
Adrijana Bjelajac
Division of Occupational and Environmental Health
PhD / Senior Scientific Associate
Adrijana Bjelajac (ex Košćec), Ph.D., psychologist-psychotherapist, Associate professor
Full list of publications: https://www.croris.hr/crosbi/searchByContext/2/4716?lang=en
Education
- 2012 Gestalt Psychotherapist, Institut für Integrative Gestalttherapie Würzburg
- 2011 Systemic Gestalt Coach, Institut für Integrative Gestalttherapie Würzburg
- 2006 Ph.D. in psychology, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- 2002 M.Sc. in psychology, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- 1996 B.A. in psychology, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Work Experience
- 2023- Senior scientific Associate, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb
- 2017-2023 Scientific Associate, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb
- Since 2017 Supervisor to Gestalt psychotherapy students
- 2011-2017 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb
- Since 2011 Psychotherapist in private practice
- 2009-2011 Director and psychologist, Točka promjene – consulting and development
- 1998-2009 Assistant, Senior Assistant, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb
Fields of interest
Since 2024 Team member and PI of the work package Mental Health of the project financed by the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education: Interactions between human and environmental health: determinants for health preservation – HumEnHealth (J. Macan)
Since 2019 Team member on project financed by the Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ): Exposure to pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides in children – risk assessment for adverse effects on neuropsychological development and hormonal status – PyrOPECh (V. M. Varnai)
2021-2023 ICOSS collaboration – 2nd Survey: Sleep disorders related to coronavirus infection and confinement during COVID-19 Pandemic (A. Bjelajac, PI for Croatia)
2017-2021 Team member on international projects: CA16216 Network on the Coordination and Harmonisation of European Occupational Cohorts (EU, Chair I. Sivesind Mehlum); Chronic hand eczema in Europe: Patients’ experiences and perspectives (CHEPEP) (European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology, A. Bauer, J. Macan). PI and team member on research project financed by the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health: Sleep quality in different age groups in Croatia before and during COVID-19 pandemic (CoV-Sleep) (A. Bjelajac), Determination of body composition and chronic stress by bioimpedance method (S. Cvijetić Avdagić); Interaction of constitutional and occupational risk factors on the incidence of occupational contact dermatitis in hairdressing apprentices during vocational training (J. Macan); Contact hand dermatitis in dentists and medical doctors: prevalence and risk factors (J. Macan i L. Lugović Mihić); Preventing child poisonings by educational intervention aimed at parents of preschool children (Ž. Babić).
2013-2019 Team member on research projects financed by the University of Zagreb: Relationship between Psychosocial Factors, Cognitive Function and Sleep Quality Indices with Length of Life in Older Persons; Relationship Between Sleep Quality, Functioning and Quality of Life in Older Persons; Long Term and Short Term Predictors of Sleep Quality and Life Satisfaction in Older Persons; Biopsychosocial predictors of quality of life in older persons in different living arrangements; Well-being of different family generations in contemporary work designs (J. Despot Lučanin).
1998-2013 Team member on research projects financed by the ministry in charge: Problem Sleepiness: Sociocultural, Behavioural and Psychophysiological Aspects (B. Radošević-Vidaček); Problem Sleepiness: Psychophysiological and Behavioural Aspects (B. Radošević-Vidaček); Impact of New Technologies on Health (M. Gomzi) and PI or team member on two research projects financed from other sources: Adolescent sleep patterns, daytime sleepiness and performance efficiency in a two-shift school system (European Sleep Research Society, A. Košćec); Primary Prevention of problem Sleepiness in Adolescence (City of Zagreb, B. Radošević-Vidaček).
Additional training
- 2003 William C. Dement Fellowship–Sleep and Chronobiology Summer Behavioral Sciences Research Apprenticeship; Brown University, USA
- 2003 European Sleep Research Society Course on Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research
- 2001 Basics and Concepts of Chronobiology and Their Application to Human Health and Disease; International Society for Chronobiology
Awards
- 2015 Annual award of the Centre for Croatian Studies for scientific paper with high international visibility published in 2014
- 2005 Annual award of the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health to young scientist for papers published in 2004
- 2004 European Sleep Research Society Young Scientist Award
- 2004 European Sleep Research Society–Sanofi-Synthelabo Sleep Research Grant
- 1997 Croatian Psychological Association Award for B.A. thesis
Memberships
- Croatian Chamber of Psychotherapists (HKPT)
- Croatian Chamber of Trade and Crafts (HOK)
- Croatian Psychological Chamber (HPK)
- Croatian Psychological Society (HPD)
- European Association for Gestalt Therapy (EAGT)
- European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP)
- European Sleep Research Society (ESRS)
- Society of Gestalt and Integrative Psychotherapists of Croatia (DGIPH)
- Society of Imago Therapists of Croatia (DITH)
- Zagreb Psychological Society (ZPD)
- Since 2020 member of the Ethical Committee of the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health
- Since 2020 member of the Ethical Committee of the Society of Gestalt and Integrative Psychotherapists of Croatia
- Since 2020 member of the Supervisory Board of the Croatian Chamber of Psychotherapists
- Since 2017 member of the Executive Committee of the journal Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology
- Since 2015 member of the Committee for evaluation of programs for propaedeutics in psychotherapy of the Association of Psychotherapy Societies of Croatia
- Since 2011 chair, co-chair, member of organizational and/or program committees of national and international professional and/or scientific meetings
- 2012-2014 deputy head of Department of Psychology, Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb
- 2012-2017 founder and coordinator of Support Services for Students with Disabilities, Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb
- 2013-2017 founder and coordinator of Student Counselling Services, Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb
Other
Teaching at university level
- Since 2022 Safety, health at work and environment, Faculty of Metallurgy, University of Zagreb
Graduate course: Health effects of chemical hazards
- 2019-2023 Safety, health at work and environment, Faculty of Metallurgy, University of Zagreb
Undergraduate course: Work Psychology
- 2002-2020 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Croatian studies, University of Zagreb
Undergraduate courses: Introduction to Clinical Psychology, Introduction to Scientific Research, Work Psychology
Graduate courses: Applied Organisational Psychology, Creative Techniques in Psychotherapy and Counselling, Ergonomics, Psychology of Organisational Behaviour, Psychology of Sleep and Wakefulness, Psychotherapy Modalities, Student Placements
Professional activity
- Licenced to practice psychotherapy in Croatia (HKPT)
- European Certificate of Psychotherapy (ECP)
- European Certificate of Gestalt Psychotherapy (ECGP)
- Licensed to practise psychology in Croatia (HPK)
Other professional engagements
- Since 2022 member of the Committee for propaedeutics of the Croatian Chamber of Psychotherapists
- Since 2020 member of the Ethical Committee of the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health
member of the Ethical Committee of the Society of Gestalt and Integrative Psychotherapists of Croatia - 2020-2022 member of the Supervisory Board of the Croatian Chamber of Psychotherapists
- Since 2017 member of the Executive Committee of the journal Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology
- 2015-2022 member and chair of the Committee for evaluation of programs for propaedeutics in psychotherapy of the Association of Psychotherapy Societies of Croatia
- Since 2011 chair, co-chair, member of organizational and/or program committees of national and international professional and/or scientific meetings
- 2012-2014 deputy head of Department of Psychology, Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb
- 2012-2017 founder and coordinator of Support Services for Students with Disabilities, Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb
- 2013-2017 founder and coordinator of Student Counselling Services, Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb