My name is Angela Giugovaz, I’m a PhD candidate in Neural and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Trieste, working in the Clinical and Experimental Psychopathology lab. I earned my master’s degree in Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychology from the same university, with a thesis focusing on cognitive control and repetitive negative thinking as transdiagnostic risk factors for psychological distress. My PhD research explores the relationship between alcohol and cannabis use disorders and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Recently, I shifted my focus slightly away from suicidality to investigate the necessary conditions for cannabis and alcohol use.

I am currently conducting a three-month PhD visiting at the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, where I joined the CeSAR group to collaborate on a research project which aims to explore whether the Big Five personality traits in childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood can act as necessary conditions for problematic alcohol use in adulthood. Necessary Condition Analysis allows to identify conditions that are necessary for a specific outcome to occur. In other words, these are conditions that must be present for the outcome to exist—if they are absent, the outcome cannot occur. Applying this approach to personality and substance use may provide deeper insights into individual differences and their role in addiction. Moreover, distinguishing individuals at risk of developing a substance use disorder from those who are virtually immune could help tailor prevention and intervention strategies to a smaller, more specific population.

I am grateful for the opportunity to work with and be part of the CeSAR group. This experience has been incredibly enriching and productive.