Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
I graduated in Pedagogy at the University of Florence, Italy, and subsequently I was awarded an MSc in Social Psychology from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Exeter. After spending one year as a research fellow at the University of Surrey, in 1996 I joined the University of Dundee, where I am currently a professor of social and health psychology. I have held visiting positions at the Australian National University, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Bari, and the University of Queensland. I have been an associate editor of the European Journal of Social Psychology.
Teaching
- Social Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Psychology of Mental Health
- Research Methods
Research
I am interested in the influence of interpersonal relationships and group life on both physical and mental health. Over the past decade I have investigated the positive influence of subjective identification with social groups (e.g., family; friends; workplace) on various mental health dimensions, e.g. depression, anxiety, borderline personality, and substance misuse. In recent times I have also devoted attention to the factors (e.g., child maltreatment) that may impair one's ability to identify with social groups, and studied identity-related existential feelings such as sense of emptiness.
Methodologically, I use both quantitative methods (e.g., survey/epidemiological studies) and qualitative methods such as thematic and phenomenological analyses.
Due to the interdisciplinarity of my work, my research is typically published in journals within a variety of fields, particularly social, developmental, clinical and health psychology, as well as psychological medicine and psychiatric epidemiology.
Research Grants and Fellowships
- F. Sani & A. Malaguti (principal co-applicants). Designing a Behaviour Change Intervention to Reduce the Risk of Overdose. Scottish Government: Drug Deaths Taskforce Research Programme. (Start and end dates: 01/08/2020 – 31/01/2022). £88,328.
- F. Sani. Working towards a research programme on the psychosocial challenges faced by Ghanaian HIV seropositive children and adolescents. Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF); Mobility Award. (Start and end dates: 01/03/2019 – 31/09/2019). £4,963.
- F. Sani, (principal investigator), M. Norbury & V. Madhok. Health in groups: A longitudinal and cross-national study. ESRC; Ref.: ES/I038349/1. (Start and end dates: 01/11/2011 – 31/08/2015). £504,000.
- F. Sani. Perceiving collective continuity: Social psychological implications. ESRC Fellowship; Ref. RES-000-27-0185. (Start and end dates: 01/09/2005 – 31/08/2008). £ 166,530.
- F. Sani. Perceived group historical continuity: A cross-cultural investigation. ESRC; Ref.: RES-000-22-0738. (Start and end dates: 30/06/2004 – 31/07/2005). £ 46,925.
- S. Reicher (principal applicant), C. Cassidy, F. Sani & P. Cronin. Social immersion lab for the Tay Social Psychology Group. ESRC; Ref.: RES-474-25-0015. (Start and end dates: 01/11/2003 – 31/10/2005). £. 150,411.
- F. Sani (principal investigator) & M. Bennett. The ingroup becomes part of the self: The genesis of children’s sense of “we”. ESRC; Ref.: RES-000-22-0494. (Start and end dates: 01/08/2004 – 31/07/2005). £ 35,085.
- M. Bennett (principal investigator) & F. Sani. A developmental investigation of stereotype variability. ESRC; Ref.: RES-000-22-0203. (Start and end dates: 01/11/2003 – 31/07/2004). £ 28,126.
- F. Sani. Extending the social psychological model of schisms in social groups. British Academy; Ref.: SG-35625. (Start and end dates: 01/03/2003 – 31/08/2003). £. 4,890.
- F. Sani (principal investigator) & M. Bennett. Developmental aspects of social identity. ESRC; Ref.: R000223776. (Start and end dates: 01/08/2002 – 31/10/2003). £ 42,661.
- F. Sani. An empirical testing of a social psychological model of schisms within social groups. British Academy; Ref.: SG-30189. (Start and end dates: 01/05/2000 – 30/09/2000). £ 2,510.
- M. Bennett (principal investigator) & F. Sani. Developmental aspects of the process of social categorization. ESRC; Ref.: R000222801. (Start and end dates: 30/04/1999 – 31/05/2000). £ 35,296.
- M. Barrett (principal investigator) et al. (including Fabio Sani). The Development of national, ethnolinguistic and religious identity in children and adolescents living in the NIS. EC INTAS; Ref.: INTAS 97 – 1363. (Starting and end dates: 01/12/1998 – 30/11/2001). 80,000 ECUs.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Exeter
Award Date: 1 Jan 1995
Master of Science, The London School of Economics and Political Science
Award Date: 1 Jan 1991
Bachelor of Science, University of Florence
Award Date: 1 Jan 1986
Fingerprint
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Network
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Group Identification and Health: A Longitudinal and Cross-National Investigation
Lockhart, P., Madhok, V., Norbury, M. & Sani, F.
Economic and Social Research Council
1/11/11 → 31/08/15
Project: Research
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Understanding the typical presentation of emptiness: a study of lived-experience
Herron, S. J. & Sani, F., 4 Mar 2022, In: Journal of Mental Health. 31, 2, p. 188-195 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile79 Downloads (Pure) -
Child maltreatment is linked to difficulties in identifying with social groups as a young adult
Sani, F., Herrera, M. & Bielawska, K., 1 Oct 2020, In: British Journal of Developmental Psychology. 38, 4, p. 491-496 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile88 Downloads (Pure) -
Effectiveness of the use of implementation intentions on reduction of substance use: A meta-analysis
Malaguti, A., Ciocanel, O., Sani, F., Dillon, J. F., Eriksen, A. J. & Power, K., 1 Sep 2020, In: Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 214, 11 p., 108120.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Citations (Scopus)140 Downloads (Pure) -
Change in injecting behaviour among people treated for hepatitis C virus: the role of intimate partnerships
Malaguti, A., Sani, F., Stephens, B. P., Ahmad, F., Dugard, P. & Dillon, J., 1 Jan 2019, In: Journal of Viral Hepatitis. 26, 1, p. 65-72 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)75 Downloads (Pure) -
Psychosocial, psychopharmacological and demographic predictors of changes in psychological distress over a course of computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT)
Cientanni, F., Power, K., Wright, C., Sani, F., Reilly, D., Blake, M. L., Hustings, K., Morgan, D. & Clark, S., 1 Sep 2019, In: Internet Interventions. 17, p. 1-13 13 p., 100248.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Citations (Scopus)103 Downloads (Pure)
Press / Media
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Many of us feel ‘empty’: understanding what it means is important for improving our mental health
29/06/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research