ABSTRACT
The aim of the present paper is to establish the factorial validity and reliability of the Risk-Taking and Self-Harm Inventory for Adolescents (RTSHIA), proposed by Vrouva and colleagues in 2010, in an Italian sample. The RTSHIA measures both Risk-Taking and Self-Harm behavior in adolescents. We administered the scale to a total of 1292 Italian adolescents from 9th to 12th grade; to verify the validity of the scale, we also assessed emotion regulation and psychopathological traits. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (N = 638) and the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (N = 660) confirmed the original two-factor structure of the RTSHIA (Risk-Taking and Self-Harm). The only differences in the Italian version of the RTSHIA (RTSHIA-I) were that one item was moved from the original Risk-Taking factor to the Italian Self-Harm factor, and another item that was not included in the original RTSHIA is now part of the Risk-Taking factor in the Italian version. The reliability of the RTSHIA-I is also confirmed, and both factors correlate with emotion regulation and externalizing/internalizing traits. Our results suggest that the RTSHIA-I is a useful tool for assessing Risk-Taking and Self-Harm behaviors in Italian adolescents, and the correlational patterns indicate that these behaviors may be related to difficulties in mentalization skills.
ABSTRACT
· We examine the photosynthetic response of submerged plants from streams and lakes with contrasting free-CO2 and nitrogen (N) availability. We hypothesized that: the photosynthetic capacity of stream plants is higher because of higher N availability; the photosynthetic N-use efficiency (PNUE) is also higher because stream plants are acclimated to higher free-CO2; and PNUE is lower in aquatic compared to terrestrial plants. · We tested these hypotheses by measuring tissue-N, photosynthetic capacity and inorganic C extraction capacity in plants collected from streams and lakes and by comparing the PNUE of aquatic plants with previously published PNUE of terrestrial plants. · We found that the organic N content was consistently higher in stream (3.8-6.3% w/w) than in lake plants (1.2-4.3% w/w). The photosynthetic capacity correlated positively with tissue-N. The relationships were similar for stream and lake plants, indicating that N allocation patterns were similar despite variability in free-CO2 between the two habitats. · The slope of the relationship between photosynthetic capacity and tissue-N was lower than found for terrestrial plants, whereas the compensatory N content for photosynthesis was similar. This suggests that PNUE is lower in aquatic plants, perhaps reflecting that the selection pressure for a high C fixation rate per unit N is reduced as a result of low inorganic C availability in the aquatic environment.
