OUR MISSION
Our mission is twofold: to amplify the reach of vital research in the field of systemic psychotherapy and to offer responsible, accessible, meaningful academic insight that informs, enables, and empowers families to navigate the digital world safely and effectively.
Emphasising qualitative methods, we seek to foster a reciprocal relationship with the populations included in our research, ensuring that our findings are not only insightful but also meaningful and beneficial to them.
ABOUT US
Founded with the support of a Marie Skłodowska-Curie research grant awarded to Dr. Marina Everri in 2015, AdoDigitFam was established to investigate the profound impact of digital media and technology on family dynamics and adolescent development.
Recognising the transformative nature of the network society, our lab focuses on the intersection of technology and systemic psychotherapy to enhance understanding and improve well-being.
Dr. Marina Everri is a social psychologist and systemic psychotherapist with extensive experience in adolescent development and family dynamics. Her research focuses on the impact of digital technologies on children’s mental health and well-being, utilising innovative approaches like digital ethnography and virtual reality. With expertise in digital technologies and their impact on mental health, Dr. Everri has collaborated with institutions such as the London School of Economics and the University of Parma. She also contributes to various educational and social services as a psychological and psychotherapeutic professional and lecturer/assistant professor at University College Dublin.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
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Family relations
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Child mental health
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Digital technologies
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Interpersonal communication
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Qualitative methology
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Digital/video ethnography
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Psychotherapy
Dr Mattia Messena
(He/Him)
Lecturer / Research Fellow
Dr Mattia Messena is a psychologist and lecturer at University College Dublin interested in the role of digital technologies in child development and family dynamics. His previous research explores how technology reshapes family structure and processes such as roles, boundaries, intimacy and relationship maintenance. Awarded an Irish Research Council grant for his PhD, he collaborated with CyberSafeKids to develop an educational intervention aimed at fostering children’s digital skills for safe and positive engagement with digital technologies. Additionally, he is currently completing his training as a systemic psychotherapist.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
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Digital technologies and interpersonal relationships
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Online safety and protection practices
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Child and adolescent well-being
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Research methodologies in psychology
Sevyn Smith
(They/Them)
Research Officer & UX Designer
Sevyn is a Systemic Psychotherapist-in-Training, qualitative researcher, and artist at University College Dublin, School of Medicine. With a joint Honours BSc in Kinesiology and Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience), their research investigates how complex trauma is manifested, maintained, embodied, and transformed within relational and institutional systems.
Drawing from intersectional and queer feminist perspectives, Sevyn examines the politics of care, the narratives through which identity and safety are either constrained or reclaimed, and the role of the nervous system and lived experience in restoring agency in psychotherapeutic evironments.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
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Complex trauma-relationship dynamics
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Nervous system regulation in complex trauma recovery
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Embodied and relational healing
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Narrative, storytelling, and meaning-making
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Intersectionality and 2SLGBTQIA+ wellbeing
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Decolonial and standpoint praxis
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Identity formation, attachment, and belonging
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Qualitative, dialogical, and participatory methodologies
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Trauma-informed psychotherapeutic interventions
Caoimhe Kenna
(She/Her)
Research Assistant
Caoimhe holds a MSc in Psychology.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
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Child development and digital technologies
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Qualitative methodologies
Luis Pinheiro
(He/Him)
Research Officer
Luis holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist at Autism Care Ireland. He has extensive experience working with LGBTQIA+ individuals and families, particularly in the context of domestic violence, identity development, and systemic support. Luis specialises in neurodevelopmental assessment across the lifespan and is also a Systemic Psychotherapist-in-Training at University College Dublin. His clinical and academic interests centre on neurodiversity-affirmative practice, LGBTQIA+ systems, and cross-cultural mental health.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
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Autistic development, assessment, and neurodiversity-affirmative clinical practice
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Identity, resilience, and relational dynamics in couples and families
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LGBTQIA+ family systems and pathways of support
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Cross-cultural clinical psychology and therapeutic engagement
