I essentially try to better understand the links between affect regulation and psychopathology, mainly by studying mental functioning (mentalization, alexithymia). Part of my work bears on the theoretical analysis of these themes, using a mainly psychoanalytical approach that integrates elements of theories of emotion. I also conduct empirical research using a number of methodological strategies: discourse analysis (quantitative and qualitative), creation and use of questionnaires, experimental tasks, etc. I created a grid for verbal elaboration of affect (GÉVA), a verbal measurement of affect mentalization, a central part of many research projects.

Research themes:

• Mentalization and affect regulation
• Exploration of forms of alexithymia
• Study of affect mentalization in psychopathology, particularly depression and borderline personality disorder
• Analysis of the role of sadness and positive emotions in mentalization
• Assessment and treatment of mental functioning

My field of research is cognitive neuropsychology. The approach is characterized by the study of the effects of brain lesions on cognitive functions. I am interested in musical perception and recognition; emotions; language; prosody; and memory. These functions all have a link with musical cognition, which remains my main field of interest. Aside from brain lesions, we also work with neurologically healthy adults or those with a specific congenital disorder (autism, congenital amusia). Lastly, we use various exploration techniques including, currently, event-related potential (ERP) responses, neuroimaging by magnetic resonance and electrodermal responses. Our team has access to two laboratories: one in the psychology department, in the GRENE research centre, and the other at the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal. I receive financial support for my research work from the NSERC and the CIHR (MRC) and from the FCAR and FRSQ.