Dr Militsa Nikiforou
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN PSYCHOLOGY AND COURSE LEADER OF BSC (HONS) PSYCHOLOGY
[email protected]
+357 24694000
Qualifications
PhD in Psychology (University of Cyprus, 2013)
MSc Cognitive, Developmental and Educational Psychology (University of Cyprus, 2010)
BΑ Educational Sciences (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 2008)
PGCert of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (University of Central Lancashire, 2017)
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (University of Central Lancashire, 2020)
Specialization
Developmental and Educational Psychology
Employment Track
Assistant Professor in Psychology, UCLan Cyprus (2022 – present)
Lecturer in Psychology, UCLan Cyprus (2013 – 2022)
Special Teaching Staff, Open University of Cyprus (2020)
Special Teaching Staff, Open University of Cyprus (2019)
Special Teaching Staff, Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus (2017)
Special Teaching Staff, Ministry of Education, University of Cyprus, Pre-Service Program for Secondary Education (2016 – 2017)
Consultant, Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus (2015 – 2016)
Special Teaching Staff, Ministry of Education, University of Cyprus, Pre-Service Program for Secondary Education (2015 – 2016)
Consultant, Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus (2014 – 2015)
Special Teaching Staff, Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus (2012 – 2014)
Consultant, Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus (2013 – 2014)
Teaching Assistant, Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus (2011 – 2012)
Memberships (Academic/Professional)
- European Association for Research in Adolescence (EARA)
- Hellenic Psychological Association
- Cyprus Psychological Association (CYPSA)
Research Interests
Bullying and victimization, Parent-child relationship, adolescence, childhood, Cyberbullying; adolescents’ problem behaviour; internalizing and externalizing problems in children; Sources of Parental knowledge; Parent-child conflict; delinquency; antisocial behaviour during childhood and adolescence; attitudes towards society, development of prosocial behaviour in children.
Roles and Responsibilities (including past roles and responsibilities)
Teaching and Course Leadership (UCLan Cyprus)
- Course Leader (2015 – 2018, 2021 – present), BSc (Hons) Psychology
- Module Leadership/Delivery (UCLan Cyprus): PS1400: Psychology in Practice, PS1200: Biopsychology and Cognition, PS1020: Social and Developmental Psychology, PS1650: Turning Goldfish into Elephants, PS1610: Introduction to Evolutionary Psychology, PS1710: Historical Foundations of Psychology, PS1640: Psychology of the Media, PS2800: Forensic Psychology, PS2040: Individual Differences, PS3070: Psychology Placement Module, PS3015: Crime impacts and consequences, PS4802: Personal Attributes of Offenders and Victims (MSc 1 semester-invited lecturer), PS4803: Professional Practice: Forensic Consultancy and Supervision (MSc 1 semester-invited lecturer)
Previous Teaching Experience
- Module Leadership/Delivery (University of Cyprus and Open University Cyprus): Educational Psychology, Family psychology, Counseling Psychology (MSc), Police and Forensic Psychology (2 years-distance learning)
Administrative Roles
- Student Experience and Engagement Committee (2015-2016, 2019-2020)
Selective Publications
- Przepiórka, A., Błachnio, A., Sullman, M., Gorbaniuk, O., Yat-Fan Siu, N., Hill, T., Gras, M. E., Kagialis, A., Lisun, Y, Díaz-Peñaloza, M., Manrique-Millones, D., Nikiforou, M., Evtina, G. S., Taylor, J. E., Tekes, B., Šeibokaite, L., Wundersitz, L., Calvo, F., & Font-Mayolas, S. (2021). Facebook Intrusion as a Mediator Between Positive Capital and General Distress: A Cross-Cultural Study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 1-8.
- Charalampous, K., Georgiou, S., Demetriou, C, Tricha, L., Nikiforou, M., & Stavrinides, P. (2020). Comparing short-term growth in traditional and cyber forms of bullying in early and mid-adolescent students. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 1-17.
- Charalambous, K., Demetriou, C., Tricha, L, Ioannou, M., Georgiou, S., Nikiforou, M., & Stavrinides, P. (2018). The effect of parental style on bullying and cyber bullying behaviors and the mediating role of peer attachment relationships: A longitudinal study. Journal of Adolescence, 64, 109-123.Stavrinides, P., Nikiforou, M., & Georgiou, S. (2015). Do mothers know? Longitudinal associations between parental knowledge, bullying, and victimization. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 32, (2), 180-196.
- Georgiou, S., Stavrinides, P., & Nikiforou M. (2015). Bullying and victimization in Cyprus: The role of social pedagogy. International Journal of Social Pedagogy.Special issue on Social Pedagogy in Times of Crisis in Greece, 4, (1), 43-54.
- Stavrinides, P., & Nikiforou, M. (2016). Bullying and victimization among 4 to 8 year olds: temperamental, parental, and systemic correlates. Contemporary Perspectives in Early Childhood Education.Information Age Publishing.
- Nikiforou, M. & Stavrinides, P. (2016).Victims of School Bullying: Predictors and Outcomes.In: Victims and victimization: Risk Factors, Intervention Strategies, and Socioemotional Outcomes. New York: Novascience Publishers.
- Nikiforou, M., Georgiou, S., & Stavrinides, P. (2013). Attachment to parents and peers as a parameter of bullying and victimization. Journal of Criminology, Special Issue on Bullying and Victimization, 1,1-9.
- Stavrinides, P., & Nikiforou, M. (2013).Parenting: Challenges, practices, and cultural influences. In Barberis, P., & Petrakis, S. (Eds). Parenting: Challenges, practices, and cultural influences. New York: Novascience Publishers.
- Stavrinides, P.,Tsivitanou, A., Nikiforou, M., Hawa, V., & Tsolia, V. (2013). Longitudinal associations between bullying and children’s preference for television violence. International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 2,72-78.
- Stavrinides, P., Georgiou, St., Nikiforou, M, & Kiteri, E. (2011). Longitudinal investigation of the relationship between bullying and psychosocial adjustment. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 8, (6), 730–743.
Selective Conference and Seminar Presentations
- Vrasidas, C., Nikiforou, M., Charalambous, V., & Michael, D. Implementing School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support with Fidelity. International School Psychology Association ISPA 42nd Conference, Nicosia, Cyprus, July 13-16, 2021.
- Nikiforou, M. Parenting characteristics and practices as parameters of bullying and victimization: a mixed method design. European Congress of Psychology, Moscow, Russia, July 2 – 5, 2019.
- Nikiforou, M. Bullying, empathy, and anxiety: a short-term longitudinal study. 6th Developmental Psychology Conference of the Hellenic Psychological Association, Thessaloniki, Greece, May 10 – 13, 2018.
- Nikiforou, M. Bullying, empathy, and anxiety: a short-term longitudinal study. 22nd Workshop Aggression, Limassol, Cyprus, November 23 – 26, 2017.
- Nikiforou, M., Stavrinides, P., Georgiou, S. Parenting, bullying, and the moderating role of callous-unemotional traits. The 16th Psychology Conference of the Hellenic Psychological Association, Thessaloniki, Greece, May 17 – 21, 2017.
- Nikiforou, M. Attachment to Parents and Peers as a Parameter of Bullying and victimization: The moderating role of gender. 20th Workshop Aggression, Linz, Austria, November 20 – 21, 2015.
- Nikiforou, M. Do mothers know? Longitudinal associations between parental knowledge, bullying, and victimization. The 15th Psychology Conference of the Hellenic Psychological Association, Nicosia, Cyprus, May 27 – 31, 2015.
- Nikiforou, M. Psychosocial profiles of bullies, victims and cyber-bullies and cyber-victims. The 15th Psychology Conference of the Hellenic Psychological Association, Nicosia, Cyprus, May 27 – 31, 2015.
- Nikiforou, M. Attachment to parents and peers as a parameter of bullying and victimization.4thDevelopmental Psychology Conference of the Hellenic Psychological Association, Rethymno, Greece, May 8 – 11, 2014.
- Nikiforou, M. The Relationship between Personal Characteristics and Bullying Behaviour. European Congress of Psychology, Stockholm, Sweden, July 9 – 12, 2013.
- Nikiforou, M. Parenting practices as parameters of bullying and victimization: the moderating role of callous-unemotional traits. The 14 Psychology Conference of the Hellenic Psychological Association, Alexandroupoli, Greece, May 15 – 19, 2013.
- Nikiforou, M. Parental practices and characteristics and externalizing/internalizing problems.2ndConference of the Hellenic School of Parents, Athens, Greece, November 8 – 10, 2012.
- Nikiforou, M. Maternal depression and externalizing problems: a longitudinal study.3rd Developmental Psychology Conference of the Hellenic Psychological Association, Thessaloniki, Greece, May 17 – 20, 2012.
- Nikiforou, M., Stavrinides, P., & Georgiou, N. Parental and socio-emotional correlates of in-group and out-group attitudes in Greek-Cypriot adolescents. The 12th European Congress in Psychology, Istanbul, July 3 – 10, 2011.
Selective Research Funding/Grant Capture
- PIN programme by Youth Board of Cyprus and the National Betting Authority titled “Building a healthy future: Learning to control my behaviour”, Principal Investigator and Work Package Leader, €12.2K, 2018 – 2019
- Internal Call for Early Careers/Starters by University of Cyprus, “Developmental trajectories of bullying and cyberbullying behaviours in children and adolescents”, Research Assistant, €25K, 2015 – 2017
- Ministry of Education-Educational Service, “Bullying, empathy, and anxiety: a short-term longitudinal study”, Research Assistant, €3.5K, 2012 – 2013
Scholarships/Awards
- Cyprus State Scholarship Foundation for Undergraduate Studies in Education in Greece (full scholarship for the academic years 2004 – 2008).
- Cyprus State Scholarship Foundation for the Masters Degree in Cognitive, Developmental and Educational Psychology at the University of Cyprus (full scholarship for the academic years 2008 – 2010).
- Cyprus State Scholarship Foundation for Doctoral Studies in Psychology at the University of Cyprus (full scholarship for the academic years 2010 – 2013).
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus (scholarship for the academic year 2012 – 2013 for doctoral studies).
Other Scholarly and Outreach Activities
- Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus, conducting seminars related to educational development of teachers and assistant principals of public high schools of Cyprus.
- Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus, conducting seminars related to bullying to parents.
- Delivery of seminars to youth from 18-35 years old in regards to pathological gambling. Co-operation with the Youth Board of Cyprus and the National Betting Authority.
- Delivery of seminars to the English School and American Academy and to a number of public high schools and elementary schools in regards to anti-bullying strategies.
- Delivery of seminars in regards to cyberbullying to school counsellors of Larnaca and Famagusta.
