Funded Projects PRIN 2020

PRIN 2020  

Funded by MUR (Italian Ministry of University and Research)

Project Number: 2020EHAZNB

Project title: INROAD - Identity and NaRrative Of ADdiction

National Coordinator: prof. Francesco Ferretti

Costs funded by MUR: 600.573 euros

Research Units: 

• Cosmic Lab, Roma Tre University

Faculty member: Francesco Ferretti (coordinator), Massimo Marraffa, Isabella Poggi, Ines Adornetti

Post-doc: Daniela Altavilla (October 2022-October2024); Giorgia Morgese  (2024); Valentina Deriu (February 2023-present); Stefania Garello (August 2024 - May 2025); Federica Luciani (February 2025 - present)

Collaborators: Ludovica Albani, Elisa Arcadi, Michele Bagna, Luca Capobianco, Angelo D. Delliponti, Sofia Michela Iovino, Simone Mellini, Serena Nicchiarelli, Matidle Novelli, Federica Palumbo, Lorenzo Picca, Veronica Teti, Federico Trapani, Alessia Vecchi. 

• SISSA (Trieste) Lab

Faculty member:  Stefano Canali (coordinator)

• NeuroPsiLab, University of Verona

Faculty member: Cristiano Chiamulera (coordinator)

Post-doc: Giulia Benvegnù (June 2021-present)

Psychoologist in training: Federico Maria Lorusso (May 2024-present)

Undergraduate student: Rudi Graffer (December 2023-June 2024)

Description

The INROAD project deals with the investigation of self-identity in addictive disorders through a narrative-based approach. The topic of self-identity has been much debated in recent literature, with a growing body of research focused on combining philosophical and sociological reflection with empirical evidence coming from psychological sciences. On the backdrop of this integrated perspective, in the present project we focus on the most complex component of self-identity, namely narrative identity, corresponding to the creation of an inner world where the subject is engaged in a meaning-making process to coherently organize her internal and external experiences by means of life stories. Narrative identity research has provided an important contribution to the theoretical framing of the sense of self, by highlighting the role of narrative as tool for both identity construction and identity analysis. Following this turn to narratives, purpose of the INROAD project is exploring the multiple influences of some cognitive, affective, and social factors on meaning making associated with narrative identity by investigating the autobiographical narratives of behavioral and substance addictive individuals, including tobacco smokers.

Indeed, addiction is an interesting case study in which the multiple psychological and social dimensions of narrative identity are condensed. To conduct the study, we will develop a multidimensional theoretical model of addiction focusing on the relations between narrative identity/agency and self-control by drawing on different research areas involved in the addiction literature, including philosophy of mind and language, cognitive science, neuroscience, and clinical research. This literature suggests that behavioral and substance addictive patients present a fragmented and incoherent self, resulting in different dissociative phenomena and a sense of loss of control and decision-making. These aspects seem to be reflected in their self-narratives, which turn out to be a powerful tool for analyzing the self’s dimension, and their tie to agency and self-control. At the same time, narratives can be used to promote and enhance some psychological aspects related to the self-dimension. The contribution of narrative to therapy has been emphasized by recent medicine programs, which consider individuals’ stories and experiences as one of the mechanisms by which building an effective medical practice. Besides, it has shown that both autobiographical storytelling and reading narratives can enhance several cognitive and affective abilities involved in self-identity. Starting from our theoretical model of addiction, we will set the criteria for an evidence-based operational model to conduct narrative analysis targeting both individual and population levels, with the aim of exploring narrative identity of addictive individuals and designing narrative interventions in tailored clinical protocols for their recovery.

Publications

• Altavilla, D., Mazzaggio, G., Deriu, V., Garello, S., Vecchi, A., Adornetti, I., Chiera, A., Canali, S., & Ferretti, F. (in press). Metaphor as a cognitive and relational tool for self-narrating experience of addiction: A qualitative-quantitative analysis. Frontiers in Psychology - Addictive Behaviors. DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1658238

• Benvegnù, G., Perotti, S., Vegher, A., & Chiamulera, C. (2025). Virtual Reality Environmental Enrichment Effects on Craving for Cigarettes in Smokers. Games for Health Journal, 14(1), 21-28. 

• Deriu, V., Altavilla, D., Adornetti, I., Chiera, A., Ferretti, F. (2024). Narrative Identity in Addictive Disorders: A Conceptual Review. FFrontiers in Psychology - Addictive Behaviors. 15:1409217.  [10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1409217]. 

Talks (invited)

• Adornetti I, Deriu V. (2025) Narrative identity in addictive disorders: an empirical investigation, webinar "Seminario PRIN-PNRR Metaphor and Epistemic Injustice in Mental Illness", University of Cagliari, 6 March. 

• Deriu V. (2025) Narrazione, cognizione e identità personale: funzioni tipiche e patologiche, seminar, Dipartimento di Scienze politiche, giuridiche, sociologiche e umanistiche @Unicusano,  14 February.  

Talks (upon submission)

• Altavilla, D., Deriu, V., Chiera, A., Adornetti, I., Luciani, F., Garello, S., & Ferretti, F. (2025). Narrative identity in addiction disorders: Preliminary multidimensional analysis of narrative coherence and episodic memory. XXV Congresso Nazionale AIP (associazione italiana psicologia)– Sezione di Psicologia Clinica e Dinamica, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Italy, September 17–20, 2025.