The purpose of this systematic review is to analyze the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects through the lens of community psychology. Our study applied PRISMA methodology, and it was carried out using the PsycInfo, PubMed, Embase, and EBSCO databases utilizing the keywords “connectedness,” “resilience,” “shared action,” “social action,” “trust,” “individual well-being,” and “social well-being.” We selected 12 of 216 eligible publications based on the inclusion criteria. The results indicated that the role of trust in institutions and others is a protective factor for communities that experience crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, developing social actions promoted connections and social support and that, in the absence of in-person communication, online communication promoted connections and reduced psychological distress and isolation. Finally, the study revealed that some psychosocial factors stem from declines in people’s well-being due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. Furthermore, our findings highlighted the role of technology as a positive communication tool for promoting connectedness and social support, as well as the social function of trust in institutions. Our results suggested that community interactions at the local and virtual levels should be viewed as positive actions to support institutions in detecting the most effective social intervention measures to stimulate individual and community well-being during the pandemic. These findings may serve as a guide for health policymakers in their efforts to face the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic supporting beneficial strategies for social planning and effective public policies. Finally, both the strengths and limitations of the research will be discussed in depth.

The study investigates how the territorial community can influence the individual and social well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) youth and especially the recognition of their feelings and the construction of their own identity as well as their needs to be socially recognized. This research focuses on the experiences of 30 LGB individuals (23 males and 7 females), with a mean age of 25.07 years (SD = 4,578), living in urban and rural areas of Southern Italy. Focalized open interviews were conducted, and the Grounded Theory Methodology, supported by the Atlas.ti 8.0 software, was used for data analysis. The textual material was first coded, and then codes were grouped into five macro-categories: Freedom of identity expression in the urban and rural context, identity construction and acceptance process, need of aggregation and identification with the LGB community, role of the interpersonal relationship in the process of identity acceptance, socio-cultural context, and LGB psychological well-being. The results showed a condition common to the two contexts that we can define as “ghettoization.” The young LGB is alone in the rural area due to a lack of places and people to identify with and greater social isolation. On the contrary, although there are more opportunities in the urban area, young people feel stigmatized and ghettoized because “their places” are frequented exclusively by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual, queer (LGBTQ) community. The work will extensively discuss the limitations of the research, future proposals, and the practical implications of the results.

Discriminatory attitudes towards women are still widespread and have also pervaded the digital world. They are often connected with the propensity to view and treat women as sexual objects, which sometimes leads to negative and harmful behaviours, such as the sharing of intimate images without the partner's consent. The present study aims at investigating the non‐consensual sharing of intimate images in relation to benevolent and hostile sexism, direct and mediated by female sexual objectification. The sample was recruited through the snowball sampling technique and was made up of 2,305 young Italian adults aged between 18 and 35. Analysis was carried out using structural equation modelling and the multigroup mediation model, allowing us to detect any gender differences. For both, males and females, results show that benevolent sexism has neither a direct nor indirect correlation with non‐consensual sharing of sexts. Instead, hostile sexism has an indirect relation with non‐consensual sharing mediated by the sexual objectification of the woman's body. Results do not show differences between male and female groups and highlight the need to focus on the socio‐cultural context that enables the non‐consensual sharing of intimate images, which is a variety of cyberviolence against women. Practical implications of the results will be extensively discussed. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

Gender stereotypes and sexist attitudes continue to persist in educational settings, with significant implications for students’ achievement and well-being. This study aimed to investigate the development of gender stereotypes and sexist attitudes among Italian high school students and trainee teachers. A series of focus groups were conducted with a group of Italian school students and trainee teachers to uncover the complex interplay of individual, interpersonal, institutional, and societal factors that contribute to the formation and perpetuation of these biases. Analysis was conducted using a grounded theory approach. The findings reveal a nuanced and multifaceted understanding of the issue, highlighting the critical role of teacher attitudes, peer influence, and broader cultural norms in shaping students’ perceptions and behaviors. This study offers insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers seeking to address gender inequities in education and promote more inclusive and equitable learning environments.

The perception of mattering, worthiness, and being meaningful for others is a fundamental condition for the human being. During young adulthood, mattering is particularly significant for the identity consolidation and well-being. This study aims to investigate the effect of relationships with parents on multidimensional well-being of young adults, mediated by mattering. A total of 1249 young Italian adults (age range 18–35) were involved, filling an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results showed that maternal support has a significant direct relationship just with interpersonal well-being, while paternal support with community well-being. Only through the mediation of mattering, both maternal and parental supports have a positive effect on all the well-being dimensions. The results suggest the importance of promoting a sense of mattering in significant interpersonal contexts for young adults to guarantee their well-being when they are involved in facing demanding challenges that the transition to adulthood requires.

Transitioning to adulthood is a fundamental yet challenging phase in human development. Despite its relevance, the literature has paid little attention to the impact that transitioning to adulthood has on multiple aspects of individual well‐being. This is one of the few attempts that has employed a sequential explanatory mixed‐methods study to explore how the path to adulthood impacted on the psychological and overall well‐being of Italian young adults. In the quantitative phase, we employed two‐step cluster analysis to assign 45 young adults, who had completed the Italian I COPPE scale of multidimensional well‐being, to three clusters based on their level of change in psychological and overall well‐being. Results from mixed design ANCOVA revealed that participants belonging to the high change cluster showed the highest significant positive change over time with respect to well‐being. In the qualitative phase, 17 individuals took part in focalized narrative interviews, which aimed at exploring significant events, barriers, and facilitators, which had impacted on their well‐being during the transition to adulthood. The textual material was analysed through the Grounded Theory Methodology. It emerged that the state of transition was associated with some triggering events and a temporary negative impact on the interviewees' well‐being. However, findings also revealed that people assigned to different clusters had put in place or learned several resources, skills, and copying strategies, which led to different transitional and well‐being outcomes.