Originally from Milan, Italy, I relocated to Israel in 2019 to pursue my Ph.D. in psychology as part of the international ENTWINE – Informal Care project, which received funding from the Horizon 2020 - European Research Commission fund. To learn more about the ENTWINE consortium, please visit the following link: [https://entwine-itn.eu/consortium/]. My research expertise lies in the application of various technological tools in the field of psychology, including virtual reality, mobile applications, and internet-based interventions. I follow a user-centered design and development approach, strongly believing that effective psychological interventions involve stakeholders in the process of designing, developing, and testing innovative solutions. While technology holds immense potential, it is crucial to use it appropriately to prevent frustration and ensure participant retention. Throughout my Ph.D., I have focused on translating and adapting an existing internet-based intervention to support informal caregivers in Italy, known as the SOSteniamoci project. By delivering support through internet-based interventions, we can reach individuals from a distance, conduct therapy asynchronously, and maintain anonymity. This solution has proven to be effective, addressing the unique needs and characteristics of Italian caregivers. Preliminary studies, including a stakeholders' survey and a usability test of the platform, have enabled us to better tailor the intervention.
Publication in the Lab:
Semonella, M., Bertuzzi, V., Dekel, R., Andersson, G., Pietrabissa, G., & Vilchinsky, N. (2023). Applying dyadic digital psychological interventions for reducing caregiver burden in the illness context: a systematic review and a meta-analysis protocol. BMJ open, 13(5), e070279.
Semonella, M., Andersson, G., Dekel, R., Pietrabissa, G., & Vilchinsky, N. (2022). Making a virtue out of necessity: COVID-19 as a catalyst for applying internet-based psychological interventions for informal caregivers. Frontiers in Psychology, 13.
Semonella, M., Vilchinsky, N., Dakel, R., Biliunaite, I., Pietrabissa, G., & Andersson, G. (2020). SOSteniamoci: An internet-based intervention to support informal caregivers.
Other publications:
Bertuzzi, V., Semonella, M., Andersson, G., Manzoni, G. M., Castelnuovo, G., Molinari, E., & Pietrabissa, G. (2022). Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of an internet-based self-help intervention to cope with psychological distress due to COVID-19 in the Italian general population: the RinasciMENTE project. Trials, 23(1), 801.
Bertuzzi, V., Semonella, M., Castelnuovo, G., Andersson, G., & Pietrabissa, G. (2022).
Synthesizing Stakeholders Perspectives on Online Psychological Interventions to Improve the Mental Health of the Italian Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Survey Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(12), 7008.
Bertuzzi, V., Semonella, M., Bruno, D., Manna, C., Edbrook-Childs, J., Giusti, E. M., ... & Pietrabissa, G. (2021). Psychological support interventions for healthcare providers and informal caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review of the literature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(13), 6939.
Tuena, C., Semonella, M., Fernández-Álvarez, J., Colombo, D., & Cipresso, P. (2020).
Predictive precision medicine: towards the computational challenge. P5 eHealth: An Agenda for the Health Technologies of the Future, 71-86.
Semonella, M., Cipresso, P., Riva, G. (2020). La realtà virtuale come nuova frontiera nella cura delle dipendenze. In: TMS e VR nella cura delle Patologie da Dipendenza - Indicazioni per la comprensione e per l’intervento. Publiedit.
Semonella, M., Cipresso, P., Tuena, C., Parisi, A., Toti, M., Bobocea, A. E., ... & Riva, G. (2019, April). Testing a Deactivated Virtual Environment in Pathological Gamblers’ Anxiety. In International Symposium on Pervasive Computing Paradigms for Mental Health (pp. 242-249). Springer, Cham.
Toti, M., Tuena, C., Semonella, M., Pedroli, E., Riva, G., & Cipresso, P. (2019, April). Anthropometry and Scan: A Computational Exploration on Measuring and Imaging. In International Symposium on Pervasive Computing Paradigms for Mental Health (pp. 102-116). Springer, Cham.
Cipresso, P., Mauri, M., Semonella, M., Tuena, C., Balgera, A., Villamira, M., & Riva, G. (2019). Looking at One's Self Through Facebook Increases Mental Stress: A Computational Psychometric Analysis by Using Eye-Tracking and Psychophysiology. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 22(5), 307-314.
Pedroli, E., Cipresso, P., Serino, S., Colombo, D., Semonella, M., Gaggioli, A., & Riva, G. (2018). A “First Look” on Frailty: A Scientometric Analysis. In: Pervasive Computing Paradigms for Mental Health (pp. 15-23). Springer, Cham.
Cipresso, P., Pedroli, E., Serino, S., Semonella, M., Tuena, C., Colombo, D., ... & Riva, G. (2018). Assessment of Unilateral Spatial Neglect using a free Mobile Application for Italian Clinicians. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2241. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02241.
Semonella, M., Chirico, A., Pedroli, E., Gaggioli, A., & Riva, G. (2018). The Italian Adaptation of Interpersonal Communication Competences Questionnaire. In: Pervasive Computing Paradigms for Mental Health (pp. 34-41). Springer, Cham