Tamara Mohorić

Emotional competence and socio-emotional learning

I am interested in the relationship between emotional competence and various criteria variables (e.g., empathy, depression, and anxiety in children, school success), and especially the role of emotional regulation in health outcomes (e.g., eating habits, obesity development). Students with good social and emotional competencies are more accepted by their peers, have more positive attitudes towards school, are more involved in learning, and receive more positive comments from their teachers. Research has found that social and emotional learning (SEL programs, both the ones implemented in schools and in extracurricular activities) in school aged children improves social and emotional skills, attitudes about self and others, connection to school, positive social behaviour, and academic performance; they also reduced students' conduct problems and emotional distress.

Measurement development and validation

A second strand of my research focues on the development and measurement of emotion understanding and emotion management (emotional regulation) in children and adolescents. I am also interested in the development of instruments in the field of emotional competence (questionnaires and tests) and cross-cultural validation of instruments. I have participated in several studies on cross-cultural validation of instruments.

Since 2019

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Rijeka, Croatia

2012 – 2019

Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Psychology, University of Rijeka, Croatia

2012

PhD in Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zagreb, Croatia

2002 – 2006

MSc in Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zagreb, Croatia

1997 – 2002

MA in Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Rijeka, Croatia

I have supervised 5 Masters students. Currently I am supervising 5 Masters students and co-supervising 2 PhD students.

• 2018: Rector's Award for Excellence in Teaching