Search Results (49)

Background: Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) and Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), including Functional Cognitive Disorder (FCD), are two frequently encountered but diagnostically complex conditions. While PCS is conceptualized as a sequela of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), FND/FCD encompasses symptoms incompatible with recognized neurological disease, often arising in the absence of structural brain damage. Yet, both conditions exhibit considerable clinical overlap—particularly in the domains of cognitive dysfunction, emotional dysregulation, and symptom persistence despite negative investigations. Objective: This review critically examines the shared and divergent features of PCS and FND/FCD. We explore their respective epidemiology, diagnostic criteria, and risk factors—including personality traits and trauma exposure—as well as emerging insights from neuroimaging and biomarkers. We propose the “Functional Overlay Model” as a clinical tool for navigating diagnostic ambiguity in patients with persistent post-injury symptoms. Results: PCS and FND/FCD frequently share features such as subjective cognitive complaints, fatigue, anxiety, and heightened somatic vigilance. High neuroticism, maladaptive coping, prior psychiatric history, and trauma exposure emerge as common risk factors. Neuroimaging studies show persistent network dysfunction in both PCS and FND, with overlapping disruption in fronto-limbic and default mode systems. The Functional Overlay Model helps to identify cases where functional symptomatology coexists with or replaces an initial organic insult—particularly in patients with incongruent symptoms and normal objective testing. Conclusions: PCS and FND/FCD should be conceptualized along a continuum of brain dysfunction, shaped by injury, psychology, and contextual factors. Early recognition of functional overlays and stratified psychological interventions may improve outcomes for patients with persistent, medically unexplained symptoms after head trauma. This review introduces the Functional Overlay Model as a novel framework to enhance diagnostic clarity and therapeutic planning in patients presenting with persistent post-injury symptoms. Full article

Exercise addiction (EA) is a maladaptive behavior characterized by excessive physical activity, often linked to negative psychological outcomes. This study investigated the relationships between perfectionism, sport commitment, and EA in a sample of 219 Hungarian athletes (M = 22.19 years). Using path analysis, we tested a model hypothesizing that adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism differentially predict enthusiastic and constrained commitment, which in turn influences EA. Our results showed that maladaptive perfectionism positively predicted constrained commitment (β = 0.70) and EA (β = 0.63), while negatively relating to enthusiastic commitment (β = −0.17). Conversely, adaptive perfectionism was positively associated with enthusiastic commitment (β = 0.24) and negatively with constrained commitment (β = −0.12). Moreover, enthusiastic commitment positively predicted EA (β = 0.24). We found a significant indirect effect between adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism when controlling for enthusiastic commitment, suggesting its dual role in this context. Our study suggests that enthusiastic commitment serves as a source of exercise addiction (EA) and has a dual role, acting as both a protective factor and a risk factor for it. Additionally, we found that maladaptive perfectionism is associated with higher levels of constrained commitment and EA, while correlating with lower levels of enthusiastic commitment. Conversely, adaptive perfectionism increases enthusiastic commitment and decreases constrained commitment. These findings highlight the associations between motivational and personality factors in EA, indicating that even adaptive traits can contribute to unhealthy exercise patterns in athletic environments. Full article

Background and Objectives: We investigated whether early psychological trauma can contribute to the development of dysfunctional personality traits and emotional dysregulation. Personality disorders (PDs) are often characterized by using immature defense mechanisms and maladaptive coping strategies. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the relationship between early traumatic experiences, PDs, defense mechanisms, and coping strategies. A total of 90 patients aged between 18 and 70 with PDs were studied to detect different subtypes of early trauma, along with the defensive mechanisms and the prevailing coping strategies. Correlation and regression analyses aimed at establishing if specific trauma subtypes were associated with specific defense mechanisms and coping strategies. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire—Short Form (CTQ-SF), the Defense Style Questionnaire 40 (DSQ-40), and the Coping Orientation to Problem Experienced (COPE) were used as psychodiagnostic tools. Results: Our findings determine emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect as the most represented subtypes of trauma and underline the use of immature defense mechanisms in PD patients, while adaptive coping strategies, such as social support and positive aptitude were used. Conclusions: Early trauma, such as abuse and neglect, can be associated with dysfunctional defense mechanisms and coping strategies. This may have significant implications for managing not only pathological areas of the patient but also the functional ones. Moreover, being aware of these aspects can be useful for psychotherapy, reinforcing therapeutic alliance and reducing symptoms. Full article

Background/Objectives: Academic engagement (AE) and work engagement (WE) are important indicators of performance and well-being in educational and occupational settings. Although these constructs are well researched independently, few studies have examined them concurrently among individuals navigating both academic and professional demands. Nursing students who are simultaneously employed as nurses represent a unique and under-researched population in this context. Understanding how personality traits influence both AE and WE in this dual-role group may offer insights relevant for academic success and well-being in healthcare settings. Methods: The sample consisted of 230 nursing students from a public university in Croatia who were also working as nurses. This study employed a repeated cross-sectional descriptive predictive research design (2022–2025). The participants completed questionnaires (UWES-9, UWES-S-9, and IPIP-15) during their university lectures. Results: The analysis yielded two personality clusters (adaptive—lower levels of neuroticism and higher levels of the other personality traits and maladaptive—the opposite). The participants in the adaptive cluster had higher levels of WE and AE. Regression analysis revealed that conscientiousness was a significant predictor for WE and AE, whereas agreeableness was a significant predictor for only WE. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of personality traits when addressing AE and WE, and fostering traits such as conscientiousness and agreeableness may enhance positive work and academic outcomes. Personality traits showed similar patterns of association with both AE and WE, indicating that dispositional factors may play a more crucial role in WE and AE than external influences. Full article

Background/Objectives: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, often persisting into adolescence and adulthood, with significant impacts on social, academic, and occupational functioning. Emerging research highlights the role of personality traits in ADHD, suggesting their influence on symptom presentation, functional impairments, and treatment adherence. This study aims to investigate maladaptive personality domains and traits in adolescents with ADHD using the Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD) framework and the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 Short Form (PID-5-SF), with a particular focus on the differences among same-sex peers and differences from typically developing peers. Methods: This study included 30 ADHD and 25 TD adolescents aged 11–17 (12.6 ± 2.1 vs. 14.9 ± 1.7; p < 0.001), recruited at IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino Pulejo”. Participants underwent clinical assessments, cognitive evaluation, and standardized rating scales, with maladaptive personality traits measured using the PID-5-SF. Chi-squared and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to compare the two groups, as appropriate. Results: ADHD adolescents showed significantly higher scores than TD peers in restricted affectivity (p = 0.007), distractibility (p = 0.001), impulsivity (p = 0.049), irresponsibility (p = 0.036), hostility (p = 0.046), perseveration (p = 0.010), submissiveness (p = 0.023), and risk-taking (p = 0.032). Among personality domains, disinhibition was significantly higher in the ADHD group (p = 0.002), while detachment approached significance. Female ADHD participants scored higher than TD females in restricted affectivity, distractibility, and risk-taking. Conclusions: These findings suggest that maladaptive personality traits play a key role in ADHD during adolescence, highlighting the need for tailored interventions. Integrating personality assessment into clinical practice may enhance diagnostic accuracy and support more effective, individualized treatment strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Adolescence is a developmental stage characterized by profound physical and psychological transformations, often leading to vulnerabilities such as body dissatisfaction, identity challenges, and the use of maladaptive coping strategies. This often leads to body-related psychopathologies, including headaches, restrictive eating disorders, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). The present study aimed to describe the typical functioning and features of these conditions and the differences between the three groups, and to identify the most effective assessment for predicting these conditions. Methods: Sixty adolescent patients (51 female; mean age = 15.34 ± 1.80) were divided into three groups: headaches, restrictive eating disorders, and NSSI, and assessed for differences in symptoms, cognitive performance, personality, functioning, and illness severity using semi-structured interviews, clinician-based scales, and performance-based tests like the Rorschach inkblot test, according to the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS). Results: Individuals with headaches experienced more internalizing symptoms, had an average IQ, maintained some functioning areas, and had distorted patterns of self–other relationships with the tendency to project malevolent aspects onto others. Patients with restrictive eating disorders had high levels of depressive symptoms, above-average IQ scores, negative symptoms, moderate presence of obsessive–compulsive personality traits, disorganized thinking, and a tendency to interpret situations subjectively. Patients with NSSI showed the highest level of depressive symptoms and social anxiety symptoms, and a considerable presence of psychotic symptoms and perceptual distortions. Negative symptoms, borderline personality traits, and psychosis symptoms had the strongest predictivity. Conclusions: The study provides clinicians with relevant insights into the features of these conditions and highlights assessment strategies, tailored interventions, and enhanced outcomes for these vulnerable populations. Full article

Background/Objectives: Loneliness is a heterogeneous phenomenon, generally defined as an emotional experience based on the perceived distance between an individual’s actual social relationships and those he or she would like to have. Adolescence is particularly vulnerable to loneliness because of the many changes in values, feelings, and emotions that characterize it. Among the aspects that may influence this feeling of discomfort, the literature identifies maladaptive personality and a dysfunctional response to traumatic events. Our study aims to identify the possible role that maladaptive personality traits and post-traumatic stress symptomatology in the form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Disturbance in Self-Organization (DSO) may play in the perception of loneliness in adolescents: Methods: We identified a mediation model constructed through structural equation modeling (SEM) to test PTSD and DSO post-traumatic stress symptomatology as independent variables and maladaptive personality as a mediator in the relationship between these and perceptions of loneliness in a population of adolescents of both sexes, Italian high school students; Results: Our study identifies the significant role of PTSD and DSO symptomatology in influencing the state of loneliness, both directly and indirectly through maladaptive personality traits, which appear to exert a substantial influence on the perception of loneliness, potentially functioning as mediators in the relationship between the latter and PTSD/DSO symptomatology. Presumably, a maladaptive personality may complicate recovery from adverse and traumatic experiences by preventing the implementation of functional coping strategies and promoting dysfunctional responses. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the importance of researchers and clinicians adequately considering different personality traits and the early identification of post-traumatic stress symptomatology. A focus on adolescents’ communication and interpersonal skills and their ability to respond effectively to stressful and traumatic events may prove useful in identifying more effective strategies for preventing and managing loneliness and related distress in adolescents. Full article

Background/Objectives: Binge eating (BE) is associated with physical and psychological consequences, such as obesity and reduced quality of life. The relationship between binge eating and childhood experiences of interpersonal trauma has been explored, yet few studies focus on the processes that may explain this association. In this regard, some personality traits and maladaptive cognitive-emotional regulation may help explain this relationship, as they have been associated, respectively, with BE and childhood interpersonal trauma. The purpose of this study is to explore the complex processes that link childhood interpersonal trauma and BE in a French-Canadian clinical adult population with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 148 participants aged 21 to 72, predominantly women of White ethnic background with a university degree, who were seeking treatment for eating or weight-related issues. They completed self-report questionnaires assessing maltreatment and bullying, BE, maladaptive cognitive-emotional regulation, and personality. Two multiple mediation models were tested to examine the indirect effects of personality and maladaptive regulation in the relationship between bullying and BE, as well as between maltreatment and BE. Results: The results revealed a significant indirect relationship between maltreatment and binge eating (BE), with personality traits and maladaptive cognitive-emotional regulation partially explaining this association. No direct effect was found for bullying, but a significant total indirect effect indicated that personality traits and maladaptive cognitive-emotional regulation play a mediating role in the relationship between bullying and BE. Finaly, self-directedness was found as a unique and significant contributor in both mediation models. Conclusions: This study draws attention to the multiple contributing factors in the relationship between interpersonal trauma and BE in adults with obesity. Further research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of the role of personality and maladaptive cognitive-emotional regulation in this relationship by focusing on individuals’ experiences. Full article

Background: Patients’ compliance to inhalation therapy is usually sub-optimal in young asthmatics. Adolescents poorly compliant to regular anti-asthma treatments and those with tattoos (and the associated attitude) can share some personality traits and maladaptive behaviors. This relationship has not been investigated. Objective: To assess if “extended” tattoos can predict long-term compliance to regular therapy of adolescents with mild-to-moderate asthma. Methods: A 12-month retrospective observational investigation was conducted on non-smoker asthmatic adolescents of both genders. Patients assuming <70% of prescribed vilanterol/fluticasone furoate o.d. were defined as “non-compliant”. Tattoo surfaces were defined as “mild” or “extended” if they were < or ≥400 cm², respectively. The relationship between tattoos and compliance on the evolution of resources consumption at 6 and 12 months was assessed by generalized estimating equation (GEE) models at the first and second semester of the treatment period. Results: It was found that 13.2% of compliant adolescents had mild tattoos, while 47.2% of non-compliant adolescents had mild-to-extended tattoos (odds ratio (OR) 6.91, 95% CI 2.49 to 19.17, p < 0.001). The mean annual adherence to treatment was 57.8% ± 10.1 SD expected doses in non-compliant subjects with “mild tattoos” (54.8 cm² ± 36.9 SD), but 38.6% ± 11.4 SD expected doses in those with “extended tattoos” (568.4 cm² ± 111.6 SD, p < 0.001). Total cost proved to be a linear trend from the lowest values of compliant patients with no/mild tattoos (EUR 65.22 at 6 months and EUR 33.63 at 12 months) to the highest values of non-compliant adolescents with extended tattoos (EUR 330.75 at 6 months and EUR 297.34 at 12 months). Conclusions: Tattoo extension might be used as a reliable predictor of poor compliance and higher health care costs in adolescents with mild-to-moderate asthma. Patients characterized by poor compliance to a long-term therapeutic strategy and tattooing attitude likely share some aspects of their personality profile. Full article

Food addiction (FA) is associated with greater severity on many eating-related correlates when comorbid with binge eating disorder (BED) but no study has established this relation across the whole spectrum of binge eating, i.e., from no BED to subthreshold BED to BED diagnosis. This study aims to examine the effect of the presence of FA on the severity of eating behaviors and psychological correlates in patients without BED, subthreshold BED or BED diagnosis. Participants (n = 223) were recruited at a university center specialized in obesity and eating disorder treatment and completed a semi-structured diagnostic interview and questionnaires measuring eating behaviors, emotional regulation, impulsivity, childhood interpersonal trauma, and personality traits. They were categorized by the presence of an eating disorder (no BED, subthreshold BED, or BED) and the presence of FA. Group comparisons showed that, in patients with BED, those with FA demonstrated higher disinhibition (t(79) = −2.19, p = 0.032) and more maladaptive emotional regulation strategies (t(43) = −2.37, p = 0.022) than participants without FA. In patients with subthreshold BED, those with FA demonstrated higher susceptibility to hunger (t(68) = −2.55, p = 0.013) and less cooperativeness (t(68) = 2.60, p = 0.012). In patients without BED, those with FA demonstrated higher disinhibition (t(70) = −3.15, p = 0.002), more maladaptive emotional regulation strategies (t(53) = −2.54, p = 0.014), more interpersonal trauma (t(69) = −2.41, p = 0.019), and less self-directedness (t(70) = 2.14, p = 0.036). We argue that the assessment of FA provides relevant information to complement eating disorder diagnoses. FA identifies a subgroup of patients showing higher severity on many eating-related correlates along the binge eating spectrum. It also allows targeting of patients without a formal eating disorder diagnosis who would still benefit from professional help. Full article

Background: Misophonia is a chronic condition in which the exposure to specific sounds increases the arousal and recurrence of specific intense negative emotions. We hypothesized that misophonia may be strongly related to maladaptive interpersonal schemas that create difficulties in interpersonal relationships. Subjects with maladaptive interpersonal schemas think that other people try to subjugate, criticize, dominate, exploit, deceive, disregard, and humiliate them. Furthermore, these patients typically endorse a representation of self as mistreated, constricted, harmed, damaged, humiliated, impotent, inadequate, or fragile. Methods: We describe the course of a treatment of Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy (MIT) in a young man presenting misophonia and co-occurrent obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) and avoidant personality disorder (AvPD), with narcissistic traits and normal hearing. We collected qualitative and quantitative data at the beginning of the intervention and at 2 years follow-up. Results: The therapy aimed at increasing awareness of maladaptive interpersonal schemas and promoting a healthy self. The results reported a significant decrease in misophonia; behavioural experiments were used to increase the quality of social relationships and tolerance to the trigger sounds. Conclusions: MIT can be an effective therapy for the treatment of misophonia. Full article

Background: Gambling Disorder (GD) is a bio-psycho-social disorder resulting from the interaction of clinical, cognitive, and affective factors. Impulsivity is a crucial factor in addiction studies, as it is closely linked to cognitive distortions in GD by encompassing impulsive choices, motor responses, decision-making, and cognitive biases. Also, emotions, mood, temperament, and affective state are crucial in developing and maintaining GD. Gambling can be used as a maladaptive coping strategy to avoid or escape problems and distress. Methods: The aim of the present study is to explore differences in personality traits and emotion regulation of people suffering from GD, substance-dependent gamblers (SDGs), and healthy controls (HCs). Additionally, the study proposes a new experimental task: the “Gambling Affective Task” (GAT) to investigate the influence of affective priming on risk-taking behaviors. Results: Our findings indicate that participants placed lower bets following positive priming. Additionally, SDGs wagered significantly higher amounts than HCs, regardless of priming type. In general, participants exhibited longer response times after positive priming trials, compared to negative and neutral priming trials. These findings suggest that experiencing positive emotions can act as a protective factor by delaying and lengthening gambling behaviors. By comparing gamblers with and without substance comorbidity, we can gain insight into the exclusive factors of GD and improve our understanding of this disorder. Conclusions: By elucidating the impact of emotional states on risk-taking, the research also provides new insights into the prevention and treatment of GD. Full article

Background. The objective of this study is to establish the link between affective temperament traits and maladaptive personality traits, to verify whether the potential presence of elements related to emotional, affective and dysfunctional relational functioning can affect the couple satisfaction, modifying the well-being or discomfort condition. Materials and Methods. A data collection questionnaire was developed to investigate the factors associated with dysfunctional emotional, affective, and relational modes of functioning. The sample consisted of 473 subjects. Data were collected including the TEMPS-A questionnaire, The Dirty Dozen Italian Assessment and the Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS). Results. The findings of this study showed that the subscales of affective temperament were predictors of dark triad traits. The expressive, irritable and hyperthymic temperamental traits were found to be predictors of trait psychopathy; hyperthymic temperament is also a predictor of narcissistic traits and cyclothymic temperament is a predictor of lower couple satisfaction; men show higher scores than women in Dark triad. Conclusions. This study confirmed that temperamental traits can predict maladaptive personality traits belonging to the dark triad and confirms the importance of evaluating maladaptive personality traits to prevent forms of psychological violence in couple. Full article

The literature has linked childhood emotional abuse (CEA) to severe negative outcomes such as the development of several maladaptive personality traits and coping mechanisms. Nonetheless, its concurrent connection with neuroticism, perfectionism, and workaholism has not been explored. For the above reasons, the present study sought to investigate whether neuroticism and perfectionism mediate the relationship between CEA and workaholism, as well as evaluate the gender invariance of the model. The sample of the present research comprised 1176 young workers (50% women), aged 18–25, who completed validated self-report questionnaires. The findings highlighted significant positive direct and indirect paths, suggesting a complex interplay between CEA, neuroticism, perfectionism, and workaholism. Furthermore, the model exhibited no significant differences between genders, suggesting that the identified relationships are consistent across both women and men. The findings highlight the importance of identifying CEA and considering the adoption of trauma-informed approaches to manage its adverse effects, thereby potentially averting the onset of workaholism. Moreover, the results underline the necessity for customized preventive measures, aiming to mitigate traits associated with neuroticism and perfectionism as potential paths for successful therapeutic interventions. Full article

This study investigates individual differences in protective and risk factors among rescue workers (RWs), particularly Red Cross members, to optimize well-being and job performance under high-stress conditions. Employing a person-centered approach, two psychological profiles were identified: an adaptively resilient profile and a maladaptively vulnerable profile, characterized by distinct personality traits, coping methods, life events, and social support networks. A notable external criterion, self-compassion, discerned the profiles with maladaptively vulnerable individuals who exhibited higher self-judgment, social isolation, and emotional over-identification. The study also examined the impact of job roles on these profiles, discovering a prevalence of adaptive resilience among drivers, contrasting with team members who displayed maladaptive resilience and lower self-compassion scores. These insights suggest a nuanced method for identifying RWs who require specialized support, proposing tailored interventions, especially those enhancing self-compassion. The study, through an extensive psychological metric analysis, provides a deeper comprehension of resilience and vulnerability among RWs. This research highlights the importance of recognizing individual differences in protective and risk factors, thereby contributing to the enhancement of mental health and resilience in high-stress professions. Full article