Below you can check out what we have been up to recently. We regularly update this section with ongoing activities, news from members of our association, and many more. If you want to look at an overview of our past activities, we refer you to our past newsletter archive. 

To all our followers and/or members: We would love to hear your opinion about the future of the EADP!🙏

Our priority is YOU: our strong international community of developmental psychology researchers across Europe ❤️ Let us know how we can build an even stronger network together via our survey

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us!

Applications are now open for the EADP-ERU Writing Week 2026!! 

What is the EADP-ERU writing week?

A collaborative event where early career researchers work together on a pre-registered scientific paper with guidance from senior scholars providing datasets.

Who can apply?

Early career researchers (PhD students and postdocs) in developmental psychology interested in the research topics addressed during the writing week. 

What are the costs?

€150,- including participation fee, 4 nights in double rooms, all meals. Travel and personal costs are not included. Three fee waivers are available for participants with proven financial constraints, please mention it in the motivation letter if you want to be considered (including details on country of origin and/or institutional funding). 

Who are the senior scholars and this year's topics?

• Peter Titzmann: Development and migration-related adaptation among adolescents
• Claire Monks: Developmental origins and aggressive and bullying behavior among young children
• Sabina Kapetanovic: Links between mid-adolescent mental health problems and gaming
• Susan Branje: Identity and relationships during school transitions from early adolescence to young adulthood
• Salvatore Ioverno: Creating safer and more affirming schools: the role of policies and practices in supporting LGBTQI+ students

How to apply?

Please send the following documents to the ERU secretary ([email protected]) by June 12th, 2026.

1) Motivation letter including:

• What do you want to learn in this writing week?
• How do you think that this experience can impact your professional career?
• What can you offer other participants of your group? (e.g., open science, statistics, and/or other relevant expertise)

2) Detailed CV

3) Document specifying your 2 preferred topics and why; please, also mention which one would be your first vs second choice.

The EADP is inviting you to submit a bid to organize ECDP 2029. The conference should ideally take place between August 20 - 30, 2029.

Who can submit a bid?

Departments of (Developmental) Psychology or Social Science Departments at a local university, who may work together with a professional conference organization. The chairperson who sends in the bid must be an academic (developmental) psychologist at the organizing university.

What should the dossier include?

• The chairperson and the composition of the local conference committee

• A description of the local (national) state of developmental psychology

• A description of the congress venue, including the number of lecture halls and seminar rooms (including seats available and audiovisual equipment), as well as the exhibition and poster area.

• A short description of the city and the region

• Information about travelling connections, visa, and accommodation

• A suggestion for the social event

• An indication of financial arrangements (financial support, possible fee structure, etc.)

• Any other information that is considered relevant

How to submit?

A representative of an academic institution should send a dossier containing the above information to the president of the EADP, Prof. Peter F. Titzmann ([email protected]), no later than June 30, 2026.

The Association Council will decide on the best candidate to hold the EADP 2029 by August 30, 2026. Prospective organizers are then invited to host a reception during ECDP2027, which will take place in Florence, Italy, between August 24 and August 27, 2027.

We are very happy to announce the winners of the third round of the EADP collaboration grant 2026-2027!🎉 Congratulations to you all!🔥

Our collaboration grants foster international research activities across Europe by bringing together EADP members from at least three European countries. 

From Dialogue to Data: A Cross-National Study of Parents’ Digital Surveillance of Teenagers

⭐Savannah Boele (the Netherlands)

⭐Ilknur Coban (Türkiye)

⭐Daria Dodan (Romania)

⭐Ana Žulec Ivanković (Croatia)

⭐Anke Visscher (The Netherlands)

What Does It Mean to Be (Un)Popular in Spain? Updating the Definition from Adolescents’ Perspectives

⭐Ana Bravo Castillo (Spain)

⭐Eva María Romera Felix (Spain)

⭐Antonius Cillessen (The Netherlands)

⭐Lydia Laninga-Wijnen (Finland)

The European Journal of Developmental Psychology invites submissions for a Special Issue on Environmental Research in Developmental Psychology, dedicated to advancing theory, evidence, and methodological innovation in the study of how environmental change and climate-related factors shape development across early life stages.

The aim of the special issue

The accelerating climate and environmental crisis is reshaping the developmental landscape of children and adolescents worldwide. From prenatal life to late adolescence, exposure to environmental stressors—and, conversely, to protective environmental resources such as green spaces—may influence psychological, cognitive, behavioral, and biological pathways. Understanding these pathways and underlying mechanisms is now a scientific and societal priority.

What type of contributions are eligible?

We welcome high-quality empirical and conceptual contributions that explore the interplay between environmental conditions and developmental processes from pregnancy to adolescence. Submissions may focus on (but are not limited to):

• Eco-anxiety and climate-related emotional responses in children and adolescents
• Pro-environmental behaviors and the development of climate-related attitudes, motivations, and values
• Early-life exposure to environmental stressors (e.g., pollution, heatwaves, wildfires, extreme weather events) and their effects on mental health, behavior, cognition, and socio-emotional development
• Benefits of natural environments and green spaces for developmental trajectories in health, learning, self-regulation, and wellbeing
• Biological, psychophysiological, or neurodevelopmental mechanisms that link environmental exposures to developmental outcomes
• Interventions and preventive strategies supporting resilience, health, and empowerment in the context of environmental crisis
• Children’s and adolescents’ responses to acute environmental events or traumas
• Parental, family, school, and community processes shaping how young people interpret, cope with, or adapt to environmental changes
• Sustainability and climate change education shaping young people’s knowledge, perceptions, emotions, and actions. Methodological or theoretical innovations that enrich the study of environmental influences on development
• Psychological research on environmental and climate implications for policies and institutions

The Special Issue welcomes a range of article formats:

• Original Articles
• Brief Reports
• Reviews
• Meta-Analyses
• Theoretical or Conceptual Perspectives

Both quantitative and qualitative methodologies are encouraged, as are interdisciplinary studies bridging psychology with environmental sciences, neuroscience, public health, or education.

Deadlines

Deadline for 300-word abstract submissions: 30-6-2026

Invitation of full manuscripts: 31-7-2026

Deadline for full manuscript submissions: 30-11-2026

Expected publication: All submissions will follow the journal’s standard peer-review process, allowing each accepted article to be published without unnecessary delay.

Further information

For inquiries and submissions please contact the guest editors:

Tooba Akhtar, [email protected]

Sarah Nazzari, [email protected]

Cansel Karakas Ozden, [email protected]

Livio Provenzi, [email protected]

Woowoo, another ERU-EADP writing week paper of the 2023 edition came out! The paper can be found in the Journal of Family Psychology via this link.

What did you find in this paper?

Integrating mother and father reports of child environmental sensitivity provides a more robust assessment and helps clarity how sensitivity is linked to children's adjustment through its interaction with parenting.

How did you experience the writing week?

The writing week was an enriching experience that brought together early-career and senior researchers, fostering collaboration, shared reflection, and the production of work to be shared with the wider scientific community. 

The Early Career Article Spotlight showcases research from early career researchers in our association. Want to be featured? Contact our communications officer Jessie Hillekens at [email protected] or the ERU external communication officer Savannah Boele at [email protected]

The call for submissions for our next summer school is open! Exciting news for PhD students in adolescent development. The 2026 EADP–EARA–SRA Summer School will take place in the Netherlands from August 14–18, bringing together leading experts and doctoral students from around the world for an inspiring week. Hosted in the beautiful national park De Veluwe, just before the EARA conference. Don’t miss it!

To apply, combine your CV, dissertation description, recommendation letter, and proof of membership in EARA/EADP/SRA into a single PDF entitled 'firstname_surname.pdf' and send it to [email protected] before March 15, 2026.

More information about the content of the summer school and application process can be found here. 

Yet another great publication resulting from the 2023 ERU-EADP writing week! The paper is published in Educational and Developmental Psychologist and can be read here.

What did you find in this paper?

This study yields impactful results, showing that lower empathic concern in early adolescence is a short-term risk factor for increased bullying, ethnic bullying, and ethnic victimization, highlighting empathy's crucial protective role. 

How did you experience the writing week?

The writing week was a valuable experience that fostered both personal and professional growth, offering the opportunity to learn extensively and to co-author a paper with an international team under the guidance of a dedicated supervisor. 

The Early Career Article Spotlight showcases research from early career researchers in our association. Want to be featured? Contact our communications officer Jessie Hillekens at [email protected] or the ERU external communication officer Savannah Boele at [email protected]

The organizers invite researchers, practitioners, advocates, and policymakers to submit proposals for the 2026 Global Forum, to be held in the Netherlands. This in-person event will bring together international, interdisciplinary voices to advance developmental science that addresses the lives of LGBTQ+ children and adolescents. Submissions may focus on identity development, health and wellbeing, education, families, policy, civic participation, and more—with an emphasis on intersectionality, innovation, and actionable science. Formats include symposia, posters, papers, policy/practice sessions, and roundtables.

The Global Forum will take place August 17 to 19, 2026 at the University of Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands

The Global Forum is co-organized by the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), and Utrecht University.

The call for submissions is now available. Submission deadline: Thursday, December 11, 2025, 11:59 PM ET.

During the second round of the collaboration grant four projects have been funded. These projects are currently under way and will be completed end of December 2025. We are now inviting new applications for the third funding round that will start in January 2026.

Goal:

• To strengthen developmental psychology research activities by promoting collaboration among researchers in Europe.

Target group:

• The call is open for EADP members of all career stages. The research collaboration group must include at least three researchers from three different countries in Europe who must be members of EADP.

• New research collaborations are encouraged and are very welcome.

Grant duration:

• 2 years from 1.1.2026 – 31.12.2027. Please note that an extension of the grant is not possible due to organizational reasons.

What does the collaboration grant fund?

• The grant is intended to fund collaboration activities that are necessary to carry out collaborative research.

• Collaboration activities are all activities that are necessary to realize a joint project. 

How much is the collaboration grant?

• Up to 5.000 Euros for a maximum of 2 years

• A minimum of 2 proposals will be funded from EADP in 2026.

Deadline is October 31st, 2025.

Want more information or to apply? Check out this page. 

🚀Have you booked your travel?

💼Are you already packing your bags?

ECDP is approaching fast!

The program is now live, including:

Our keynotes:

⏰Livio Provenzi: Into the Translational Parentome: From Developmental Psychobiology to Family-centered Care.

⏰Michael Pluess: The Effects of War and Displacement on Syrian Refugee Children: Risk and Resilience.

⏰Rasa Barkauskienė: Navigating the Complex Challenges of Adolescence: Emerging Personality Dysfunction and Its Outcomes.

⏰Geertjan Overbeek: Youth Prevention in a Changing Society.

⏰Eddie Brummelman: Children’s Unequal Selves: A Developmental-Psychological Perspective on Achievement Inequality.

⏰Lukas Blinka: Children, Adolescents, and Excessive Digital Engagement: Beyond Panic and Complacency.

Our invited symposia:

⏰Konrad Piotrowski: Regretting the Decision to Have Children: Prevalence, Causes, and Consequences

⏰Vaishali Raval: Centering Majority World in Developmental Science

⏰Carla Martins: Peer Relations and Empathy in Adolescence: Individual and Contextual Contributors

⏰Susie Bower-Brown: LGBTQ+ Youth and Families: Growing up in the Context of Stigma 

⏰Claire Hughes: Origins and Consequences of Individual Differences in Mentalizing among School-aged Children: International Findings.

⏰Evaldas Kazlauskas: Stress and Trauma in Adolescence: Current Perspectives

Our preconference workshops:

⏰Inga Truskauskaitė: Structural Equation Modeling in Developmental Psychology: Longitudinal and Experimental Data Analysis Techniques

⏰Lysanne te Brinke and Maria Chiara Basilici on behalf of ERU board: From Developmental Science to Societal Impact

⏰Prof. Cecilia A. Essau: Preventing Anxiety and Depression in Children and Adolescents

🎉 Check out the full program on the conference website: https://www.ecdp2025vilnius.eu/

We are very sorry to announce that Peter K. Smith, Emeritus Professor of Psychology and William Thierry Preyer awardee for Excellence in Research on Human Development passed away after a short but severe illness.

Peter was an outstanding developmental psychologist with a special interest in children’s social development, especially on children’s play. His most extensive research has been on bullying and violence in schools where he also led numerous research projects.

Peter received his B.Sc at the University of Oxford and his Ph.D. from the University of Sheffield. Following his doctorate he continued at the University of Sheffield, obtaining a Personal Chair in 1991, before moving to Goldsmiths, University of London in 1995. There, he was Head of the Unit for School and Family Studies in the Department of Psychology from 1998 to 2011. He retired as Emeritus Professor of Psychology in 2011.

Peter’s work on school bullying was characterized by his mission in building strong international research communities spanning whole Europe and reaching as far as to Japan, China, India, Quatar and Australia. Peter helped so many researchers around the globe in setting up their own bullying research agenda including evidence-based anti-bullying interventions. Peter was very interested in cultural similarities and differences of school bullying. He educated European researchers about the particularities of ijime, wang-ta and related phenomena. He conducted and initiated the first cross-cultural studies to understand the meaning of bullying in different cultures. Peter was the first who studied cyberbullying in Europe. Again, he connected whole Europe (and Australia) by leading the European Cooperation in Science and Technology Cyberbullying Action (COST ACTION IS0801) from 2008 to 2012.

Peter was active in connecting and educating researchers until his sudden illness and transfer to the hospital some months ago. He was active member of the PARTICIPATE (Parents and Technology in Cyberbullying: Intervention and Prevention for Future Experts) project that has received funding from the European Union HORIZON-MSCA (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action)-2021 Doctoral Networks Programme.

Peter will keep in our hearts not only because of his great scientific achievements, but because of his kindness, generosity, generativity, and great sense of humor. His ability to connect people and to build strong communities serves as mission for us. Peter’s dead leaves a huge void in our community. Our warmest condolences go to his family, close friends, and collaborators. We will all miss Peter deeply.

Dagmar Strohmeier on behalf of the EADP

We are deeply saddened to announce that Professor Katariina Salmela-Aro, Academy Professor of Educational Sciences at the University of Helsinki, Finland, and former President of the European Association of Developmental Psychology (2015–2017), passed away on Monday, May 26, after a long battle with cancer.

Professor Salmela-Aro was an esteemed scholar and a dedicated educator. She served on the Academy of Finland’s Strategic Funding Council and held visiting professorships at the Institute of Education, University College London; the School of Education, Michigan State University; the School of Education, University of California, Irvine; and the Australian Catholic University in Sydney. Earlier in her career, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute in Berlin.

She led several major longitudinal studies funded by the Academy of Finland, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, and the European Union. Her research was prolific and influential, focusing on topics such as school engagement, burnout, optimal learning moments, the experience sampling method, and the life-span model of motivation and related interventions. She published over 300 scientific articles and delivered numerous invited keynote lectures around the world.

Professor Salmela-Aro also played a significant role in mentoring the next generation of scholars, supervising many PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Many of her mentees have gone on to receive prestigious awards and hold leadership positions in the UK, USA, and Australia.

Known to her friends as “Kata” she is survived by her husband Antti Aro, her daughter, two sons and their partners, and two grandchildren. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, colleagues, and the many co-workers who had the privilege of collaborating with her throughout her distinguished career.

Frosso Motti, Professor Emerita, University of Athens 

 ⏰ Only until next Friday May 31st to register as a presenter or to benefit from the early bird discount for the European Conference on Developmental Psychology! Make sure to register on time to be included in the program.

Will we see you in gorgeous Vilnius this summer?❤️

Yes!! The next paper from the ERU-EADP writing week 2023 is published! You can read it in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry via this link.

What did you find in this paper?

This experience sampling study revealed a dynamic adolescent-driven feedback loop in families by finding that adolescent anxiety predicted more intrusive and less autonomy-supportive parenting two weeks later, rather than the other way around. 

How did you experience the writing week?

The writing week was a great experience for all of us, as we had the opportunity to meet foreign colleagues, learn from Prof Keijsers and focus on our manuscript, which helped us to complete the pre-registration form and the first draft of the manuscript in just five days. 

The Early Career Article Spotlight showcases research from early career researchers in our association. Want to be featured? Contact our communications officer Jessie Hillekens at [email protected] or the ERU external communication officer Sophie Hölscher at [email protected]

The ERU-EADP writing week 2025 has come to an end and it was a great success!

A huge THANK YOU to all the amazing participants who joined us from across Europe (and beyond!) to write, reflect, and push open science forward together. 💡💬📚

And an extra round of gratitude to our brilliant mentors for sharing their time, insights, and encouragement with such generosity:

✨ Daphne van de Bongardt

✨ Antonio Zuffianò

✨ Spyros Tantaros

✨ Laura K. Taylor

✨ Katja Upadyaya

✨ Ana Catarina Canario

See you all at ECDP! 🚀