Carla Fernandes

Carla Fernandes is an academic researcher and educator at Ispa-Instituto Universitário, serving as an Integrated Member of the Social Development research group. She teaches undergraduate courses in Developmental Psychology and leads research on attachment relationships and their profound impact on children's development, health, and overall well-being.

Her educational background includes:

• Master’s degree in Educational Psychology
• Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology

Dr. Fernandes' research program centers on the intricate interplay between parent-child attachment, empathy, and prosocial behavior, with emotional regulation as a critical mediating mechanism. Her work systematically investigates how early relational dynamics shape developmental trajectories, aiming to develop evidence-based interventions that enhance family health and well-being through targeted psychological support.

Analysis of her publication record (2017-2023) reveals consistent exploration of attachment phenomena across multiple contexts—spanning parent-child relationships, teacher-child interactions, and peer dynamics in middle childhood. Her methodologically rigorous studies, often employing longitudinal designs, make significant contributions to developmental psychology, attachment theory, and child health research, with particular emphasis on dual parental influences and cross-contextual behavioral outcomes.

As an Integrated Member of the Social Development research group, she actively contributes to collaborative projects examining socio-emotional development in children, advancing the group's mission to generate actionable knowledge for improving psychological well-being across diverse family and educational settings.