Dr Myrofora Kakoulidou

Myrofora (Myrto) joined KCL in 2021 and is a post-doctoral research assistant in the Regulating Emotions-Strengthening Adolescent Resilience (RE-STAR) research programme, led by Professor Edmund Sonuga Barke.

She received her BA (Hons.) in Primary Education Studies from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) and her MA in Educational Psychology from UCL, institute of Education. In 2021, she completed her PhD in Educational Psychology at UCL, Institute of Education.

Myrto’s research interests lie primarily in the areas of motivation, learning (e.g., reading), and wellbeing during childhood and adolescence. She is particularly interested in understanding the role of the school environment in the wellbeing and learning of both neurotypical and neurodivergent young people, with a particular focus on autistic and ADHD young people.

Myrto has delivered seminars and lectures in the areas of childhood disabilities, mental health and education, cognitive and developmental psychology, statistics, and methodology. In 2020, she received a UCL Train and Engage Award to co-lead a series of public engagement activities around school wellbeing with children, teachers, and parents. In 2019, Myrto received the Student’s Union Academic Representative of the Year award for UCL, Institute of Education.

Research Interests

• Motivation
• Learning/Reading
• School wellbeing
• ADHD
• Autism
• Mixed-methods approaches
• Participatory research
• Public engagement/involvement

Research Groups

Myrto is a Deputy Director of the Group for Research in Relationships and Neurodiversity (GRRAND), based at the Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences and founded by Dr Georgia Pavlopoulou.

Myrto is also a member of KCL’s ExPAND research group.

Publications

Kakoulidou, M., Le Cornu Knight, F., Filippi, R., & Hurry, J. (2021). The effects of choice on the reading comprehension and enjoyment of children with severe inattention and no attentional difficulties. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 49, 1403-1417. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10802-021-00835-8