In this slender volume Mrs. Klein has set herself the task of exploring the earliest sources of two attitudes—envy and gratitude. Using poetic illustrations, as well as her own psychoanalytic language, she draws a clear and intricate picture of what she means by these two words. Observations taken from the analyses of four adult patients further illuminate her subject matter. Her perceptive and thoughtful discussion should enrich our understanding of emotional states and thereby contribute to our therapeutic effectiveness, even though most of us who are not at home in Kleinian psychology may find the reading a bit arduous. One contribution of the book is the author's sensitive appreciation of the complex fusion of affects and fantasies which comprise both envy and gratitude, and her attempt to distinguish them from other affective states or attitudes. It is this complexity, in addition to her reconstructive method, which makes it difficult for

Envy and Gratitude.

The collapse of socialism in Eastern Europe is an event that has had profound psychological consequences for left-wing psychologists and social scientists committed to the ideal of democratic socialism. So far these events and their psychological expression have not yet emerged explicitly in the psycho-analytic literature. On the other hand, work by left-wing psycho-analytic thinkers, committed to forging personal and intellectual links between marxism and psycho-analysis, are still being regularly published. The most creative and productive of these authors are British, which is not surprising given the co-existence of both an established psycho-analytic community and muscular socialist opposition under a Conservative British government.

The Good Society and the Inner World : Psychoanalysis, Politics and Culture, Michael Rustin : book review

Following a post-Kleinian psychoanalytic perspective, this article proposes some considerations on social exclusion, based on the analysis of certain individual and collective defenses. Drawing from G. Di Chiara’s concept of psychosocial syndrome, social exclusion is explained primarily as the result of the mechanisms of inferiorization, exclusion and marginalization of those who are disadvantaged by and opposed to the logic of collective pathologies most prevalent in a given model of society. In our society, the logic of these syndromes, linked together, is especially one that promises a model of social adaptation ferociously based on competition. These mechanisms, triggered by very strong anxieties, repeat themselves in the dynamics of different conditions, according to the prototypical model of pathological narcissism and true racism.

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Defense mechanisms and psychic processes in social exclusion: Clinical considerations

Foreign unaccompanied and separated children represent a specific and a very substantial segment in migratory phenomenon, which involves European countries, including Italy. This phenomenon is taking on increasing importance, not only and not just in terms of quantity, but also in relation to the challenges posed to the system of social protection. Moreover, we have to say that different currents of though about the contemporary migration are agreed that immigrant people are the actors of a culture of connection on which they live the experience of mobility. This culture of connection has become evident and very dynamic since migrants have started to use massively new technologies of information and communication.

Isolés, mais connectés: le cas de mineurs étrangers non accompagnés

RIASSUNTO: Obiettivo: L’obiettivo del presente contributo e quello di descrivere i risultati di un’indagine volta ad esplorare la presenza di sintomi inquadrabili o associati al PTSD in un piccolo gruppo di minori stranieri non accompagnati inseriti in centri di pronta accoglienza e comunita residenziali per minori richiedenti asilo politico del territorio barese, focalizzando nel contempo l’attenzione sulla valenza terapeutica dei contesti di comunita relativamente alla configurazione sintomatica in oggetto. Nello specifico, lo studio effettuato ha inteso, in prima istanza, rilevare la presenza di sintomi riferibili a PTSD, Ansia, Depressione e tendenze Dissociative nel campione preso in esame, verificando la relazione, riscontrata in letteratura, tra la condizione di minore straniero non accompagnato e lo sviluppo del PTSD e/o di sintomi ad esso associati. Un secondo obiettivo ha inteso verificare eventuali differenze statisticamente significative relativamente alla presenza di sintomi inerenti o associati al PTSD in funzione del tempo di permanenza dei minori in comunita. Metodologia e Risultati: La testistica proposta ha evidenziato la presenza di una diffusa sintomatologia caratterizzante il PTSD e i quadri depressivi ed ansiosi. Per quanto riguarda i sintomi riferibili al PTSD, l’analisi del Chi-Quadro mostra come tali sintomi si distribuiscano in maniera statisticamente significativa relativamente ai tempi di permanenza in comunita, al contrario dei sintomi depressivi, ansiosi e delle tendenze dissociative che non mostrano significativita nella distribuzione dei punteggi legati ai singoli tempi presi in considerazione. Conclusioni: Lo studio evidenzia la rilevanza clinica di interventi svolti all’interno di contesti residenziali organizzati sul modello dell’ambiente terapeutico globale. PAROLE CHIAVE: Minori stranieri non accompagnati, PTSD e sintomi correlati, Interventi di comunita.

I minori stranieri non accompagnati tra trauma e riparazione. Uno studio su disturbo post-traumatico da stress, ansia, depressione e tendenze dissociative in giovani migranti residenti in comunità The unaccompanied foreign minors between trauma and repair interventions. A study on post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and dissociative tendencies in young migrants living in community health centers

This study evaluated the effects of a single exercise session of Self-Myofascial Release (SMR) on the posterior muscular chain flexibility after one hour from the intervention. Thirty-six participants performed SMR using a rigid ball under the surface of both feet. Participants were tested with the Sit and Reach (S&R) test at four different times: before (T0), immediately after (T1), 30 (T2), and 60 (T3) minutes after the SMR intervention. The sample (n = 36) was categorized into three groups: (1) flexible, (2) average, and (3) stiff, based on the flexibility level at T0 (S&R values of >10 cm, >0 but <10 cm and <0 cm, respectively). For the whole sample, we detected significant improvements in the S&R test between the T1, T2, and T3 compared to T0. The stiff group showed a significant (p < 0.05) improvement between T1–T2 and T1–T3. Results were similar between the average group and the whole sample. The flexible group did not show any significant difference (p > 0.05) over time. In conclusion, this investigation demonstrated that an SMR session of both feet was able to increase posterior muscular chain flexibility up to one hour after intervention. Considering that a standard training session generally lasts one hour, our study can help professionals take advantage of SMR effects for the entire training period. Furthermore, our results also demonstrate that physical exercise practitioners should also assess individuals’ flexibility before training, as the SMR procedure used in this work does not seem necessary in flexible individuals.

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Self-Myofascial Release of the Foot Plantar Surface: The Effects of a Single Exercise Session on the Posterior Muscular Chain Flexibility after One Hour

The article discusses an extreme and very painful case regarding special education: bullying against disabled children and adolescents. We look at the phenomenon from both sides in cases of indirect and direct bullying. The first case of indirect bullying can be seen as a case of social exclusion, starting from the immanent reality of marginalisation processes towards various populations of disabled individuals. The second case is even more disturbing, as the bully harasses and exhibits hate and envy towards the disabled individual, despite the presence of an impairment and therefore a vulnerability. The article also addresses further considerations on the position of the teacher in the school context in confronting these cases, emphasising the centrality of the pedagogical strategy of inclusion to fight even the phenomenon of bullying against disability.

Bullismo verso la disabilità: un caso limite

L’articolo affronta da un punto di vista clinico alcune questioni affettive della relazione tra genitori e figli adolescenti. Cogliendo le dinamiche familiari dalla prospettiva della mente del figlio e dei cambiamenti emotivi cui egli va incontro con l’ingresso nell’adolescenza, l’attenzione si sofferma in particolare sul ruolo delicato del genitore nell’espletare determinate funzioni affettive nei confronti del figlio cruciali per il superamento da parte di quest’ultimo degli ostacoli che l’adolescenza pone alla sua crescita. In quest’ottica alcuni riferimenti al contributo di autori e a teorie del campo psicodinamico sono considerati in rapporto ai temi sia della funzione genitoriale, sia dello sviluppo emotivo in adolescenza e delle dinamiche genitori-figli in questa fase del ciclo di vita familiare.

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Tommaso Fratini

Papers

Self-Myofascial Release of the Foot Plantar Surface: The Effects of a Single Exercise Session on the Posterior Muscular Chain Flexibility after One Hour

Bullismo verso la disabilità: un caso limite

Considerazioni cliniche sulla relazione tra genitori e figli nell'adolescenza

Bisogni e vissuti relazionali di minori stranieri non accompagnati: un'analisi di resoconti narrativi

I minori stranieri non accompagnati diventano maggiorenni. Accoglienza, diritti umani, legalità.