Background/Objectives: Children with above-average cognitive functioning often present complex developmental profiles, combining high cognitive potential with heterogeneous socio-emotional and learning trajectories. Although the cognitive and behavioral characteristics of giftedness have been widely studied in Anglophone countries, evidence remains limited in Southern Europe. This study aimed to investigate the cognitive, academic, and emotional–behavioral profiles of Italian children and adolescents with above-average cognitive functioning, using an inclusive, dimensional approach (IQ > 114). Methods: We analyzed a cross-sectional sample of 331 children and adolescents (ages 2.11–16.5 years), referred for clinical cognitive or behavioral evaluations. Participants were assessed using the WPPSI-III or WISC-IV for cognitive functioning, the MT battery for academic achievement, and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) for emotional and behavioral symptoms. Comparative and correlational analyses were performed across age, gender, and functional domains. A correction for multiple testing was applied using the Benjamini–Hochberg procedure. Results: Gifted participants showed strong verbal comprehension (mean VCI: preschoolers = 118; school-aged = 121) and relative weaknesses in working memory (WM = 106) and processing speed (PS = 109). Males outperformed females in perceptual reasoning (PR = 121 vs. 118; p = 0.032), while females scored higher in processing speed (112 vs. 106; p = 0.021). Difficulties in writing and arithmetic were observed in 47.3% and 41.8% of school-aged participants, respectively. Subclinical internalizing problems were common in preschool and school-aged groups (mean CBCL T = 56.2–56.7). Working memory negatively correlated with total behavioral problems (r = −0.13, p = 0.046). Conclusions: These findings confirm the heterogeneity of gifted profiles and underscore the need for personalized educational and psychological interventions to support both strengths and vulnerabilities in gifted children. Caution is warranted when interpreting these associations, given their modest effect sizes and the exploratory nature of the study.

The Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Approach, a problem-solving intervention process, has been shown to improve activity performance in children with Dravet Syndrome (DS). However, some individuals with DS have cognitive, language and/or behavioral deficits that preclude their ability to participate in the problem-solving process. To date, the CO-OP Approach has never been applied to parents with the goal of enhancing children/adolescent's performance. Explore the feasibility of a telerehabilitation-based CO-OP Approach with parents of individuals with DS to improve their child/adolescent's performance in daily activities. A quasi-experimental single group design with pretest-post-test and 1-month follow-up was used with 9 parents of children/adolescents with DS (aged 9-18 years), who received eight online CO-OP sessions. Five goals were chosen, three of which were treated. Parents rated performance and satisfaction on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Activity performance was rated using the Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS). Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were conducted to assess intervention changes. COPM results, for trained and untrained goals, for both performance and satisfaction, improved significantly at post and follow-up. PQRS results for trained goals improved significantly at post and follow-up. Positive trends were also observed for untrained goals, but significance was achieved only at follow-up. These findings provide preliminary evidence that the CO-OP Approach can be implemented with parents to improve their child/adolescent's performance on both trained and untrained goals.

Dravet syndrome (DS) is a severe form of epilepsy that affects a child's cognitive, language, behavioral, and physical abilities, leading to reduced adaptive functioning. Despite its impact, there is limited evidence supporting effective interventions for these children, particularly in addressing their occupational performance. To explore the effectiveness of the Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach in a telerehabilitation format for children with DS. A single-subject design with multiple baselines across goals was used with four children (aged 9-13 years) with DS, who received eight online CO-OP sessions. Five goals were set using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), three of which were targeted in the intervention. Activity performance was rated using the Performance Quality Rating Scale (PQRS) and analyzed using the 3SD band method. Children and parents rated perceived performance and satisfaction on the COPM. Secondary outcomes included parents' sense of competency, children's adaptive behavior, and quality of life. Significant improvements in PQRS scores were seen for 8 of the 12 trained goals and 3 of the 7 untrained (transfer) goals. COPM scores showed changes greater than 2 points in both children's and parents' perceived performance and satisfaction for trained and untrained goals. Improvements were also noted on the secondary measures for 3 of 4 participants. These findings provide preliminary evidence that the CO-OP approach in a telerehabilitation format improves both trained and untrained goals, with a positive effect on parent self-efficacy, adaptive functioning, and quality of life. Further research is needed to confirm these results.

Background: Neurodevelopmental disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Specific Learning Disorder (SLD), as well as neuromuscular conditions such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), are frequently associated with emotional and behavioral difficulties that may affect children’s functioning and family well-being. However, direct comparisons across these heterogeneous clinical populations remain limited. This study aimed to compare emotional and behavioral profiles across children and adolescents with ASD, ADHD, SLD, and DMD using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/6–18). Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study included 197 children and adolescents (ASD: 47; SLD: 50; ADHD: 50; DMD: 50) assessed at the Clinical Psychology Unit of the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS (Rome, Italy) between 2017 and 2024. Emotional and behavioral functioning was evaluated using the parent-report CBCL/6–18. Group differences were examined using one-way ANOVA or Welch’s ANOVA, as appropriate, followed by Tukey’s HSD or Games–Howell post hoc comparisons. Results: Significant group differences emerged for Internalizing Problems, Externalizing Problems, and Total Problems (all p < 0.001). ADHD showed the highest overall emotional and behavioral burden, with 76% of participants scoring in the clinical range for both Internalizing and Total Problems and 60% for Externalizing Problems. Elevated internalizing difficulties characterized ASD and SLD, whereas children with DMD showed generally lower CBCL scores, although 26% fell within the clinical range for Internalizing Problems. Effect sizes were moderate to large (η² = 0.168–0.273), supporting the presence of both shared and disorder-specific emotional and behavioral patterns across heterogeneous developmental conditions. Conclusions: The findings highlight the heterogeneity of emotional–behavioral profiles across neurodevelopmental and neuromuscular conditions. The use of a common standardized assessment framework enabled the identification of both shared and disorder-specific patterns, supporting the potential value of a transdiagnostic approach to individualized assessment. Future longitudinal and multi-informant studies are warranted to clarify developmental trajectories and improve the identification of clinically meaningful emotional and behavioral needs across heterogeneous pediatric populations.

Background: Psychological services within hospitals are essential to delivering integrated, patient-centred care, yet in many health systems they remain fragmented, variably organised, or confined to specific medical specialties. The Clinical Psychology Unit of the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, Istituto di Ricerca e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), represents one of the few examples of a hospital-wide psychological governance model in Italy, but its organisational structure and longitudinal activity have not previously been systematically described. Objective: This study (I) describes the organisational design and operational components of the Gemelli Unit; (II) compares it with international organisational models using a typological framework; and (III) examines its resilience and adaptive capacity during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: A descriptive–narrative approach was adopted, integrating institutional documentation, routinely collected service data (2019–2024), anonymised case vignettes, and a structured comparison with national and international psychological care structures. The analysis was informed by theoretical models of integrated health-care delivery and by Donabedian’s structure–process–outcome framework. Results: Between 2019 and 2024, psychological interventions increased from 28,878 to 47,076 (+63%), with a post-pandemic average of 41,868 annual interventions. In 2024, the Unit supported 2150 patients and 340 healthcare professionals, with psycho-oncology accounting for approximately one-third of all activities. The model integrates clinical activity, staff support, conflict management, research, and training under a centralised governance structure, ensuring hospital-wide coverage and coordinated referral pathways. The comparative analysis identified four international organisational types—department-based, liaison/specialty-based, structured health-system, and academic–clinical hybrid—highlighting the hybrid and transversal nature of the Gemelli Unit and its capacity to maintain and adapt services during the COVID-19 emergency. Conclusions: The Gemelli Unit represents a distinctive hospital-wide organisational model that combines centralised governance, transversal deployment, personalised care, and structured support for healthcare professionals. These characteristics position it as a potentially transferable benchmark for health systems seeking to integrate psychological care into core organisational and clinical processes. Future work should prioritise the development of standardised outcome indicators and national frameworks to support the evaluation and harmonisation of hospital-based psychological services.