Francesca Liga
Biographic Data
| ID | 375675 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Francesca Liga |
| GIVEN NAMES | Francesca |
| FAMILY NAME | Liga |
| SIGNATURE | LIGA F |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Messina |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7074-6711 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 27 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 43 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 27 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Basic Psychological Needs, Depressive Symptoms, and Parental Self-Efficacy: A Two-Wave Study During the Transition to Motherhood
Maternal well-being during pregnancy is associated with postnatal maternal well-being. Understanding the risk and protective factors that could have positive and negative effects around the event of childbirth is of utmost relevance. Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), the present study aimed to investigate the link between (a) prenatal need satisfaction and depression symptoms and (b) postnatal need satisfaction, depression symptoms, an…
A Person-Centered Study on Parental Responsiveness and Overprotection: Associations With Socio-Economic Pressures
Abundant research documented the importance of the quality of parenting, with responsive parenting typically being associated with better youth cognitive, psychological, and social development outcomes and overprotective parenting being related to developmental difficulties. At the same time, it is essential to consider how excessively high parenting standards and economic pressures can affect the parenting practices that parents may adopt. Using…
Well-being in romantic relationships: The role of motivation and conflict engagement
Relationship science emphasises that most people desire romantic relationships. Self-determination theory provides a theoretical approach that can capture the variety of motivations potentially underlying the pursuit of romantic relationships. Within this framework, couple and sexual motivations can help us to understand why people are in relationships, what motivates them to stay together and what can increase the risk of conflict. Indeed, how c…
A systematic review on the role of parents and peers in adolescents’ pro-environmental behaviors
Young generations are often identified as key actors in promoting sustainability. However, some studies suggest that adolescents may engage in pro-environmental behaviors to a lesser extent than other age groups. The literature on socialization provides useful insights into the factors that may facilitate or hinder these practices, examining how young people develop environmental attitudes and values within their social contexts. This systematic …
Investigating the Role of Motivation Among Parents of Preschool Children
Introduction: Studies based on the self-determination theory about the antecedents in parent couples with children of school transition years are still limited. Therefore, this research examines the possible association of parental motivation, parental autonomy support, parental psychological control and the parental reports of children's outcomes. Methods: The participants for this study are 150 couples of parents with at least one child from 4 …
Parents Between Family and Work: The Role of Psychological Needs Satisfaction
Psychological dimensions associated with youth engagement in climate change issues: A person-centered approach
Climate change is one of the greatest global threats that has ecological, economic, social, and psychological consequences. Nowadays, young people are the target of political agenda since they represent potential future policymakers. Consequently, it is crucial to identify the psychological features that contribute to engagement of young people in climate change issue. This study aimed at identifying and describing different configurations of you…
The Role of Individual and Contextual Resources Among Italian Emerging Adults During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Person- and Variable-Centered Approach Within the Positive Youth Development Framework
This study investigated how Italian emerging adults coped during COVID-19 from a Positive Youth Development framework. Five hundred sixty-five 18- to 29-year-olds completed surveys measuring personal (cognitive reappraisal, optimism), ecological (support and emotional connection with community) assets, and adaptation outcomes (anxiety and future societal expectations) during (T1) and after (T2) lockdown. Utilizing a person-centered approach, four…
The role of valuing cultural diversity in children's endorsements of rights
Support for children's rights is greater among children raised in democratic environments. The present two studies examined children's endorsements and predictors of children's rights. Five democratic competences taken from the Council of Europe's Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture served as predictors. We tested the models in a sample of children raised in five European countries and a sample raised in an African country, …
Emotion recognition in individuals wearing facemasks: A preliminary analysis of age-related differences
Evaluating the filial behaviour scale across three cultural groups using exploratory structural equation modelling
Filial piety is a Confucian concept that guides how children treat and take care of their parents. The Filial Behaviour Scale (FBS) is a 25‐item instrument developed in the Chinese context measuring behavioural manifestations of filial piety. Although the components of filial piety have been found to be relevant across cultures, little research has investigated the psychometric properties of the FBS in other cultural contexts. The present study e…
Adherence to social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic in Italy: The role of autonomous motivation and defiance
To maintain social distancing in the long term, in the current COVID-19 scenario, people's motivation must be strong and of high quality. Many governments adopted measures enforcing social distancing. Enforcement, however, can produce feelings of defiance and backfiring effects. The present work aims at investigating the relationship between autonomous motivation and intentions to maintain social distancing, through adherence to recommendations a…
The role of parental control and coping strategies on adolescents’ problem behaviors
Aligning personal and collective interests in emerging adults during the Covid‐19 emergency in Italy
This study investigated the relations of emerging adults' personal (civic competence and interdependent self‐construal) and community‐based (sense of community and civic engagement) resources as predictors of appraisal of COVID‐19 Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) and attitudes toward preventing contagion in Italy. Participants were 2873 Italian emerging adults (71% females) aged 19–30 years ( M = 22.67, SD = 2.82). Structural equation mo…
Exploring the Role of Time Perspective in Emerging Adult Couples: A Mediation Model
Social support and motivation for parenthood as resources against prenatal parental distress
During the pregnancy period, future parents differ substantially in their psychological adjustment, with some parents being more at risk for stress and depression than others. Grounded in self‐determination theory, the present study aimed to investigate the role of motivation to have a child and the social support perceived by both partners in predicting partners’ psychological distress. We examined whether satisfaction of the psychological needs…
Examination of the Psychometric Characteristics of the Italian Version of the Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents
In the last years, the interest in Internet Gaming Disorder has grown considerably, which has necessitated the development of valid and reliable tools in different cultural contexts. Although, in the scientific literature, there are several measures that evaluate the Internet Gaming Disorder, the Game Addiction Scale has shown to be a valid questionnaire specifically designed for adolescents and based on the Griffiths' theory of components model …
Antecedents and consequences of parental psychological control and autonomy support: The role of psychological basic needs
Research suggests that psychologically controlling and autonomy-supportive parenting can be described within the Self-Determination Theory's (SDT) framework. Two studies were conducted to examine (a) the role of parental need frustration as a predictor of parental psychological control, (b) the role of parental need satisfaction as a predictor of parental autonomy support, and (c) the role of parents' psychological control and autonomy support in…
The Good Parent: Southern Italian Mothers' Conceptualization of Good Parenting and Parent-Child Relationships
Thirty mothers, ranging in age between 30 and 46 years, participated in seven focus groups aimed at analyzing perceptions and ideas of the characteristics of a good parent and parent-child relationship in southern Italy (Sicily). The discussions were transcribed and analyzed using the constant comparative analysis approach. Two major themes, discipline and affection, emerged from the discussions about the idea of a good parent, with seven further…
Psychometric Evaluation of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS) in Italy
The purpose of this multistudy report was to adapt the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS) to the Italian context. Two studies were conducted. In Study 1, we investigated the dimensionality, reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity of the instrument in a sample of 544 participants (males = 41%) from 16 to 35 years old. In Study 2, we replicated the results concerning dimensionality in an independent s…
Associations between perceived parental psychological control and internalizing difficulties in emerging adulthood: The role of identity
Our study investigated the associations among two expressions of perceived parental psychological control (dependency-oriented parental control [DPC] and achievement-oriented parental control [APC]), identity, and internalizing difficulties among college-attending emerging adults. In particular, our aim was to examine the potential role of identity in the pathways linking both DPC and APC to internalizing difficulties. Our participants included 4…
Using Focus Group in the Development of Unipa Emotional Autonomy Inventory
Focus groups were used in order to develop a new measure of adolescents' emotional autonomy from parents. The procedure started from an in depth analysis of the literature concerning the construct and a definition of the dimensions which characterize it. Following our idea of the construct, we developed a list of 60 items, getting some of them from existing instruments. Twenty-four adolescents participated in the focus group discussions about the…
Autonomy and Relatedness in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: Relationships with Parental Support and Psychological Distress
Mothers’ Parenting Stress and Adolescents’ Emotional Separation: The Role of Youngsters’ Self Orientation
The study examined the association among mothers’ parenting stress, adolescents’ emotional separation and self-orientation toward connectedness. Participants were 194 Italian adolescents, aged from 15 to 19 years (mean age = 17.39, SD = 1.18), and th
Binge eating and binge drinking behaviors: Individual differences in adolescents' identity styles
Considering the significant negative consequences that are directly related to binge eating and drinking behaviors, many studies have explored the reasons why adolescents engage in them. This study examined the differences in the development, maintenance, and co-occurrence of "binge" behaviors associated with adolescent's identity style and the level of commitment. One thousand four hundred Italian adolescents completed self-report measures asses…
Antecedents and consequences of parental psychological control and autonomy support: The role of psychological basic needs
Research suggests that psychologically controlling and autonomy-supportive parenting can be described within the Self-Determination Theory's (SDT) framework. Two studies were conducted to examine (a) the role of parental need frustration as a predictor of parental psychological control, (b) the role of parental need satisfaction as a predictor of parental autonomy support, and (c) the role of parents' psychological control and autonomy support in…
Psychometric Evaluation of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS) in Italy
The purpose of this multistudy report was to adapt the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS) to the Italian context. Two studies were conducted. In Study 1, we investigated the dimensionality, reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity of the instrument in a sample of 544 participants (males = 41%) from 16 to 35 years old. In Study 2, we replicated the results concerning dimensionality in an independent s…
Binge eating and binge drinking behaviors: Individual differences in adolescents' identity styles
Considering the significant negative consequences that are directly related to binge eating and drinking behaviors, many studies have explored the reasons why adolescents engage in them. This study examined the differences in the development, maintenance, and co-occurrence of "binge" behaviors associated with adolescent's identity style and the level of commitment. One thousand four hundred Italian adolescents completed self-report measures asses…
Associations between perceived parental psychological control and internalizing difficulties in emerging adulthood: The role of identity
Our study investigated the associations among two expressions of perceived parental psychological control (dependency-oriented parental control [DPC] and achievement-oriented parental control [APC]), identity, and internalizing difficulties among college-attending emerging adults. In particular, our aim was to examine the potential role of identity in the pathways linking both DPC and APC to internalizing difficulties. Our participants included 4…
Identity status differences among Italian adolescents: Associations with time perspective
The Good Parent: Southern Italian Mothers' Conceptualization of Good Parenting and Parent-Child Relationships
Thirty mothers, ranging in age between 30 and 46 years, participated in seven focus groups aimed at analyzing perceptions and ideas of the characteristics of a good parent and parent-child relationship in southern Italy (Sicily). The discussions were transcribed and analyzed using the constant comparative analysis approach. Two major themes, discipline and affection, emerged from the discussions about the idea of a good parent, with seven further…
Adherence to social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic in Italy: The role of autonomous motivation and defiance
To maintain social distancing in the long term, in the current COVID-19 scenario, people's motivation must be strong and of high quality. Many governments adopted measures enforcing social distancing. Enforcement, however, can produce feelings of defiance and backfiring effects. The present work aims at investigating the relationship between autonomous motivation and intentions to maintain social distancing, through adherence to recommendations a…
Aligning personal and collective interests in emerging adults during the Covid‐19 emergency in Italy
This study investigated the relations of emerging adults' personal (civic competence and interdependent self‐construal) and community‐based (sense of community and civic engagement) resources as predictors of appraisal of COVID‐19 Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) and attitudes toward preventing contagion in Italy. Participants were 2873 Italian emerging adults (71% females) aged 19–30 years ( M = 22.67, SD = 2.82). Structural equation mo…
Using Focus Group in the Development of Unipa Emotional Autonomy Inventory
Focus groups were used in order to develop a new measure of adolescents' emotional autonomy from parents. The procedure started from an in depth analysis of the literature concerning the construct and a definition of the dimensions which characterize it. Following our idea of the construct, we developed a list of 60 items, getting some of them from existing instruments. Twenty-four adolescents participated in the focus group discussions about the…
Identity and conformism among Italian adolescents who binge eat and drink
This cross-sectional study examined binge eating and binge drinking behaviours analysing their association with the process of identity formation in adolescence and individual tendency towards conformism. The sample consisted of 1500 Italian students (660 boys and 840 girls) attending high school. The average age of the students was 17.31 years (SD = 1.34; range: 17–19). They completed self-report measures assessing binge behaviours, ego identity…
Identity status differences among Italian adolescents: Associations with time perspective
Binge eating and binge drinking behaviors: Individual differences in adolescents' identity styles
Considering the significant negative consequences that are directly related to binge eating and drinking behaviors, many studies have explored the reasons why adolescents engage in them. This study examined the differences in the development, maintenance, and co-occurrence of "binge" behaviors associated with adolescent's identity style and the level of commitment. One thousand four hundred Italian adolescents completed self-report measures asses…
Autonomy and Relatedness in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: Relationships with Parental Support and Psychological Distress
Mothers’ Parenting Stress and Adolescents’ Emotional Separation: The Role of Youngsters’ Self Orientation
The study examined the association among mothers’ parenting stress, adolescents’ emotional separation and self-orientation toward connectedness. Participants were 194 Italian adolescents, aged from 15 to 19 years (mean age = 17.39, SD = 1.18), and th
Using Focus Group in the Development of Unipa Emotional Autonomy Inventory
Focus groups were used in order to develop a new measure of adolescents' emotional autonomy from parents. The procedure started from an in depth analysis of the literature concerning the construct and a definition of the dimensions which characterize it. Following our idea of the construct, we developed a list of 60 items, getting some of them from existing instruments. Twenty-four adolescents participated in the focus group discussions about the…
Psychometric Evaluation of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS) in Italy
The purpose of this multistudy report was to adapt the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS) to the Italian context. Two studies were conducted. In Study 1, we investigated the dimensionality, reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity of the instrument in a sample of 544 participants (males = 41%) from 16 to 35 years old. In Study 2, we replicated the results concerning dimensionality in an independent s…
Associations between perceived parental psychological control and internalizing difficulties in emerging adulthood: The role of identity
Our study investigated the associations among two expressions of perceived parental psychological control (dependency-oriented parental control [DPC] and achievement-oriented parental control [APC]), identity, and internalizing difficulties among college-attending emerging adults. In particular, our aim was to examine the potential role of identity in the pathways linking both DPC and APC to internalizing difficulties. Our participants included 4…
Examination of the Psychometric Characteristics of the Italian Version of the Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents
In the last years, the interest in Internet Gaming Disorder has grown considerably, which has necessitated the development of valid and reliable tools in different cultural contexts. Although, in the scientific literature, there are several measures that evaluate the Internet Gaming Disorder, the Game Addiction Scale has shown to be a valid questionnaire specifically designed for adolescents and based on the Griffiths' theory of components model …
Antecedents and consequences of parental psychological control and autonomy support: The role of psychological basic needs
Research suggests that psychologically controlling and autonomy-supportive parenting can be described within the Self-Determination Theory's (SDT) framework. Two studies were conducted to examine (a) the role of parental need frustration as a predictor of parental psychological control, (b) the role of parental need satisfaction as a predictor of parental autonomy support, and (c) the role of parents' psychological control and autonomy support in…
The Good Parent: Southern Italian Mothers' Conceptualization of Good Parenting and Parent-Child Relationships
Thirty mothers, ranging in age between 30 and 46 years, participated in seven focus groups aimed at analyzing perceptions and ideas of the characteristics of a good parent and parent-child relationship in southern Italy (Sicily). The discussions were transcribed and analyzed using the constant comparative analysis approach. Two major themes, discipline and affection, emerged from the discussions about the idea of a good parent, with seven further…
Exploring the Role of Time Perspective in Emerging Adult Couples: A Mediation Model
Social support and motivation for parenthood as resources against prenatal parental distress
During the pregnancy period, future parents differ substantially in their psychological adjustment, with some parents being more at risk for stress and depression than others. Grounded in self‐determination theory, the present study aimed to investigate the role of motivation to have a child and the social support perceived by both partners in predicting partners’ psychological distress. We examined whether satisfaction of the psychological needs…
The role of parental control and coping strategies on adolescents’ problem behaviors
Aligning personal and collective interests in emerging adults during the Covid‐19 emergency in Italy
This study investigated the relations of emerging adults' personal (civic competence and interdependent self‐construal) and community‐based (sense of community and civic engagement) resources as predictors of appraisal of COVID‐19 Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) and attitudes toward preventing contagion in Italy. Participants were 2873 Italian emerging adults (71% females) aged 19–30 years ( M = 22.67, SD = 2.82). Structural equation mo…
Emotion recognition in individuals wearing facemasks: A preliminary analysis of age-related differences
Evaluating the filial behaviour scale across three cultural groups using exploratory structural equation modelling
Filial piety is a Confucian concept that guides how children treat and take care of their parents. The Filial Behaviour Scale (FBS) is a 25‐item instrument developed in the Chinese context measuring behavioural manifestations of filial piety. Although the components of filial piety have been found to be relevant across cultures, little research has investigated the psychometric properties of the FBS in other cultural contexts. The present study e…
Adherence to social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic in Italy: The role of autonomous motivation and defiance
To maintain social distancing in the long term, in the current COVID-19 scenario, people's motivation must be strong and of high quality. Many governments adopted measures enforcing social distancing. Enforcement, however, can produce feelings of defiance and backfiring effects. The present work aims at investigating the relationship between autonomous motivation and intentions to maintain social distancing, through adherence to recommendations a…
Parents Between Family and Work: The Role of Psychological Needs Satisfaction
Psychological dimensions associated with youth engagement in climate change issues: A person-centered approach
Climate change is one of the greatest global threats that has ecological, economic, social, and psychological consequences. Nowadays, young people are the target of political agenda since they represent potential future policymakers. Consequently, it is crucial to identify the psychological features that contribute to engagement of young people in climate change issue. This study aimed at identifying and describing different configurations of you…
The Role of Individual and Contextual Resources Among Italian Emerging Adults During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Person- and Variable-Centered Approach Within the Positive Youth Development Framework
This study investigated how Italian emerging adults coped during COVID-19 from a Positive Youth Development framework. Five hundred sixty-five 18- to 29-year-olds completed surveys measuring personal (cognitive reappraisal, optimism), ecological (support and emotional connection with community) assets, and adaptation outcomes (anxiety and future societal expectations) during (T1) and after (T2) lockdown. Utilizing a person-centered approach, four…
The role of valuing cultural diversity in children's endorsements of rights
Support for children's rights is greater among children raised in democratic environments. The present two studies examined children's endorsements and predictors of children's rights. Five democratic competences taken from the Council of Europe's Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture served as predictors. We tested the models in a sample of children raised in five European countries and a sample raised in an African country, …
A systematic review on the role of parents and peers in adolescents’ pro-environmental behaviors
Young generations are often identified as key actors in promoting sustainability. However, some studies suggest that adolescents may engage in pro-environmental behaviors to a lesser extent than other age groups. The literature on socialization provides useful insights into the factors that may facilitate or hinder these practices, examining how young people develop environmental attitudes and values within their social contexts. This systematic …
Investigating the Role of Motivation Among Parents of Preschool Children
Introduction: Studies based on the self-determination theory about the antecedents in parent couples with children of school transition years are still limited. Therefore, this research examines the possible association of parental motivation, parental autonomy support, parental psychological control and the parental reports of children's outcomes. Methods: The participants for this study are 150 couples of parents with at least one child from 4 …
Basic Psychological Needs, Depressive Symptoms, and Parental Self-Efficacy: A Two-Wave Study During the Transition to Motherhood
Maternal well-being during pregnancy is associated with postnatal maternal well-being. Understanding the risk and protective factors that could have positive and negative effects around the event of childbirth is of utmost relevance. Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), the present study aimed to investigate the link between (a) prenatal need satisfaction and depression symptoms and (b) postnatal need satisfaction, depression symptoms, an…
Psychology (23 works) · Developmental psychology (18 works) · Social Psychology (16 works) · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development (11 works) · Clinical Psychology (8 works) · Social Psychology (8 works) · Autonomy (7 works) · Psychiatry (7 works) · Family Support in Illness (6 works) · Medicine (6 works)