Invitation

Dear colleagues and friends, dear associates,

It is my great honour and pleasure to announce the 2nd International Scientific Conference of the Department of Psychology on the theme Brain and mind: promoting individual and community well–being which will be held at the Catholic University of Croatia in Zagreb from 12-14 December 2019.

In the modern world, there is a growing number of children, youth, and adults suffering from brain damages. On the one hand, this is a consequence of the increasing advancements in medicine that ensure survival even after severe injuries. On the other hand, there is an increasing number of young, working people who suffer from, for example, cerebrovascular diseases. We are aware that our society is aging; a large number of people experience high age, and the number of individuals diagnosed with various forms of dementia has also increased. Therefore, the emphasis of our 2nd International Scientific Conference will be on promoting the well-being and raising the quality of life of people with brain damage, developmental, and other difficulties, as well as their families and the communities they live in.

At the conference, we will deal with various thematic areas, here I will list only a few of them: developmental difficulties of children and young people; behavioural disorders and their impact on family relationships; cognitive and emotional difficulties and quality of life of individuals with brain damage; prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of persons with brain damage, developmental and other disabilities; quality of life of elderly people and individuals with brain damage. At the conference we will also discuss the relationship between stress and mental health, including the individual’s and community’s adjustment to traumatic life events, traditional and modern theoretical, methodological, and diagnostic approaches in brain and behaviour research, risk and protective factors in brain health, as well as neuroethics and socially-responsible behaviour in diagnostics, research, and treatment.

All these topics are something that psychologists, as well as experts in related and other professions, such as psychiatrists, pediatricians, neurologists, oncologists, neurosurgeons, work and speech therapists, social workers, nurses, social pedagogues, rehabilitators, and others  meet with in their everyday practice and scientific work. If we consider the wider social context, it is also important to emphasise the role of education in terms of changing attitudes, the relationship towards such individuals, and the role of programs and social policies aimed at improving the well-being and quality of life of individuals with brain damage and their families, developmental and other difficulties.

In order to provide them with a better overall quality of life, the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach is very important, and therefore I cordially invite you to actively join and participate in our conference by organising thematic symposia, presenting scientific or professional papers and posters, organising round tables, workshops, or suggesting some other forms of work during the conference. This is the place where we can exchange our knowledge in the field of diagnostics, therapy, and rehabilitation of people with brain damage, developmental and other difficulties, and thus contribute to further development of interdisciplinary cooperation in these areas of our work.

I would especially like to invite students to join us at this conference by organising the Student section where they will present their professional and/or scientific work that they have done during their studies, individually, or under the guidance of their professors.

On behalf of the Programme and Organisation Committee of the 2nd International Scientific Conference, I invite you to attend our conference and, in the wonderful advent mood in Zagreb, be a part of our scientific and professional community. We would like our university, the Catholic University of Croatia, to be the place where we can share our experiences and examples of good practice, scientific, and professional knowledge, as well as discuss many open issues and ultimately provide some guidance in the area of ​​diagnostics, therapy and rehabilitation of individuals with brain damage, developmental, and other difficulties, provide assistance and support to their families, as well as to the wider community.

We hope that many experts from Croatia and abroad will participate in our gathering. We look forward to welcoming you in Zagreb on 12,-14 December 2019.

Chairwoman of the Programme Committee
Ljiljana Pačić-Turk, Head of the Department of Psychology