Cognitive Flexibility Inventory: Factor structure, invariance, reliability, convergent, and discriminant validity among Italian university students.

Cognitive flexibility (CF) is a fundamental human ability to adjust cognitive processing strategies to deal with new and unpredicted situations. In this sense, using valid and theoretically grounded measures of cognitive flexibility is critical. A new measure of CF, the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, has recently been validated. This measure comprises two subscales: (1) Alternatives, which assesses ability in identifying alternative solutions and generating several explanations; and (2) Control, which assesses ability in perceiving difficult conditions as controllable. The main purpose of our study was to investigate the factorial structure, reliability, and measurement invariance of the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory in an Italian sample of university students. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 543 Italian university students. Results showed acceptable construct validity for the Italian version of the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory. Specifically, both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor model, Alternatives and Control, with19 items. Moreover, multigroup analyses showed structural invariance across sex. In sum, our results suggested that the Italian version of the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory is a valid instrument for assessing cognitive flexibility.

Self-reported physical and mental health and motor functioning in elders with and without Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurological disorder characterized by motor symptoms and other clinical conditions, such as cognitive impairment, negative mood, anxiety. The present study explored the impact of PD on self-reported physical and mental health, objective cognition and postural control. The relationship among these variables was examined in order to understand the impact on quality of life. Fifty-four participants, 27 with and 27 without PD, were recruited in Sardinia - an area with an atypical prevalence of PD and psychological characteristics that might mitigate the impact of PD on life quality. Participants completed objective tests of cognitive ability and postural control and self-report measures of physical and mental health. The detrimental effect of PD was evident across all outcomes. Self-reported physical and mental health were both related to postural control. Variance in perceived physical health was explained, not only by PD itself and postural control but also by participation in leisure activities. Self-report outcomes related to life quality are related not only by motor disturbances associated with PD but also with lifestyle activities. In conclusion, social contexts promoting socially-oriented activities, such as that found in Sardinia, may, therefore, mitigate some of the detrimental consequences of PD.