The study analyses factor structure and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Fertility Problem Inventory–Short Form. A sample of 206 infertile couples completed the Italian version of Fertility Problem Inventory (46 items) with demographics, State Anxiety Scale of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y), Edinburgh Depression Scale and Dyadic Adjustment Scale, used to assess convergent and discriminant validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was unsatisfactory (comparative fit index = 0.87; Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.83; root mean square error of approximation = 0.17), and Cronbach’s α (0.95) revealed a redundancy of items. Exploratory factor analysis was carried out deleting cross-loading items, and Mokken scale analysis was applied to verify the items homogeneity within the reduced subscales of the questionnaire. The Fertility Problem Inventory–Short Form consists of 27 items, tapping four meaningful and reliable factors. Convergent and discriminant validity were confirmed. Findings indicated that the Fertility Problem Inventory–Short Form is a valid and reliable measure to assess infertility-related stress dimensions.

Background: Research highlighted that Stressful Life Events have high incidence among infertile patients and significant impact on physical and medical parameters related to reproductive functions, but their potential role among factors influencing the infertile patients’ perception of fertility-related Quality of Life (QoL) has not been explored. The present study aims to investigate the associations of Stressful Life Events (Stressful events in the family of origin, In family pre-existing pregnancy difficulties, Health problems in childhood) with perceived fertility-related QoL in women attending infertility treatments, examining the potential moderating role of adopted coping strategies and perceived couple’s dyadic adjustment. Methods: A questionnaire consisting of Socio-demographics and Infertility-related characteristics, Stress-inducing events in the couples’ lives Questionnaire (FLS), Coping Orientations to Problem Experienced (COPE), Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), and Core and Treatment subscales of Fertility Quality of Life (FertiQoL) was administered to 266 women attending infertility treatments. A descriptive correlational design with cross-sectional comparison was used. Results Logistic Regression Analyses after adjusting for socio-demographic and infertility-related characteristics revealed that women who reported Stressful events in the family of origin and In family pre-existing pregnancy difficulties were more likely to report lower levels of perceived Core QoL, while women who reported Health problems in childhood were more likely to report lower levels of perceived Treatment QoL. Couple’s dyadic adjustment and specific coping strategies were significantly associated with perceived Core and Treatment QoL and they also significantly moderated the associations between stressful life events and perceived QoL. Conclusions: Data provided original evidence on the strong association between stressful life events and perceived fertility-related QoL also highlighting individual and couples’ resources to define counselling interventions with women attending infertility treatments.

The COVID-19-pandemic entailed abrupt/long-lasting changes in university students’ lives, resulting in growing stress and stress-related outcomes. Although nowadays the pre-pandemic-life is gradually re-establishing, past-COVID-19-stressful experiences and strategies adopted to adjust to this condition may significantly impact students’ current experiences. Therefore, the development of research exploring the complex interplay between perceived past/present COVID-19-related experiences, coping strategies, and psychological health currently reported by students is needed. This study simultaneously tests the associations between Past-COVID-19-stressors and Current-COVID-19-stressors as moderated by Coping Strategies and the associations between Past-COVID-19-stressors and Psychological Symptoms as mediated by Current-COVID-19-stressors. A mediated-moderated model was tested on 355 university students. COVID-19-Student-Stress-Questionnaire (CSSQ) was used to assess COVID-19-stressors. Two CSSQ-versions were used, one of which was adjusted to assess Past-COVID-19-stressors recalled from previous restrictive pandemic phases. Coping-Orientation-to-Problem-Experienced-New-Italian-Version and Symptom-Checklist-90-Revised were used to assess, respectively, Coping Strategies and Psychological Symptoms. Findings confirmed the hypothesized Mediated-Moderated Model. The effects of Past-COVID-19-stressors on Current-COVID-19-stressors were moderated by Coping Strategies, and the effects of Past-COVID-19-stressors on Psychological Symptoms were mediated by Current-COVID-19-stressors. Unique psychopathological risk profiles deriving from the interplay between specific past/present stressors and coping strategies were found. Researchers and clinicians can use these findings to develop updated research and timely evidence-based interventions fostering students’ adjustment in the current period. Future research should further explore the impact of the complex interplay between perceived past/present COVID-19-related experiences and individual characteristics on psychological health conditions reported by people in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 medical emergency has ended worldwide, yet the psychological impact of these years of unprecedented changes on students’ lives still needs to be deepened. Methods: This study aims to assess and compare COVID-19-related stressors (relationships and academic life; isolation; and fear of contagion) and psychophysical symptoms reported by 637 university students at three times, i.e., April 2020 (n = 197), April 2021 (n = 200), and April 2022 (n = 240). The impact of COVID-19-related stressors on psychophysical symptoms within each time was also tested. Results: In April 2022, perceived isolation and fear of contagion decreased from the peak registered in April 2021, but stress related to relationships and academic life remained high. An ongoing increase in psychophysical symptoms was found. More than 50% of students reported clinical levels of sleep disorders, depression, psychoticism, and interpersonal sensitivity. In April 2022, students still perceiving stress related to relationships and academic life and isolation were at risk for anxiety, somatization, and sleep disorders. Students still perceiving stress related to fear of contagion were also at risk for depression, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, and psychoticism. Conclusion: The findings emphasized the long-lasting effects of COVID-19-related stress on students’ psychophysical health. Interventions must aim at supporting students in dealing with the complex post-pandemic adjustment process.