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Introduction
Current institution
Additional affiliations
October 2023 - present
Editor roles

Frontiers in Pediatric Psychology
Position
- Guest Associate Editor
Publications
Publications (26)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is often comorbid with other psychiatric conditions, leading to severely impaired functioning and poor quality of life. Until now, the relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) and functioning has been studied mainly through a categorical approach (i.e., presence/absence of the disorder), leaving m...
Introduction
Adolescence is a developmental period marked by vulnerabilities where psychological distress often manifests through the body. Restrictive Eating Disorders (REDs), Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI), and Suicide Attempts (SAs) represent distinct yet overlapping expressions of this phenomenon.
Methods
This cross-sectional study compared 6...
Background: Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P) is a psychopathological condition requiring early prevention, particularly in adolescence. Methods: We enrolled 151 patients to assess the potential of the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS) in predicting the course of CHR-P and transitions to psychosis. Adolescents with DSM-5 Attenu...
Background and Objectives. Suicide represents a primary global health concern, particularly among young individuals aged 15 to 29. Clinicians are actively engaged in efforts to prevent suicide and implement timely interventions. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of self-reported measures in differentiating between adolescents exhibitin...
Background/Objectives: Adolescence is a developmental stage characterized by profound physical and psychological transformations, often leading to vulnerabilities such as body dissatisfaction, identity challenges, and the use of maladaptive coping strategies. This often leads to body-related psychopathologies, including headaches, restrictive eatin...
Background/Objectives: Research is lacking about the development of personality disorders (PDs) from adolescence to early adulthood. This study aimed to characterize the profile of high-risk adolescents compared to adolescents with full-blown PDs and adolescents with other psychiatric disorders and to identify clinical markers that constitute a ris...
Background
Alexithymia is the inability to identify and describe one’s own emotions. Adolescents who suffer from Restrictive Eating Disorders (REDs) show a higher prevalence of alexithymia than the general population.
Methods
The study explored the correlation between levels of alexithymia in mothers, fathers, and adolescents affected by REDs and...
Suicide is an important public health issue. To examine the differences in personality characteristics between a group of adolescents with suicidal ideation (SI) and a group with a history of suicidal attempts (SA), we conducted a cross-sectional study. We enrolled 55 adolescents (51 females; 12–18 y.o.) who presented SI and/or SA. Using the Columb...
BACKGROUND: Literature states that parents of individuals affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can present social and cognitive deficits, restricted behavior patterns and psychiatric difficulties, without meeting standard diagnostic criteria for ASD (“broader autism phenotype”). We explored the relationship between parenting of children affec...
Background
Many studies have already shown that individuals suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) present low levels of empathy: in fact, reduced emotional reciprocity is considered a clinically significant indicator of autistic functioning. We decided to investigate the role of empathy in determining pathological behaviors in children aff...
The Rorschach inkblot test allows access to psychological processes that usually do not emerge in self-report measures and it has been widely used in clinical psychological and psychiatric settings. Recordings of brain activity during the administration of the Rorschach inkblots test could provide information on neural correlates of the underlying...
Life events (traumatic and protective) may be critical factors associated with eating disorders and their severity. To date, there is little literature concerning the role of life events in adolescence. The main goal of this study was to explore in a sample of adolescent patients with restrictive eating disorders (REDs) the presence of life events...
Background
Once psychosis has set in, it is difficult for patients to achieve full recovery. Prevention of psychosis and early intervention are promising for improving the outcomes of this disorder. In the last two decades, neurocognition has been studied as a biomarker for clinical-high risk for psychosis (CHR-P). However, neurocognitive functioni...
The quality of family interactions may be a critical factor for restrictive eating disorders (REDs). Adolescent patients with RED have interpersonal problems that can be inferred by observing their behaviours during family interactions. To date, the assessment of the association among RED severity, interpersonal problems, and patients’ interactive...
A previous study showed that about 80% of Italian adolescents reported isolated symptoms of acute or post-traumatic stress during the first lockdown in Italy. We proposed a new questionnaire to investigate the presence of symptoms related to anxiety, panic, depression, eating disorders, sleep disorders, social withdrawal, stress disorders, psychoti...
Background
A growing body of research provides evidence for social and behavioral problems observed among adolescents with psychosis and also as precursors of vulnerability to psychosis, long before the illness onset, especially in females patients. As such, the main aim of the current study was to investigate from a patient perspective the presenc...
Suicide is a global cause of death, a chronic disability, and a significant public health problem. Recent works emphasize the importance of differentiating people with suicide ideation (SI) and people with suicidal attempts (SA), so we conducted a clinical cross-sectional study to better characterize the features most associated with SA. We enrolle...
Introduction
Previous studies applying the Lausanne Trilogue Play (LTPc), a semi-structured method for observing family dynamics, highlighted dysfunctional interaction patterns in the families of individuals affected by restrictive eating disorders (REDs). Family-centered approaches are considered the first-line treatment for severe cases of REDs i...
Introduction
Clinical High Risk of Psychosis (CHR-P) condition and the clinical validity of at-risk criteria are still little studied in child and adolescent population.
Objectives
This study aimed to discover neurocognitive profiles of adolescents with CHR-P, compared with adolescents with psychosis and youth with other psychiatric symptoms that...
Objective
We used the self-reported questionnaire FACES-IV (Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale–IV) to depict the presence of a typical family-functioning profile in families with a daughter affected by a restrictive eating disorder. We compared mothers' and fathers' perceptions about their family with each other's and with the clinic...
Objective:
Few studies have explored the effectiveness of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in children and adolescents. We aimed to investigate its efficacy in a heterogeneous group of young patients. We also wanted to check any relation between the improvement and patients' age, sex, or diagnostic category.
Methods:
We recruited a group o...
The present study presents an investigation of family functioning in the families of adolescents with severe restrictive eating disorders (REDs) assessed before and 6 months after a multidisciplinary family treatment program that combined psychodynamic psychotherapy, parental role intervention, and triadic or family-centered interventions. Nutritio...
We investigated the prevalence rate and sociodemographic correlates of COVID‐19‐related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and COVID‐19‐related acute stress disorder (ASD) among Italian adolescents, their level of stress, perception of parental stress, and connection with mental health. Adolescents aged 12–18 years compiled an online questionnai...
Background:
Literature states that parents of individuals affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can present social and cognitive deficits, restricted behavior patterns and psychiatric difficulties, without meeting standard diagnostic criteria for ASD ("Broader Autism Phenotype"). We explored the relationship between parenting of children affe...
31 families of female adolescents affected by anorexia nervosa (AN) and 20 of girls with emotional and behavioral disorders participated in a semi-standardized videotaped game: the Lausanne Trilogue Play (LTPc). We aimed to clarify if there is a typical AN family profile and if the LTPc procedure could predict the risk of developing AN. We confirme...
Background:
Many studies have already shown that individuals suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) present low levels of empathy: in fact, reduced emotional reciprocity is considered a clinically significant indicator of autistic functioning. We decided to investigate the role of empathy in determining pathological behaviors in children a...