Luz María Fernández Mateos

Luz María Fernández Mateos is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the Pontifical University of Salamanca, specializing in Developmental and Educational Psychology. She serves as the director of the Higher Institute of Family Sciences at UPSA and leads the Family Journal of the Master's Degree in Family Guidance and Mediation. Her academic credentials include a PhD in Psychology (2003) with an extraordinary doctorate award, a Master's Degree in Child Clinical Psychology (1991), and a Diploma in Family Counseling and Guidance (1988).

Her educational background and professional trajectory demonstrate a strong commitment to understanding human development across the lifespan, with particular expertise in family dynamics, emotional processing, and educational interventions. She is accredited as a Private University/Contracted Professor by the ACSUCyL (2005) and has received excellent evaluations in the DOCENTIA Program (2013-2017).

Professor Fernández Mateos's research interests span multiple interconnected domains including Developmental Psychology, Educational Psychology, Family Counseling, Cognitive Psychology, Pregnancy and Child Development, Emotional Processing, Language Disorders, and Special Education. Her work demonstrates how emotional and cognitive processes intersect with educational outcomes across different life stages.

Her scholarly contributions reveal a consistent focus on understanding how emotional variables influence cognitive processing and learning outcomes. She has developed innovative approaches to address educational challenges, particularly through her work on the "Positive Instructional Cognition" framework and her patented "INTEGR@DA-EFC" project focused on accessibility for students with hearing disabilities.

Among her notable achievements are the extraordinary doctorate award (2003), excellent evaluation in the DOCENTIA Program (2013-2017), and a patent for the "INTEGR@DA-EFC. Help@s (Physical and Cognitive Ergonomics)" project (2013-2015).

As an educator, Professor Fernández Mateos teaches across multiple Master's programs including the Master's Degree in Family Guidance and Mediation, Master's Degree in General Health Psychology, and Master's Degree in Secondary and Baccalaureate Teacher Training. She also serves as a Family Mediation Expert and Parenting Coordinator, demonstrating her commitment to translating research into practical applications that support families.

Her leadership extends to directing the Higher Institute of Family Sciences at UPSA since 2016, where she oversees research and educational initiatives focused on family dynamics and development.