07/02/2025
Dr. Regina Green is thrilled for the opportunity to begin a research collaboration this summer as a visiting scholar at the American University of Rome (AUR), in partnership with her home institution, where she serves as an assistant clinical professor.
Titled “Cultural Lifestyle, Food, and Mental Health: A Cross-Cultural Study of Mental Health and Well-being in Italy and the United States,” this study will explore how core elements of the Italian lifestyle—such as culinary traditions, community-centered values, and slower-paced daily routines—contribute to mental health and emotional well-being. It will also examine how these outcomes differ from those commonly seen in the United States, particularly through a cultural lens.
During this initial visit, her primary focus will be on qualitative immersion and observational groundwork, allowing her to gain a deeper, lived understanding of daily life in Italy. She is also excited to take an Italian language & culture course concurrently, which Dr Green believes will enrich her engagement with the local community and enhance the depth and authenticity of her research.
Dr. Green looks forward to the insights this project will yield over the next few years and the opportunity to help shape more holistic, culturally informed mental health strategies. This collaboration also holds exciting potential to inform broader conversations and innovations in global mental health practice—including areas such as social connectedness, food-based interventions, and integrative approaches to eating disorder treatment.
