Psychology Split

27/05/2026

Psychology program on the 25th Psychology Days in Zadar

Last week, we had an opportunity to participate in a fantastic conference in the beautiful city of Zadar. The lectures and posters were fantastic, and we really appreciate the opportunity to meet current (and future) colleagues. During the workshop, besides professors, students also did their part and presented their studies as posters and lectures, and they deserve a mention for their participation:

Dea Miletić & Ana Majić: Is higher ability associated with higher self-esteem? A study of giftedness indicators in fourth-grade children (poster)

Mirjana Lozančić: Assessment of the Stroop effect in Croatian primary and secondary school-aged children: Case study from the “Science Comes to Town” event (poster)

Marina Čačija: The effectiveness of visual supports in teaching social skills in children with special needs (poster)

Bruno Kačer: Protection against burnout in professionals (psychiatrists) working with gambling addicts: a qualitative study (poster)

Lara Šimundić: The first therapy session counts: Investigating factors behind early discontinuation in online psychotherapy (poster)

Petra Kuzmanić: Patient perceptions of disease etiology and preferred therapy type: A cross-sectional survey in Clinical Hospital Center Split- location Križine (oral presentation)

Nika Vuco: Implementing evidence-based practice in psychotherapy: A Delphi study (oral presentation)

Tea Vranković: Employee motivation and work engagement in a heterogeneous work environment: A case study (oral presentation)

Moreover, we are very proud that we won two poster awards, one by our (newly employed) colleague Marko Galić for the poster Stress in seafarers while at home: An exploratory study into an overlooked reality (authors: Leon Sić, Ana Slišković, Marko Galić) and the other one by our student Lana Medvidović for the poster: Client motives and choice of therapist in an online setting.

Probably needless to say, but still, we thank everyone for promoting our program and upholding excellence in psychological education! We hope this and other events will have a profound impact on your professional development.

And we promise to return to Zadar in 2028!

21/05/2026

As part of our Friendships in May programme, organised by the Student Counselling Centre, today we enjoyed an inspiring Coffee with a Psychologist session with Amalija Hrepić Gruić, psychologist at the Association MOST.

Over coffee and conversation, we learned more about the everyday work of psychologists in the non-profit sector, including direct work with children and families. Amalija introduced us to the many opportunities for volunteering and getting involved in community support initiatives.

Thank you, Amalija, for sharing your experience, insights, and enthusiasm with our students. We truly enjoyed the discussion and look forward to future collaborations with Association MOST!

11/05/2026

Research Poster at the International WCRI 2026 Conference

Fourth-year psychology student Barbara Ćaćić presented her research poster at the prestigious 9th World Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI 2026), held from May 3 to 6, 2026, in Vancouver, Canada.

The poster, titled “The Effectiveness of Different Psychological E-mail Framings on Data Sharing: A Randomized Controlled Trial”, explores the topic of research data sharing within academia, with a particular emphasis on open science, transparency, and research integrity.

The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the challenges and practices surrounding data accessibility in scientific research. It also highlights important questions related to responsibility, ethical conduct, and transparency in the research process.

Participation in WCRI 2026 provided an excellent opportunity to present student research in an international academic environment, exchange ideas with researchers from around the world, and further develop professional expertise in the fields of research ethics and integrity.

We warmly congratulate Barbara on this significant achievement and wish her continued success in her academic and professional journey.

06/05/2026

Psychology Student Creative Expression Workshop

Recently, our students Sofia Soto Vrandečić and Barbara Trlaja led a creative expression workshop, introducing participants to creativity as both a psychological process and a form of personal expression.

Through hands-on work with clay, participants explored movement, touch, and sensory awareness in a relaxed and supportive environment. The workshop combined experiential learning with reflection, encouraging individuals to connect with their inner experiences in a non-verbal way.

Designed for educational and experiential purposes, the session highlighted how creative processes can foster self-awareness and provide a meaningful outlet for emotional expression.

We congratulate our colleagues on their initiative and contribution to student-led learning! ☺️

20/04/2026

ERASMUS GENERATION MEETING SPLIT 🌍

At the Erasmus Generation Meeting Split 2026, the largest student conference in Europe, the Department of Psychology actively participated in the Science Comes to Town project through its own interactive stand.

We shared fun and engaging activities with students from across Europe, in collaboration with the University of Split, the City of Split, the Centre of Excellence of Split-Dalmatia County, the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, and other partners.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our stand — hope you had as much fun as we did! :)

01/04/2026

Our undergraduate student, Renata Petani, participated in the 40th EFPSA Congress, an international event that brings together psychology students and experts to exchange knowledge and discuss contemporary topics in the field. The Congress took place in Baarlo, the Netherlands, at Kasteel De Berckt, a historic castle that served as the venue for the scientific and social programme.

The programme covered a range of themes, including artificial intelligence, ethics, and the broader application of psychological research in society. It featured keynote lectures by distinguished speakers, including a presentation by a representative of the American Psychological Association, as well as contributions from researchers such as Prof. Dr. Alette Smeulers, addressing topics ranging from global justice to emerging challenges in psychology.

At the Congress, she presented a research project examining how students and teaching faculty perceive individuals engaging in academic dishonesty, comparing AI-assisted cheating with human-assisted cheating. The study focuses on moral and competence judgments, as well as the role of perceived harm and social norms, contributing to a better understanding of how emerging technologies are shaping perceptions of academic integrity.

30/03/2026

Publication alert! 😎

Psychology students Lana Paladin, Ivana Periš, and Stela Lara Tenšek published a paper titled: "Predictors of life-satisfaction in Croatian war veterans: a cross-sectional study". A study of 167 Croatian war veterans found that higher income and strong friendships are linked to greater life satisfaction, while not having a partner is associated with lower well-being. Other factors, such as age, gender, religiosity, and pet ownership, showed no significant impact. The findings emphasize the importance of social connections and financial stability as key areas for support.

You can read more about the study here:
https://st-open.unist.hr/index.php/st-open/article/view/185

27/03/2026

Publication alert!🥳

A group of graduate psychology students, Bruno Kačer, Dea Miletić, Tea Vranković and Nika Vuco; co-authored a new publication in the field of research ethics. This study examined emerging tools and frameworks designed to improve ethics review in research and innovation. Across 39 publications, it identified a shift from traditional checklist-based approaches toward more anticipatory and participatory methods, such as scenario planning, ethical matrices, and governance frameworks. These tools emphasise early ethics integration, stakeholder engagement, and the management of uncertainty across domains such as AI, genomics, and public health. The findings highlight the need for more adaptive, forward-looking ethics governance in complex research contexts. Publication is available at:

Ethics review of research and innovation activities face growing challenges due to rapid scientific and technological advances, interdisciplinary research, and wider societal implications, such as ...

19/03/2026

Workshop "My Feelings and I” at DV Izvor Solin :)

A workshop titled “My Feelings and I” was held at a kindergarten, "Škrinjica" (DV Izvor Solin), with a group of 40 children. The aim of the workshop was to encourage children to recognize, understand, and express their emotions.

The workshop consisted of several parts:
In the introductory part, children took part in a discussion about different emotions and the situations in which they experience them. They were engaged and shared their own personal examples.

Through stories and pantomime, five basic emotions were presented in a fun and age-appropriate way, helping children recognize how emotions can be expressed.

The children were then introduced to simple strategies for coping with strong emotions, as well as ways to support themselves and their friends when feeling sad, angry, or worried.

The workshop concluded with a creative activity, where children expressed the importance of emotions through drawings and educational games.

A key message of the workshop: we can feel several different emotions at the same time — and every one of them is important. 💛

The activity was led by Psychology students from Split, Kate Musa, Lara Kondić, Nensi Žuljević, Tina Rogošić, Maja Šćepanović, and Lana Nimac Kalcina, under the mentorship of psychologist Zlatko Bajić, as part of Psychology Week.

11/03/2026

Our third-year psychology student, Ema Odeljan, participated in the KOKOSS Conference held in Šibenik from 24 to 26 February, where she delivered an oral presentation titled “Protection of Privacy and Professional Boundaries in the Implementation of Intensive Professional Assistance and Supervision of Child Care Arrangements – Responding to Attempts to Record Professionals.”

Her presentation addressed the growing issue of unauthorized recording of professionals during supervision of child care arrangements. With the widespread use of mobile devices, such incidents are becoming more frequent and represent a serious violation of privacy and confidentiality. Unauthorized audio recording, as well as the use or distribution of such recordings, may constitute criminal offenses against privacy.

The presentation also highlighted the legal and ethical implications of these situations and their impact on professionals’ work, as recording can increase pressure, mistrust, and anxiety in professional interactions. When professional safety is compromised, supervisors may refuse recording, suspend the procedure, and document the incident through official channels.

Congratulations to Ema on her presentation—we wish her continued success and look forward to seeing her represent our program in the future! 👏🎓