While at Harvard, he conducted research on emotional development,
Down syndrome, child maltreatment, and the development of conditions such as
depression and
borderline personality disorder. In 1984, he edited a special issue of
Child Development on developmental psychopathology to introduce the field to the developmental research community. Cicchetti's research focuses on developing an integrative developmental theory to explain human psychological functioning. His work spans multiple domains, including developmental
psychopathology, the effects of
child maltreatment,
neuroplasticity, and
sensitive periods. He has also studied the impact of traumatic experiences on
brain development, the
biology and
psychology aspects of unipolar and bipolar
mood disorders, and the interactions among molecular, genetic, neurobiological, socio-emotional, cognitive, linguistic, and representational development in both typical and atypical populations. Additionally, his research examines attachment relationships, self-representation disorders across the lifespan, and multilevel perspectives on resilience. Cicchetti's research has been funded by the
National Institute of Mental Health, the
National Institute of Drug Abuse, the Office of Child Abuse and Neglect, and the
William T. Grant Foundation. ==Professional societies==