Rodolfo Rossi

University of Rome Tor Vergata | UNIROMA2 · Dipartimento di Medicina dei Sistemi

There is considerable interest in exploring effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on mental health. Suicide is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide and changes in daily life brought by the pandemic may be additional risk factors in people with pre-existing mental disorders. This rapid PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting It...

Background The emotional regulation process plays a pivotal role in daily-life functioning, modulating goal-directed and adaptive behavior. Conversely, altering this cognitive function can disrupt self-regulation and bring emotional dysregulation. Emotional instability could represent a core characteristic of BPD, also modulating the BPD symptom's...

Background: The Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19)-related psychiatric burden partly results from prolonged social stress world-wide. Studies have examined the psychiatric impact of COVID-19 on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM 5) and International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) categories,...

Purpose of Review This aim of the present systematic literature review is to critically analyze problematic sexuality and sexual dysfunctions in personality disorders (PDs) and pathological personality traits. Recent Findings An initial pool of 123 studies was found, out of which 17 met the selection criteria and were therefore included. Traumatic...

Background Deficits in social cognition (SC) are significantly related to community functioning in schizophrenia (SZ). Few studies investigated longitudinal changes in SC and its impact on recovery. In the present study, we aimed: (a) to estimate the magnitude and clinical significance of SC change in outpatients with stable SZ who were assessed at...

Gender differences in clinical and psychosocial aspects of schizophrenia have been widely reported. Findings have not always been consistent, and some of them need further research. In a large sample of community dwelling persons with schizophrenia, we investigated gender differences in clinical, cognitive and functional indices, as well as their c...

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic exerted an immediate detrimental impact on the population's psychological wellbeing worldwide. This longitudinal cohort study investigated the trajectories of depression, anxiety, and stress-related symptoms 14 months into the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, along with the impact of sociodemographic, contextual and psy...

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the relation between perpetration and victimization of violence with gender and age at onset of mental disorders in patients with severe mental disorders. Methods: 216 patients were recruited and evaluated with the Italian version of the Karolinska Interpersonal Violence Scale. Results: We found hig...

Introduction: Adjustment disorder (AjD) is a is a maladaptive emotional or behavioral reaction to a stressful event or change in a person's life. Compared to other previously validated tools, the International Adjustment Disorder Questionnaire (IADQ) stands out as one of the most reliable and handy one for AjD. Since no homologous instrument exist...

Background: Resilience is defined as the ability to modify thoughts to cope with stressful events. Patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) having higher resilience (HR) levels show less severe symptoms and better real-life functioning. However, the clinical factors contributing to determine resilience levels in patients remain unclear. Thus, based on ps...

Introduction Many forms of mental disorders, especially psychotic disorders are characterized also by a worsening of sexual functioning. Sexual dysfunction has been shown to significantly correlate with a longer duration of untreated psychosis and with heavier psychotic symptomatology. Objectives The aim of this study is to validate the Italian ve...

Aims of the present study are to test the efficacy of a lifestyle group intervention, compared to a brief psychoeducational intervention, on levels of physical activity and dietary habits in a real-world sample of patients with severe mental disorders. The study, funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, has been carried out in six Italian Unive...

Compared with the general population, people with severe mental disorders have significantly worse physical health and a higher mortality rate, which is partially due to the adoption of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, such as heavy smoking, use of alcohol or illicit drugs, unbalanced diet, and physical inactivity. These unhealthy behaviors may also...

Future anxiety (FA) is an attitude towards the future in which negative processes overcome positive ones, with fear of forthcoming threats being more powerful than hope. Since FA plays a pivotal role in many mental health conditions, we aimed to develop an Italian version of the Dark Future Scale (DFS) that allows measuring this construct. We recru...

This study investigated obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) in the Italian general population during the initial stage of the pandemic and the impact of COVID-19 related potential risk factors. A web-based survey was spread throughout the internet between March 27th and April 9th, 2020. Twenty thousand two hundred forty-one individuals completed th...

The 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases has endorsed substantial changes in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and has introduced Complex PTSD (cPTSD). The objective of this study was to assess the symptom and network structure of PTSD and cPTSD using the International Trauma Questionnaire- Italian version (ITQ) and the...

Introduction: : First- and second-generation antipsychotics are highly accountable for causing a plethora of medical side effects, ranging from metabolic imbalances to sexual dysfunction (SD), that frequently undermine patient-doctor relationships. Nevertheless, to date antipsychotics are one of the best treatment options for dealing with numerous...

Not only did the ongoing CoronaVIrus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic cause a massive number of casualties, but also there is growing concern that the burden of its psychological aftermaths will only show up years down the road. This systematic review summarises the existing literature reporting the impact of COVID-19 on personality disorders (PDs)-r...

Introduction: Many forms of mental disorders, especially psychotic disorders are characterized also by a worsening of sexual functioning. The main aim of this study was to validate in the Italian context the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX), a very useful international tool to assess sexual dysfunction in people suffering from mental illness...

The issues of remission and recovery in schizophrenia have received increasing attention in the last decades. This chapter will discuss the contemporary perspective of a ‘new psychiatry’ that aims not merely to achieve symptoms reduction and social functioning improvements but also recovery. In this context, parallel to the development and acceptan...

Background Psychotic‐like experiences (PLEs) index an increased risk for subsequent psychotic disorders. A risky family environment is a well‐established risk factor for PLEs; however, different contextual and personal resiliency factors may differentially mediate its effect on PLEs. Objective In this study, we propose a two‐dimensional model of r...

The latest research is attempting to define whether there may be an association between maternal Perinatal Depression (PD), the use of psychotropic medications during pregnancy, and a higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A better understanding of the relation between PD and ASD is a key...

Importance Health care workers (HCWs) exposed to COVID-19 have high rates of mental health issues. However, longitudinal data on the evolution of mental health outcomes in HCWs are lacking. Objective To evaluate the mental health outcomes among Italian HCWs 14 months after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design, Setting, and Participants...

Background People with severe mental illnesses (SMI) have a mortality rate two times higher compared to the general population, with a decade of years of life lost. In this randomized controlled trial (RCT), we assessed in a sample of people with bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia spectrum disorder, the efficacy of an in...

Aim: The Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) is a self-administered 7-point Likert scale of 33 items, structured in 6 factors measuring personal and interpersonal resources. We aimed to develop and validate a brief form of the RSA, in order to produce a short, fast and handy tool for assessing resilience. Materials and methods: A non-clinical samp...

A considerable body of literature reports that individuals with psychotic disorders often suffer from sexual dysfunctions (SDs), with these representing a major unmet need. Long-term antipsychotic drug treatment may be the main cause for SDs in psychotic patients, through a plethora of different mechanisms, including prolactin dyscrasia, histamine-...

Introduction: Patients with severe mental disorders (namely schizophrenia, major depression and bipolar disorder) have a reduced life expectancy of at least 10 to 25 years compared with the general population. This mortality gap is due to the higher prevalence of comorbid physical disorders (such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease...

Objectives People with schizophrenia (SCZ) present serious and generalised deficits in social cognition (SC), which affect negatively patients’ functioning and treatment outcomes. The genetic background of SC has been investigated in disorders other than SCZ providing weak and sparse results. Thus, our aim was to explore possible genetic correlates...

Our manuscript aims to: 1) assess physical health in a sample of patients with severe mental disorders; and 2) identify the psychopathological and psychosocial characteristics associated with an increased likelihood of having a poor physical health. The study, funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, has been carried out in psychiatric outpatie...

Stress adjustment and resilience after multiple natural disaster exposure, specifically two successive earthquakes (i.e. 2009 and 2016 earthquakes) have been investigated in persons with mental disorder and compared to a clinical sample evaluated after the first seismic 2009 event. Seventy-one persons referred to the Mental Health Service of L’Aqui...

Aesthetic perception plays a significant role in social behavior. The ability to recognize and perceive beauty is important for social situations in that it can create different expectations about human behavior. It has been hypothesized that the aesthetic experience is characterized by emotional and hedonic responses to the stimuli. People with sc...

Personal values have increasingly become central in socio-psychological research. However, the relationships between values and psychopathological variables have been scarcely investigated, with mixed results. This study aimed to explore potential differences in value orientation in a sample of people with psychotic disorders and mood disorders com...

Introduction Amongst different subtypes of Conversion Disorder (CD), DSM-V lists the Psychogenic Non-epileptic seizures (PNES). PNES are defined as episodes that visually resemble epileptic seizures but, etiologically, they are not due to electrical discharges in the brain. Objectives Our study aims to explore the differences between PNES and othe...

Introduction International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) has inserted complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD) as a clinically distinct disorder, different from PTSD. The diagnosis of cPTSD has the same requirements for the one of PTSD, in addition to disturbances of self-organization (DSO – e.g., disturbances in relations...

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, due to its disproportionated higher morbidity and mortality rates in the older age, has been considered to be a “geropandemic.” Several studies, however, have found that older age is associated with lower psychological distress in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak and related lockdown measures. Aim: To explore the...

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most frequent and severe psychiatric consequences of natural disasters, frequently associated with suicidality. The aim of this study was at examining the possible relationships between suicidal behaviors and full-blown or partial PTSD, in a sample of young earthquake survivors. The se...

Importance: The goal of schizophrenia treatment has shifted from symptom reduction and relapse prevention to functional recovery; however, recovery rates remain low. Prospective identification of variables associated with real-life functioning domains is essential for personalized and integrated treatment programs. Objective: To assess whether b...

Background: Recent evidence showed adverse mental health outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, including trauma-related symptoms. The Global Psychotrauma Screen (GPS) is a brief instrument designed to assess a broad range of trauma-related symptoms with no available validation in the Italian population. Aims: This study aimed to examine t...

First generation antipsychotics (FGAs) are more likely to induce extrapyramidal side-effects (EPS) than second generation antipsychotics (SGAs), and EPS have been shown associated to cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. So far, no study has explored the relationships between EPS and social cognition (SC) in people with schizophrenia. Therefore, we...

Introduction During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers in Italy have been exposed to an unprecedented pressure and traumatic events. However, no direct comparison with the general population is available so far. The aim of this study is to detail mental health outcomes in healthcare workers compared to the general population. Methods 24050...

Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs), although conceptualized as separate entities, may share some clinical and neurobiological features. ASD symptoms may have a relevant role in determining a more severe clinical presentation of schizophrenic disorder but their relationships with cognitive aspects...

Background: The aim of this study is to explore the effect of childhood family stress on depression, personal, and social resilience in depressed patients. Methods: We assessed childhood family stress (RFQ), depression (BSI, depression subscale), and resilience (RSA) in 152 depressed patients, 70 males, and 82 females. We calculated the 33rd and 66...

Introduction. Hypersexuality is a clinical condition regarding the psychopathology of sexual behavior. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of trauma, through the post-traumatic stress-disorder (PTSD), depression, shame and guilt on the hypersexual behavior. Methods. Through an online platform, a convenience sample of 1025 subjects was r...

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a recurrent illness with high rates of chronicity, treatment-resistance, and significant economic impact. S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe), a molecule that is formed naturally in the human body, has shown antidepressant effects and may expand the available options for treating MDD. This systematic review e...

The relationship between subjective appraisal of cognitive deficits and symptom severity in schizophrenia is unclear. Insight reportedly affects both factors. Our aim is to further asses the relationship between subjective perception of cognitive deficits, symptom severity and lack of insight as a mediator variable. 109 subjects with schizophrenia...

Background One in six adolescents suffers from mental health problems. Despite the presence of general information on Italian adolescents' mental health, researches conducted with standardized assessment tools are scarce in the literature. We evaluated the prevalence of self-reported behavioral and emotional problems in a group of Italian adolescen...

Background The psychological impact of the COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and lockdown measures on the Italian population are unknown. The current study assesses rates of mental health outcomes in the Italian general population three to 4 weeks into lockdown measures and explores the impact of COVID-19 related potential risk factors.M...

The present overview was aimed at presenting the state of the art of the clinical use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) protocols in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Available evidence shows that TMS therapeutic protocols over the prefrontal cortex, with excitatory stimulation at the left side and/or inhibitory stimulation of the right...

Background Mental disorders are frequently related to sexual dysfunction (SD) but scant data are still available on trauma-related disorders, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Aim To evaluate the relationships between SD and PTSD in 2009 L'Aquila (Italy) earthquake young adult survivors, with particular attention to gender differ...

Although the psychological and psychiatric implications seem to be a central core of health problems during an emergency, they tend to be underestimated and neglected, generating gaps in intervention strategies and increasing the burden of associated diseases. Moreover, pharmacological treatment concerns arise for psychiatrists and the other specia...

Introduction Postpartum depressive disorder (PPD) is a burdensome medical condition. To date, only one treatment (Brexanolone) has undergone registrational trials and is approved in the United States with an indication for the treatment of PPD. However, other treatments are prescribed and have been tested for this condition. Herein, the authors rev...

Background: Recent evidence showed substantial negative mental health outcomes associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic, including trauma-related symptoms although the effects on the Italian population who were subjected to unprecedented nationwide lockdown measure remains unknown. The Global Psychotrauma Screen (GPS) is a brief instrument des...

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the construct validity and the internal consistence of the Italian version of the Psychological Maltreatment Review (PMR), and to assess the concurrent validity to provide adequate and reliable instruments to measure retrospectively child psychological maltreatment in the Italian population. M...

This cross-sectional study reports on symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and insomnia among health care workers in Italy during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Background: Psychotic-like experiences index an increased risk for subsequent psychotic disorders. A risky family environment is a well-established risk factor for psychotic-like experiences, however different contextual and personal factors may differentially mediate their effect on psychotic-like experiences, including different aspects of resili...

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are associated with comorbid depressive and anxiety disorders, but a significant proportion of IBD patients with psychiatric disorders (PsychD) remain undiagnosed and untreated. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency and type of undiagnosed PsychD in IBD patients. Two hundred and thirty-seven adult IBD (...

Background Greater levels of insight may be linked with depressive symptoms among patients with schizophrenia, however, it would be useful to characterize this association at symptom-level, in order to inform research on interventions. Methods Data on depressive symptoms (Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia) and insight (G12 item from the P...

Background: Interpersonal violence has increased as a health concern, especially in psychiatry practice, over the last decades. Nevertheless, most patients with stable mental disorders do not present an increased risk of violence, and mental disorder is not a necessary or sufficient cause of violent behaviours. People with mental disorders endorse...

Introduction Insecure attachment styles and immature or neurotic defense mechanisms are related to psychological distress. However, their mutual interaction in influencing psychological distress deserves further investigation. Methods One-thousand-one-hundred-twenty-nine University students were evaluated using the Global Severity Index of Symptom...

Introduction. Insecure attachment styles and immature or neurotic defense mechanisms are related to psychological distress. However, their mutual interaction in influencing psychological distress deserves further investigation. Methods. One-thousand-one-hundred-twenty-nine University students were evaluated using the Global Severity Index of Sympto...

In this study, we report on mental health outcomes among health workers (HWs) involved with the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. Data on mental health on 1379 HWs were collected between March 27th and March 31th 2020 using an on-line questionnaire spread throughout social networks, using a snowball technique along with sponsored social network advertise...

Background The psychological impact of the COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and lockdown measures on the Italian population are unknown. The current study assesses rates of mental health outcomes in the Italian general population three to four weeks into lockdown measures and explores the impact of COVID-19 related potential risk factor...

Objective Increasing evidence confirms a strict relationship between mental disorders and physical health. Particularly, stressful life events and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been closely correlated with various physical disorders and somatic symptoms, such as chronic pain, gastrointestinal disorders, and headaches. The aim of this s...

SUMMARY. Background. Although cognitive deficit in persons with schizophrenia is well documented, the assessment of the patient’s perception of its own cognitive functioning is a relevant issue not adequately studied. Several evaluation tools have been elaborated, however none has been validated in Italian. The aim of the study is the validation of...

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by an impairment in social cognition (SC). SC is a cognitive construct that refers to the capacity to process information about social situations. It is a complex network that includes distinct components. Exploring how SC components work together leads to a better understanding of how th...

Growing awareness of adverse impacts of artificial light on human health has led to recognize light pollution as a significant global environmental issue. Despite, a large number of studies in rodent and monkey models of Parkinson's disease have reported that near infrared light has neuroprotective effects on dopaminergic neurons, recent findings h...

Several studies investigated the role of resilience as a mediating factor for psychopathological phenotypes. The aim of the current study is to explore the putative role of resilience as a mediator between different vulnerability factors and depressive symptoms. One hundred and fifty patients with a major depressive disorder diagnosis have been eva...

An earthquake hit the city of L'Aquila in central Italy in 2009, leaving the city completely destroyed and 309 casualties. Unexpectedly, lower rates of psychotic experiences in persons affected by the earthquake compared to non-affected persons were found 10 months after the earthquake. The very long-term impact of a natural disaster on the prevale...

The potential impact of sleep and sleep disorders on stress responses has received increasing interest particularly in the context of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This review aims at synthesizing current evidence concerning the link between trauma exposure, sleep, emotional regulation and stress. In the last decades, experimental investig...