About this Research Topic

Background

The clinical setting is a unique environment where the interaction between individuals, specifically between a clinician and a patient, is pivotal in addressing the patient's distress and improving their interaction with their surroundings. Traditionally, social cognition topics such as attachment, empathy, and theory of mind have been extensively studied. However, recent advancements in neuroscience have introduced a new dimension to these constructs by emphasizing inter-subjectivity, which is the shared perception of reality between individuals. While dyadic relationships like mother-child and teacher-student have been explored, there remains a significant gap in understanding inter-subjectivity within clinical or therapeutic settings. This gap highlights the need for further investigation into how these interactions can be optimized to enhance therapeutic outcomes.

This Research Topic aims to gather high-quality, timely research papers that explore the concept of inter-subjectivity within clinical contexts. The primary objective is to deepen our understanding of how shared perceptions between clinicians and patients can influence therapeutic processes and outcomes. Specific questions include how attachment, empathy, and theory of mind manifest in clinical settings and how neuroscience and artificial intelligence can contribute to this understanding. The research will also test hypotheses related to the synchronization of brain and physiological responses between clinicians and patients during therapeutic encounters.

To gather further insights into the interaction between self and other in clinical settings, this collection welcomes articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Research on attachment, empathy, and theory of mind in clinical/therapeutic settings.
• Neuroscience and artificial intelligence (AI) studies related to clinical settings, including brain (hyperscanning with EEG, fNIRS, MRI) and psychophysiological synchronization (i.e. ECG, skin conductance).
• Methodological issues in investigating dyadic/inter-personal phenomena.
• Theoretical papers on clinical inter-personal domains, including models, open questions, and future research directions.

Contributors are encouraged to submit original research articles applying different study designs and methodologies, such as (but not limited to) cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, innovative and informative case studies, as well as systematic or narrative reviews and meta-analyses. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies are welcome.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: attachment, empathy, theory of mind, working alliance, psychotherapy, synchronization, mirror system, inter-subjectivity, social cognition

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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