Full Professors
Prof. Gianluca Lo Coco
Full professor of Clinical Psychology
Expert in Mental Health and Research methods in Clinical Psychology
I am professor of Clinical Psychology and Methodology of research in Clinical Psychology at the 2nd level University Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, University of Palermo.
My main research, clinical and teaching interests are in the areas of psychotherapy research, group psychotherapy with eating disorders and obesity, the negative consequences of social media use among adolescents and young adults. I have been presenting my research works at the conferences of the Society for Psychotherapy Research and of the Association of Italian Psychology (AIP) every year since 2001.
ORCID ID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9027-1899
I have been serving as Editorial Board member of the Journal of Counseling Psychology (APA) and Group Dynamics (APA).
Past-President of the Italy Area group of the Society for Psychotherapy Research.
My clinical activity is focused on individual and group psychotherapy.
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/l/gianluca.lococo
List of courses
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/l/gianluca.lococo/?pagina=insegnamenti
List of publications
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/l/gianluca.lococo/?pagina=pubblicazioni
Prof. Maria Di Blasi
Full professor of Clinical Psychology
I am professor of Clinical Psychology at the 2nd level University Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, University of Palermo.
My research interest focuses on the psychological factors involved in addictive behaviors, with special attention to gaming and social media. Further research interests include the study of the process and outcomes of group psychotherapies and psychopathology related to adolescents and young adults.
I am the coordinator of the Commissione Paritetica Docenti Studenti of the Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, member of the National Board of the Clinical Dynamic Section of the Associazione Italiana Psicologi (AIP), and member the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR).
My clinical activity focuses on individual and group psychotherapy.
Mail: maria.diblasi@unipa.it
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/d/maria.diblasi
List of courses
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/d/maria.diblasi/?pagina=insegnamenti
List of publications
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/d/maria.diblasi/?pagina=pubblicazioni
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/d/maria.diblasi/?pagina=pubblicazioni
Associate Professors
Prof. Salvatore Gullo
Associate professor of Clinical Psychology University of Palermo
Psychologist, psychodynamic psychotherapist. Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Palermo.
I am the coordinator of the Psychology Service, at the Department of Psychological, Pedagogical, Exercise and Training Sciences, DSPPEFF – UNIPA and full member of the Italian Association of Psychology (AIP), the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR) and of the SPR-Italy Area Group.
My clinical activity is focused on the diagnostic assessment and treatment of Eating, Anxiety and Personality Disorders. I published several papers in clinical psychology, see below for references.
My research interests include the study of outcome and process of individual and group psychotherapies, the study of the psychological correlates of eating and personality disorders and the study of mentalization in patients under treatment.
Email:
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/g/salvatore.gullo
List of courses
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/g/salvatore.gullo
List of publications
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/g/salvatore.gullo/?pagina=pubblicazioni
Assistant Professors
Prof. Gaia Albano
Assistant professor - RtdA at University of Palermo
I teach at UNIPA and at the NECTAR Master; my courses are based on new evidence based brief treatment directed to clinical populations. From next year I will teach lectures on psychopathology.
In 2014 I attended a semester in France at the University Lumierè Lyon 2, (France) and after my graduation I went for an international placement of 1 year to King’s College London in order to improve my research skills and knowledge about eating disorder psychopathology and new techniques. In 2016 I obtained a position as Research Assistant of a clinical trial focused on outpatients with a diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa. I spent 5 years in London andin 2017 I was awarded with a 3 years PhD scholarship funded by Palermo University. During my PhD program I went to Ottawa to improve my knowledge related to Binge Eating Disorder treatments and processes measures. I got my European PhD in 2021. Currently I am covering a position as RTD-A.
My scientific interests are:novel evidence-based treatment in eating disorders, management of large RCTs, development of integrative models aimed to improve illness maintaining symptoms in eating disorders, evaluation of emotional, cognitive, interpersonal, motivational and nutritional aspects related to eating disorders.
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/a/gaia.albano
List of courses
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/a/gaia.albano/?pagina=insegnamenti
List of publications
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/a/gaia.albano/?pagina=pubblicazioni
Prof. Maria Rita Infurna
Prof. Laura Salerno
Assistant professor - RtdB at University of Palermo
I teach courses on clinical psychology and clinical health psychology at the University of Palermo.
My methodological interests include quantitative approaches, structural equation modelling and dyadic analyses.
My sustentative areas of interests are in the field of clinical and health psychology, and include Eating Disorders and obesity, social media and smartphone use, psychological characteristics of people facing the infertility condition, and psychological assessment.
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/s/laura.salerno
List of course
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/s/laura.salerno/?pagina=insegnamenti
List of publications
https://www.unipa.it/persone/docenti/s/laura.salerno/?pagina=pubblicazioni
PhD Students: Health Promotion & Cognitive Sciences
Dr. Rubinia Celeste Bonfanti
Ph.D. student in Health Promotion And Cognitive Sciences - University of Palermo
I am currently studying for a Ph.D. in Health Promotion And Cognitive Sciences at UNIPA.
In 2015 I started my first Ph.D. at Palermo University. During my first PhD program I focused on Social Media usage by small and medium enterprises. At the end of 2019, I started my second Ph.D. at Palermo University.
I am currently working on a research project that aims to better understand the role of social comparison orientation (SCO) both online and in real life. Moreover, my research project aims at validating an italian version of the most used instrument to measure SCO and to create its adaptation online.
My scientific interests are: social media, social comparison both in real life and online, eating disorders and health promotion.
rubiniaceleste.bonfanti@unipa.it
List of publications
Albano, G., Bonfanti, R. C., Gullo, S., Salerno, L., & Lo Coco, G. (2021). The psychological impact of COVID-19 on people suffering from dysfunctional eating behaviours: a linguistic analysis of the contents shared in an online community during the lockdown. Research in psychotherapy, 24(3), 557. https://doi.org/10.4081/ripppo.2021.557
Mannino, G., Salerno, L., Bonfanti, R. C., Albano, G. & Lo Coco, G. (2021). The impact of Facebook use on self-reported eating disorders during the COVID-19 lockdown. BMC Psychiatry, 21, 611. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03628-x
Sideli, L., Lo Coco, G., Bonfanti, R. C., Borsarini, B., Fortunato, L., Sechi, C., & Micali, N. (2021). Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on eating disorders and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European eating disorders review, 29(6), 826–841.https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.2861
Bonfanti, R. C., Lo Coco, G., & Ruggieri, S. (2021). Social Comparison on Facebook and it's effects on individual's well-being. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Piacentino, D., Aronica, M., & Bonfanti, R. C. (2021). Social Media Adoption in Italian Firms. Regional Science.
Ruggieri, S., Ingoglia, S., Bonfanti, R. C., & Lo Coco, G. (2021). The role of online social comparison as a protective factor for psychological wellbeing: A longitudinal study during the COVID-19 quarantine. Personality and individual differences, 171, 110486.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110486
Ruggieri, S., Bonfanti, R. C., Passanisi, A., Pace, U., & Schimmenti, A. (2020). Electronic surveillance in the couple: The role of self-efficacy and commitment. Computers in Human Behavior, 114, 106577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106577
Dr. Lucia Fortunato
Ph.D. student in Ph.D. student in Health Promotion And Cognitive Sciences
University of Palermo
Psychologist, psychodynamic psychotherapist of teens and young adults, project manager. I am currently studying for a Ph.D. in Health Promotion And Cognitive Sciences at UNIPA.
My clinical activity is focused on the diagnostic assessment and treatment of adolescent’s and young’s mental disease, with a focus on internalizing symptoms. I collaborate with the Neuropsychiatric Unit of Naples (DS24).
As project manager, I plan prevention programs and field actions for children and adolescents in collaboration with no-profit organizations.
In 2020 I started my Ph.D. at Palermo University. I am currently working on a research project that aims to contribute to the understanding of the impact of SMU on wellbeing and mental health among clinical and not clinical adolescents.
In addition, I am working on research projects about individual and group psychotherapy, with a particular interest in the characteristics of online psychotherapy.
My research interests include: the relationship between adolescence Mental Health and Social Media Use; the study of outcome and process of individual and group psychotherapies, in particular online and among young people.
Dr. Arianna Muscolino
Ph.D. student in Health Promotion and Cognitive Science - University of Palermo
I am currently studying for a Ph.D. in Health Promotion and Cognitive Science at the University of Palermo (UNIPA).
I am currently working on a research project that aims to better understand the phenomena of technostress and cyberbullying in both public administration workers and adolescents. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the development and characteristics of these phenomena in order to create a guided self-help program based on psychoeducation and social media literacy.
My scientific interests include: social media, social phenomena and their impact on people's mental health, both in real life and online, and health promotion
Dr. Arianna Teti
Ph.D. student in Ph.D. student in Health Promotion And Cognitive Sciences
University of Palermo
I am currently studying for a Ph.D. in Health Promotion And Cognitive Sciences at UNIPA.
I am currently working on a research project that aims to develop an online platform for monitoring and feedback of treatments in clinical psychology. Moreover, my research project aims at developing new tools to assess and monitor the online therapeutic relationship.
My scientific interests are the study of therapeutic relationship, the study of outcome and process in online psychotherapy and the study of evidence-based treatment in public health services.