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Article written in collaboration with @dott.ssa_surianosilvia   Alzheimer's disease is today the most widespread form of dementia in the world. It is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that, according to World Health Organization estimates, affects millions of people and will continue to increase as the global population ages (Tedeschi, 2019). In Italy alone, over one million people are estimated to live with a dementia diagnosis, approximately 600,000 of whom have Alz

‘We live in a society where we want to be taken care of, but we don’t take care of those who take care of us.’ Personal reflection: Professional path, area, approaches/methods, recommendation Hi everyone! I’m Natalia, Spanish, 26 years old, and a psycho-oncologist in progress! Although I’m ’in progress’, I have been working in this field since I finished university in 2021. But before moving on, I think it would be useful to explain how I decided to get into this very unknown

Article written in collaboration with @dott.ssa_surianosilvia Abstract This article examines the Bobo Doll experiment conducted by Bandura and colleagues in 1961, one of the most cited studies in the history of developmental psychology. Through a review of the original literature and subsequent theoretical developments, the implications of observational learning in the transmission of aggressive behaviors in children are analyzed. The foundations of Social Learning Theory, ge

Abstract Writing a psychological report is one of the core competencies required of psychology students and professionals. Yet it is often treated as a skill acquired implicitly, rather than explicitly taught within training programs. This article aims to provide a systematic guide to drafting psychological reports, with reference to the guidelines of the American Psychological Association (APA, 2020), integrating practical recommendations from the scientific literature on th

Introduction In autumn 2023, Danish psychiatrist Søren Dinesen Østergaard raised a question in Schizophrenia Bulletin  that many considered premature: could generative AI-based chatbots trigger psychotic episodes in predisposed individuals? (Østergaard, 2023). Two years later, that question has ceased to be speculative. Clinicians, psychiatrists, and researchers around the world are confronting a new phenomenon — still lacking a shared nosographic name, yet already present in

Article written in collaboration with  @psicologa_giuliaromano Abstract This article aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the roles of the Court-Appointed Expert (CTU — Consulente Tecnico d’Ufficio) and the Party-Appointed Expert (CTP — Consulente Tecnico di Parte) in legal and forensic psychology. The relevant regulatory framework, required professional competencies, and scientifically validated assessment tools used in civil and criminal proceedings are examined, with pa

Abstract George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) is among the most psychologically sophisticated novels of the twentieth century, depicting a totalitarian regime whose power rests not on brute force alone but on the systematic colonization of the human mind. This paper offers a comprehensive psychological analysis of the novel, examining seven interlocking dimensions: the mechanics of totalitarian control as illuminated by Foucauldian surveillance theory and Milgram's obe

Article written in collaboration with @mondopsi Abstract:  Paternal Perinatal Depression (PDD) is a psychopathological condition that is still little recognized, despite affecting approximately 1 in 10 fathers. Underdiagnosis is often linked to gender stereotypes that hinder the recognition of male psychological suffering in the context of parenting. This article offers an integrated review of the literature on DPP, starting from a definition of the construct and the analysis

Article written in collaboration with @ppsycotips When trauma leaves different traces Psychological trauma is one of the most complex and devastating human experiences. Yet not all traumas resemble one another, and not all of their consequences follow the same path. In recent decades, clinical research has clarified a fundamental distinction: that between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD). Understanding this difference i

Article written with @may.psychologist Abstract   This article offers a critical overview of attachment theory, beginning with the original formulations of Bowlby and Ainsworth — including an in-depth treatment of the four attachment styles, including the disorganized pattern described by Main and Solomon — through to the most recent theoretical reworkings by Hinde and Ugazio. The aim is to question the presumed universality of the classical model, exploring how cultural, con

The film Steve  (Mielants, 2025), available on Netflix and adapted from Max Porter's short novel Shy  (2023), offers a rare and clinically relevant portrayal of some of the most pressing challenges in contemporary mental health: burnout among care professionals, moral injury in underfunded institutional settings, atypical presentations of adolescent male depression, and the phenomena of mirroring and countertransference in caregiving relationships. Through an analysis of the

Article written in collaboration with Alessia Muratore ( @adhd_instruact ) Abstract Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has traditionally been described through the diagnostic criteria of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. However, a growing body of scientific literature highlights that sensory and emotional hypersensitivity represents a central — rather than peripheral — dimension of the disorder. This article aims to examine the neurobiological substra

Alessia Gioia, psychologist and psychotherapist in training.   Introduction    This month, we enter as fascinating as it is everyday territory: the   storyline of relationships .  Those that form us, pass through us, support us, and sometimes, complicate our lives.  The systemic-relational approach invites us to look at the individual not as an island, but as part of a living network of bonds, dynamics, communications, and shared meanings. A lens that shifts focus from “what

Abstract Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) represent two clinically distinct responses to traumatic experience. Although they share some symptomatological features, they differ substantially in etiology, clinical presentation, impact on global functioning, and therapeutic implications. This article examines the theoretical and empirical foundations of this distinction, with reference to the major international nosographic systems (ICD-11, DSM-5-TR

Abstract This article proposes a psychoanalytic reading of the Italian comic trio Aldo, Giovanni, and Giacomo through the structural model of the psyche developed by Sigmund Freud in his second topography (1923). The three characters are interpreted as archetypal representations of the psychic agencies of the Id, Superego, and Ego, offering a clinically informed and accessible framework for understanding intrapsychic conflict, defense mechanisms, and the reality principle. In

Article co-authored with @may.psychologist Abstract Chronic pain represents a complex clinical condition that transcends the simple physiological response to a harmful stimulus, configuring itself as a multidimensional experience characterized by biological, psychological, and social components. This article examines the neurobiological basis of pain chronicity, the mechanisms of central sensitization and neuroplasticity, as well as the psychological components that modulate

A rticle written in collaboration with @dott.ssa_bianca.asciutto Abstract Theraplay represents a brief, structured, attachment-based dyadic psychotherapeutic intervention developed at the Theraplay Institute of Chicago in 1967 by Ann Jernberg and Phyllis Booth. This approach integrates Bowlby's attachment theory, affective neuroscience, play research, and Porges's polyvagal theory, promoting emotional and behavioral regulation through safe and restorative play interactions. T

Abstract Vulnerability represents a fundamental paradox in intimate relationships: what we perceive as weakness is actually the foundation of authentic intimacy. This article explores the connection between attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969, 1973, 1980) and the capacity to be vulnerable in adult relationships, integrating contemporary research on shame and courage (Brown, 2012, 2015). Through analysis of attachment styles and their behavioral correlates, it is highlighted how i

Abstract Valentine's Day represents a culturally significant moment that can generate social pressure and unrealistic expectations in romantic relationships. This article examines how performative expectations, fueled by idealized romantic narratives, can negatively influence the quality of intimate relationships. Through the analysis of attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969), love languages (Chapman, 1992), and empirical research on couple dynamics (Gottman & Silver, 1999), it is

Article written in reference to the following: https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/apa-releases-roadmap-for-future-of-dsm (accessed February 10th 2026) The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has released a forward-looking roadmap outlining potential changes to the future of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Although no immediate revisions have been implemented, the document signals a significant conceptual shift in how psychi