New horizons in youth development

Adolescence and emerging adulthood are specific life moments in which youth need to face changes concerning their present and future. Moreover studies conducted over the last several decades have revealed how morphological and functional transformations in brain, along with rising hormone levels and other biological changes, interact with cultural, economic and psychosocial forces to shape how adolescents think, feel, and behave. The existing evidence shows that neurodevelopment continues throughout emerging adulthood where dynamic, personal, environmental circumstances, and unique patterns of vulnerability to psychological dysfunction can also be present. The aim of this symposium is to present different protective and risk factors this group need to face. Dr. Bassi and Prof. Salcuni will focus their presentation on a very current issue: the use of smartphone in adolescence and its connection with externalized and internalized symptoms also mediated by self-control. Dr. Tognasso, Prof. Santona, and Prof.  Parolin will focus the attention to another current issue: negative attitudes toward members of minority sexual orientations in adolescence, connecting them with attachment styles, so giving importance to risk and protective factors in this kind of attitudes. Attachment styles and personality patterns are also important variables connected with separation anxiety in emerging adulthood, a period of life in which young people face complete separation from family ties: prof. Di Riso and Prof. Lis will focus their attention specifically on childhood memories of separation anxiety. Finally, Prof. Liberska will focus on a specific issue on identity processes aggression. The study suggests similarity in identity processes among girls and boys and the diversification of the role of sex in taking up the role of the perpetrator and victim. In addition, significant relationships between the intensity of identity processes and the experiences of the perpetrator and victim were identified.

Adriana Lis is Senior Professor at the University of Padova from 2014. She was Full Professor at the same University and she taught Psychology of Family Relation in 2014/2015, 2015/2016, 2016/2017. Moreover, she was Professor of Psychology of family relation, Psychodynamic diagnosis, Intervention models for family relationships, Evaluation of psychotherapeutic interventions.  She published over 45 national and international papers as well as several national and international books.