Rita D’Amico is a social and clinical psychologist, with a qualification in psychotherapy. She worked for years to develop a theoretical and methodological approach that builds a bridge between social and clinical psychology. Within this perspective, she has carried out many research projects on interesting problems in close relationships, investigating, among others, the following topics: guilt in couple relationships and in friendships; the complex connection between love, power and dependency in the context of marriage; friends with benefits, emblematic expression of the profound transformation that occurred recently in close relationships; the manifestations of family violence, its causes and the most effective intervention strategies; issues of family violence and stalking; physical and sexual violence between brothers and sisters; racism and discrimination perceived by migrant women; the origin of stigmatization and the function of social exclusion of people with epilepsy. Currently she does research on: the psychopathology associated with this disease; the cultural and structural conditions influencing women’s and men’s academic career advancement; the gendered dimensions of inheritance, namely the persistence of cultural practices that limit women's rights to bequest; personal responsibility in infidelity in couples; the influence of cultural and temporal norms on experience sexual and emotional infidelity.
Member of the IARR (International Association for Relationship Research) since 1990, she has coordinated the Group for the Study of Interpersonal Relationships at the ISTC – CNR for several years. Moreover, she also has decades of experience of teaching in three different Italian University, where she taught social psychology, general psychology and interpersonal relationships. In addition, she has trained teachers, psychologists and social workers on the main theories and interventions with abused children, people with epilepsy, and distressed couples. From 1997 to 1999 she was a member of the Working Group "Culture of diversity and women's studies in Italian universities", coordinated by the Minister for Equal Opportunities, Prof. L. Balbo. She published books with national publisher both as single author and in collaboration, chapters in international and national books and articles in national and international journals.
Parole chiave
Senso di colpa, coppie, famiglia, violenza fisica, violenza psicologica, violenza sessuale, fratelli, sorelle, amicizie erotiche, donne immigrate, epilessia, stigma, depressione, infedeltà sessuale, infedeltà emotiva, donne, accademia, psicologia, pubblicazioni, citazioni, eredità, genere, violazione, diritti.
Guilt, couples, family, siblings, physical violence, psychological violence, sexual violence, friends with benefits, epilepsy, stigma, depression, sexual infidelity, emotional infidelity, responsibility, women, academia, psychology, publications, citations, migrant women, inheritance, gendered dimensions, rights, violations.
