Lina Pezzuti - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Lina Pezzuti

Psychological Research-psychologische Forschung, Apr 4, 2019

The present study took advantage of data collected on more than 2100 Italian adult and elderly in... more The present study took advantage of data collected on more than 2100 Italian adult and elderly individuals during the standardization of the WAIS-IV to examine the relationship between working memory (WM) components and intelligence, and how age affects this relationship. Administering the WAIS-IV enabled us to obtain five different measures for assessing different aspects of WM, and a measure of General Ability (GA) strongly loading on the g-factor. The main results were as follows: (1) age-related impairments in WM are substantial, and they are partly similar and partly different for the various WM measures; (2) the relationship between the WM measures and the General Ability Index (GAI) varies, becoming stronger when the active control required by the WM task is higher; (3) comparing the WM-GAI relationships between different age groups reveals some similar patterns, as well as some specific effects that depend on the WM task considered.

Intelligence, May 1, 2017

It has been argued that there may be a higher proportion of exceptional intelligence profiles and... more It has been argued that there may be a higher proportion of exceptional intelligence profiles and giftedness among children with learning disorders (LD) than among typically developing (TD) children, but this impression is only based on anecdotal evidence concerning famous individuals. In a large dataset of 1413 intellectual profiles of children with a diagnosis of LD (assessed with the WISC-IV scale), the proportion of children with an overall intelligence quotient higher than 130 was < 1%, well below the proportion expected in the typical population (2.28%). It has been claimed, however, that the WISC-IV general ability index (GAI) may better represent the central aspects of intelligence, particularly in the case of children with LD, and using the GAI criterion, the gifted children amounted to 3.75% of the LD population analyzed. Aspects relating to working memory and processing speed, as measured by the WISC-IV, were also examined, and gifted children with LD had higher scores in both components than the other children with LD, but lower scores than equally "gifted" TD children. The various aspects of intelligence revealed significantly different age-related growth trajectories: at a younger age, gifted children with LD resembled gifted TD children in terms of working memory phonological aspects, but the former fell behind the latter as they grew older; the opposite was true of the processing speed aspects of intelligence.

Aging Neuropsychology and Cognition, Jan 31, 2013

The goal of this project was to construct and validate an ecological version of the Wisconsin Car... more The goal of this project was to construct and validate an ecological version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) aimed at the elderly. This was accomplished by replacing the geometric stimuli of the traditional version with stimuli belonging to the semantic category of transport vehicles, and by elimination of the color yellow. The results showed the ecological WCST version was preferred over the traditional version and older people felt less tired during test performance. In the two independent normal elderly groups, all pairs of scores that can be derived from the WCST correlated significantly with each other. Six of 11 outcome measures of the traditional WCST-128 (long) version were significantly influenced by age. By contrast, in the WCST-64 (short) version and in the ecological WCST-54 version only one measure was affected by the age variable. No significant effect of education level or gender emerged from the results in any WCST version. Again, the subjects with cognitive deterioration had lower performance in the ecological WCST-54 version than in the two traditional WCST versions. It seems reasonable to assume that the ecological version of WCST is more discriminating and has more advantages than the traditional versions. Further research on individual differences in the performance on this task will increase understanding of the components of the test, and of the variety of factors and possible deficits that could lead to an impaired performance of the test.

Personality and Individual Differences, Feb 1, 2019

We used structural equation modeling to study individual age-related differences in working memor... more We used structural equation modeling to study individual age-related differences in working memory, processing speed, and the general ability of intelligence. The study took advantage of the Italian Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale 4th edition (WAIS-IV) standardization sample (N = 2174) to obtain separate measures of working memory, processing speed, and general ability. Core and supplemental subtests were administered to 16-90 years old participants to ensure breadth of cognitive assessment and broad age coverage. Both linear and quadratic ages were associated with processing speed and working memory, which entirely accounted for the relationship between participants' age and general ability. Specific indirect relationships revealed that age-related differences in working memory weighed more than cognitive speed in predicting individual differences in general ability. Processing speed and working memory sharply decreased after 34 and 44 years of age, respectively. Like working memory, general ability decreased after 44 years of age. Bearing in mind the cognitive changes across adulthood and old age, our findings support the view that working memory is a more proximal source of age-related differences in intelligence than the cognitive processing speed.

Journal of Intelligence, Oct 24, 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

Frontiers in Psychology, Sep 22, 2021

Objective: The present study examines the validity of 11 new Holtzman Inkblot Technique indices. ... more Objective: The present study examines the validity of 11 new Holtzman Inkblot Technique indices. These were chosen from Exner's Comprehensive System (RCS) indices using two criteria: first, they had to be valid according to meta-analysis, and second, they must be computed using the HIT standard scoring system. Methods: Both techniques were administrated with a retest interval from 1 to 7 days to a sample of 139 subjects (63 males and 76 females) from the general population. The validity of the new indices was studied through Pearson correlation (r) with the corresponding RCS indices. Results: Nine of the 11 new indices (R-HIT, F%-HIT, M-HIT, m-HIT, C'-HIT, Blends-HIT, PureH-HIT, DQ + HIT, and X-%-HIT) showed significant correlations with Rorschach scales, confirming our hypotheses. The correlation ranged from a minimum of 0.144 to a maximum of 0.414. Conclusions: The results provide support for the validity of the new HIT indices and have important implications for both clinical and research fields.

Intelligence, Mar 1, 2020

Research on gender differences in intelligence has led to inconsistent results. Different methods... more Research on gender differences in intelligence has led to inconsistent results. Different methods seem to provide different estimates using the Wechsler scales. The present study analyzed WAIS-IV and WAIS-R standardization data. We assessed gender differences in subtest scores, indices, and IQs and used a Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) to investigate whether gender differences were due to differences in ability factors or test bias. The larger effect sizes in favor of men were found in the Arithmetic subtest and the Working Memory Index of the WAIS-IV. Likewise, for the WAIS-R, Arithmetic, Information, and Block Design subtests and all IQ scores were the larger effect sizes. The MGCFA supported the metric invariance of both editions. For the WAIS-IV, partial scalar invariance was achieved by releasing intercept equality for Information, Comprehension, and Arithmetic. For the WAIS-R, also Coding and Digit Span intercepts had to be unconstrained. Men outperformed women on the perceptual reasoning ability factor. No gender differences were found for the processing speed factor. Men had higher working memory ability, while no difference emerged for verbal comprehension. However, the latent mean differences could be affected by a lack of scalar invariance. A comparison of observed effect sizes at the subtest level to those expected according to MGCFA revealed that Information, Arithmetic, and Comprehension subtests were gender-biased in both editions. As a whole, gender differences appeared more pronounced in the WAIS-R. Gender differences in perceptual reasoning seem genuine, as does their absence in processing speed. Implications for clinical assessment are discussed.

After SARS and MERS, COVID-19 was the third pandemic caused by the coronavirus that generated pan... more After SARS and MERS, COVID-19 was the third pandemic caused by the coronavirus that generated panic worldwide. Therefore, the negative impact of COVID-19 on mental health among the general population has been identified as a research priority. Despite this, some studies suggest that the elderly population is underrepresented. The present research aimed to compare the emotional regulation and the quality of life of a group of 150 elderly assessed during the pandemic isolation for COVID-19 with the normative data of a group of pre-COVID-19 elderly. Another aim is to study the relationship between emotional regulation, perceived acute stress, quality of life, and risk perception with the variables age, years of education, gender, and cohabitation status of elders assessed during the pandemic isolation for COVID-19. The results showed that: The elders assessed during the Covid period had a lower capacity for emotional regulation;compared to younger people, older people were less capable...

Personality and Individual Differences, 2019

Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 2016

This study examined performance in the forward and backward digit span task of the Wechsler Intel... more This study examined performance in the forward and backward digit span task of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) in a large group of children with specific learning disorder (SLD) as compared with a group of typically developing children matched for age and sex. Our results further support the hypothesis that the intellectual difficulties of children with SLD involve working memory in the forward digit span task to a greater extent than in the backward digit span task. The correlation of the two spans with a General Ability Index (GAI) was similar in SLD, and smaller in magnitude than in typically developing children. Despite a GAI within normal range, children with SLD had difficulty with both digit span tasks, but more so for forward span. This pattern was similar for different SLD profiles with clinical diagnoses of dyslexia and mixed disorder, but the impairments were more severe in the latter. Age differences were also investigated, demonstrating larger span impairment in older children with SLD than in younger.

Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 2013

ABSTRACT Several studies have examined the attitudes of heterosexuals towards lesbian and gay par... more ABSTRACT Several studies have examined the attitudes of heterosexuals towards lesbian and gay parenting, revealing mostly negative attitudes. Nonetheless, no research studies have examined these attitudes specifically among elderly adults. Two hundred eighty older heterosexuals adults ranged from 65 to 87 years old (women: M = 74.2, SD = 6.0; male M = 73.9, SD = 6.1) completed measures evaluating their knowledge of the existence of lesbian and gay parents, their attitudes towards lesbian and gay parenting and expected child outcomes, and opinions regarding legalization and recognition of lesbian and gay parents. As we expected, age was a relevant predictor of negative attitudes towards lesbian and gay parenting: older elders had a stronger prejudice than the others. Data revealed that the more positive evaluation was for the heterosexual and lesbian parents while the more negative evaluation was for the gay male parents. Regression analyses showed that a negative attitude towards lesbian and gay parents was predicted by older age, right-wing conservatism, and internalized sexual stigma. The expected effects on child outcomes were predicted only by the dimensions of sexual stigma.

Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 2013

This study aimed to provide data concerning the validity of a short sequence of face valid pictor... more This study aimed to provide data concerning the validity of a short sequence of face valid pictorial stimuli assessing the perception of body size in school-age children. A sequence of gender and age-appropriate silhouettes was administered to 314 boys and girls aged 6-14 years. The self-evaluations provided by the children correlated significantly with their actual BMI corrected for age. Furthermore, the children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s self-evaluations always significantly correlated with the evaluations provided by the three external observers; i.e., both parents and the interviewers. The results indicate that this sequence of pictorial stimuli, depicting realistic human forms appropriate for children, is a valid measure of children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s body image. Relevant differences across age groups were also found, indicating that before the age of eight, the correlations between the children&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s self-evaluations and their BMI or the judgments of the three observers are lower than in the other age groups.

Journal of Intelligence

The manifestation of performance at the top of a given talent distribution constitutes giftedness... more The manifestation of performance at the top of a given talent distribution constitutes giftedness. While identifying talented youths based on IQ has been the focus of previous research, examining their cognitive profile is a new endeavor. The present study assessed the IQ and cognitive abilities of a sample of gifted Italian children and compared them to their parents using the Wechsler scales. Fifty-nine gifted children aged 6 to 14 years were administered the WISC-IV while their parents (N = 53 mothers and N = 55 fathers) took the WAIS-IV. The gifted children (IQ ≥ 120) obtained particularly high scores in verbal comprehension (VCI) and visual-perceptual reasoning (PRI). More than two-thirds of the mothers and over half of the fathers also achieved an IQ ≥ 120. The gifted children scored significantly higher than both mothers and fathers in VCI and PRI. The mothers were significantly higher than their children in the processing speed domain. Correlational analyses highlighted that...

The present study investigates the differences in theory of mind tasks based on cognitive functio... more The present study investigates the differences in theory of mind tasks based on cognitive functioning and the influence of status variables: age, gender and education. The sample recruited is composed of 280 subjects aged between 65 and 94. Participants are administered one test to investigate the cognitive functioning and one theory of mind task. Results show that the presence of cognitive impairment appears to increase the difficulty in theory of mind tasks. Also, the study explores how certain status variables affect the understanding of mental states in the sample with primary or physiological aging (206 subjects). In particular, success in the understanding of the theory of mind task undergoes a decline with increased aging. There is a significant correlation between performance and additional years of schooling. Theory of mind, however, is independent of the variable gender, men and women do not differ in their performance.

Introduction The remarkable growth of older adults represents a challenge for our societies. The ... more Introduction The remarkable growth of older adults represents a challenge for our societies. The population of aging requires adjustments that sometimes are difficult to achieve for already stressed welfare systems. In this context, intergenerational solidarity may play a central role. Demographic shifts over the past century have also increased the percentage of grandchildren who, as young adults, have living grandparents. Adult grandchildren could become an important source of intergenerational solidarity, but few studies have explored intergenerational relations, including grandparents, adult children, and adult grandchildren. None to our knowledge have examined which aspects of intergenerational solidarity affect the positive view of elders, positive expectations toward the future, and old-young divides. Objectives We aimed to explore three critical dimensions of intergenerational solidarity (affinity, contact, and instrumental exchange) and examine how each component is related...