Publications

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Books

• Devine, R. & Lecce, S. (Eds.) (2021). Theory of Mind in Middle Childhood and Adolescence: Integrating Multiple Perspectives. Psychology Press
• Lecce, S., Cavallini, E., & Ceccato, I. (2019). Promuovere la Teoria della Mente nell’anziano. Un programma di intervento per la comprensione dell’altro [Promoting theory of mind in elderly people. An intervention program. Milano, Franco Angeli.
• Lecce, S., & Bianco, F. (2018). Mettiti nei miei panni. Programma per promuovere l’empatia e le relazioni sociali con la teoria della mente - scuola primaria [Put yourself in my shoes. An intervention program to promote theory of mind in primary school]. Trento, Erickson
• Lecce, S., Cavallini, E., & Pagnin, A. (2010). La teoria della mente nell’arco di vita [Theory of mind across life span]. Bologna, Il Mulino.
• Lecce, S., & Pagnin, A. (2007). Il lessico psicologico: la teoria della mente nella vita quotidiana [Mental state talk: theory of mind in real life]. Bologna, Il Mulino

Scientific Articles

• Lecce, S., Ronchi, L., & Devine, R. (2021). Mind what teacher says: Teachers’ mental-state language and children’s theory of mind in middle childhood. Social Development. doi: 10.1111/sode.12552
• Cavallini, E., Rosi, A., van Vugt, F. T., Ceccato, I., Rapisarda, F., Vallarino, M., Ronchi, L., Vecchi, T., & Lecce, S. (2021).  Closeness to friends explains age differences in positive emotional experience during the lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. doi: 10.1007/s40520-021-01927-7
• Cavallini, E., Ceccato, I., Bertoglio, S., Francescani, A., Vigato, F., Ianes, A., Lecce, S. (2021). Can Theory of Mind of healthy older adults living in a nursing home be improved? A training study. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. doi: 10.1007/s40520-021-01811-4
• Bianco, F., Lombardi, E., Lecce, S., Marchetti, A., Massaro, D., Valle, A., & Castelli, I., (2021). Supporting children’s second-order recursive thinking and Advanced ToM abilities: A training study. Journal of Cognition and Development. doi: 10.1080/15248372.2021.1901712
• Del Sette, P., Ronchi, L., Bambini, V., & Lecce, S. (2021). Longitudinal associations between metaphor understanding and peer relationships in middle childhood. Infant and Child Development. doi: 10.1002/icd.2232
• Lecce, S., Bianco, F., & Hughes, C. (2021). Reading minds and reading texts: Evidence for independent and specific associations. Cognitive Development, 57, 101010. doi: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101010 
• Rosi, A., van Vugt, F., Lecce, S., Ceccato, I., Vallarino, M., Rapisarda, F., Vecchi, T., & Cavallini, E. (2021). Risk perception in a real-world situation (COVID-19): how it changes from 18 to 87 years old. Frontiers in Psychology, section Health Psychology. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.646558.
• Cavallini, E., Rosi, A., Ceccato, I., Ronchi, L., & Lecce, S. (2021). Prosociality in aging: the contribution of traits and empathic concern. Personality and Individual Differences, 176, 110735. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.110735

• Del Sette, P., Bambini, V., Bischetti, L., & Lecce, S., (2020). Longitudinal associations between ToM and metaphors in children. Cognitive Development, 56, 100958 doi: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2929.100958
• Bambini, V., Bischetti, L., Bonomi, C., Arcara, G., Lecce, s., Ceroni, M. (2020). Beyond the motor account of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: verbal humor and its relationship with the cognitive and pragmatic profile. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 55, 751–764. doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.12561
• Bambini, V., Tonini, E., Ceccato, I., Lecce, S., Marocchini, E., & Cavallini, E. (2020). How to improve social communication in aging: pragmatic and cognitive interventions. Brain & Language, 211. 104864
• Ceccato, I., Lecce, S., & Cavallini, E. (2020). Older adults’ beliefs about their ability to understand mental states. Journal of Adult Development, 27, 294-304. doi:10.1007/s10804-020-09348-y
• Lecce, S., Bianco, F., & Ronchi, L. (2020). Executive Function in the school context: the role of peer relationships. Infant and Child Development, Special Issue on Executive Functions in Context. Infant and Child Development, 29, e2151. doi: 10.1002/icd.2151
• Bianco, F., Lombardi, E., Massaro, D., Castelli, I., Valle, A., Marchetti, A., & Lecce, S. (2020). Enhancing advanced ToM skills in primary school: A training study with 7- to 8- year olds. Infant and Child Development, 28, e2155. doi:10.1002/icd.2155

• Ronchi, L., Banerjee, R., & Lecce, S. (2019). ToM and peer relationships: the role of social anxiety. Social Development, 29, 478-493. doi:10.1111/sode.12417
• Bischetti, L., Ceccato, I., Lecce, S., Cavallini, E., & Bambini, V. (2019). Pragmatics and Theory of Mind in older adults’ humor comprehension. Current Psychology, 1-17. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00295-w
• Rosi, A., Nola, M., Cavallini, E., & Lecce, S. (2019). Prosocial behavior in aging: which factors can explain age-related differences in the social economic decision-making? International Psychogeriatrics, 31, 1747-1757. doi: 10.1017/S1041610219000061
• Lecce, S., Ronchi, L., Del Sette, P., Bischetti, L., & Bambini, V. (2019). Interpreting Physical and Mental Metaphors: Is Theory of Mind associated with pragmatics in middle childhood? Journal of Child Language, 46, 393-407. doi:10.1017/S030500091800048X
• Lecce, S. & Bianco, F. (2019) The role of false-belief understanding in preschoolers’ development of metamemory: A training study. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 16, 697-711.doi: 10.1080/17405629.2018.1496908
• Lecce, S., Ceccato, I., Rosi, A., Bianco, F., Bottiroli, S., & Cavallini, E. (2019). Theory of Mind plasticity in aging: the role of baseline, verbal knowledge, and executive functions. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 29, 440-455. doi:10.1080/09602011.2017.1308871
• Lecce, S., Ceccato, I., & Cavallini E. (2019). Investigating ToM in aging with the MASC: from accuracy to error type. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 26, 541-557. doi: 10.1080/13825585.2018.1500996
• Ceccato, I., Lecce, S., Cavallini, E., van Vugt, F.T., Ruffman, T. (2019). Motivation and social-cognitive abilities in older adults: Convergent evidence from self-report measures and cardiovascular reactivity. PLOS ONE 14: e0218785. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218785
• Lecce, S., Ceccato, I., & Cavallini, E. (2019). Theory of Mind, Mental State Talk and Social Relationships in Aging: The Case of Friendship. Aging and Mental Health, 23, 1105-1112. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2018.1479832

• Zhang, X., Lecce, S., Ceccato, I., Cavallini, E., Zhang, L., & Tianyong, C. (2018). Plasticity in Older Adults’ Theory of Mind Performance: The Impact of Motivation. Aging and Mental Health, 22, 1592-1599. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2017.1376313v  
• Lecce, S. & Bianco, F. (2018). Working memory predicts children’s theory of mind development during middle childhood: A training study. Cognitive Development, 47, 71-81. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2018.04.002

• Lecce, S., Ceccato, I., Bianco, F., Rosi, A., Bottiroli, S., & Cavallini, E. (2017). Theory of mind and social relationships in older adults: the role of social motivation. Aging and Mental Health, 21, 253-258. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2015.1114586
• Caputi, M., Lecce, S., & Pagnin, A. (2017). The role of mother–child and teacher–child relationship on academic achievement. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 14, 141-158. doi: 10.1080/17405629.2016.1173538
• Mizokawa, A., & Lecce, S. (2017). Sensitivity to criticism and theory of mind: A cross cultural study on Japanese and Italian children. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 14, 159-171. doi:10.1080/17405629.2016.1180970
• Lecce, S., Bianco, F., Devine, R., & Hughes, C. (2017). Relations between ToM and EF in middle childhood: a short-term longitudinal study. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 163, 69-86. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2017.06.011
• Lecce, S., Caputi, M., Pagnin, A., & Banerjee, R. (2017). Theory of Mind and school achievement: the mediating role of social competence. Cognitive Development, 44, 85-97. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2017.08.0107

• Rosi, A., Cavallini, E., Bottiroli, S., Bianco, F., & Lecce, S. (2016). Promoting ToM in older adults: does age play a role? Aging and Mental Health, 20, 22-8. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2015.1049118.
• Bottiroli, S., Cavallini, E., Ceccato, I., Vecchi, T., & Lecce, S. (2016). Theory of Mind in aging: Comparing cognitive and affective components in the faux pas test. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 62, 152-162. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2015.09.009
• Bianco, F., Lecce, S., & Banerjee, R. (2016). Conversations about Mental States and Theory of Mind Development in Middle Childhood: A Training Study. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 149, 41-61 doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2015.11.006
• Bianco, F., & Lecce, S. (2016). Translating Child Development Research Into Practice: Can Teachers Foster Theory of Mind in Primary School? British Journal of Educational Psychology, 86, 592-605. doi:10.1111/bjep.12125

• Lecce, S., Bottiroli, S., Bianco, F., Rosi, A., & Cavallini, E. (2015). Training older adults on Theory of Mind: Transfer on Metamemory. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 60, 217-226. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2014.10.001
• Lecce, S., Caputi, M., Pagnin, A. (2015). False-belief understanding at age 5 predicts beliefs about learning in Year 3 of primary school. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 12, 40-53. doi: 10.1080/17405629.2014.949665
• Lecce, S., Demicheli, P., Zocchi, S., & Palladino, P. (2015). The origins of children’s metamemory: The role of theory of mind. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 131, 56-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2014.11.005
• Cavallini, E., Bianco, F., Bottiroli, S., Rosi, A., & Lecce, S. (2015). Training for generalization in ToM: a study with older adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 6:1123. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01123

• Hughes, C., Devine, R., Ensor, R., Koyasu, M., Misokawa, A., & Lecce, S. (2014). Lost in Translation? Comparing British, Japanese and Italian Children’s Theory of Mind Performance. Child Development Research Manuscript. Article ID 893492, 10 pages, 2014. doi:10.1155/2014/893492.
• Lecce, S., Caputi, M., & Pagnin, A. (2014). Long-term effect of theory of mind on school achievement: the role of sensitivity to criticism. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 11, 305-318. doi: 10.1080/17405629.2013.821944
• Lecce, S., Bianco, F., Devine, R., Hughes, C., & Banerjee, R. (2014). Promoting theory of mind in middle childhood: a training study. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 126, 52-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2014.03.002
• Lecce, S., Bianco, F., Demicheli, P., & Cavallini, E. (2014). Training Preschoolers on 1st-Order-False-Belief Understanding: Transfer on Advanced ToM Skills and Metamemory. Child Development, 85, 2404-2418. doi: 10.1111/cdev.12267

• Cavallini, E., Lecce, S., Bottiroli, S., Palladino, P., & Pagnin, A. (2013). Beyond False Belief: Theory of Mind in Young, Young Old, and Old-old Adults. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 76, 181-198. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/AG.76.3.a

• Caputi, M., Lecce, S., Pagnin, A., & Banerjee, R. (2012). Longitudinal effects of theory of mind on later peer relations: The role of prosocial behaviour. Developmental Psychology, 48, 257-270. doi: 10.1037/a0025402

• Lecce, S., de Bernart, D., Vezzani, C., Pinto, G., & Primi, C. (2011). Measuring sibling relationship’s quality during middle childhood: psychometric properties of Sibling Relationship Inventory. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 8, 423-436. doi: 10.1080/17405629.2010.530033
• Lecce, S., Caputi, M., & Hughes, C. (2011). Does Sensitivity to Criticism Mediate the Relationship Between Theory of Mind and Academic Competence? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 110, 313-331. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2011.04.011

• Lecce, S., & Hughes, C. (2010). “The Italian Job”?: Comparing theory of mind performance in British and Italian children. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 28, 747-766. doi: 10.1348/026151009X479006
• Hughes, C., Marks, A., Ensor, R., & Lecce, S. (2010). A Longitudinal Study of Conflict and Inner State Talk in Children’s Conversations with Mothers and Younger Siblings. Social Development, 19, 822-837. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9507.2009.00561.x
• Lecce, S., Zocchi, S., Pagnin, A., Palladino, P., & Taumoepeau, M. (2010). Reading minds: The relation between children’s mental state knowledge and their metaknowledge about reading. Child Development, 81, 1876-1893. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01516.x

• Lecce, S., Pagnin, A., & Pinto, G. (2009). Agreement in children’s evaluations of their relationships with siblings and friends. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 6, 153-169. doi: 10.1080/17405620701795536

• Hughes, C., Lecce, S., & Wilson, C. (2007). “Do you know what I want?” Preschoolers’ talk about desires, thoughts and feelings in their conversations with sibs and friends. Cognition and Emotion, 21, 330-350. doi: 10.1080/02699930600551691

• Hughes, C., Fujisawa, K. K., Ensor, R., Lecce, S., & Marfleet, R. (2006). Cooperation and Conversations about the Mind: A Study of Individual Differences in 2-year-olds and their Siblings. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 24, 53-72. doi:10.1348/026151005X82893

Book Chapters

• Lecce, S. & Devine, R. (in press). Social interaction in early and middle childhood: The Role of Theory of Mind. In H. J.  Ferguson, V. Brunsdon, & E. Bradford (Eds.), The Cognitive Basis of Social Interaction across the Lifespan. Oxford University Press
• Lecce, S., & Bianco, F. (2016). Training of theory of mind in school aged children: The effect of intervention. In Theory of mind as the basis of development: Understanding education, childcare, and autism, pp.143-159. Mineruva Shobo. [in Japanese]
• Pinto, G., & Lecce, S. (2012). Essere fratelli, vedersi fratelli [Being siblings, see each other as siblings]. In Mori C. (Eds.), Scenari dei legami fraterni. Le Lettere, pp. 97-117.
• Hughes, C., & Lecce, S. (2010). Early social cognition. In: Tremblay R.E., Barr R.G., Peters R. De V., Boivin M., (Eds.), Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development [online]. Montreal, Quebec: Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development; 2010:1-6. http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/documents/Hughes-LecceANGxp.pdf
• Lecce, S., Caputi, M., & Pagnin, A. (2010). La ToM come risorsa per la socializzazione in classe [ToM as a resource for socializing in the classroom]. In E. Baumgartner (Eds.), Gli Esordi della Competenza Emotiva. Strumenti di Studio e di Valutazione. LED, pp. 105-128.
• Lecce, S., Zocchi, S., & Pagnin, A. (2008). Il TEC: un’indagine longitudinale [The TEC: a longitudinal study]. In O. Albanese e P. Molina (Eds.), Lo sviluppo della comprensione delle emozioni e la sua valutazione. La standardizzazione italiana del Test di Comprensione delle Emozioni (TEC). Edizioni Unicopli, Torino, pp. 183-188.
• Pinto, G., Bombi, A. S., Cannoni, E., & Lecce, S. (2007). Psychometric bases. In A. S. Bombi, G. Pinto, & E. Cannoni. Pictorial Assessment of Interpersonal Relationships (PAIR). An analytic system for understanding children’s drawings. Florence, Florence University Press, pp. 9-22.
• Lecce, S., Palladino, P., & Pagnin A. (2007). Theory of mind and metacomprehension: which relationship?. In O. Liverta Sempio, A. Marchetti e A. Valle (Eds.), Intersubjectivity, Metacognition and Theory of Mind. Pubblicazioni ISU Università Cattolica, Milano, pp. 147-149.