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Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari"

Cognitive processes, learning disabilities and bilingualism

Head: Paola Bonifacci

Areas: Experimental psychology

Research lines of the group documented by publications in the period 2020-2024

The primary interests of the research group are related to the cognitive and linguistic functions that underlie the learning processes (reading, writing, math, comprehension) in preschool and school age, with particular reference to the evaluation of these processes in conditions of bilingualism and in atypical profiles (e.g., Specific Learning Disorders, Developmental Language Disorder). The research activity includes the development of protocols for the identification of SLD and DPL in bilingual populations.  

Further and integrated research interests regard how learning processes are related to linguistic history, emotional aspects, mind wandering and parenting. Finally, applications of assistive technologies in learning disorders are analyzed.  

Head

Prof. Paola Bonifacci (Associate Professor)

Members

Alexandra Affranti

Adjunct professor

Research fellow

Paola Bonifacci

Associate Professor

Martina Cangelosi

Adjunct professor

Benedetta Peri

Adjunct professor

Research fellow

ERC Sectors

SH4_1 Cognitive basis of human development and education, developmental disorders; comparative Cognition

SH4_6 Learning, memory; cognition in ageing

SH4_8 Language learning and processing (first and second languages)

 

Scientific Disciplinary Sector: PSIC-01/A

Selected publications of the group indexed in Scopus/WOS in the period 2020-2024

  1. Bonifacci, P., Ravaldini, V., Cangelosi, M., & Tobia, V. (2024). Socioeconomic status, linguistic skills and language background differentially relate to preschoolers’ emotional and behavioural profile. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 18(133) https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4593204/v1
  2. Bonifacci, P., Baraldi, S., Codeluppi, F. & Peri, B. (2024, in press). A longitudinal study of math skills in heritage bilingual children: profiles of strengths and weaknesses. Psychological Research, 89(8), https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-024-02045-5
  3. Bonifacci, P., Compiani, D., Vassura, C., Affranti, A., Peri, B., Ravaldini, V., & Tobia, V. (2024). Home Learning Environment and Screen Time Differentially Mediate the Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Preschoolers’ Learning and Behavioural Profiles. Child Psychiatry &  Human Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-024-01724-z
  4. Bonifacci, P., Compiani, D., Ravaldini, V., Peri, B., Affranti, A., Tobia, V. (2023). A Multi-Informant Approach Testing an Expanded Home Numeracy Mode. Education Sciences, 13(3):278. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030278
  5. Affranti, A., Tobia, V., Bellocchi, S., Bonifacci, P. (2024). Spelling and writing skills in minority-language bilingual children exposed to a transparent orthography: multilevel profiles and concurrent predictors. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 27(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2022.2132813
  6. Bonifacci, P., Compiani, D., Affranti, A., & Peri, B. (2021). Home Literacy and Numeracy Interact and Mediate the Relationship Between Socio-Economic Status and Early Linguistic and Numeracy Skills in Preschoolers. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.662265

Funding for the period 2020-2024 

International Projects 

  • UNA EUROPA Seed Funding “Teachers’ Explicit Beliefs on students growing up Bilingual: a study in four European Countries”, network: Paola Bonifacci (Università di Bologna, Principal Investigator); Flavia Adani - Freie Universität Berlin (FUB); Zofia Wodniecka - Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie (UJ); Orhan Argidag, Hakan Dursun - KU Leuven (KUL). 

 National Projects 

  • “Family Language Policy: fostering an integrated linguistic-psychological perspective” – Funding: ALMA IDEA Università di Bologna (Research Fellowship) 
  • Agreement for the definition of research and planning activities aimed at defining a system of qualification paths for the educational offer of preschools and for the training of educational and teaching staff (LOGOS Project, between the Department of Psychology and Municipality of Bologna (2020-2024) 
  • Agreements with CTS Ferrara (2022/2025), Istituto Comprensivo San Giorgio di Piano (2022/2023); Terre d'Argine Union (2022/2023); Carpi Nord Comprehensive Institute (2023) 
  • Commissioned research: "Screen and paper: differences in reading and writing processes and intervening factors", between the Department of Psychology and Anastasis Società Cooperativa Sociale. It is part of the Client's project entitled "Web platform for an integrated remote assessment aimed at strengthening intervention in the field of Special Educational Needs" prot. n. PG/2023/182702, approved as part of the Regional Plan “PR-FESR 2021/2027 – Action 1.1.1. 
  • Agreement for the project “OPLà - Observation and Enhancement of Linguistic Skills in Preschool Age” PROJECT, YEARS 2023-2025, between the Department of Psychology and the UNION OF MUNICIPALITIES OF BASSA ROMAGNA

Active National and International Collaborations for the period 2020-2024 

 International collaborations 

  • Prof. Stephanie Bellocchi (Université Paul Valerie Montpellier) 
  • Prof. Flavia Adani, Freie Universität Berlin 

National collaborations 

  • Prof. Valentina Tobia, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele. 
  • Prof. Paola Palladino, Università di Foggia 

 Unibo collaborations 

  • Prof. Claudia Borghetti, Dipartimento di Lingue, Letterature e Culture Moderne 
  • Prof. Cinzia Viroli, Dipartimento di Scienze Statistiche "Paolo Fortunati" 

Editorial activities in the period 2020-2024

Prof. Paola Bonifacci is Associate Editor for the British Journal of Developmental Psychology, Guest Editor for Frontiers in Psychology, special Issue “The Impact of Home and School Environment on Early Literacy and Mathematic Skills”

LINKED LABS

Clinical Service