birth experience) in post-partum depression onset in women during first-child pregnancy, identifying which of these are the most important predictors. A cohort longitudinal study was conducted on 161 Italian nulliparous low-risk women (M_age = 31.63; SD = 4.88) without elective cesarean. Data was collected at three different times: Socio-demographic, prenatal anxiety and depression, and quality of close relationship network (with mother, father and partner, and the prenatal attachment to child) were assessed at T1 (week 31–32 of gestation); clinical data on labor and childbirth (mode and typology of delivery, duration of labor, duration of eventual administration of epidural analgesia, and child's APGAR index at birth) were registered at T2 (the day of childbirth); and the degree of post-natal depression symptomatology was measured at T3 (1 month after birth). Postpartum depression is associated with several risk factors (woman's age, woman's prenatal psychopathological characteristics, the level of prenatal attachment to child, the quality of romantic relationship, and some clinical delivery difficulties). Overall, the level of prenatal attachment to child was the most important predictor of post-partum depression. These findings emphasize the very important role of prenatal attachment for the onset of postpartum depression and the need to promote adequate and targeted prevention interventions. Limitations, strengths, and theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Maternal symptomatology during pregnancy represents a significant risk factor for women and children. The main focus of this paper is to jointly investigate the role of maternal depression and anxiety during pregnancy on the well-being of the newborn, through their influences on the clinical aspects of labour. A longitudinal study was conducted on 167 pregnant women (M_age=32.07, SD = 4.50) recruited in the third trimester of gestation. The data was collected at two different times: the socio-demographical data and prenatal anxiety and depression were assessed at T1 (31–32 week of gestation); the clinical data on childbirth (duration of labour, administration of oxytocin and epidural analgesia) and the Apgar index of the newborn were registered at T2 (the day of childbirth). A structural equation modeling was performed using the MPLUS statistical programme. The results showed that a maternal psychopathological symptomatology during pregnancy constitutes a significant risk factor for the well-being of the newborn. In particular, both prenatal anxiety and depression negatively affect the clinical aspects of the labour experience and, indirectly, the Apgar index. The limitations, strengths, and theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Most research investigating relationships during emerging adulthood has focused on the quality of friendships and romantic relationships while devoting little attention to family relationships. The present study considered the quality of attachment to both parents in a sample of 253 emerging adults, aged 20–31 (M = 24.32; SD = 2.22), examining how these could influence the quality of sibling relationships and analyzing the link of these family relationships with the level of life satisfaction. Results showed that the attachment to both the mother and the father was linked to the quality of sibling relationships. Moreover, parental attachment to both parents and sibling relationships affected the level of perceived life satisfaction during emerging adulthood. Limitations, strengths, and theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

The aim of this study was to explore whether the sibling condition (having a sibling) and sibling relationship quality affect prosocial behaviors and best friend relationship quality, deepening the mediating role of prosocial behaviors on the relationship between sibling relationship quality and best friend relationship quality. A sample of 310 children (161 males and 149 females) aged 8 to 11 years (M = 9.50, SD = 0.66) completed a battery of questionnaires. Results revealed that the sibling condition did not affect prosocial behaviors and best friend relationship quality. However, the quality of sibling relationships positively affected prosocial behaviors, which in turn positively influenced best friend relationship quality, supporting the mediator hypothesis. Limitations, strengths, and further development of the present study are discussed.

The aim of this study was to analyze the direct and indirect relationships between the two phenotypes of narcissism, vulnerable and grandiose, and the tendency to perpetrate psychological abuse, exploring the mediating role of romantic jealousy. Our sample included 473 participants (213 males), aged 18–30 years (M = 22.74; SD = 2.81), involved in a stable romantic relationship. A structural equation modeling was conducted to test our model and a multigroup analysis was performed to test gender differences. Results show that the two forms of narcissism are both linked to psychological perpetrated abuse, but in different ways. Vulnerable narcissism was linked to psychological abuse only indirectly, through the role of romantic jealousy. On the contrary, grandiose narcissism was positively and directly associated with psychological abuse within the romantic relationship. Moreover, the model was invariant across genders. Limitations, strengths, and theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.