Olívia Ribeiro

Olívia Ribeiro holds a PhD in Psychology with a specialization in Developmental Psychology (FCT grant) from ISPA – Instituto Universitário, where she conducted her research at the William James Center for Research. Her primary research interests revolve around the implications of social withdrawal for adjustment difficulties in social contexts, such as peer exclusion, victimization, and aggression, as well as internalizing problems like depression and loneliness. She is also interested in understanding the relationship between loneliness and adolescents’ challenges in peer relationships, as well as within family dynamics. Her research aims to delve deeper into the distinctiveness of loneliness compared to social withdrawal, identifying various forms of loneliness, exploring the predictors and outcomes of this painful emotional experience, and understanding its developmental course.