Scopus Publications
- Introversion, Alexithymia, and Hostility: A Path Analysis From Personality to Suicidal Ideation Among University Students
Sara Guidotti, Alice Fiduccia, Carlo Pruneti
Psychological Reports, 2026
Purpose: The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between state (i.e., hostility) and trait (i.e., social detachment, alexithymia) psychological constructs associated with suicidal ideation among university students. Methods: A group of 190 university students was consecutively recruited in the period between September 2022 and March 2023. After a clinical interview, a series of psychological tests were administered: the Cattell’s 16-Personality Factors Questionnaire (16PF), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R), and the anamnestic form of the Cognitive Behavioral Assessment (CBA2.0), which contains a specific question regarding the suicidal ideation. Results: The analyses demonstrated that alexithymia fully mediated the relationship between a particular aspect of introversion (social detachment or low warmth) and hostility which, in turn, seemed to be a significant predictor of suicidal ideation. Conclusions: The path analysis conducted seemed to highlight the importance of personality traits, such as social detachment and the ability to recognize and express one’s internal states, on the mental health of university students in terms of hostility and suicidal ideation. Considering that the reduction of suicide mortality has been prioritized as a global target in the 15-19 age group, identifying the psychological factors associated with it is fundamental. - PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY MEASURES AS POTENTIAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CARDIAC COHERENCE TRAINING EFFECTS ON SYMPTOMS REDUCTION: A PILOT STUDY ON HEALTHCARE WORKERS
Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 2025 - Impact of personality traits, coping styles, and anger on psychological symptoms of patients with arterial hypertension Psychological factors in arterial hypertension
Francesca Giordano, Sara Guidotti, Clemente Salerno, Carlo Pruneti, Omar Carlo Gioacchino Gelo
Research in Psychotherapy Psychopathology Process and Outcome, 2025
This observational study aimed to investigate the interplay between psychological factors in clinical and non-clinical groups of patients with arterial hypertension. Specifically, the main objectives were: i) to examine associations between personality traits, anger, and psychological symptoms; ii) to explore how coping styles interact with anger in modulating distress; and iii) to compare patients with and without significant psychological distress. One hundred hypertensive patients (mean age 56.04±12.04) were consecutively recruited. Psychological symptoms, anger dimensions, personality traits, and coping strategies were assessed through the Symptom Checklist-90- Revised (SCL-90-R), the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2), the 16 Personality Factors Questionnaire (16PF), and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE), respectively. The Global Severity Index (GSI) of the SCL-90-R was used to differentiate a clinical group (T-score≥63) from a non-clinical one. In the overall sample, specific personality traits predicted anxiety, somatization, and paranoid ideation. Symptoms such as psychoticism and hostility were linked to poor anger regulation, and the expression of anger was associated with avoidance-based coping. Patients with higher levels of psychological distress (49% of the patients) were more introverted and emotionally unstable, with symptoms predicted by low liveliness and high rule-consciousness. In contrast, anger expression and control emerged as key modulators of subclinical symptoms even in the non-clinical group (51% of the sample). The integrative and comparative nature of the study described different relationships between personality, anger management, and psychological symptoms between groups of hypertensive patients, divided according to the severity of psychological distress. Additionally, even sub-threshold symptoms proved to be shaped by patterns of emotional regulation, underscoring the need to integrate psychological assessments in the treatment of hypertension. - Mediation analysis of anxiety and depression between alexithymia and frequency of headache attacks and impact on suicidal ideation in primary headache
Sara Guidotti, Paola Torelli, Giordano Ambiveri, Alice Fiduccia, Daniele Chirco, et al.
Journal of Affective Disorders, 2025 - A Cross-Cultural Comparative Study on Italian and American University Students’ Psychological Symptoms and the Predicting Role of Personality Traits
Sara Guidotti, Gabriella Coscioni, Carlo Pruneti
European Journal of Investigation in Health Psychology and Education, 2025
(1) Background: This study aimed to compare psychological symptoms between Italian university students and American college students, considering both external (e.g., nationality) and internal variables (e.g., gender, age, and personality traits) potentially associated with mental health status. (2) Methods: A total of 201 Italian students from the University of Parma and 214 American students from Boston College were recruited. Participants completed the Symptom Questionnaire (SQ) and the 16 Personality Factors Questionnaire (16PF). Group comparisons were conducted on socio-demographic and psychological variables using chi-square and independent samples t-tests. Subsequently, hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed separately for each sample to identify personality traits that predict psychological symptoms, while controlling for gender and age. (3) Results: Both samples scored above the clinical cut-off on all SQ symptom scales. American students reported significantly higher levels of depression and hostility. Across both groups, psychological distress was primarily predicted by high tension and low emotional stability, with personality traits explaining a greater proportion of variance than nationality. Traits related to social interaction and emotional regulation also emerged as significant predictors. (4) Conclusions: Identifying personality profiles that are more vulnerable to psychological symptoms may support the development of early identification strategies and targeted prevention programs in university settings. - How Much Does Stress Cost? A Case–Control Study on Vagally Mediated Heart Rate Variability Responses in Anxious and Non-Anxious Individuals During a Cognitive Task
Daniele Chirco, Sara Guidotti, Carlo Pruneti
Medical Sciences, 2025
Background: Heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) are valid indices of psychophysical stress. Healthy individuals typically exhibit high vagal tone, as indicated by vagally mediated HRV (vmHRV) values. Despite current knowledge, HRV differences between anxious subjects and controls during a cognitive task have not yet been studied. Methods: Anxious people were compared to controls through the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y), both considering State Anxiety (S-Anxiety) and Trait Anxiety (T-Anxiety) one at a time. Subsequently, a psychophysiological stress profile (PSP) was conducted to record HRV values (i.e., SDNN, RMSSD, and HF) at baseline and under induced stress with an electrocardiogram (ECG). During the stress test, the digit span forward task was conducted. Results: Significant differences were described by dividing the sample by S-Anxiety in the baseline values of log-HF (t = 2.68; p = 0.05; d = 0.85) and log-RMSSD (t = 2.34; p = 0.01; d = 0.74). Dividing the sample by T-Anxiety, significant differences were found in the reactivity (t = −2.26; p = 0.03; d = −0.70) and recovery (t = 2.11; p = 0.04; d = 0.66) log-HF values. Additionally, reactivity log-HF and recovery log-RMSSD values demonstrated significant discriminative power of 68% and 68%, respectively, in accurately identifying individuals with anxiety, as measured by T-Anxiety. Lastly, an association was found between the baseline HR value and the equivalent point of digit span forward in both the anxious (r = 0.59, p = 0.01) and control (r = −0.45, p = 0.05) groups. Conclusions: Although a high vmHRV is considered a protective factor against stress, our findings found that a reduced HRV modulation can distinguish a group of people with significant symptoms of anxiety and hinder cognitive efficiency. - Assessing Orthorexia Nervosa Among University Students: An Observational Study Analyzing Prevalence and Psychological Characteristics
Rosanna Sanseverino, Sara Guidotti, Carlo Pruneti
Nutrients, 2025
Background/Objectives: The prevalence of orthorexia nervosa (ON) is increasing over time. Additionally, specific social categories seem to be more affected. In the literature, the prevalence of university students suffering from ON is unclear, ranging from 7% to 83%. Nonetheless, ON shares pathological traits with both eating and obsessive–compulsive disorders, making its etiology and therapeutic perspectives complex. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of ON and explore its psychological characteristics in a sample of university students. Methods: A total of 205 students from the University of Parma were consecutively recruited using a convenience sampling procedure. Participants completed the Orthorexia Nervosa Questionnaire-15 (ORTO-15) to assess ON, the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3) to investigate eating behavior, the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) to detect psychological symptoms, and the P Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) to describe stress-related lifestyle. Based on the scores obtained on the ORTO-15, a group of orthorexic students (ORTO-15 score ≤ 35) was compared with a group of non-orthorexic students (ORTO-15 score > 35). Results: The prevalence of university students with ON was nearly 42% (specifically, 41.95%). Furthermore, orthorexic students reported significantly higher levels of emotional dysregulation, perfectionism, and asceticism on the EDI-3 as well as affective problems and overcontrol in general. Furthermore, although there were no differences between the groups regarding psychological symptoms, an increase in sense of responsibility, vigor, and hyperactivity, as well as decreased free time on the PSQ, characterized the orthorexic student group. Conclusions: The results support that orthorexia nervosa emerged as a concerning phenomenon among university students, with increasing evidence pointing to its psychological correlates. Nonetheless, the fact that ON shares psychological characteristics with eating disorders highlights the clinical importance of implementing multidimensional assessments and multidisciplinary therapeutic approaches for individuals presenting with orthorexic-type eating behavior disorders. - Persistent pain and associated risk factors in previously hospitalized COVID-19 survivors: data from an Italian cross-sectional study
Matteo CASTALDO, Alessandro VIGANÒ, Rocco GIORDANO, Brian D. EBBESEN, Sara GUIDOTTI, et al.
Minerva Anestesiologica, 2025 - The Role of Social Functioning Between Vitality and Mental Distress in Hypertension: A Partial Mediation Model
Sara Guidotti, Francesca Giordano, Carlo Pruneti
European Journal of Investigation in Health Psychology and Education, 2025
(1) Background: Patients with hypertension face a relevant reduction in health-related quality of life. Specifically, the vitality domain is significantly impaired. This research aims to explore the association between quality of life and mental distress in patients with hypertension, explicitly emphasizing the mediating factor of social functioning above vitality. (2) Methods: This observational study consecutively recruited a hundred hypertensive patients (49% were males and 51% were females) aged between 23 and 82 years old (Mage = 56.04, SDage = 12.04). The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were administered to assess mental distress and quality of life, respectively. Two biological measures (i.e., cortisol levels and heart rate) were also collected. (3) Results: In total, 50% of participants indicated higher mental distress and reduced quality of life. Correlation analyses demonstrate various negative relationships between clinical features. Moreover, positive associations were found between mental distress and vitality and between vitality and physical and social functioning along with heart rate. Notably, it was determined that vitality negatively predicted mental distress directly and indirectly by mediating social functioning. (4) Conclusions: Despite these promising findings, this study’s cross-sectional nature does not allow for the definition of the causal relationship between the investigated variables. These results emphasize the importance of a comprehensive and multidisciplinary evaluation in understanding hypertensive patients’ psychophysical well-being and lifestyles, which social support may significantly modulate. - Benefits of Pilates on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: An Observational Study Comparing People Practicing Pilates to Non-Active Controls
Sara Guidotti, Alice Fiduccia, Giulia Morisi, Carlo Pruneti
Healthcare Switzerland, 2025
Background: The positive effects of Pilates on balance, resistance, strength, and flexibility have been described several times. Additionally, positive effects on psychological symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, were documented. However, the change in behaviors at risk for stress-related physical disorders has not yet been validated in a group of people practicing Pilates. In light of these assumptions, changes in risk behaviors for stress-related physical disorders were assessed along with psychological symptoms, comparing a group of people practicing Pilates with non-active controls. Methods: The study was observational. Data from an experimental group of twenty-five people practicing Pilates (five males and 20 females between 50 and 64 years old) were compared to those of a control group of 24 people (seven males and 17 females between 54 and 65 years). Psychological symptoms were assessed through the Symptom Questionnaire (SQ) while the P Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) investigated risk behaviors for stress-related physical disorders. Results: The analyses attested a significant decrease in anxiety (time × group effect: F = 17.38; p < 0.001), depression (time × group effect: F = 5.44; p < 0.05), and somatization (time × group effect: F = 11.25; p < 0.01), as well as an improvement in stress-risk behaviors, especially in the ability to benefit from spare time by “taking one’s mind away” from commitments (time × group effect: F = 8.56; p < 0.01). Conclusions: Although the literature describes benefits for anxiety and depression following moderate-intensity sporting activities, our study also noted positive effects from Pilates on stress and psychological symptoms. Our findings suggest that Pilates may be appropriate for people who can perform light to moderate exercise. - Multidimensional Assessment of Orthorexia Nervosa: A Case-Control Study Comparing Eating Behavior, Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, Body Mass Index, Psychological Symptoms, and Autonomic Arousal
Sara Guidotti, Alice Fiduccia, Rosanna Sanseverino, Carlo Pruneti
Nutrients, 2025 - Effectiveness of cognitive behavioural counselling integrated with psychoeducation for hypertensive patients: a pilot study
Francesca Giordano, Sara Guidotti, Omar Carlo Gioacchino Gelo, Clemente Salerno, Carlo Pruneti
British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 2025 - “It’s All Under Control” – Description of the Dissociation Between Psychological Symptoms and Autonomic Arousal in People With Obsessive-compulsive Symptoms: A Case-control Study
Sara Guidotti, Alice Fiduccia, Daniele Chirco, Emma Carli, Carlo Pruneti
Actas Espanolas De Psiquiatria, 2025 - From the latin “re-cordis, passing through the heart”: autonomic modulation differentiates migraineurs from controls when recounting a significant life event
Sara Guidotti, Paola Torelli, Giordano Ambiveri, Alice Fiduccia, Matteo Castaldo, et al.
Neurological Sciences, 2025 - Anxiety and depression fully mediate the relationship between anger expression and quality of life in a sample of hypertensive patients
Sara Guidotti, Francesca Giordano, Carlo Pruneti
Discover Psychology, 2024 - A Narrative Review of Heart Rate Variability as a Good Index of Psychophysical Health in Athletes and in Biofeedback Training
Carlo Pruneti, Simone Ferrari, Sara Guidotti
Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 2024 - Giants with feet of clay: perfectionism, type A behavior, emotional stability, and gender as predictors of university students’ mental health
Psychology Society and Education, 2024 - The Mental Suffering of Cocaine-Addicted Patients: A Retrospective Analysis of Personality Disorders’ Prevalence and Their Association with Psychopathological Symptoms
Francesca Giordano, Sara Guidotti, Francesco Cassio Scategni, Domenico Cuzzola, Carlo Pruneti
European Journal of Investigation in Health Psychology and Education, 2024 - A psychological intervention based on cognitive-behavioural therapy reduces psychopathological symptoms that indirectly influence the heart rate via cortisol in hypertensive patients: Preliminary results of a pilot study
Francesca Giordano, Sara Guidotti, Omar Carlo Gioacchino Gelo, Clemente Salerno, Carlo Pruneti
Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 2024 - Increased Psychological Symptoms and Autonomic Arousal in Patients with Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Case–Control Study
Sara Guidotti, Augusto Innocenti, Chiara Cosentino, Fabio Monzani, Irene Guccini, et al.
Endocrines, 2024 - Comparison between Physical Activity and Stress-Related Lifestyle between Orthorexic and Non-Orthorexic University Students: A Case-Control Study
Sara Guidotti, Alice Fiduccia, Michele Murgolo, Carlo Pruneti
Nutrients, 2024 - Evaluation of the effectiveness of behavioral interventions for autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies
Carlo Pruneti, Gabriella Coscioni, Sara Guidotti
Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2024 - Top-Level Managers' Psychophysical Recovery Investigated Through Different Psychophysiological Parameters Benefits From Training Based on Muscle Relaxation and Self-monitoring of HRV-Biofeedback
Carlo Pruneti, Alice Fiduccia, Sara Guidotti
Neuroregulation, 2024 - Electrodermal activity moderates the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation in a group of patients with anxiety and depressive symptoms
Carlo Pruneti, Alice Fiduccia, Sara Guidotti
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 2023 - Need for Multidimensional and Multidisciplinary Management of Depressed Preadolescents and Adolescents: A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials on Oral Supplementations (Omega-3, Fish Oil, Vitamin D3)
Carlo Pruneti, Sara Guidotti
Nutrients, 2023 - A Systematic Review of Clinical Psychophysiology of Obsessive–Compulsive Disorders: Does the Obsession with Diet Also Alter the Autonomic Imbalance of Orthorexic Patients?
Carlo Pruneti, Gabriella Coscioni, Sara Guidotti
Nutrients, 2023 - Psychophysiology and Cognitive Functioning in Elderly: The Skin Conductance as a Reliable Marker of Memorization and Rememorization Capability
Carlo Pruneti, Chiara Cosentino, Sara Guidotti
Neuroregulation, 2023 - Clinical and psychological aspects in a group of allergic asthma patients and the impact on their health status perception
Health Psychology Report, 2023 - Clinical-Psychological Aspects Involved in Gynecological Surgery: Description of Peri-Operative Psychopathological Symptoms and Illness Behavior
Sara Guidotti, Carlo Pruneti, Simona Mortilla, Giuseppe Masellis, Chiara Caramuscio
International Journal of Psychological Research, 2023 - Health Related Quality of Life and Psychopathological Symptoms in People with Hemophilia, Bloodborne Co-Infections and Comorbidities: An Italian Multicenter Observational Study
Mario Schiavoni, CARLO PRUNETI, SARA GUIDOTTI, ALESSANDRA MOSCATELLO, FRANCESCA GIORDANO, et al.
Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases, 2023 - Cognition, Behavior, Sexuality, and Autonomic Responses of Women with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
Carlo Pruneti, Sara Guidotti
Brain Sciences, 2022 - Impact of Covid-19 on mental health and the role of personality: Preliminary data from a sample of Italian university students
Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2022 - Dissociation between cognitive-behavioral and emotional-psychophysiological aspects in Eating Disorders and its pre-post treatment stability
Journal of Psychopathology, 2022 - Psychological adjustment and heart rate variability in ovarian cancer survivors
Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2022 - Oxidative Stress and Cognitive Decline: The Neuroprotective Role of Natural Antioxidants
Ferdinando Franzoni, Giorgia Scarfò, Sara Guidotti, Jonathan Fusi, Muzaffar Asomov, et al.
Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2021 - Depression States, Behavioral, and Cognitive Components in Developmental age: factorial analysis of a short assessment tool
Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2021 - Combined functional magnetic resonance imaging and skin conductance to detect localized neural response to psychological stress: a pilot study
C.A. Pruneti, N. Vanello, M. Paterni, L. Landini, S. Guidotti, et al.
Archives Italiennes De Biologie, 2021
