Cabinet

125C

Department of Psychology

Prof. Dr. Melita Puklek Levpušček

Melita Puklek Levpušček is a full professor of educational psychology at the Department of Psychology, University of Ljubljana.

1994 - graduated in psychology, University of Ljubljana

1997 - MA in psychology from University of Ljubljana with the thesis “Sociocognitive Aspects of Social Anxiety and Its Developmental Trend in Adolescence”

2001 - PhD in psychology from University of Ljubljana by defending the thesis “Development of Psychological Individuation of Adolescents in Different Social Contexts”

2003 - Assistant Professor in Developmental Psychology

2005 - Assistant Professor in Educational Psychology

2011 - Associate Professor in Educational Psychology

2016 - Full Professor in Educational Psychology

In recent years she has been a member of different research groups and projects financed by the Slovenian Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the Slovenian Research Agency. She was a principal investigator for the Slovenian part in the international project Emerging Adulthood and Individuation in Austria, Slovenia and the USA. She was a project member of the COMENIUS project PAM-INA (Perception, Attitude, Movement-Identity Needs Action) financed by the European Comission within the framework of the Lifelong Learning Programme and the PESCA (Italian-Slovenian crossboard project about the healthy food and sensory education. She is a member of the research programme Applied Developmental Psychology financed by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS). She is a member of the EUTOPIA's research community MOST (Mobility of Student Teachers).

Recent projects:

Romantic relationships in emerging adults

Validation of the Individuation Test for Emerging Adults (ITEA) in different countries http://individuation-itea.si/ 

International mobility of student teachers and cultural intelligence.

Young people's decision-making for the teaching profession

CLIMYITRESS — Prevalence and factors of climate anxiety among Slovenian youth and innovative digital solutions designed to reduce distress and facilitate pro-environmental behavior (Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency, J7-50232, PI: Bojan Musil, University of Maribor, Slovenia, 2024–2028)

 

Research interests:

Psychosocial development of adolescents (social anxiety, climate anxiety, interpersonal difficulties, individuation in relation to parents and friends, learning autonomy); representations of adulthood and individuation in emerging adults; academic motivation and career development in emerging adults; digital citizenship; personality and social media use in emerging adults; multiple social contexts (family, peers, school) and adolescent development; personality, motivational and social determinants of academic achievement; professional development of student teachers.

Books

Puklek Levpušček, M., & Marentič Požarnik, B. (2005). Skupinsko delo za aktiven študij [Students Working in Groups]. Ljubljana: Educational Centre, Faculty of Arts.

Puklek Levpušček, M. (2006). Socialna anksioznost v otroštvu in mladostništvu: razvojni, šolski in klinični vidik [Social Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence: Developmental, Educational and Clinical Perspective]. Ljubljana: Scientific Research Centre, Faculty of Arts.

Ingles, C., Torregrosa, M. S., Mendez, X. F., Hidalgo, M. D., Puklek Levpušček, M., & Zupančič, M. (2008). Vprašalnik o medosebnih težavah v mladostništvu (VMTM) [The Questionnaire about Interpersonal Difficulties in Adolescence (QIDA)]. Ljubljana: Psychological Test Publishing, Assessment and Consultancy.

Puklek Levpušček, M. (2008). Lestvica socialne anksioznosti za mladostnike (LSAA) [Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SASA)]. Ljubljana: Psychological Test Publishing, Assessment and Consultancy.

Puklek Levpušček, M., & Zupančič, M. (2009). Osebnostni, motivacijski in socialni dejavniki učne uspešnosti [Personality, motivational and social determinants of academic achievement]. Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete.

Peklaj, C., Kalin, J., Pečjak, S., Puklek Levpušček, M., Valenčič Zuljan, M., & Ajdišek, N. (2009). Učiteljske kompetence in doseganje vzgojno-izobraževalnih ciljev v šoli [Teachers competencies and achieving educational goals in primary schools]. Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete.

Puklek Levpušček, M. (ur.) in Zupančič, M. (ur.) (2011). Študenti na prehodu v odraslost [Students at the transition to adulthood]. Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete.

Puklek Levpušček, M., Podlesek, A. in Šterman Ivančič, K. (2012). Dejavniki bralne pismenosti v raziskavi PISA 2009, (Digitalna knjižnica, Dissertationes, 21). Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. http://www.pei.si/Sifranti/StaticPage.aspx?id=124.

Zupančič, M. (ur.) in Puklek Levpušček, M. (ur.) (2018). Prehod v odraslost : sodobni trendi in raziskave [Emerging adulthood: Current trends and research]. Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete.

Puklek Levpušček, M. (ur.) in Depolli Steiner, K. (ur.) (2021). Izzivi in prakse poučevanja psihologije v srednjih šolah. Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete.

Chapters

Puklek Levpušček, M., & Zupančič, M. (2007). Slovenia. In J. J. Arnett (ed.), International Encyclopedia of Adolescence, 2 vols (pp. 866-877). Routledge: Taylor & Francis: New York, London.

Puklek Levpušček, M. (2010). Academic motivation, learning behaviour and achievement. In C. Peklaj (Ed.), Teacher competencies and educational goals (pp. 75-106). Aachen: Shaker Verlag.

Ilc Klun, M., & Puklek Levpušček, M. (2014). Europe and the EU: relationship between attitudes and knowledge among Slovenian students. In A. Klonari and T. Resnik Planinc (Eds.), European identity at the crossroads (pp. 123-138), Europa lernen, vol. 3. Zürich; Berlin: LIT.

Puklek Levpušček, M. (2015). Motiviranje otrok za zdravo prehrano. V: A. Podlesek (ur.), Otrok tega noče jesti - kaj pa zdaj? : senzorni pristop k vzgoji za zdravo prehranjevanje (str. 47-56). Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete.

Puklek Levpušček, M. (2018). Mladi, študij in karierna pričakovanja. V: M. Zupančič (ur.) in M. Puklek Levpušček (ur.), Prehod v odraslost: sodobni trendi in raziskave (str. 157-192). Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete. 

Uršič, L. in Puklek Levpušček, M. (2020). Učenci zadnje triade OŠ in dijaki o učenju na daljavo med epidemijo COVID-19. V: LEP, Žan (ur.), HACIN BEYAZOGLU, Kaja (ur.). Psihologija pandemije : posamezniki in družba v času koronske krize. 1. izd. Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete. 2020, str. 191-203. https://e-knjige.ff.uni-lj.si/znanstvena-zalozba/catalog/download/243/3…

Peer-Reviewed Articles

Puklek Levpušček, M.(2006). Adolescent individuation in relation to parents and friends: Age and gender differences. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 3, 238-264.

Puklek Levpušček, M., & Videc, M. (2008). Psychometric properties of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SASA) and its relation to positive imaginary audience and academic performance in Slovene adolescents. Studia Psychologica, 50(1), 49-65.

Puklek Levpušček, M., & Zupančič, M. (2009). Math achievement in early adolescence: The role of parental involvement, teachers’ behavior, and students’ motivational beliefs about math. Journal of Early Adolescence, 29(4), 541-570.

Pečjak, S., Puklek Levpušček, M., Kalin, J., Valenčič Zuljan, M., & Peklaj, C. (2009). Student’s social behaviour in relation to their academic achievement in primary and secondary school : teacher’s perspective. Psihologijske teme, 18(1),55-74.

Puklek Levpušček, M., & Gril, A. (2010). Patterns of individuation in Slovenian adolescents and their relationship with adolescents’ perceptions of parents, friends, and teachers. Behavioral Psychology/Psicologia Conductual,18(1), 119-138.

Zupančič, M., Ingles, C. J., Bajec, B., & Puklek Levpušček, M. (2011). Reliability and validity evidence of scores on the Slovene version of the Questionnaire about interpersonal difficulties for adolescents. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 42, 349-366.

Garcia-Lopez, L. J., Inglés, C. J., García-Fernández, J. M., Hidalgo, M. D., Bermejo, R., & Puklek Levpušček, M. (2011). Psychometric properties and clinical cut-off scores of the Spanish version of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents. Journal of Personality Assessment, 93(5), 474-482.

Puklek Levpušček, M., & Berce, J. (2012). Social anxiety, social acceptance and academic self-perceptions in high-school students. Društvena istraživanja, 21, 405-419.

Valenčič Zuljan, M., Peklaj, C., Pečjak, S., Puklek Levpušček, M., & Kalin, J. (2012). Didactic competencies of teachers from the learner’s viewpoint. Educ. stud., 38, 51-62.

Zupančič, M., Komidar, L. & Puklek Levpušček, M. (2012). Individuation in relation to parents : A case with Slovene emerging adult Students. Cogn. creier comport.,16, 265-292.

Puklek Levpušček, M., Zupančič, M., & Sočan, G. (2013). Predicting achievement in mathematics in adolescent students : The role of individual and social factors. Journal of Early Adolescence,33,523-551.

Brković, I., Keresteš, G., & Puklek Levpušček, M. (2014). Trajectories of change and relationship between parent-adolescent school-related conflict and academic achievement in early adolescence. Journal of Early Adolescence, 34(6), 792-815.

Komidar, L., Zupančič, M., Sočan, G., & Puklek Levpušček, M. (2014). Development and construct validation of the Individuation test for emerging adults (ITEA). Journal of Personality Assessment, 96, 503-514.

Zupančič, M, Komidar, L., & Puklek Levpušček, M. (2014). Individuation in Slovene emerging adults: its associations with demographics, transitional markers, achieved criteria for adulthood, and life satisfaction. Journal of Adolescence, 37, 1421-1433.

Zupančič, M., Friedlmeier, W., Puklek Levpušček, M., Sirsch, U., Bruckner, J., & Horvat, M. (2014). Perceptions of achieved criteria for adulthood among Austrian, Slovene, and U. S. students. SAGE open, okt. - dec. 2014. http://sgo.sagepub.com/content/4/4/2158244014556997.

Puklek Levpušček, M., Ingles Saura, C. J., Marzo Campos, J. C., & Garcia-Fernandez, J. M. (2015). School anxiety inventory: reliability and validity evidence in a sample of Slovenian adolescents. Psychology in the Schools, 52(9), 860-873.

Komidar, L., Zupančič, M., Bjoernsen, C., & Puklek Levpušček, M. (2016). Development of the short version of the Individuation Test for Emerging Adults (ITEA-S) and its measurement invariance across Slovene and U.S. emerging adults. Journal of Personality Assessment, 98(6), 626-639.

Puklek Levpušček, M., Rauch, V., & Komidar, L.(2018). Individuation in relation to parents as a predictor of career goals and career optimism in emerging adults. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 59(2), 146-156.

Kavčič, T., Puklek Levpušček, M., Zupančič, M., Poredoš, M., & Bjornsen, C. A. (2019). Personal correlates of problematic types of social media and mobile phone use in emerging adults. Human Technology, 15(2), 256-278.

Karatas, S., Puklek Levpušček, M., & Komidar, L. (2019). Demographic factors and individuation in relation to parents predicting attachment avoidance and anxiety in Turkish emerging adults. Current Psychology, 38(6), 1443-1455. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12144-017-9691-8.pdf

Šterman Ivančič, K., & Puklek Levpušček, M. (2020). Branje mladih leta 2009 in leta 2018 ter razlike v branju glede na spol in izobraževalni program. Šolsko polje: revija za teorijo in raziskave vzgoje in izobraževanja, 31(1/2, 11-33 https://www.pei.si/ISSN/1581_6044/1-2-2020/1581-6044.31(1-2).pdf

Puklek Levpušček, M., & Cukon, M. (2020). That old devil called 'statistics': statistics anxiety in university students and related factors. CEPS journal : Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal.  https://www.cepsj.si/index.php/cepsj/article/view/826/434

Puklek Levpušček, M., & Uršič, L. (2021). Slovenian parents' views on emergency remote schooling during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. CEPS journal : Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, vol. 11, pp. 263-290, doi: 10.26529/cepsj.1127.

Puklek Levpušček, M in Glavač, T. (2023). Beliefs about romantic relationships and sexual attitudes predicting romantic relationship experiences, intentions, and dating app use. The Open Psychology Journal, 16, Article e18743501268052. https://openpsychologyjournal.com/VOLUME/16/ELOCATOR/e18743501268052/FU…

Glavač, T.,& Puklek Levpušček, M. (2024). Romantic experiences in emerging adults: How they relate to the importance of romantic relationships and the quality of relationships with parents. Društvena istraživanja, 33 (2), 223-245. https://doi.org/10.5559/di.33.2.03

Puklek Levpušček, M., & Depolli Steiner, K. (2024). Perceptions of the teaching profession and motivation to teach among Slovenian university students. CEPS journal : Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal. https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.1745

Compulsory Courses

Elective Courses

Staff

Events

09. 11. - 11. 11. 2023
Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts

26th Neolithic Seminar 'Eurasian Neolithics: How Cultures and Societies Evolve and Why It Matters'

27. 02. 2023
Faculty of Arts

Online presentation of University of Ljubljana for prospective international students

13. 10. 2022
Administrative Office for Doctoral Study, Faculty of Arts

EUTOPIA Citizen Science Clinics

15. 09. 2022
Administrative Office for Undergraduate Study Programme, Faculty of Arts

Reception for International Students at the Faculty of Arts and at the University of Ljubljana (two separate events)

22. 02. 2022
Faculty of Arts

Online sessions for prospective international students, 22 February 2022 at 1.15 pm (CET)