Valutazione delle relazioni oggettuali e sviluppo cognitivo in adolescenza: una prospettiva socio-cognitiva

Objective: The general aim of this study is to investigate into the development of objects relations, illustrating its interactions with some peculiarities of cognitive functioning typical of the pre-adolescence/ adolescence phase in a non clinical sample. The authors tested the hypotheses that, according to the model proposed by Westen, the passage from pre-adolescence (11-12 years old) to adolescence (14-15 years old) is characterized by a maturation of object relations; that the maturation in object relations is associated with an increase in cognitive efficiency, in terms of executive functions; and that the increase in the efficiency of executive functions is selectively reflected in the maturation of those lines of development of object relations that are supposedly more affected by social cognition. Methods: The hypotheses of the study were tested by selecting a N=50 non clinical sample (age range: 11-15 year olds). SCORS was used to assess object relations as they are reflected in narrative accounts; Color-Word Stroop Test, was used for measuring the Executive Function, in terms of cognitive inhibition; “Vocabulary” subtest of the WISC III-R, was used to assess the ability of verbal expression as control variable, for monitoring the possible influence due to the different subjects’ verbal expression ability. Results: Results indicate that adolescence is a period of significant maturation, in terms of higher average scores, for three SCORS sub-scales: Capacity for Emotional Investment in relationships and moral standards (EI); Complexity of Representations of people (CR); Understanding of Social Causality (SC). This variability is correlated to relative changes in the executive functioning measured with the Stroop Test. As for gender, In general females subjects from both groups fare better than male subjects in the sub-scales EI, CR, CCS, that could be interpreted as a consequence of the fact that girls have more positive experiences as well as quicker development of those social cognitive involved in these domains. Interesting , genderXage interactions concern the Affective Tone of Relationship paradigms, which result significantly higher for younger females. Discussion: Data suggest that the object-relations construct is sensitive to developmental changes, and that the age-related evolution in some domains is well understtrastood by the enhancement of Executive Functions occurring in the passage from pre-adolescence to adolescence. The inter-individual variability of affective components of relational functioning among adolescents could be better explained monitoring individual developmental changes, both experiential and cognitive.

Obiettivo della ricerca è stato valutare se, da un punto di vista evolutivo, l’organizzazione delle relazioni oggettuali è influenzata da aspetti di maturazione cognitiva nel passaggio dalla preadolescenza all’adolescenza. Nello specifico, si è voluto verificare se, coerentemente con il modello di valutazione proposto da Westen, la dimensione socio-cognitiva delle relazioni oggettuali evolve nel tempo, e se tale rimodellamento è influenzato da alcuni processi cognitivi, qui considerati in termini di funzioni esecutive, che tipicamente migliorano nella fase di sviluppo individuata. Metodo: Il campione, non clinico, è composto da 50 soggetti di età compresa tra 11 e 15 anni. Gli strumenti utilizzati sono la SCORS, il Color Word Stroop Test, e la sottoscala Vocabolario della WISC III-R. Risultati: I punteggi a tre delle quattro sottoscale della SCORS (CR, CCS, CIE) aumentano significativamente nel passaggio da 11-12 anni a 14-15 anni; le differenze nei punteggi risultano anche, almeno in parte, mediate da un miglioramento di un aspetto di funzionamento esecutivo misurato dallo Stroop Test. Conclusioni: Questi dati potrebbero implicare che una valutazione clinica della dimensione affettiva del funzionamento relazionale adolescenziale risulterebbe più approfondita se effettuata alla luce di fattori, non solo esperienziali ma anche cognitivi, propri dello sviluppo individuale.