Manuela Veríssimo

Manuela Veríssimo is a Full Professor and currently serves as Vice-Rector and coordinator of the Developmental Psychology Scientific Area at ISPA - Instituto Universitário in Lisbon, Portugal. She is an active researcher affiliated with the William James Center for Research and leads her own research laboratory focusing on child development and attachment theory.

Dr. Veríssimo earned her Degree in Clinical Psychology at ISPA and completed her PhD in Developmental Psychology at the University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada. Her educational background has positioned her as a leading expert in developmental psychology with a specialized focus on attachment theory.

Her research primarily emphasizes the connection between secure-base relationships during infancy and childhood and various outcomes in social and emotional development. She advocates for incorporating the concept that children build an attachment network in their early years that significantly constrains their development. Dr. Veríssimo is particularly renowned for her work on father-child interaction and relationship dynamics, and her research consistently incorporates developmental and cross-cultural perspectives. Her work spans multiple domains including attachment theory, social development, emotional development, and early childhood education.

Dr. Veríssimo has coordinated numerous research projects funded by FCT and other institutions, demonstrating her leadership in securing research funding. Her work has been presented at major international conferences, and she has been invited to deliver keynote addresses and organize symposiums, indicating her recognition as an expert in her field. She has also consulted on research projects internationally in Spain, France, Peru, and the USA.

• Bowlby Ainsworth Award from the Center for Mental Health Promotion and The New York Attachment Consortium (2011) for her contributions to investigation and teaching within the field of Attachment Theory

As Vice-Rector of ISPA, Dr. Veríssimo plays a significant administrative role while maintaining an active research program. Her laboratory, the William James Center for Research, focuses on developmental psychology and attachment theory. She has published extensively with over 229 publications and has been cited more than 79,000 times, reflecting the substantial impact of her work in the field. Her research has important implications for understanding child development, parenting practices, and interventions for children with social and emotional challenges.