Dr Leonardo De Pascalis PhD

Personal Statement

Having obtained a PhD on the psychological experience and mental health of infertile couples undergoing IVF treatments, I worked for several years at the Winnicott Research Unit (University of Reading), directed by Lynne Murray and Peter Cooper. There I contributed to several studies on the effects on infant development of maternal depression and anxiety, and on the nature of early mother-infant interactions, and the way the help shape developmental trajectories.
I currently carry out my research in the field of developmental psychopathology. My research interests focus in particular on infant social development, perinatal and parental mental health and forms of support for the latter. Currently my research also focuses on forms of parent-mediated interventions aimed at promoting optimal child outcomes, such as dialogic book-sharing and its effects on child linguistic and psycho-emotional development. In my endeavours, I am involved in several international research projects, collaborates with various institutes in Europe and the rest of the world.