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Papers by Alessandra Frigerio

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Nov 26, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2022

The serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) has been implicated in stress r... more The serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) has been implicated in stress regulation, with increased stress reactivity often being found in carriers of the low-expressing short (S) allele. Nevertheless, the role of the 5-HTTLPR in influencing parasympathetic stress reactivity, as indexed by Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA), is still unknown. This study examined, for the first time, whether the 5-HTTLPR was associated with variations in RSA response to maternal separation in a sample of 69 healthy 5-year-old children. Preschoolers' RSA was measured during an age-adapted version of the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP). The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism was tested as a predictor of RSA dynamic response to the SSP through multilevel models. A significant interaction between 5-HTTLPR and SSP episodes was found. In particular, whereas a significant decrease in RSA levels was observed during the stranger episode in the whole sample, S allele carriers showed a significant decrease in RSA levels from the stranger episode to the first separation episode, followed by an increase for the rest of the procedure. Albeit preliminary, data support the view that the 5-HTTLPR may contribute to individual differences in RSA stress reactivity from preschool age.

International Psychogeriatrics, 2020

ABSTRACTObjectives:To conduct international comparisons of self-reports, collateral reports, and ... more ABSTRACTObjectives:To conduct international comparisons of self-reports, collateral reports, and cross-informant agreement regarding older adult psychopathology.Participants:We compared self-ratings of problems (e.g. I cry a lot) and personal strengths (e.g. I like to help others) for 10,686 adults aged 60–102 years from 19 societies and collateral ratings for 7,065 of these adults from 12 societies.Measurements:Data were obtained via the Older Adult Self-Report (OASR) and the Older Adult Behavior Checklist (OABCL; Achenbach et al., 2004).Results:Cronbach’s alphas were .76 (OASR) and .80 (OABCL) averaged across societies. Across societies, 27 of the 30 problem items with the highest mean ratings and 28 of the 30 items with the lowest mean ratings were the same on the OASR and the OABCL. Q correlations between the means of the 0–1–2 ratings for the 113 problem items averaged across all pairs of societies yielded means of .77 (OASR) and .78 (OABCL). For the OASR and OABCL, respectivel...

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2019

Unfortunately, due to a technical error the International ASEBA Consortium was not listed as auth... more Unfortunately, due to a technical error the International ASEBA Consortium was not listed as author in the original publication. This error is corrected via this correction. All members of the consortium are listed in the acknowledgments.

International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology

Saggi-neuropsicologia Infantile Psicopedagogia Riabilitazione, 1998

Early Human Development, 2021

BACKGROUND While evidence exists of an association between maternal antenatal anxiety and offspri... more BACKGROUND While evidence exists of an association between maternal antenatal anxiety and offspring's behavioral outcomes, the role played by maternal care in explaining this link has been poorly investigated. AIM The current study aimed to investigate the mediating/moderating role of maternal sensitivity in the association between maternal antenatal trait anxiety and toddlers' behavioral problems and temperament, taking also into account potential confounders. Analyses were also replicated for maternal antenatal state anxiety and depression. METHODS Ninety women filled in the State-Trait Anxiety Questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to assess anxiety/depressive symptoms during the third trimester of pregnancy (34-36 weeks of gestation) and 14 months post-partum. They also filled in the Child Behavior Checklist and the Infant Behavior Questionnaire to evaluate their 14-month-olds' behavioral problems and negative affectivity, respectively. Maternal sensitivity was assessed through the Emotional Availability Scales. RESULTS Maternal antenatal trait anxiety was associated with internalizing, but not externalizing, problems. Interestingly, maternal sensitivity moderated the association between antenatal trait anxiety and externalizing problems. Conversely, antenatal maternal depression was significantly associated with toddlers' negative affectivity. CONCLUSIONS Our findings contribute to shed light on the association between maternal antenatal anxiety and child behaviors, as well as on the role played by parenting in moderating this link, with promising implications for targeted interventions.

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2020

and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requi... more and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.

e-noos.it

... per la corrispondenza: Alessandra Frigerio, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, via don Luigi Monza, 20, 238... more ... per la corrispondenza: Alessandra Frigerio, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, via don Luigi Monza, 20, 23842 Bosisio Parini (LC), e-mail: alessandra.frigerio@bp ... Gigantesco A, Palumbo G, Mirabella F, Pettinelli M, Morosini P. Prevalence of psychia-tric disorders in an Italian town: low ...

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2020

Background. Well-established evidence exists of an association between depressive symptoms and al... more Background. Well-established evidence exists of an association between depressive symptoms and alterations in the stress and inflammatory response systems; however, the picture is far less coherent during the perinatal period. This study combines the assessment of multiple stress and inflammatory biomarkers in late pregnancy and after delivery in order to investigate cross-sectional and prospective associations with perinatal depressive symptoms. Methods. Onehundred-ten healthy women were assessed in late pregnancy (mean gestational age=34.76; SD=1.12) and 89 were re-evaluated after delivery (mean hours after delivery=52.36; SD=19.70) for depressive and anxiety symptoms through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Serum Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and diurnal salivary cortisol levels were measured on both occasions, while diurnal salivary alpha amylase (sAA) levels were assessed in late pregnancy. Results. Using Hierarchical Linear Models, higher depressive symptoms were found to be associated with higher IL-6 levels, lower morning cortisol levels and a flatter cortisol diurnal slope during pregnancy, while adjusting for potential confounders. No significant associations were found after delivery or with change in biomarker levels from pre-to post-partum. Furthermore, preliminary evidence of a positive association between inflammation and stress markers in women with higher antenatal depressive symptoms was found. Limitations: The sample was relatively small and highly selected, thus limiting generalizability of the findings. Conclusions. Results emphasize the need for an integrated multisystems approach to the understanding of the biological underpinnings of perinatal depression and suggest that the stress-immune interactions represent a promising avenue for future endeavor.

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2021

BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests that antenatal exposure to maternal stress signals affects ... more BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests that antenatal exposure to maternal stress signals affects the development of the infant stress response systems. Animal studies indicate that maternal sensitive caregiving can reverse some of these effects. However, the generalizability of these findings to humans is unknown. This study investigated the role of maternal caregiving in the association between multiple markers of maternal antenatal stress and infant stress regulation. METHODS The sample consisted of 94 mother-infant (N = 47 males, mean postnatal weeks = 12; SD = 1.84) dyads. Maternal levels of Interleukin-6, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), diurnal cortisol and alpha amylase, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed in late pregnancy (mean gestational age = 34.76; SD = 1.12), whereas postnatal symptomatology, caregiving, and infant cortisol response to the inoculation were evaluated at 3 months. RESULTS Hierarchical linear models (HLMs) showed a significant interaction between maternal antenatal cortisol, caregiving, and time on infant cortisol reactivity, while controlling for gender, maternal age, and postnatal depression. Specifically, higher levels of maternal antenatal cortisol were associated with greater cortisol response only among infants of less emotionally available mothers. All other markers of antenatal stress were not significantly associated with infant cortisol reactivity either independently or in interaction with maternal caregiving. CONCLUSIONS Albeit preliminary, results provide the first evidence in humans that maternal sensitive caregiving may eliminate the association between antenatal maternal cortisol and infant cortisol regulation.

Saggi-neuropsicologia Infantile Psicopedagogia Riabilitazione, 1998

Autism, 2019

This study tested international similarities and differences in scores on a scale comprising 12 i... more This study tested international similarities and differences in scores on a scale comprising 12 items identified by international mental health experts as being very consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) category of autism spectrum disorder. Participants were 19,850 preschoolers in 24 societies rated by parents on the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1½–5; 10,521 preschoolers from 15 societies rated by caregivers/teachers on the Caregiver–Teacher Report Form, and 7380 children from 13 societies rated by both types of informant. Rank ordering of the items with respect to base rates and mean ratings was more similar across societies for parent ratings than caregiver/teacher ratings, especially with respect to the items tapping restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Items 80. Strange behavior; 63. Repeatedly rocks head or body; 67. Seems unresponsive to affection; and 98. Withdrawn, doesn’t get involved with others had low base rat...

Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 2018

Our objective was to examine international similarities and differences in the Dysregulation Prof... more Our objective was to examine international similarities and differences in the Dysregulation Profile (DP) of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Teacher's Report Form (TRF), and Youth Self-Report (YSR) via comparisons of data from many societies. Primary samples were those studied by Rescorla et al. (2012): CBCL: N = 69,866, 42 societies; YSR: N = 38,070, 34 societies; TRF: N = 37,244, 27 societies. Omnicultural Q correlations of items composing the DP (from the Anxious/Depressed, Attention Problems, and Aggressive Behavior syndromes) indicated considerable consistency across diverse societies with respect to which of the DP items tended to receive low, medium, or high ratings, whether ratings were provided by parents (M Q = .70), adolescents (M Q = .72), or teachers (M Q = .68). Omnicultural mean item ratings indicated that, for all 3 forms, the most common items on the DP reflect a mix of problems from all 3 constituent scales. Cross-informant analyses for the CBCL-YSR and CBCL-TRF supported these results. Aggregated DP scores, derived by summing ratings on all DP items, varied significantly by society. Age and gender differences were minor for all 3 forms, but boys scored higher than girls on the TRF. Many societies differing in ethnicity, religion, political/economic system, and geographical region manifested very similar DP scores. The most commonly reported DP problems reflected the mixed symptom picture of the DP, with dysregulation in mood, attention, and aggression. Overall, societies were more similar than different on DP scale scores and item ratings. As described by Althoff, Rettew, Ayer, and Hudziak (2010), the Dysregulation Profile (DP) reflects severe mood, attention, and behavioral dysregulation. It is operationalized by high scores on the Anxious/Depressed, Attention Problems, and Aggressive Behavior syndromes derived from ratings on instruments of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001), namely, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Teacher's Report Form (TRF), and Youth Self-Report (YSR). Children with an elevated DP profile tend to have more mood disturbance than those with pure attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); more attentional disturbance than those with pure mood disorder; and more aggressive, explosive, and disruptive behavior than either of the other "pure" groups. Prior to the appellation DP, researchers referred to this constellation of high scores as the CBCL Juvenile Bipolar Disorder (JBD) profile (Biederman et al., 1995; Faraone,

Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2018

Accumulating evidence suggests that antenatal maternal stress is associated with altered behavior... more Accumulating evidence suggests that antenatal maternal stress is associated with altered behavioral and physiological outcomes in the offspring, however, whether this association is causal and the underlying biological mechanisms remain largely unknown. While the most studied mediator of maternal stress influences on the fetus has generally been cortisol, alternative novel markers of stress or inflammation warrant further consideration. The current investigation explored the influence of variations in self-reported symptoms of distress, stress hormones and inflammatory markers on infant birth outcomes and early stress regulation. The sample consisted of 104 pregnant women (mean gestational age=34.76; SD=1.12) and their healthy newborns. Maternal self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety were evaluated through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and levels of serum Interleukine-6 (IL-6), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), salivary cortisol and alpha amylase (sAA) were measured in late pregnancy. Newborns' cortisol and behavioral response to the heel-stick was assessed 48-72 hours after birth. The associations between maternal stress measures and infant birth outcomes and stress reactivity, adjusted for potential confounders, were examined through hierarchical linear regressions and hierarchical linear models. Higher maternal IL-6 levels were associated with smaller head circumference at birth, while diurnal sAA levels were positively associated with birthweight. Maternal diurnal cortisol was related to newborn's stress reactivity: a flatter infant cortisol response to the heel-stick was associated with greater maternal cortisol increases after awakening during pregnancy, while greater infant behavioural reactivity was related to a flatter maternal diurnal cortisol profile. The observational nature of these data does not allow for causal inferences but the current findings illustrate that antenatal factors related to alterations in maternal stress and immune response systems are associated with supporting fetal growth and neonatal stress reactivity. This may have implications for later health and psychological outcomes.

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

The COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown have dramatically impacted families' life, raising ... more The COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown have dramatically impacted families' life, raising serious concerns about children's emotional wellbeing. However, few studies have investigated whether the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on psychological adjustment in youngest can be moderated by maternal mood and, to our knowledge, none of them has adopted a longitudinal design. The main aim of the current study was to explore if the intensity and directionality of maternal mood symptoms moderated the trajectory of emotional and behavioural problems in Italian pre-schoolers from pre-to during the lockdown adopting a longitudinal design. To assess maternal anxiety and depression symptoms, the EPDS and the STAI-Y were filled in by 94 and 88 women before the lockdown, when their children were 1 (Wave P1) and 3 years old (Wave P2), respectively, and by 74 women during the lockdown, when their children were 4 years old (Wave L). Mothers also filled in the CBCL/1 ½-5 to assess their children's emotional and behavioural problems at each assessment wave. As a whole, children's emotional and behavioural problems significantly increased from pre-to during the lockdown. Furthermore, maternal mood moderated this trajectory. In particular, greater maternal mood symptoms were significantly associated with a greater increase in emotional reactive, anxious-depressed, withdrawn and aggressive symptoms during the lockdown. These results contribute to shed light on the role played by maternal emotional wellbeing in buffering the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on children's behavioural development. Albeit preliminary, the current findings highlight the need to provide timely psychological interventions to distressed mothers to help their children to better cope with the effects of the pandemic.

Objective-To test the fit of a seven-syndrome model to ratings of preschoolers' problems by paren... more Objective-To test the fit of a seven-syndrome model to ratings of preschoolers' problems by parents in very diverse societies. Method-Parents of 19,106 children 18 to 71 months of age from 23 societies in Asia, Australasia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America completed the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5). Confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the seven-syndrome model separately for each society. Results-The primary model fit index, the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), indicated acceptable to good fit for each society. Although a six-syndrome model combining the Emotionally Reactive and Anxious/Depressed syndromes also fit the data for nine societies, it fit less well than the seven-syndrome model for seven of the nine societies. Other fit indices yielded less consistent results than the RMSEA. Conclusions-The seven-syndrome model provides one way to capture patterns of children's problems that are manifested in ratings by parents from many societies. Clinicians working with preschoolers from these societies can thus assess and describe parents' ratings of behavioral, emotional, and social problems in terms of the seven syndromes. The results illustrate possibilities for culture-general taxonomic constructs of preschool psychopathology. Problems not captured by the CBCL/1.5-5 may form additional syndromes, and other syndrome models may also fit the data.

School Psychology Review

Standardized assessment instruments developed in one society are often used in other societies. H... more Standardized assessment instruments developed in one society are often used in other societies. However, it is important to determine empirically how assessment instruments developed in one society function in others. The present study tested the fit of the Teacher's Report Form syndrome structures in 20 diverse societies using data for 30,030 6-to 15-year-old students from Asia; Australia; the Caribbean; eastern, western, southern, and northern Europe; and the Middle East. A correlated seven-syndrome model and a hierarchical Attention Problems model were tested separately in each of the 20 societies via confirmatory factor analyses. The results supported the fit of the models in the tested societies. Standardized assessment instruments developed for children in one society are often used in other societies where the development of indigenous instruments may not be practical. However, before assessment instruments developed in one society can be applied in

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Nov 26, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2022

The serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) has been implicated in stress r... more The serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) has been implicated in stress regulation, with increased stress reactivity often being found in carriers of the low-expressing short (S) allele. Nevertheless, the role of the 5-HTTLPR in influencing parasympathetic stress reactivity, as indexed by Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA), is still unknown. This study examined, for the first time, whether the 5-HTTLPR was associated with variations in RSA response to maternal separation in a sample of 69 healthy 5-year-old children. Preschoolers' RSA was measured during an age-adapted version of the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP). The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism was tested as a predictor of RSA dynamic response to the SSP through multilevel models. A significant interaction between 5-HTTLPR and SSP episodes was found. In particular, whereas a significant decrease in RSA levels was observed during the stranger episode in the whole sample, S allele carriers showed a significant decrease in RSA levels from the stranger episode to the first separation episode, followed by an increase for the rest of the procedure. Albeit preliminary, data support the view that the 5-HTTLPR may contribute to individual differences in RSA stress reactivity from preschool age.

International Psychogeriatrics, 2020

ABSTRACTObjectives:To conduct international comparisons of self-reports, collateral reports, and ... more ABSTRACTObjectives:To conduct international comparisons of self-reports, collateral reports, and cross-informant agreement regarding older adult psychopathology.Participants:We compared self-ratings of problems (e.g. I cry a lot) and personal strengths (e.g. I like to help others) for 10,686 adults aged 60–102 years from 19 societies and collateral ratings for 7,065 of these adults from 12 societies.Measurements:Data were obtained via the Older Adult Self-Report (OASR) and the Older Adult Behavior Checklist (OABCL; Achenbach et al., 2004).Results:Cronbach’s alphas were .76 (OASR) and .80 (OABCL) averaged across societies. Across societies, 27 of the 30 problem items with the highest mean ratings and 28 of the 30 items with the lowest mean ratings were the same on the OASR and the OABCL. Q correlations between the means of the 0–1–2 ratings for the 113 problem items averaged across all pairs of societies yielded means of .77 (OASR) and .78 (OABCL). For the OASR and OABCL, respectivel...

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2019

Unfortunately, due to a technical error the International ASEBA Consortium was not listed as auth... more Unfortunately, due to a technical error the International ASEBA Consortium was not listed as author in the original publication. This error is corrected via this correction. All members of the consortium are listed in the acknowledgments.

International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology

Saggi-neuropsicologia Infantile Psicopedagogia Riabilitazione, 1998

Early Human Development, 2021

BACKGROUND While evidence exists of an association between maternal antenatal anxiety and offspri... more BACKGROUND While evidence exists of an association between maternal antenatal anxiety and offspring's behavioral outcomes, the role played by maternal care in explaining this link has been poorly investigated. AIM The current study aimed to investigate the mediating/moderating role of maternal sensitivity in the association between maternal antenatal trait anxiety and toddlers' behavioral problems and temperament, taking also into account potential confounders. Analyses were also replicated for maternal antenatal state anxiety and depression. METHODS Ninety women filled in the State-Trait Anxiety Questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to assess anxiety/depressive symptoms during the third trimester of pregnancy (34-36 weeks of gestation) and 14 months post-partum. They also filled in the Child Behavior Checklist and the Infant Behavior Questionnaire to evaluate their 14-month-olds' behavioral problems and negative affectivity, respectively. Maternal sensitivity was assessed through the Emotional Availability Scales. RESULTS Maternal antenatal trait anxiety was associated with internalizing, but not externalizing, problems. Interestingly, maternal sensitivity moderated the association between antenatal trait anxiety and externalizing problems. Conversely, antenatal maternal depression was significantly associated with toddlers' negative affectivity. CONCLUSIONS Our findings contribute to shed light on the association between maternal antenatal anxiety and child behaviors, as well as on the role played by parenting in moderating this link, with promising implications for targeted interventions.

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2020

and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requi... more and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.

e-noos.it

... per la corrispondenza: Alessandra Frigerio, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, via don Luigi Monza, 20, 238... more ... per la corrispondenza: Alessandra Frigerio, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, via don Luigi Monza, 20, 23842 Bosisio Parini (LC), e-mail: alessandra.frigerio@bp ... Gigantesco A, Palumbo G, Mirabella F, Pettinelli M, Morosini P. Prevalence of psychia-tric disorders in an Italian town: low ...

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2020

Background. Well-established evidence exists of an association between depressive symptoms and al... more Background. Well-established evidence exists of an association between depressive symptoms and alterations in the stress and inflammatory response systems; however, the picture is far less coherent during the perinatal period. This study combines the assessment of multiple stress and inflammatory biomarkers in late pregnancy and after delivery in order to investigate cross-sectional and prospective associations with perinatal depressive symptoms. Methods. Onehundred-ten healthy women were assessed in late pregnancy (mean gestational age=34.76; SD=1.12) and 89 were re-evaluated after delivery (mean hours after delivery=52.36; SD=19.70) for depressive and anxiety symptoms through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Serum Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and diurnal salivary cortisol levels were measured on both occasions, while diurnal salivary alpha amylase (sAA) levels were assessed in late pregnancy. Results. Using Hierarchical Linear Models, higher depressive symptoms were found to be associated with higher IL-6 levels, lower morning cortisol levels and a flatter cortisol diurnal slope during pregnancy, while adjusting for potential confounders. No significant associations were found after delivery or with change in biomarker levels from pre-to post-partum. Furthermore, preliminary evidence of a positive association between inflammation and stress markers in women with higher antenatal depressive symptoms was found. Limitations: The sample was relatively small and highly selected, thus limiting generalizability of the findings. Conclusions. Results emphasize the need for an integrated multisystems approach to the understanding of the biological underpinnings of perinatal depression and suggest that the stress-immune interactions represent a promising avenue for future endeavor.

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2021

BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests that antenatal exposure to maternal stress signals affects ... more BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests that antenatal exposure to maternal stress signals affects the development of the infant stress response systems. Animal studies indicate that maternal sensitive caregiving can reverse some of these effects. However, the generalizability of these findings to humans is unknown. This study investigated the role of maternal caregiving in the association between multiple markers of maternal antenatal stress and infant stress regulation. METHODS The sample consisted of 94 mother-infant (N = 47 males, mean postnatal weeks = 12; SD = 1.84) dyads. Maternal levels of Interleukin-6, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), diurnal cortisol and alpha amylase, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed in late pregnancy (mean gestational age = 34.76; SD = 1.12), whereas postnatal symptomatology, caregiving, and infant cortisol response to the inoculation were evaluated at 3 months. RESULTS Hierarchical linear models (HLMs) showed a significant interaction between maternal antenatal cortisol, caregiving, and time on infant cortisol reactivity, while controlling for gender, maternal age, and postnatal depression. Specifically, higher levels of maternal antenatal cortisol were associated with greater cortisol response only among infants of less emotionally available mothers. All other markers of antenatal stress were not significantly associated with infant cortisol reactivity either independently or in interaction with maternal caregiving. CONCLUSIONS Albeit preliminary, results provide the first evidence in humans that maternal sensitive caregiving may eliminate the association between antenatal maternal cortisol and infant cortisol regulation.

Saggi-neuropsicologia Infantile Psicopedagogia Riabilitazione, 1998

Autism, 2019

This study tested international similarities and differences in scores on a scale comprising 12 i... more This study tested international similarities and differences in scores on a scale comprising 12 items identified by international mental health experts as being very consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) category of autism spectrum disorder. Participants were 19,850 preschoolers in 24 societies rated by parents on the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1½–5; 10,521 preschoolers from 15 societies rated by caregivers/teachers on the Caregiver–Teacher Report Form, and 7380 children from 13 societies rated by both types of informant. Rank ordering of the items with respect to base rates and mean ratings was more similar across societies for parent ratings than caregiver/teacher ratings, especially with respect to the items tapping restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Items 80. Strange behavior; 63. Repeatedly rocks head or body; 67. Seems unresponsive to affection; and 98. Withdrawn, doesn’t get involved with others had low base rat...

Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 2018

Our objective was to examine international similarities and differences in the Dysregulation Prof... more Our objective was to examine international similarities and differences in the Dysregulation Profile (DP) of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Teacher's Report Form (TRF), and Youth Self-Report (YSR) via comparisons of data from many societies. Primary samples were those studied by Rescorla et al. (2012): CBCL: N = 69,866, 42 societies; YSR: N = 38,070, 34 societies; TRF: N = 37,244, 27 societies. Omnicultural Q correlations of items composing the DP (from the Anxious/Depressed, Attention Problems, and Aggressive Behavior syndromes) indicated considerable consistency across diverse societies with respect to which of the DP items tended to receive low, medium, or high ratings, whether ratings were provided by parents (M Q = .70), adolescents (M Q = .72), or teachers (M Q = .68). Omnicultural mean item ratings indicated that, for all 3 forms, the most common items on the DP reflect a mix of problems from all 3 constituent scales. Cross-informant analyses for the CBCL-YSR and CBCL-TRF supported these results. Aggregated DP scores, derived by summing ratings on all DP items, varied significantly by society. Age and gender differences were minor for all 3 forms, but boys scored higher than girls on the TRF. Many societies differing in ethnicity, religion, political/economic system, and geographical region manifested very similar DP scores. The most commonly reported DP problems reflected the mixed symptom picture of the DP, with dysregulation in mood, attention, and aggression. Overall, societies were more similar than different on DP scale scores and item ratings. As described by Althoff, Rettew, Ayer, and Hudziak (2010), the Dysregulation Profile (DP) reflects severe mood, attention, and behavioral dysregulation. It is operationalized by high scores on the Anxious/Depressed, Attention Problems, and Aggressive Behavior syndromes derived from ratings on instruments of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001), namely, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Teacher's Report Form (TRF), and Youth Self-Report (YSR). Children with an elevated DP profile tend to have more mood disturbance than those with pure attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); more attentional disturbance than those with pure mood disorder; and more aggressive, explosive, and disruptive behavior than either of the other "pure" groups. Prior to the appellation DP, researchers referred to this constellation of high scores as the CBCL Juvenile Bipolar Disorder (JBD) profile (Biederman et al., 1995; Faraone,

Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2018

Accumulating evidence suggests that antenatal maternal stress is associated with altered behavior... more Accumulating evidence suggests that antenatal maternal stress is associated with altered behavioral and physiological outcomes in the offspring, however, whether this association is causal and the underlying biological mechanisms remain largely unknown. While the most studied mediator of maternal stress influences on the fetus has generally been cortisol, alternative novel markers of stress or inflammation warrant further consideration. The current investigation explored the influence of variations in self-reported symptoms of distress, stress hormones and inflammatory markers on infant birth outcomes and early stress regulation. The sample consisted of 104 pregnant women (mean gestational age=34.76; SD=1.12) and their healthy newborns. Maternal self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety were evaluated through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and levels of serum Interleukine-6 (IL-6), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), salivary cortisol and alpha amylase (sAA) were measured in late pregnancy. Newborns' cortisol and behavioral response to the heel-stick was assessed 48-72 hours after birth. The associations between maternal stress measures and infant birth outcomes and stress reactivity, adjusted for potential confounders, were examined through hierarchical linear regressions and hierarchical linear models. Higher maternal IL-6 levels were associated with smaller head circumference at birth, while diurnal sAA levels were positively associated with birthweight. Maternal diurnal cortisol was related to newborn's stress reactivity: a flatter infant cortisol response to the heel-stick was associated with greater maternal cortisol increases after awakening during pregnancy, while greater infant behavioural reactivity was related to a flatter maternal diurnal cortisol profile. The observational nature of these data does not allow for causal inferences but the current findings illustrate that antenatal factors related to alterations in maternal stress and immune response systems are associated with supporting fetal growth and neonatal stress reactivity. This may have implications for later health and psychological outcomes.

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

The COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown have dramatically impacted families' life, raising ... more The COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown have dramatically impacted families' life, raising serious concerns about children's emotional wellbeing. However, few studies have investigated whether the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on psychological adjustment in youngest can be moderated by maternal mood and, to our knowledge, none of them has adopted a longitudinal design. The main aim of the current study was to explore if the intensity and directionality of maternal mood symptoms moderated the trajectory of emotional and behavioural problems in Italian pre-schoolers from pre-to during the lockdown adopting a longitudinal design. To assess maternal anxiety and depression symptoms, the EPDS and the STAI-Y were filled in by 94 and 88 women before the lockdown, when their children were 1 (Wave P1) and 3 years old (Wave P2), respectively, and by 74 women during the lockdown, when their children were 4 years old (Wave L). Mothers also filled in the CBCL/1 ½-5 to assess their children's emotional and behavioural problems at each assessment wave. As a whole, children's emotional and behavioural problems significantly increased from pre-to during the lockdown. Furthermore, maternal mood moderated this trajectory. In particular, greater maternal mood symptoms were significantly associated with a greater increase in emotional reactive, anxious-depressed, withdrawn and aggressive symptoms during the lockdown. These results contribute to shed light on the role played by maternal emotional wellbeing in buffering the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on children's behavioural development. Albeit preliminary, the current findings highlight the need to provide timely psychological interventions to distressed mothers to help their children to better cope with the effects of the pandemic.

Objective-To test the fit of a seven-syndrome model to ratings of preschoolers' problems by paren... more Objective-To test the fit of a seven-syndrome model to ratings of preschoolers' problems by parents in very diverse societies. Method-Parents of 19,106 children 18 to 71 months of age from 23 societies in Asia, Australasia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America completed the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5). Confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the seven-syndrome model separately for each society. Results-The primary model fit index, the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), indicated acceptable to good fit for each society. Although a six-syndrome model combining the Emotionally Reactive and Anxious/Depressed syndromes also fit the data for nine societies, it fit less well than the seven-syndrome model for seven of the nine societies. Other fit indices yielded less consistent results than the RMSEA. Conclusions-The seven-syndrome model provides one way to capture patterns of children's problems that are manifested in ratings by parents from many societies. Clinicians working with preschoolers from these societies can thus assess and describe parents' ratings of behavioral, emotional, and social problems in terms of the seven syndromes. The results illustrate possibilities for culture-general taxonomic constructs of preschool psychopathology. Problems not captured by the CBCL/1.5-5 may form additional syndromes, and other syndrome models may also fit the data.

School Psychology Review

Standardized assessment instruments developed in one society are often used in other societies. H... more Standardized assessment instruments developed in one society are often used in other societies. However, it is important to determine empirically how assessment instruments developed in one society function in others. The present study tested the fit of the Teacher's Report Form syndrome structures in 20 diverse societies using data for 30,030 6-to 15-year-old students from Asia; Australia; the Caribbean; eastern, western, southern, and northern Europe; and the Middle East. A correlated seven-syndrome model and a hierarchical Attention Problems model were tested separately in each of the 20 societies via confirmatory factor analyses. The results supported the fit of the models in the tested societies. Standardized assessment instruments developed for children in one society are often used in other societies where the development of indigenous instruments may not be practical. However, before assessment instruments developed in one society can be applied in