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Dr. Alina Paula Cosma

Assistant Professor (Psychology)
ARAS AN PHIARSAIGH

 cosmaa@tcd.ie

 3531896 1886


Biography

Alina Cosma is a researcher with extensive experience in the design and management of cross-sectional health surveys focusing on child and adolescent health and well-being. Alina was awarded a PhD in Psychology in 2015 from Babes Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania. She has held post-doctoral positions at prestigious universities in the UK (University of St Andrews), Ireland (RCSI, Trinity College Dublin), the Netherlands (Utrecht University), and Czechia (Palacky University Olomouc). Alina's research follows four main streams all aimed at better understanding current risk and protective factors in the global health and well-being of young people: i) time trends and predictors of change over time in adolescent health and mental health (within-country and cross-country perspectives); ii) social (e.g., gender, SES) and structural determinants (e.g., gender inequality) of adolescent health and well-being; iii) health and well-being in vulnerable populations (i.e., sexual minorities and adolescents with an immigration background); and iv) climate change, sustainability, and (mental) health. From 2011 onwards, Alina has been part of the cross-national survey Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) network where she is currently chairing the Early Careers Group and the Mental Health and Wellbeing Focus group. In addition, Alina has been collaborating with the WHO Regional Office for Europe and has published several WHO reports and policy briefs focused on child and adolescent health in the European Region. She currently holds positions in the International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH; Education Officer) and European Association for Developmental Psychology (EADP - Early Career Representative for Ireland).

Research Tags

  ADOLESCENT   Adolescent Health   Adolescent Psychology   Adolescents   BULLYING   Child and adolescent health   Child and Adolescent Mental Health   Cross-Cultural Studies   Cyberbullying   Emotional/Mental Health--Child/Adolescent

Research Projects

 GenerationZ

Representations

Details Date
Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) a WHO Collaborative Study Chair: Mental Health and Well-being Focus Group Previous: 2015-2023: Chair of the Early Career Group 2015 -2018: Research Project Officer HBSC network From 2011 onwards
European Association for Developmental Psychology Early Career National Representative for Ireland 2023
International Association for Adolescent Health 2020

Languages

Language Skill Reading Skill Writing Skill Speaking
English Fluent Fluent Fluent
French Medium Medium Medium
German Fluent Fluent Fluent
Romanian Fluent Fluent Fluent

Memberships

Membership of Professional Institutions, Associations, Societies

Details Date From Date To
Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2011
European Association for Developmental Psychology 2023
International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH) 2019
Cosma, Alina, Martin, Gina, Walsh, Sophie D., Chzhen, Yekaterina, Currie, Candace, Editorial: Contemporary perspectives in adolescent mental health, Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 2024, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Geraets, Anouk Francine Jacqueline, Cosma, Alina, Fismen, Anne-Siri, Ojala, Kristiina, Pierannunzio, Daniela, Kelly, Colette, Melkumova, Marina, Vassallo, Charlene, Gudelj Rakic, Jelena, Heinz, Andreas, Cross-national time trends in adolescent body weight perception and the explanatory role of overweight/obesity prevalence, Child and Adolescent Obesity, 6, (1), 2023, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Samdal O., Budin-Ljosne I., Haug E., Helland T., Kjostarova-Unkovska L., Bouillon C., Broer C., Corell M., Cosma A., Currie D., Eriksson C., Felder-Puig R., Gaspar T., Hagquist C., Harbron J., Jastad A., Kelly C., Knai C., Kleszczewska D., Kysnes B.B., Lien N., Luszczynska A., Moerman G., Moreno-Maldonado C., NicGabhainn S., Pudule I., Rakic J.G., Rito A., Ronnestad A.M., Ulstein M., Rutter H., Klepp K.-I., Encouraging greater empowerment for adolescents in consent procedures in social science research and policy projects, Obesity Reviews, 24, (S2), 2023, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Treble M., Cosma A., Martin G., Child and Adolescent Psychological Reactions to Climate Change: A Narrative Review Through an Existential Lens, Current Psychiatry Reports, 25, (8), 2023, p357 - 363, p357-363 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Boer M., Cosma A., Twenge J.M., Inchley J., Jericek Klanscek H., Stevens G.W.J.M., National-Level Schoolwork Pressure, Family Structure, Internet Use, and Obesity as Drivers of Time Trends in Adolescent Psychological Complaints Between 2002 and 2018, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 52, (10), 2023, p2061 - 2077, p2061-2077 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Alina Cosma, Measurement Invariance of the WHO-5 Well-Being Index: Evidence from 15 European Countries , International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, (16), 2022, Notes: [ https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169798], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
Alina Cosma, Gender Differences in Bullying Reflect Societal Gender Inequality: A Multilevel Study With Adolescents in 46 Countries, Journal of Adolescent Health, 2022, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  URL
Cosma A., Kolto A., Young H., Thorsteinsson E., Godeau E., Saewyc E., Nic Gabhainn S., Romantic love and involvement in bullying and cyberbullying in 15-year-old adolescents from eight European countries and regions, Journal of LGBT Youth, 2022, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Boer M., van den Eijnden R.J.J.M., Finkenauer C., Boniel-Nissim M., Marino C., Inchley J., Cosma A., Paakkari L., Stevens G.W.J.M., Cross-national validation of the social media disorder scale: findings from adolescents from 44 countries, Addiction, 117, (3), 2022, p784 - 795, p784-795 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Cosma, Measuring negative emotional responses to climate change among young people in survey research: a systematic review protocol, 2022, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL  URL
  

Page 1 of 5
Alina Cosma, Michal Molcho, William Pickett, A focus on adolescent peer violence and bullying in Europe, central Asia and Canada, Health Behaviour in School-aged Children international report from the 2021/2022 survey, Volume 2, World Health Organization, March, 2024, p1 - 40, Notes: [The WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study present crucial insights into adolescent bullying, cyberbullying, and peer violence across 44 countries and regions. With data from over 279,000 young respondents, this report highlights the changing landscape of adolescent interactions and the rise of cyberbullying amidst stable trends in traditional school bullying.], Report, PUBLISHED
Alina Cosma, Shynar Abdrakhmanova, Diana Taut, Karen Schrijvers, Carolina Catunda, Christina Schnohr, A focus on adolescent mental health and well-being in Europe, central Asia and Canada, https://iris.who.int/bitstream, Health Behaviour in School-aged Children international report from the 2021/2022 survey, Volume I, World Health Organisation, October, 2023, p1 - 65, Notes: [HEALTH BEHAVIOR HEALTH STATUS DISPARITIES SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS GENDER EQUITY ADOLESCENT HEALTH CHILD HEALTH MENTAL HEALTH], Report, PUBLISHED
nchley J, Currie D, Budisavljevic S, Torsheim T, Jåstad A, Cosma A et al., Spotlight on adolescent health and well-being. Findings from the 2017/2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey in Europe and Canada. International report. Volume 1. Key findings, WHO Regional Office for Europe, June, 2020, p1 - 72, Notes: [HEALTH BEHAVIOR HEALTH STATUS DISPARITIES SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS GENDER ADOLESCENT HEALTH CHILD HEALTH ADOLESCENT CHILD], Report, PUBLISHED

  

Awards and Honours

Award Date
"The study of trends in Health Behavior in School Aged Children (HBSC) research"- Ref. Scholarships 08/2021 at University of Padova, Department of Psychology and Socialization 2021
ZonMw: Gender in Research Fellowship: attending the research summer school on Gender in Health Research organized by Erasmus Summer Program, Rotterdam, Netherlands 2019
Basel Winter School Scholarship: On Leadership and Professional Skills for Psychologists and Psychiatrists 2018
Stefan Goanga Prize for best Psychology PhD thesis at Department of Psychology, Babes Bolyai University, Romania 2015
Scholarship for attending the EARA-SRA Adolescent Development Summer School, Utrecht, Netherlands 2014
Scholarship for attending the ISBBD Regional Workshop- Adolescent Development, Budapest, Hungary 2013
PhD- National Scholarship from Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania 2011-2015
Merit based scholarship from Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania 2007-2011

Research Interests

Description Of Research Interests

Specific topics: Adolescent mental health; Adolescent health and well-being; Gender and gender differences; Cross-national comparisons; Bullying, cyberbullying and child abuse & maltreatment ; climate change perceptions and emotions. Disciplines: Cross-cultural Psychology; Health Psychology; Global Health; Public Health; Interdisciplinary Social Sciences.