Drawing and adapting the Job Demands-Resources Model to the academic context, the study aimed

at exploring how students manage academic study demands by seeking challenges and adopting their human (e.g.

meta-competencies) and social capital (e.g. networking) to improve their academic performance. 152 undergraduate

psychology students were asked to fill out an online anonymous questionnaire, whose reliability was assessed. Analyses

through four latent variables (seeking challenges, meta-competencies, networking and academic performance) were

carried out through PLS-SEM, a non-parametrical approach to Structural Equation Modelling, while Bootstrap validation

with n = 200 strengthened model validity. Results showed a direct, positive, significant structural relationship between

students’ seeking challenges, meta-competencies and networking; moreover, the additional, indirect, presence of

human capital arises in the relationship between seeking challenges and academic performance.

The Stop-Signal Reaction Time (SSRT) as a measure of impulsive behavior has been called into question.

The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between self-report measure of risk-taking and impulsivity and

different SSRT estimation methods. Fifty Italian university students (male participants = 15, 30.0%, female participants

= 35, 70.0%; mean age = 22.64 years, SD = 2.63 years) agreed to participate in the study. Roughly 49 participants were

required to allow .80 power for detecting a Spearman r value of .40 with p<.05. Participants were administered the SST

using a laptop computer in individual sessions and completed the Italian versions of the UPPS-P Impulsivity Scale, Barratt

Impulsiveness Scale-11, and Impulsive-Unsocialized Sensation-Seeking Scale. Spearman r values suggested that all SSRT

models were significantly associated with self-report measures of sensation-seeking/risk taking behaviors. However, only

BEEST estimates were non-trivially associated also with measures of core features of impulsivity (i.e., lack of premeditation).

Our findings seemed to suggest that adopting a Bayesian perspective on SSRT estimation may allow to obtain experimental

measures of both risk-taking and impulsive behaviors.

In this paper we identify an endophenotype for individuals with Autism spectrum disorder – level 1

(ASD-1) and normal cognitive functioning using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition with a clinical

sample of 80 diagnosed ASD-1 children without intellectual disability (with FSIQ>70), and a comparison matched-paired

control group (n = 80) combined for age, gender of children and parents’ level education. From results emerged that

the clinical ASD-1 with High functioning group (ASD-1 HF) performed worse than the matched-paired control group on

Processing Speed Index and Working Memory Index, reflecting the sensitivity of these measures to generalized cognitive

impairment. This result is also confirmed by the absence of a difference between the ASD-1 HF and control groups

in the General Ability Index and the large difference to the Cognitive Proficiency Index in favour of the control group.

Again, 36% of ASD children had a rare and large difference between the 4 indices and then the FSIQ could be deemed

uninterpretable as unitary and cohesive ability. We argue that the ASD-1’s cognitive profile cannot be interpreted as a

unitary entity represented from simply FSIQ, but we can obtain a better assessment of cognitive level in ASD subjects

using separately the General Ability Index and the Cognitive Proficiency Index.

A substantial proportion of adolescents treated with psychotherapy does not show improvements in

mental symptoms, for reasons which are still not well understood. Aims of the study were to evaluate lack of recovery,

defined according to external reference values, and change in symptomatology of a group of adolescents and young

adults treated with psychotherapy in routine clinical care, as well as to identify sociodemographic, clinical and

therapeutic characteristics that can negatively influence the treatment outcome. The study population was composed

of 148 subjects, treated at a Psychotherapy Center, who filled in a questionnaire for the assessment of psychological

symptoms (CBA-VE) before start of psychotherapy (T0), right after (T1), and, limited to 94 patients, six months after

its end (T2). Age, gender, diagnostic group, symptom severity, drug therapy, number and frequency of psychotherapy

sessions, were examined as possible predictors of lack of recovery and of improvement in mental symptoms between

pre- and post-treatment, through multivariate Poisson robust regression and multiple regression models, respectively. A

significant improvement of mental symptoms occurred both at T1 and T2. However, higher severity of symptoms at T0

increased lack of recovery, whereas it was associated with greater improvement of symptoms, indicating that the impact

of psychotherapy, in terms of reduction of symptoms, would be stronger when severity is higher.

Perfectionism is considered a multidimensional and transdiagnostic personality style that can occur

in severe forms of personality disorders. The aim of this study is to explore the acceptability and the feasibility of an

integrative mindful compassion group intervention for patients who were diagnosed with personality disorders and

reported prominent perfectionistic traits. We pilot-tested an 8-week group intervention in a sample of patients (n =

5) who had completed individual psychotherapy. The intervention integrated mindful compassion practices with the

perfectionism social disconnection model. Primary outcomes were the accessibility and feasibility of the intervention

as evaluated through quantitative and qualitative measures. Secondary outcomes were differences between pre- and

post-assessment in perfectionism traits and self-criticism. Neither adverse events nor drop-outs were reported. All

the participants confirmed high acceptability and positive outcomes in terms of developing new healthy strategies. At

post-assessment, the perfectionist dimensions that had shown the highest scores at the pre-assessment exhibited a

reliable change. The study highlights the acceptability and feasibility of the proposed intervention. Further researches

are needed in order to confirm the suitability of the intervention.