Clinical psychosomatics, organ transplantation, and clinical-psychological interventions

Research lines of the group documented by publications in the period 2019-2023

According to the biopsychosocial approach, this research group aims to examine the role of biopsychosocial factors (i.e., stressful life events, social and environmental variables, psychiatric and psychological disorders, illness behavior, and quality of life) in determining individual and/or familiar vulnerabilities to diseases over the lifetime. Another goal of this research group is to identify multidisciplinary intervention protocols for patients with organic diseases, stressing the importance of also considering the difficulties and needs of family caregivers. Finally, this research group also aims to evaluate the impact of psychological-clinical interventions in improving the quality of life of patients and their families.

Head

Silvana Grandi, Full Professor

ERC Sectors  

 -   SH - Social Sciences and Humanities 

• SH_4 The Human Mind and Its Complexity: Cognitive science, psychology, linguistics, education 
• SH4_5 Social and clinical psychology 

Scientific Disciplinary Sector: M-PSI/08 - Clinical Psychology 

Selected publications of the group for the period 2019-2023

1.  Landi, G., Boccolini, G., Giovagnoli, S., Pakenham, K. I., Grandi, S., & Tossani, E. (2020). Validation of the Italian Young Carer of Parents Inventory-Revised (YCOPI-R). Disability and Rehabilitation, 1-12. 
2. Sirri, L., Tossani, E., Potena, L., Masetti, M., & Grandi, S. (2020). Manifestations of health anxiety in patients with heart transplant. Heart & Lung, 49 (4), 364-369.
3. Rafanelli, C., Gostoli, S., Buzzichelli, S., Guidi, J., Sirri, L., Gallo, P., ... & Fava, G.A. (2020). Sequential combination of cognitive-behavioral treatment and well-being therapy in depressed patients with acute coronary syndromes: a randomized controlled trial (TREATED-ACS study). Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 89(6), 345-356. 
4. Cattivelli, R., Guerrini Usubini, A., Manzoni, G. M., Vailati Riboni, F., Pietrabissa, G., Musetti, A., ... & Molinari, E. (2021). ACTonfood. Acceptance and commitment therapy-based group treatment compared to cognitive behavioral therapy-based group treatment for weight loss maintenance: an individually randomized group treatment trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(18), 9558. 
5. Montebarocci, O., Surcinelli, P. (2022). Adult Attachment Behavior and Alexithymia in a Nonclinical Sample from Italy. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 11(6), 156-161. 
6. Landi, G., Pakenham, K. I., Crocetti, E., Tossani, E., & Grandi, S. (2022). The trajectories of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic and the protective role of psychological flexibility: A four-wave longitudinal study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 307, 69-78. 

Funding for the period 2019-2023 

 International Research Projects 

- Horizon 2020 - Call SC1-BHC-24-2020: Healthcare interventions for the management of the elderly multimorbid patient - “Evaluation of a patient-centred biopsychoSocial blended collaborative CAre Pathway for the treatment of multi-morbid Elderly patients - ESCAPE 

 National Research 

• Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca – Bando PRIN 2022 – Progetto “2022LLLN7B –MobACT Development, clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a Mobile Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based treatment for Chronic Primary Pain” (CUP: J53D23008140006). 
• Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca – Bando PRIN 2022: 2022REJEB4 - SENSing Inner BodiLy state: understanding the role of interoception in obEsity [SENSIBLE], (CUP: master: E53D2300897 0006). 
• Alma Idea 2022 finanziato dall’Unione Europea (NextGenerationEU) - “Modelli esplicativi degli stili di vita non salutari in adolescenza: fattori psicosociali, disattenzione, iperattività e impulsività” 

 Cooperation Agreements with financial contribution 

• Municipality of Ravenna (C. Rafanelli e E. Tossani). 
• Department of Psychology and the S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital and the Rizzoli Hospital (S. Grandi). 
• LIONS Club International of Bologna (S. Grandi, A. Guarini e E. Trombini). 

 Third Mission Services  

• Service for clinical psychology, psychosomatics and psychological consultation for organ transplantation. Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy (L. Sirri, E. Tossani; Head of the Service: S. Grandi) 

Active National and International Collaborations for the period 2019-2023 

 International collaborations 

• University of Pennsylvania 
• Massachusetts General Hospital 
• Harvard Medical School   
• University of Wisconsin  
• Purdue University  
• Florida State University  
• University of Queensland  
• Université de Montreal 
• University of Southern Denmark (USD)  
• Universitätsmedizin Göttingen (UMG) 

National collaborations 

• IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, U.O. Cardiochirurgia, Milano 
• Ospedale Bellaria, U.O. Cardiologia, AUSL Bologna 

• IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Servizio di Psicologia Clinica, Milano 
• IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna 

Unibo collaborations 

• Department of General Surgery and Transplantation, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna. 
• IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, SSD Nutrizione Clinica e Metabolismo - Centro di Riferimento Regionale Insufficienza Intestinale Cronica Benigna; Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna 
• IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, SSD Medicina Interna per il trattamento delle gravi insufficienze d’organo-Insuff. Cardiaca e trapianti-Oncologia Medica. 

Editorial activities in the period 2019-2023 

Chiara Rafanelli:

Member of the Editorial Board: Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 

Jenny Guidi

Editor-in-Chief: Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 

Member of the Editorial Board:

• Biomedicine Hub;
• Chronic Stress;
• Clinical Neuropsychiatry.

Ornella Montebarocci

Member of the Editorial Board: 

• Stress and Health; 
• Perceptual and Motors Skills; 
• Psychological reports;  
• The Spanish Journal of Psychology. 

Eliana Tossani

Associate Editor: Psychosomatic Medicine - Section of the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry. 

Roberto Cattivelli 

Associate Editor: Psychology for clinical settings & Health Psychology - Frontiers in Psychology. 

Giulia Landi

Academic Editor: Depression and Anxiety. 

Fellow in scientific academies and/or executive committees of scientific associations for the period 2019-2023 

 Silvana Grandi 

• Italian Association of Psychology, section of Clinical and Dynamic Psychology (AIP): Head of the Thematic Group “Clinical Psychology and Psychosomatics”; College of Professors and Researchers of Clinical Psychology of the Italian Universities (Commission for Clinical Services) 

Chiara Rafanelli 

• Chair of the International Federation for Psychotherapy (IFP): research committee.  
• Member of Psychosomatic Research Group (GRP): research committee 

 Jenny Guidi 

• Member of Executive Board dell’European Association of Clinical Psychology (EACLIPT). 

 Laura Sirri 

• Italian Association of Psychology, Section of Clinical and Dynamic Psychology (AIP: Member of the Thematic Group “Clinical Psychology and Psychosomatics”; College of Professors and Researchers of Clinical Psychology of the Italian Universities (Member of the Research Committee) 

 Eliana Tossani 

• College of University Professors and Researchers of Clinical Psychology of the Italian Universities: board of directors (treasurer).