Special Teaching Staff in Psychology

Qualifications

PhD in Clinical Psychology (University of Cyprus, 2026)

MSc in Clinical and Health Psychology (Bangor University, 2016)

BSc in Psychology (University of Sussex, 2016)[AYM1] 

Specialization

Clinical Psychology

Employment Track

List all previous relevant employment:

Clinical Trials Unit, Bank of Cyprus Oncology Center (2024 – 2025)

Internship – Clinical Psychologist under Supervision, Ayia Skepi (2021 – 2022)

Internship – Clinical Psychologist under Supervision, Kenthea (2022 – 2023)

Teaching Assistant, University of Cyprus (2019 – 2020)

Research Interests

My research interests focus on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and process-based approaches to psychological health, with a particular emphasis on psychological flexibility. I am interested in the psychometric evaluation and development of measures assessing ACT-related processes, including reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change. Additionally, my work explores the design and evaluation of digital and mobile-based ACT interventions, using ecological momentary assessment and micro-randomized designs to examine within-person change processes in real time. My research primarily focuses on oncology populations, investigating the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of ACT interventions and identifying which therapeutic processes are most beneficial for whom and under which circumstances.

Roles and Responsibilities (including past roles and responsibilities)

Teaching and Course Leadership 

• Instructor, Cognitive and Physiological Psychology, Introduction to Psychobiology and Cognition, Brain, Treatments and Behavior 
• Cognitive and Physiological Psychology, Introduction to Psychobiology and Cognition, Brain, Treatments and Behavior 

Selective Conference and Seminar Presentations 

• Demosthenous, S., Zacharia, M. & Karekla, M. (2019 July). Psychometric properties of the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) in a Greek Cypriot sample of young adults. Poster presented at the ACBS World Conference, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Demosthenous, S., Konstantinou, P. & Karekla, M. (2023 July). Applications of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Patients with Prostate Cancer: a Scoping Review. Poster presented at the ACBS World Conference, Nicosia, Cyprus.

• Demosthenous, S. & Karekla, M. (2024 December). Acceptability and Feasibility of the Virtual Coach: a micro-intervention based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for patients with Cancer. Poster presented at the Conference of Post-graduate Studies of the University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
• Demosthenous, S., Karekla, M. (2025). Acceptability and Feasibility of the “Virtual Coach”: Addressing challenges in adherence and data collection in an ACT-based Micro-Intervention for patients with Cancer. Oral presentation presented atCOST-ACTION 21152, Thessaloniki, Greece.