Every two years, the European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) presents awards to researchers who have made a significant contribution to the development of psychotraumatology in Europe. The 2023 Young Minds in Psychotraumatology Award was awarded to Dr. Paulina Želvienė, a psychologist-psychotherapist and associate professor at Vilnius University.
Associate Professor Paulina Želvienė received the award for her consistent and dedicated work in the field of psychotraumatology. She is one of the most active scientists of the young generation in Lithuania. In 2017, she received her PhD in Social Sciences (Psychology) from Vilnius University. In 2013, she was one of the initiators and founders of the Lithuanian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and now she is a member of the board of the society. Since 2021, she has been a member of the Young Academy of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.
Doc. Želvienė is a senior researcher at the Centre for Psychotraumatology of the Institute of Psychology of Vilnius University and actively conducts research in collaboration with scientists from other countries. Currently, she is leading a team of researchers at the Centre for Psychotraumatology, analysing psychological difficulties and resilience in children and adolescents after psychological trauma. She is also leading a research project to validate an instrument that assesses signs of psychological trauma in young children, in collaboration with Danish researchers. Doc. Želvienė and her co-authors have published 27 scientific articles in international scientific journals. She has held research fellowships at universities in Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and other countries, and regularly participates in and presents papers at international scientific conferences.
Doc. Želvienė actively participates in the development of trauma psychology in Lithuania and contributes to the development of science-based specialised psychological psychotraumatology care in the country.
