Interoception refers to the processing of internal bodily states and plays a critical role in motivational processes and behaviours. Instruments for assessing its subjective components (i.e., interoceptive sensibility) during childhood are crucially needed. Thus, in this study, we adapted and evaluated the psychometric properties of the…

This study aims to preliminarily validate the Italian version of the Coparenting Relationship Scale for Children (CRS-C) with 141 mothers, 141 fathers, and 141 children (48.6% males) aged 8-14 years. We tested the factorial structure of the CRS-C, which included five factors (support, endorsement, undermining, agreement, and exposure to conflict),…

Attendance at preschool represents an important transition, as it is often here that children have their first experience with unfamiliar adults. In this context, several factors can affect children's adjustment. Two important protective factors are the attachment relationship with the teacher and the level of executive functions. We investigate…

Research Findings: Prosocial behavior in early childhood can be assessed by various informants and methodologies, but the information each provides may differ in meaningful ways. The present study measured and compared young children's (N = 486; age: M = 48.51 months, SD = 8.22) prosocial behavior based on parent reports, teacher reports, and…

This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Preschool Anxiety Scale--Revised (PAS-R), a parent-reported measure of their preschool child's anxiety symptoms. The participants were mothers of 279 Italian preschoolers (age 2-7 years, M = 4.5 years). According to information criteria derived from a confirmatory factor…

According to the perspective of multiple attachments, children establish significant relationships with individuals outside their family, such as teachers and peers. The aim of this research was to observe which dimensions of attachment behaviors that preschoolers show toward their teachers are associated with greater social preference and social…

The parents of 413 children with typical development (TD) or special educational needs (SEN) filled in an online survey to investigate the associations between the restrictions introduced to face COVID-19 and parenting stress and parental disciplinary practices. The parents of children with SEN showed a significantly higher stress level than TD…

Very few studies have assessed infant capacity for bidirectional, contingent communication at birth, and to our knowledge there are none with preterm infants in the neonatal period. Presence versus absence of such interactive contingency makes a difference for our theories of development. We examined whether preterm infants can contingently…

Feeding/behavior problems are highly prevalent in autistic children. This study aimed to explore the interplay between autistic features, sensory processing patterns, emotional/behavioral difficulties, and feeding problems in children with a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Ninety-nine children aged 1.5-5 years were assessed using…

School adjustment is an important factor in children's, and research attributes an important role to the quality of the teacher-student relationship in predicting more favourable school adjustment. The purpose of this study is to expand our knowledge of the relationship between teacher-student relationship quality and school adjustment (academic…

Children's behaviours during bullying episodes are associated with both interpersonal-situational variables (e.g., social status indices) and personal-dispositional variables (e.g., emotional competence). The aim of the present study was to investigate -- in a group of 202 kindergarteners (age range: 3-6 years) -- the relationships between…

Background: The Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form (NCBRF) allows for the assessment of frequency and severity of challenging behaviours of individuals with ID with one combined rating. However, frequency and severity rating of challenging behaviours may be in disagreement. Therefore, the efficacy of frequency and severity independent ratings for…

Various investigations have applied meditation protocols in the school context, with beneficial effects. Transcendental meditation, however, received little attention in primary school settings and few controlled studies are available. The present study is aimed: 1) to investigate the implementation of a school protocol (Quiet Time-QT) based on…

The use of digital devices among very young children is quickly spreading, although the effects of screen time on emotional and cognitive functioning are still debated. In a sample of N = 422 children and their mothers, this 4-year longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that the use of digital devices as smartphones and tablets at 4…

Thirty-one children of gay single fathers and 28 children of heterosexual single fathers, all born through surrogacy, were compared with 31 children of gay partnered fathers through surrogacy and 30 children of heterosexual partnered fathers through in-vitro fertilization on their perceptions of self-worth and their father- and caregiver-reported…