Research Description

The central aim of Dr. Aras’ research is to better understand how personality, interpersonal functioning, and vulnerability to psychopathology develop and the mechanisms through which psychological change occurs. Her clinical and research interests particularly centre on early attachment relationships, early life adversity, mentalizing capacities, and the broader social environments that shape developmental trajectories from infancy through adulthood.

Drawing on a person-centered developmental psychopathology perspective, rather than viewing psychopathology solely as maladaptation, her research seeks to understand psychological difficulties as an adaptation to evolving relational and environmental contexts. Using longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, as well as evidence-based intervention research, she seeks to identify pathways that foster resilience and inform more effective prevention and treatment strategies for children and adults.

Research Interests

Her research interests comprise two complementary and interconnected lines of research:

Developmental Research

• Infancy
• Parent–infant relationship quality
• Attachment theory and research
• Perinatal mental health
• Observational assessment
• Parent–infant interventions

Adult Clinical Research

• Transdiagnostic approaches to psychopathology
• Personality disorders
• Common mental health difficulties
• Mentalizing
• Psychotherapy effectiveness
• Mechanisms of therapeutic change

Methods

• Longitudinal studies
• Clinical trials
• Developmental assessment
• Evidence synthesis

Research Opportunities

Dr. Aylin Aras welcomes applications from motivated undergraduate and graduate students interested in contributing to her research. She welcomes applications from students of diverse backgrounds, both in Türkiye and internationally. Interested applicants are invited to submit a CV and a brief cover letter outlining their research interests to aylin.aras@bogazici.edu.tr.