Italian validation of the Jarel Spiritual Well-Being Scale

ABSTRACT

Spiritual well-being is a multidimensional construct that includes both existential and religious dimensions. It is associated with several indicators of well-being, as self-esteem and assertiveness. The study presents the adaptation of the Jarel Spiritual Well-Being Scale to the Italian context. The participants are 531 Italian adults. The survey includes: Hope State Scale, Adult Hope Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Vision about Future Scale, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. The measures selected aim to verify the external validity of the Jarel Spiritual Well-Being Scale. Data analysis shows good psychometric properties of the Jarel Spiritual Well-Being Scale: the good external validity is confirmed by the significant correlations with the other measures, while the confirmatory factor analysis highlights some differences in the structure of the scale respect to the original version, probably due to cultural differences among US and Italian samples, that required a new factorial solution for the Italian version of the scale.     

Precursors of a theory of mind: A longitudinal study

The study examined whether the pointing gesture and intentional understanding abilities at 12 and 15 months of age predict the later understanding of perception and intention, as well as the ability to explain others' actions in a psychological way at 39 months of age. Thirty‐five infants (18 girls) were administered pointing and intention‐understanding tasks at the age of 12 and 15 months. Children were again evaluated at the age of 39 months with perception and intention tasks, and a psychological explanation task. Results showed that only 12‐month‐olds' comprehension of the pointing gesture with an imperative motive contributed to the prediction of later understanding of perception and mentalistic explanations of actions. Moreover, the ability of 12‐ and 15‐month‐olds to understand intentions contributed to the prediction of later preschool understanding of perceptions and intentions. These results indicate that a developmental trajectory in children's understanding of mental states from infancy to childhood is present, but depends on the level of engagement and communication that are required to perform these tasks.     

When an academic culture based on self-enhancement values undermines female students’ sense of belonging,self-efficacy,and academic choices

ABSTRACT

Although overall women are better represented in higher education than men, women’s psychological experience in various academic contexts is qualified by a decreased sense of belonging and academic self-efficacy, including in fields where they are not targeted by a negative stereotype. To clarify this phenomenon, we develop the hypothesis of a mismatch between female students’ values and the values associated with success in the increasingly selective realm of higher education. We argue that, whatever the fields of study, these values are self-enhancement values (competitiveness, self-affirmation, dominance). Three studies showed that when success was depicted in terms of self-enhancement values, women – but not men – expressed a lower sense of belonging, had lower self-efficacy and were less likely to pursue a given academic opportunity both in STEM and non-STEM fields of study. These effects did not appear in an academic context depicting success as being rooted in self-transcendence values (helpfulness, cooperation, benevolence).     

Maternal reports of adaptive behaviours in young children: urban–rural and gender comparisons in Italy and United States

We compared how 182 Italian and US American urban and rural firstborn 20‐month‐old girls and boys cope with the demands of their environment through their adaptive behaviours in everyday activities. Using the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales, we collected maternal reports of children's communication, daily living, socialization, and motor skills. Three sets of main effects (and no interactions) emerged. With respect to country, Italian children scored higher than US American children in adaptive communication and motor skills. With respect to region, urban children showed higher adaptive motor skills than rural children, and rural children showed higher adaptive daily living skills than urban children. Finally, with respect to gender, girls scored higher on an adaptive behaviour composite as well as adaptive communication skills, but boys higher in adaptive motor skills. We set these country, region, and gender main effects in the context of a discussion of developing adaptive behaviours in young children. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.