Raffaella Di Marzio received her doctorate in Psychology at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome, in June 2016, with a dissertation entitled “Affiliation and Disaffiliation from New Religious Movements. Presentation and deep analysis of the Rambo et coll.' integrated model”. In 2002 set up a Centre of Information on Cults, New Religious Movements, Cult-Watching and Anti-cult Groups: the Online Center http://www.dimarzio.info/en/
She is member of the managing board of SIPR (Italian Society of Psychology of Religion) and of Editorial Board of Psychology of Religion e-Journal (PRej). She is one of the HRWF network of experts which covers more than 20 countries. HRWF is a non-profit organization based in Brussels (Belgium) that promotes human rights through fact-finding missions, research and advocacy. She is also ICSA Today’s News Co-Correspondent for Italy and was the secretary of the Executive Committee of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB), until July 2016.
She has published more than 100 articles about cults, mind control, New Religious Movements and anti-cult groups, is a contributor to CESNUR’s Encyclopedia of Religions in Italy(2013) and to Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, 6 vol., ABC-Clio, Santa Barbara [California] 2010), J. Gordon Melton and Martin Baumann Editors.
Raffaella Di Marzio has B.A. degrees in Psychology (University “La Sapienza” of Rome, 1981), Educational Science (Pontifical Salesian University, 1981) and History of Religions (University “La Sapienza” of Rome, 2003) and Religious Science (Institute for Religious Studies Ecclesia Mater, linked to the faculty of theology of Pontifical Lateran University, 1986).
She is a Catholic religion teacher in a senior high school in Rome since 1981 and she has been Professor of Psychology of Religion at the Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences “Auxilium” in Rome. She is regularly invited to lecture at pontifical and state Universitieson Cults, New Religious Movements and topics regarding the Psychology of Religion in general.
She is in demand as a Cult and New Religious Movements expert for TV and radio shows, Conferences and Lectures widely.