Background/Objectives: Although depression and anxiety are found to be affected by temperaments, little research has studied these relationships in pregnancy. The present study explored the associations among perinatal depression (PD), anxiety dimensions (state, trait, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)), and temperaments between women in the three trimesters of pregnancy through a network analysis approach. Moreover, differences in the severity of PD and anxiety between women in the three trimesters were evaluated. Methods: Women in first (N = 31), second (N = 184), and third (N = 54) trimesters of pregnancy were recruited in the present cross-sectional study. The network analysis included PD, anxiety dimensions, and temperaments. Three network models were estimated, and ANOVAs evaluated the differences in the severity of PD and anxiety, including trimesters as a between-subject factor. Results: PD and GAD were the nodes most strongly connected across the three groups. Cyclothymic, depressive, and anxious temperaments were most frequently associated with PD and GAD. Hyperthymic temperament was in the periphery of the three networks. Lastly, women in the first trimester had the highest severity of PD and GAD. Conclusions: PD and GAD showed the strongest associations. Anxiety dimensions had positive associations with PD and GAD, suggesting their role as possible risk factors. Temperaments were differently associated within the network between the three groups. Clinical interventions during pregnancy should target the central variables, considering their direct and indirect relationships.

Adverse early interactions with parents deeply affect the socio-emotional development of an individual, leading to feelings of inferiority and negatively influencing the development of self-conscious emotions, such as shame. Moreover, dysfunctional parenting was found in the histories of people suffering from substance and behavioral addictions. In this context, there is currently no agreement in the literature regarding the role of shame proneness on the severity of the addiction. The present study aimed to evaluate the mediating (risk or protective) role of the two shame dimensions (withdrawal action tendencies and negative self-evaluation) in the association between dysfunctional parenting and the severity of addiction, testing two structural equation models (SEMs; for substance and behavioral addiction respectively). An online survey recruiting 710 Italian young adults was administered using the Measure of Parental Styles, the Guilt and Shame Proneness Scale, and the brief Screener for Substance and Behavioral Addiction. The SEMs confirmed the predictive role of dysfunctional parenting on the severity of the addiction. Moreover, two dimensions of shame mediated the association in opposite ways. The withdrawal action tendencies positively mediated the association between dysfunctional parenting and the severity of substance and behavioral addiction, potentially acting as a risk factor. Negative self-evaluation negatively mediated the association between dysfunctional parenting and the severity of substance addiction, playing a potential protective role. In a therapeutic context, the findings emphasized the importance of evaluating the different dimensions of shame experiences among addicted individuals and assessing the strategies used to withdraw from these experiences.

Background: Denialism of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severely affected governments’ attempts to contain the spread of the virus. Indeed, groups of deniers showed scepticism and misinformation toward the causes of the virus, leading to less adherence to official guidelines and vaccination campaigns. The present study aimed to investigate the sociodemographic and psychological factors associated with COVID-19 denialism, expressed in the forms of scepticism, nonadherence to guidelines, and negative attitudes toward vaccination. Methods: Four hundred and sixty-one volunteers completed an online survey composed of the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the Dissociative Experiences Scale-II, the Sense of Community Index, and a questionnaire about COVID-19 denialism. Results: The multiple regression analyses showed that higher age and a lower level of education were positive predictors of COVID-19 denialism. Furthermore, the structural equation model showed that hopelessness positively predicted dissociation and negatively predicted the sense of community. In turn, only dissociation was found to positively predict COVID-19 denialism. Conclusions: The findings of the present study suggested that hopelessness could exacerbate a defensive dissociative response that could be associated with greater COVID-19 denialism. Moreover, older and less educated people showed a greater propensity to engage in COVID-19 denialism.

1. Libya's civil wars (2011–2020) caused many deaths, injuries, refugees, insecurity, and financial crises (Daw et al., 2019). The Libyan citizens suffered from several psychological symptoms, such...

Background: Psychophysical factors may have an impact on the disease of obesity, and it is important to explore which aspects may play an important role on the well-being of obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. The purpose of this study was to assess the associations of a high body mass index (BMI) and greater dissatisfaction with body image with higher levels of psychopathological aspects, feelings of hopelessness, and psychological and physical health in patients undergoing evaluation for bariatric surgery. Methods: Fifty-nine patients undergoing bariatric surgery filled out the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, the Body Uneasiness Test, the 12-item Short Form Survey, the Beck Inventory Scale II, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. Correlations and hierarchical regressions between measures were performed. Results: Dissatisfaction with the perception of one’s own body image was strongly correlated with a worse psychophysiological health. On the contrary, BMI showed no significant correlation with the previous variables. Furthermore, the perception of one’s own body image significantly predicted the state of psychological health. Conclusions: The findings showed a more relevant role of body image compared to the BMI in the association with psychological outcomes, suggesting the importance of considering body image in the assessment and treatment of obese patients requiring bariatric treatment.