
Hello, my name is
Dr Ifigeneia Manitsa PhD
Research Fellow in Youth Mental Health, Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham

About Me
I am a Research Fellow in Youth Mental Health at the Institute for Mental Health in the University of Birmingham. My research expertise lies in the socio-emotional development and educational inclusion of students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities with an emphasis on Vision Impairment. I have also worked as Guest Lecturer and Supervisor at several UK universities (Kingston University, Birkbeck, London Metropolitan) and I am an Associate Fellow of the Advance HE.
In my PhD research, I investigated the social inclusion of adolescents with vision impairment and its impact on their self-esteem, academic inclusion, and social competence. Due to the lack of previous research, I developed my own socioecological model to conceptualise social inclusion.
Education
Ph.D. in the Department of Psychology, School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences within the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
Oct 2017 -Nov 2022
Kingston University London, United Kingdom.
Thesis title: The social inclusion of adolescents with visual impairments: A multidimensional approach.
Supervisors: Dr Fiona Barlow-Brown, Emerita Professor Evanthia Lyons, Dr Maria Livanou
MSc in Pedagogy – Primary field: Special Education, Department of Philosophy and Pedagogy
Nov 2013 – Apr 2016
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
Dissertation title: The experiences of studies in higher education from the perspective of students with visual impairments.
Grade: 9.20/10 (Honours Degree 1st)
Supervisor: Dr Maro Doikou
Associate Fellowship of the Advance HE (formerly Higher Education Academy)
Jan 2019 – Jun 2019
Kingston University London, United Kingdom.
Degree in School of Primary Education
2005 – 2008
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Grade: 8.02/10 (Honours Degree 2:1)
In the run-up to the @IBSAGames2023 we’re spotlighting some amazing research around visual impairment.
Here, Dr Ifigeneia Manitsa (@Ifi_Manitsa) talks about her study on the social exclusion of visually impaired children.
More information on the IBSA World Games 2023 here: IBSA World Games 2023 on the way to Birmingham | International Paralympic Committee
IBSA World Games 2023 – IBSA International Blind Sports Federation (ibsasport.org)
Research Experience
Proficient User of advanced quantitative (SPSS, PROCESS, JASP) and qualitative research and analysis (Thematic Analysis, Conversation Analysis, and IPA). Experienced in systematic and integrative reviews, meta-analyses and in using experimental delivery software, such as Qualtrics, Gorilla and PsychoPy, and other research software, such as Zotero and Endnote.