The effect of cooperative learning in pairs and groups of 4 and in individualistic learning were compared on achievement, social support, and self-esteem. Sixty-two Italian 7th-grade students with no previous experience with cooperative learning were assigned to conditions on a stratified random basis controlling for ability, gender, and self-esteem. Students participated in 1 instructional unit for 90 min for 6 instructional days during a period of about 6 weeks. The results indicate that cooperative learning in pairs and 4s promoted higher achievement and greater academic support from peers than did individualistic learning. Students working in pairs developed a higher level of social self-esteem than did students learning in the other conditions.

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The relative efficacy of positive task interdependence, positive resource interdependence, and individualistic learning were compared with achievement and academic and personal social support. The authors randomly assigned to conditions 66 7th-grade Italian students with no previous experience in cooperative learning. They participated in 6 90-min instructional sessions dealing with the dangers of smoking, alcohol, and drugs. The results indicated that students assigned to the task-interdependence and resource-interdependence conditions achieved higher and perceived greater peer academic support than did students working individually. Students in the resource-interdependence condition showed a higher perception of peer personal support than students assigned to the other conditions.

This study showed that the biofeedback module, applied to the automatic control of TMP in on-line HDF, results in higher convective volumes and correspondingly higher ß2m and P clearances. By making the HDF treatment more automated and less complex to perform, it significantly reduced the staff workload.

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Abstract. The risks emanating from the abusive use of the Internet are on the rise, especially among young adults causing psychological problems in their social and personal lifestyles. To date, there are only two validated measures in the Italian language to measure the risk of Internet addiction. This study served to validate an Italian version of the Internet Abusive Use Questionnaire (IAUQ-I) via a translation-back-translation process. A sample of 289 Italian university students participated in the study (73.70% females). The results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis established the unidimensional factorial structure of the scale. Validity and reliability analyses indicated adequate results concerning the psychometric properties of the Italian IAUQ-I. We also found an association between IAUQ-I and self-esteem, and personality traits. This study shows that the IAUQ-I represents a valid instrument for measuring the abusive use of the Internet and could be used not only for further epidemiological studies, but also to inform practitioners working with persons addicted to technology.