Surgeon since 1975, specialist in Psychiatry since 1979, she trained in systemic psychotherapy in 1977 with prof. Carl Whitaker (Madison, Wisconsin – USA) and in cognitive and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy from 80 to 84 with Dr. Vittorio F. Guidano. He worked in the Public Services (Mental Health Centers USL RM 18) from 1980 to 1984 as a specialist doctor (SUMAI contract). He taught “Cognitive Psychotherapy” at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome from 1981 to 1985 in the Specialization Course in Psychiatry. Since 1982 he has been a Teaching Partner in the Società Italiana di Terapia Comportamentale e Cognitiva (SITCC). In 2019 he founded the national association CBT-Italia with a group of colleagues. Since 2018 he has been on the editorial board of the Italian journal Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy.
Since 1990 she has been Professor at the “Postgraduate Specialization Course in Constructivist Psychotherapy”, at the University of Barcelona, with Prof. Manuel Villegas. Since July 2001 she has been Director of the School of Specialization in Cognitive Psychotherapy “Studi Cognitivi” (Official Gazette No. 230 of 3.10.2001) with offices in Milan, Modena and San Benedetto del Tronto.
She has been Director of the Psychology Department of SFU Milan since its foundation in 2014.
Research interests
Cognitive processes in eating disorders
Control and anxiety disorders
Recurring negative thinking
Publications
Magazines peer-reviewed
Sassaroli, S., Lorenzini, R. (1989). Schizophrenia and Paranoia as solutions in predictive failure. International Journal of Personal Construct Psychology, 2, 417-432.
Sassaroli, S., Lorenzini, R. (1991). Attachment as an informative relationship. International Journal of Personal Construct Psychology, 5, 239-247.
Sassaroli, S., Ruggiero, G.M. (2002). I costrutti dell’ansia: Obbligo di controllo, perfezionismo patologico, pensiero catastrofico, autovalutazione negativa e intolleranza dell’incertezza. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 8, 45-60.
Sassaroli, S., & Ruggiero, G.M. (2003). La psicopatologia cognitiva del rimuginio (worry). Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 9, 31-45.
Ruggiero, G.M., Levi, D., Ciuna, A., & Sassaroli, S. (2003). Stress situation reveals an association between perfectionism and drive for thinness. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 34, 220-226.
Apparigliato, M., Ruggiero, G. M., Sassaroli, S. (2004). Il criticismo: un’analisi cognitiva. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 10, 197-210.
Sassaroli, S., & Ruggiero, G.M. (2005). The role of stress in the association between low self-esteem, perfectionism, and worry, and eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 37, 135-141.
Sassaroli, S., Bertelli, S., Decoppi, M., Crosina, M., Milos, G., & Ruggiero, G.M. (2005). Worry and eating disorders: a psychopathological association. Eating Behaviors, 6, 301-307.
Sassaroli, S., Mezzaluna, C., Amurri, A., Bossoletti, R., Ciccioli, T., Perrotta, A., Romualdi, A., Stronati, A., Urbani, S., Valenti, V., Milos, G., & Ruggiero, G.M. (2005). Stress plays a role in the association between cognitive constructs and measures of eating disorders in male subjects. Eating Weight Disorders, 10, 117-24.
Vinai, P., Cardetti, S., Ferrato, N., Vallauri, P., Carpegna, G., Masante, D., Luxardi, G., Todisco, P., Manara, M., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S. (2007). Visual evaluation of food amount in patients affected by Anorexia Nervosa. Eating Behaviors, 8, 291–295.
Apparigliato, M., Ruggiero, G. M., Sassaroli, S. (2007). Il Perceived Criticism Inventory (PCI): un nuovo strumento di valutazione del criticismo genitoriale. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 13, 275-300.
Sassaroli, S., Romero, L., Ruggiero, G.M., Frost, R. (2008). Perfectionism in depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorders. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 46, 757-765.
Sassaroli, S., Ruggiero, G.M. (2008). The control and worry-centered treatment of eating disorders (CWT-ED). International Journal of Child and Adolescent Health, 2, 229-242.
Vinai, P., Allison, K.C., Cardetti, S., Carpegna, G., Ferrato, N., Masante, D., Vallauri, P., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S. (2008). Psychopathology and treatment of NES. Eating and Weight Disorders, 13, 54-63.
Sassaroli, S., Gallucci, M., & Ruggiero, G.M. (2008). Low perception of control as a cognitive factor of eating disorders. Its independent effects on measures of eating disorders and its interactive effects with perfectionism and self-esteem. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 39, 467-488.
Vinai, P., Cardetti, S., Carpegna, G., Ferrato, N., Vallauri, P., Masante, D., Sassaroli, S., Ruggiero, G. M., Scarone, S., Bertelli, S., Bidone, R., Busetto, L., Sampietro, S. (2009). Daily and nightly anxiety amongst patients affected by Night Eating Syndrome and Binge Eating Disorder. Eating Disorders, 17, 140-145.
Paulesu, E., Sambugaro, E., Torti, T., Danelli, L., Ferri, F., Scialfa, G., Sberna, M., Ruggiero, G. M., Bottini, G., Sassaroli, S. (2009) Neural correlates of worry in generalized anxiety disorder and in normal controls: a functional MRI study. Psychological Medicine, 7, 1-8.
Veronese, G., Ruggiero, G. M., Sassaroli, S., & Castiglioni, M. (2011). Interpersonal and Individual Factors in the Grandiose Fantasies and Threats to Self-esteem of A Non-clinical Sample. The Open Psychology Journal, 2011, 4, 1-5.
Spada, M. M., Caselli, G., Manfredi, C., Rebecchi, D., Rovetto, F., Ruggiero, G. M., Nikcevic, A. V., Sassaroli, S. (2011). Parental Overprotection and Metacognitions as Predictors of Worry and Anxiety. Behaviour and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 6, 1-10.
Ruggiero, G. M., Veronese, G., Sassaroli, S., & Castiglioni, M. (2011). Grandiose fantasies and low self-esteem: an experimental study. Psychological Studies, 54, 368-372.
Sassaroli, S., Apparigliato, M., Bertelli, S., Boccalari, L., Fiore, F., Lamela, C., Scarone, S., & Ruggiero, G. M. (2011). Perfectionism as a mediator between perceived criticism and eating disorders. Eating and Weight Disorders, 16, 37-44.
Ruggiero, G. M., Stapinski, L., Caselli, G., Fiore, F., Gallucci, M., Sassaroli, S., Rapee, R. (2012). Beliefs over control and meta-worry interact with the effect of intolerance of uncertainty on worry. Personality and Individual Differences, 53, 224-230.
Spada M.M., Caselli, G., Manfredi, C., Rebecchi, D., Rovetto F., Ruggiero, G.M., Nikcevic, A., & Sassaroli S. (2012). Parental Styles and Metacognitions as Predictors of Worry and Anxiety. Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 40, 287-296
Confalonieri, L., Sassaroli, S., Alighieri, S., Cattaneo, S., Pozzato, M., Sacco, M., Ruggiero, G.M. (2013). Intuitive heuristics linking perfectionism, control, and beliefs regarding body shape in eating disorders. Psychological Studies, 58, 265-75.
Caselli, G., Gemelli, A., Querci, S., Lugli, A.M., Canfora, F., Annovi, C., Rebecchi, D., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S., Spada, M.M., & Watkins, E.R. (2013). The effect of rumination on craving across the continuum of drinking behaviour. Addictive Behaviours, 38, 2879-2883.
Martino, F., Caselli, G., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S. (2013). Collera e Ruminazione Mentale. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 19, 341-354
Ruggiero, G.M., Ammendola, E., Caselli, G., Sassaroli, S., (2014). REBT in Italy: Dissemination and integration with constructivism and Metacognition. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 32, 183-197.
Caselli, G., Decsei-Radu, A., Fiore F., Manfredi C., Querci, S., Sgambati, S., Rebecchi, D., Ruggiero G.M., Sassaroli, S. (2014). Self-Discrepancy monitoring and its impact on negative mood: an experimental investigation. Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 42(4), 464-478.
Fiore, F., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S. (2014). Emotional dysregulation and anxiety control in the psychopathological mechanism underlying drive fo thinness. Frontiers in Psichiatry, published on-line on 24th April 2014, http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00043/full
Ottaviani, C., Borlimi, R., Brighetti, G., Caselli, G., Favaretto, E., Giardini, I.,
Marzocchi, C., Nucifora, V., Ruggiero, G.M., Rebecchi, D., Sassaroli, S. (2014). Worry as an adaptive avoidance strategy in healthy controls but not in pathological worriers. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 93(3), 349-355
Bassanini, A., Caselli, G., Fiore, F., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S., Watkins, E.R. (2014). Why “why” seems better than “how”. Processes underlining repetitive thinking in an Italian non-clinical sample. Personality and Individual Differences, 64, 18-23.
Sassaroli, S., Brambilla, R., Cislaghi, E., Colombo, R., Centorame, F., Favaretto, E., Fiore, F., Veronese, G., Ruggiero, G.M. (2014). Emotion-Abstraction Patterns and Cognitive Interventions in a Single Case of Standard Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Research in Psychotherapy: Psychopathology, Process and Outcome, 17, 65–72.
Caselli, G., Canfora, F., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S., Albery, I.P. and Spada, M.M. (2015). Desire thinking mediates the relationship between emotional intolerance and problem drinking. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 13, 185-193.
Martino, F., Caselli, G., Berardi, D., Fiore, F., Marino, E. Menchetti, M. Prunetti, E., Ruggiero, G.M., Sasdelli, A., Selby, E., Sassaroli, S. (2015). Anger Rumination and aggressive behaviour in borderline personality disorder. Personality and Mental Health, 9, 277-87.
Sassaroli, S., Centorame, F., Caselli, G., Favaretto, E., Fiore, F., Gallucci, M., Sarracino, D., Ruggiero, G.M., Spada, M.M., & Rapee, R.M. (2015). Anxiety control and metacognitive beliefs mediate the relationship between inflated responsibility and obsessive compulsive symptoms. Psychiatry Research, 228, 560-564.
Sassaroli, S., Fiore, F., Mezzaluna, C., Ruggiero, G.M. (2015). Stressful task increases drive for thinness and bulimia: a laboratory study. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 591-6. Spada, M.M., Caselli, G., Fernie, B.A., Manfredi, C., Boccaletti, F., Dallari, G., Gandini, F., Pinna, E., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S. (2015). Desire thinking: A risk factor for binge drinking? Eating Behaviors. 18, 48-53.
Caselli, G., Manfredi, C., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S. (2016). La terapia cognitivo comportamentale dei disturbi d’ansia: una revision degli studi di efficacia. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 22, 81-101.
Manfredi, C., Caselli, G., Pescini, F., Rossi, M., Rebecchi, D., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S. (2016). Parental criticism, self-criticism and their relation to depressive modd: an exploratory study among a non-clinical population. Research in Psychotherapy: Psychopathology, Process and Outcome, 19, 1-8.
Offredi, A., Caselli, G., Manfredi, C., Liuzzo, P., Rovetto, F., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli S., (2016). Effects of anger rumination on different scenarios of anger: an experimental investigation. American Journal of Psychology, 129(4), 381-390.
Ruggiero, G.M., Bassanini, A., Benzi, M.C. et al. (2016). Irrational and Metacognitive Beliefs Mediate the Relationship Between Content Beliefs and GAD Symptoms: A Study on a Normal Population. Journal of Rational-Emotivo and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy. First Online: 18 October 2016. doi:10.1007/s10942-016-0253-z
Ruggiero, G. M., Sarracino, D., McMahon, J., Caselli, G., Sassaroli, S. (2016). Practicing REBT in Italy. Cultural aspects. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, First Online: 20 July 2016 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10942-016-0246-y DOI 10.1007/s10942-016-0246-y
Sarracino, D., Dimaggio, G., Ibrahim, R. Popolo, R., Sassaroli, S., Ruggiero, G.M. (2016). When REBT Goes Difficult: Applying ABC-DEF to Personality Disorders. Journal of Rational-Emotivo and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy. First Online: 23 December 2016. doi:10.1007/s10942-016-0258-7
Sassaroli, S., Caselli, G., Ruggiero, G.M. (2016). Un modello cognitive clinic di accertamento e concettualizzazione del caso: Life themes and plans Implications of biased Beliefs: Elicitation and Treatment (LIBET). Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 22, 183-197.
Sassaroli, S., Caselli, G., Bassanini. & Ruggiero, G.M. (2017). Procedure e protocollo di terapia LIBET – seconda parte: fasi del protocollo e caso clinico Antonia A. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, in press.
Sassaroli, S., Caselli, G., Redaelli, C. & Ruggiero, G.M. (2017). Procedure e protocollo di terapia LIBET – prima parte: le procedure ABC-LIBET, laddering e disputing. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 23, 73-92.
Ruggiero, G.M., Spada, M.M., Caselli, G., Sassaroli, S. (2018). A Historical and Theoretical Review of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies: From Structural Self-Knowledge to Functional Processes. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, published ahead of print on 13th April 2018.
Ruggiero, G.M., Caselli, G., Sassaroli, S. (2018). Secularising the therapeutic relationship in cognitive behavioural therapy: Shared case formulation. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 24(2), 203-222.
Sapuppo, W., Ruggiero, G.M., Caselli, G., Sassaroli, S. (2018). The Body of Cognitive and Metacognitive Variables in Eating Disorders: Need of Control, Negative Beliefs about Worry, Uncontrollability and Danger, Perfectionism, Self-esteem and Worry. The Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, 55(1), 55-63
Compare, A., Brugnera, A., Spada, M.M., Zarbo, C., Tasca, G.A., Sassaroli, S., Caselli, G., Ruggiero, G.M., Wittstein, I. (2018). The Role of Emotional Competence in Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy. Psychosomatic Medicine 80, 377-384.
Martino, F., Caselli, G., Di Tommaso, J., Sassaroli, S., Spada, M.M., Valenti, B., Berardi, D., Sasdelli, A., Menchetti, M. (2018). Anger and depressive rumination as predictors of dysregulated behaviours in borderline personality disorder. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 25, 188-194.
Martino, F., Caselli, G., Fiabane, E., Felicetti, F., Trevisani, C., Menchetti, M., Mezzaluna, C., Sassaroli, S., Albery, I.P., Spada, M.M. (2019). Desire thinking as predictor of drinking status following treatment for alcohol use disorder: A prospective study. Addictive Behaviors, 96, 70-76.
Ruggiero, G.M., Caselli, G., Sassaroli, S. (2019). Risposta ai commenti su ‘Laicizzare la relazione terapeutica in psicoterapia cognitivo-comportamentale: la formulazione condivisa del caso [Response to comments on ‘Secularizing the therapeutic relationship in cognitivebehavioral psychotherapy: the shared formulation of the case]. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 25(1), 101-105.
Mansueto, G., Martino, F., Palmieri, S., Scaini, S., Ruggiero, G. M., Sassaroli, S., & Caselli, G. (2019). Desire Thinking across addictive behaviours: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Addictive Behaviors, 98(Epub), -. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.06.007
Offredi, A., Varalli, D., Ruggiero, G. M., Sassaroli, S., & Caselli, G. (2019). La ruminazione con contenuti d’ira è perseverante solo se la ritengo incontrollabile. Il ruolo delle credenze metacognitive in uno studio
prospettico. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 25(2), 131-148.
Piron, R., Caselli, G., Sarracino, D., Ruggiero, G. M., & Sassaroli, S. (2019). La Terapia Razionale Emotiva Comportamentale in età evolutiva e lo sviluppo in Italia dell’Educazione Razionale Emotiva. Dagli aspetti teorici alla pratica psicoeducativa. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 25(2), 187-198.
Ruggiero, G. M., Caselli, G., & Sassaroli, S. (2019). Risposta ai commenti su ‘Laicizzare la relazione terapeutica in psicoterapia cognitivo-comportamentale: la formulazione condivisa del caso. Psicoterapia
Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 25(1), 101-105.
Ruggiero, G. M., Caselli, G., & Sassaroli, S. (2020). Riflessioni sul trauma: psicopatologia o paradima? Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 26(1), 39-56.
Ruggiero, G. M., Caselli, G., & Sassaroli, S. (2020). Forum. Lo sviluppo dell’integrazione in psicoterapia. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 26(2), 83-104.
Favaretto, E., Offredi, A., Bedani, F., Schroffenegger, M., Sassaroli, S., Ruggiero, G. M., Fagiolini, & Caselli, G., (2020). Metacognitions and repetitive thinking in bipolar disorder and healthy controls: A comparative
study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 276, 152-158.
Magazines non peer-reviewed
Sassaroli, S., Lorenzini, R. (1994). Attaccamento e Conoscenza tra disturbo di personalità ossessivo compulsiva e sindrome ossessiva. Psicobiettivo, 14.
Sassaroli, S., Lorenzini, R. (1993). Relaciones tempranas y nacimiento del self. Revista de Psicoterapia, 3, 63-76.
Sassaroli, S., Lorenzini, R. (1991). El trastorno esquizofrenico del pensamento. Revista
del Psicoterapia, 2, 61-72.
Sassaroli, S., Lorenzini, R. (1990). Apego y exploracion en la patogenesis de las fobia. Revista de Psicoterapia, 1, 95-111.
Mancini, F., Sassaroli, S., Semerari, A. (1980). Problem solving e organizzazione cognitiva in psicoterapia. Archivio di neurologia, psicologia e psichiatria, 2.
Mancini, F., Sassaroli, S., Semerari, A., Telfner, U. (1979). Contributo per un modello falsificabile della terapia di coppia. Archivio di neurologia, psicologia e psichiatria, 2.
Sassaroli, S. (1978). Gli ultimi sviluppi del pensiero di Carl A. Whitaker. Rivista di
Psichiatria, 13.
Mancini, F., Sassaroli, S., Semerari, A. (1977). Ristrutturazione cognitiva e prescrizione di comportamento nella psicoterapia di un agorafobico. Archivio di neurologia, psicologia e psichiatria, 4.
Ruggiero, G. M., Caselli, G., & Sassaroli, S. Riflessioni sul trauma: psicopatologia o paradima? Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 26(1), 39-56, (2020)
Ruggiero, G. M., Caselli, G., & Sassaroli, S. Lo sviluppo dell’integrazione in psicoterapia. Psicoterapia Cognitiva e Comportamentale, 26(2), 83-134, (2020)
Favaretto, E., Offredi, A., Bedani, F., Schroffenegger, M., Sassaroli, S., Ruggiero, G. M., Fagiolini, & Caselli, G., Metacognitions and repetitive thinking in bipolar disorder and healthy controls: A comparative study. “Journal of Affective Disorders, 276, 152-158, (2020)
Chapters of books
Ruggiero, G.M., & Sassaroli, S. (2003). Cultural and Cognitive-Emotional Determinants of Eating Disorders: Bridges and Walls. In G.M. Ruggiero (Ed.), Eating Disorders in the Mediterranean Area: An Exploration in Transcultural Psychology (pp. 3-16). New York:
NOVA Publishers.
Sassaroli, S., Lorenzini, R., & Ruggiero, G.M. (2005). Kellian invalidation, attachment and the construct of ‘control’. In D.A. Winter & L.L: Viney (Eds.), Personal Construct Psychotherapy. Advances in Theory, Practice and Research, pp. 34-42. London and Philadelphia: Whurr Publishers.
Books
Lorenzini, R., Sassaroli, S. (1987). La paura della paura. Nuova Italia Scientifica.
Lorenzini, R., Sassaroli, S. (1990). Quando la paura diventa malattia. Roma: Edizioni Paoline. Translated in Spanish in 1992: Quando o Medo vira Doenca, Ed. Paulinas; and in Portuguese in 1991: Cuando el Miedo se Vuelve Enfermedad, Paulinas.
Lorenzini, R., Sassaroli, S. (1992). Cattivi Pensieri, Disturbi del pensiero paranoico, ossessivo e schizofrenico. Roma: Ed. Nuova Italia Scientifica.
Lorenzini, R., Sassaroli, S. (1992). La verità Privata. Roma: Nuova Italia Scientifica.
Lorenzini, R., Sassaroli, S. (1993). L’uomo nero. Roma: Nuova Italia Scientifica.
Lorenzini, R., Sassaroli, S. (1995). Attaccamento, Stili di conoscenza e Disturbi di Personalità. Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore.
Lorenzini, R., Sassaroli, S. (1998). Paure e Fobie. Milano: Il Saggiatore.
Lorenzini, R., Sassaroli, S. (2000). La mente prigioniera. Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore.
Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S. (2013). Il Colloquio in Psicoterapia Cognitiva. Tecnica e Pratica Clinica [The Cognitive Psychotherapy Session. Clinical Technicque and Practice]. Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore.
Caselli, G., Ruggiero, G.M., Sassaroli, S. (2017). Il Rimuginio. Teoria e terapia del pensiero ripetitivo [Worry. Theory and therapy of repetitive thinking]. Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore
Curated books
Sassaroli, S. (Ed.) (1999). Procedure in terapia cognitiva. Quaderni di Psicoterapia. Bergamo: Moretti & Vitali.
Sassaroli, S., Lorenzini, R., Ruggiero, G.M. (2006) (Eds.). Psicoterapia Cognitivia dell’Ansia. Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore.
Sassaroli, S., Ruggiero, G.M. (Eds.) (2010). Cognitive Therapy of Eating Disorders on Control and Worry. New York: NOVA Publishers. Translated in Italian: Sassaroli, S., Ruggiero, G.M. (Eds.) (2010). I Disturbi Alimentari. Bari: Laterza.
Ruggiero, G. M., Latzer, Y., Suchday, S., Sassaroli, S. (Eds.) (2011). Perspectives on Immigration and Terrorism. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: IOS Press.
Ruggiero, G. M., Caselli, G., Sassaroli (2020). Case Formulation as Therapeutic Process in CBT. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
Translations from German into Italian
Psychiatrie Im Grundriss of Hans Jörg Weitbrecht. Versione italiana: Compendio di Psichiatria. Padova: Piccin, 1970.
Lexikon der Psychiatrie of Christian Mueller. Versione italiana: Lessico di psichiatria. Padova: Piccin – 1980.
Translations from English to Italian
Handbook of Psychiatry of Solomon and Patch. Versione italianan: Trattato di Psichiatria. Padova: Piccin, 1975.