Alexandra Ferreira-Valente’s research is grounded in clinical and health psychology, with a particular focus on the adaptation to chronic illness, including chronic pain. Her work seeks to advance the understanding of the psychological processes that shape how individuals with chronic illnesses experience and adjust to their condition, drawing on cognitive, emotional, existential, and sociocultural perspectives.

A central strand of her research concerns the personalization of psychological care, in line with the principles of the so-called “precision medicine.” In this context, she is interested in identifying which interventions are most effective for whom, examining how individual characteristics—such as beliefs, meaning-making processes, coping strategies, and sociocultural context—influence therapeutic outcomes.

She is also interested in adopting a phenomenological-existential perspective in the study of chronic illness, with a strong emphasis on the lived experience of pain and suffering. Her work explores how individuals with chronic illnesses experience meaning in life and make sense of their condition and how these variables shape individuals' identity, psychological well-being, and long-term adaptation.

In addition, she is interested in key issues in psychopathology, mental health, stigma, and human rights. She supervises dissertations that examine the intersections between psychological distress, access to appropriate healthcare, and equity within healthcare systems.