Staff Profiles

Dr Leonor Rodriguez

B.A., M.A., PhD

Biography

Leonor is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre. She has experience in health and clinical psychology working with families, children and young people that experience chronic illness and completed a Maters in Clinical and Health Psychology in her native Costa Rica. Leonor completed her PhD in the School of Psychology, NUI Galway entitled: ‘Understanding adolescent adjustment to maternal cancer: A study of personal experiences and psychological factors that promote adjustment’.

Research Interests

Health psychology, chronic illness, Clinical psychology, family support, research methods, mixed methods

Research Projects

	Project	Start Date	End Date
	Exploring the predictors of empathic mentoring relationship: a mixed methods approach’	01-DEC-17	30-APR-18

Peer Reviewed Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2020)	'Exploring the Role of Practitioner Confidence in Prevention and Early Intervention in Child Welfare: A Case Study of Irish Youth Workers in Meitheal' Healy, Maria, & Rodriguez, Leonor (2020) 'Exploring the Role of Practitioner Confidence in Prevention and Early Intervention in Child Welfare: A Case Study of Irish Youth Workers in Meitheal'. Reflective Practice, 21 (4) [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2020)	'Introduction to Domestic Violence, Abuse and Coercive Control for Counsellors: An evaluation of the impact of training’' Rodriguez Leonor, Power Elizabeth, Glynn Evelyn (2020) 'Introduction to Domestic Violence, Abuse and Coercive Control for Counsellors: An evaluation of the impact of training’'. Gender Work And Organisation, :1-11 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2019)	'Listen to them! The challenge of capturing the true voice of young people within early intervention and prevention models; a youth work perspective' Maria Healy and Leonor Rodriguez (2019) 'Listen to them! The challenge of capturing the true voice of young people within early intervention and prevention models; a youth work perspective'. Children And Youth Services Review, [DOI] [Details]
	(2019)	'An exploration of resilience in adolescents facing maternal cancer' Rodríguez L. (2019) 'An exploration of resilience in adolescents facing maternal cancer'. Cancer Reports, [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2019)	'“It’s your turn to step into their shoes”: The role of empathy in adolescents experiencing maternal cancer' Rodriguez Leonor and Dolan Pat (2019) '“It’s your turn to step into their shoes”: The role of empathy in adolescents experiencing maternal cancer'. Qualitative Research Journal, [DOI] [Details]
	(2018)	'Individual predictors of adolescent adjustment to maternal cancer: The role of perceived stress, coping, social support, attachment and self-efficacy' Rodriguez L, Groarke A. and Dolan P. (2018) 'Individual predictors of adolescent adjustment to maternal cancer: The role of perceived stress, coping, social support, attachment and self-efficacy'. Cancer Reports, :1-9 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2018)	'Methodological challenges of sensitive topic research with adolescents' Rodriguez L (2018) 'Methodological challenges of sensitive topic research with adolescents'. Qualitative Research, 18 (1):22-32 [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2018)	'Listen to them! The challenge of capturing the true voice of young people within early intervention and prevention models; a youth work perspective' Maria Healy and Leonor Rodriguez (2018) 'Listen to them! The challenge of capturing the true voice of young people within early intervention and prevention models; a youth work perspective'. Children And Youth Services Review, 96 :27-33 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2018)	'Adolescent adjustment to maternal cancer: an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA)' Leonor Rodriguez, Ann Marie Groarke, Pat Dolan, Padraig MacNeela (2018) 'Adolescent adjustment to maternal cancer: an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA)'. Qualitative Research Journal, [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2018)	'Selective sharing: The impact of patterns of communication in young people experiencing maternal cancer' Leonor Rodriguez (2018) 'Selective sharing: The impact of patterns of communication in young people experiencing maternal cancer'. Cancer Reports, [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2017)	'From cared to carers: Adolescent transition at a time of maternal cancer' Rodriguez L., Groarke A., Dolan P & MacNeela P. (2017) 'From cared to carers: Adolescent transition at a time of maternal cancer'. Children’s Research Digest, 3 (2):77-82 [Details]
	(2011)	'Case studies: Health and Self-Care in Mothers of Children with Haemophilia' Rodriguez, L. (2011) 'Case studies: Health and Self-Care in Mothers of Children with Haemophilia'. Revista Costarricense de Psicología, 30 :1-16 [Details]

Books

	Year	Publication
	(2020)	Advantages and challenges of face-to-face and online methodologies: Researching adolescents’ experiences of nonterminal cancer in the family. Rodriguez, L. (2020) Advantages and challenges of face-to-face and online methodologies: Researching adolescents’ experiences of nonterminal cancer in the family. NA: SAGE. [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]

Published Reports

	Year	Publication
	(2018)	Exploring the Impact of Mentoring Relationships in Adolescent Empathy: A Mixed Methods Approach. Rodriguez L., Dolan P, Brady B. (2018) Exploring the Impact of Mentoring Relationships in Adolescent Empathy: A Mixed Methods Approach. UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, NUI Galway. [ARAN Link] [Details]
	(2017)	Interim report in the Meitheal Process and Outcomes Study. Rodriguez L. Cassidy A & Devaney C. (2017) Interim report in the Meitheal Process and Outcomes Study. UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway. [Details]

Other Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2017)	'Improving the lived experiences and needs of children with haemophilia through research' Rodriguez L. (2017) 'Improving the lived experiences and needs of children with haemophilia through research' Children’s Research Digest, 4 (2) :45-50. [Details]
	(2017)	'Secondary data analysis with young people. Some ethical and methodological considerations from practice' Rodriguez L. (2017) 'Secondary data analysis with young people. Some ethical and methodological considerations from practice' Children’s Research Digest, 4 (3) :47-52. [Details]

Conference Contributions

	Year	Publication
	(2018)	SWSD, Rodriguez L, Devaney C and Cassidy A. (2018) Social Work, Education and Social Development. [Oral Presentation], SWSD, Dublin , 04-JUL-18 - 07-JUL-18. [Details]
		Mothering, motherhood and mothers in and through generations: Theory, narrative, representation, practice and experience, Rodriguez L Impact of maternal cancer on young people. [Keynote Address], Mothering, motherhood and mothers in and through generations: Theory, narrative, representation, practice and experience, Galway . [Details]
		UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre 8th Biennial International Conference. ‘Rediscovering empathy; values, relationships and practice in a changing world, Rodriguez L Promoting empathy through mindfulness and mediation. A workshop for adults. [Other], UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre 8th Biennial International Conference. ‘Rediscovering empathy; values, relationships and practice in a changing world, Galway . [Details]
		II International Congress of Clinical and Health Psychology on Children and Adolescents, Rodriguez L Impact of Maternal cancer on adolescents. [Oral Presentation], II International Congress of Clinical and Health Psychology on Children and Adolescents, Spain . [Details]
		29th Conference of the EHPS: Principles of Behaviour Change in Health and Illness, Rodriguez L Adolescent Adjustment to Maternal Cancer. [Oral Presentation], 29th Conference of the EHPS: Principles of Behaviour Change in Health and Illness, Cyprus . [Details]

Professional Associations

Association	Function	From / To
Costa Rican Association of Psychologists	Member	/
Psychological Society of Ireland	Member No. M7292	/
Children’s Research Network for Ireland and Northern Ireland	Communications/Membership Officer RoI	/

Employment

Employer	Position	From / To
Costa Rican Haemophilia Association	Psychologist	/
Costa Rican Technology Institute	Student Adviser and Educational Researcher	/
University College Dublin	Research Assistant	/

Education

Year	Institution	Qualification	Subject
2008	University of Costa Rica	BSc	Psychology Degree
2016	National University of Ireland Galway	PhD	The relationship between perceived social support and adolescent adjustment to maternal breast cancer: a mixed methods approach.
2010	University of Costa Rica	Msc	Clinical and Health Psychology

Languages

	Language
	French
	Spanish

Other Activities

	Description
	2014 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training. Certified by Yoga Alliance. 2014 Mindfulness Diploma. Certified by IANLPC. 2014 Writing for Children. Certified by Escritores.Org Spain 2015 Art Therapy Certificate. NLP Centre of Excellence. 2015 MiniMeYoga Ambassador 2015 Naturopath Diploma. Certified by International Alliance of Holistic Therapists. 2016 Rainbow Kids Yoga 2016 Committee member of the Children's Research Network of Ireland and Northern Ireland

Teaching Interests

Psychology, family support, health psychology, research methods, clinical psychology and developmental psychology.

Modules Taught

Term/Year	Module Title	Module Code	Subject / Desc
2013	Developmental Psychology	PS214
2017	Applied Developmental Psychology	PS345	Resilience and Adolescence
2017	MA/Postgraduate Diploma (Family Support Studies)	GYA07	Thesis supervisor
2018	MA/Postgraduate Diploma (Family Support Studies)	GYA07	Thesis supervisor
2016	Structured PhD in Child and Youth Research	GYG00
2017	Nursing/Midwifery NUIG	PS345	Adolescence and maternal cancer
2014	Psychology for Nurses and Midwifery	NU116 Nursing/ Midwifery
2014	Psychology for Nurses and Midwifery	NU334
2012	Developmental Psychology	PS214	Tutor
2014	Introduction to Psychology,	PS122	Tutor
2012	Research Methods in Psychology	PS 219	Tutor
2014	Higher Diploma in Midwifery	GYM67