Couple and family
Acting and/or experiencing violence in intimate relationships: a study on bonds that cause pain
According to data from the World Health Organisation, about 35% of the world's population has experienced some form of violence within an intimate relationship. It can express itself in different ways, including the implementation of physical, sexual, psychological or verbal violent behaviour. Research has shown that emotional dysregulation and insecurity in the dimensions of attachment, particularly in the case of anxious attachment, are risk factors with respect to the enactment of violent attacks in the context of intimate relationships.
This study aims to contribute to the investigation of the psychological mechanisms underlying the tendency to resort to violent behaviour in relationships, exploring in particular the use of physical, psychological and sexual aggression by perpetrators in coping with conflict, in order to provide useful elements for the prevention of such phenomena. At the same time, the characteristics of victims are investigated in order to identify scientifically validated support programmes.
This project aims to advance the understanding of the mechanisms underlying affective dependence. To this end, we (1) have the goal of understanding, emotional, and relational factors that define this form of distress and (2) validate instruments designed to detect this condition.
Functional and dysfunctional love:
the identification of a boundary
Intimate relationships constitute one of the pillars underlying mental and physical health, whose quality is an important source of individual well-being. In contrast, relationship distress can be a risk factor for personal and relational balance. Understanding the factors involved in the functioning of a romantic relationship, therefore, constitutes an important area of investigation in our laboratory. Prominent among these studies is the investigation of affective dependence, a clinical presentation currently not yet recognized in the major diagnostic manuals. Recent research has highlighted the relational nature of this condition suggesting a specificity with respect to other behavioral addictions.
​This project aims to contribute to the understanding of the psychological mechanisms,at the individual and dyadic level, underlying the emotional experience related to ART treatments in order to provide useful elements for the development of such intervention protocols.
The couple in the experience of infertility
and in Assisted Reproductive Technology treatments.​​
Every year, an increasing number of couples are confronted with the difficulty or inability to conceive and undergo Assisted Reproductive Technology treatments
related pathways. The experience of infertility and related procedures strain partners' abilities to cope with this stressful condition, the intense emotions that accompany it, and the possible changes in the couple's balance. Research has shown that emotional regulation skills and relational quality emerge as protective factors this stressful situation.
Couple relationships
and family functioning
The couple constitutes the nucleus of the family. Since the moment of the meeting between two people, there is no longer an individual, but rather a dyad. This new dyad faces the challenge of co-creating its own intimacy, values and projects. The challenge of the couple will be to create a new subculture that has its own language, principles and values. This presupposes the assembling of the different aspects that constitute the singularity of an individual and that has to do with the union of two different life stories. In this sense, the evolutionary trajectories of a couple can be many, among them there is certainly parenting and the challenges associated with that role. A role that takes on different connotations in the life stages of the family. The different complexities are intertwined with a variety of factors, including couple, family and broader social dynamics. Research has extensively documented the impacts on family and couple functioning.
This project aims to a) explore internal resources that can act as protective factors, with a specific focus on emotional regulation skills and the quality of connection between partners b) validate a new family functioning assessment procedure called the Three Pilars Assessment.