Associate Professor Lovorka Brajković, PhD, participated in the international EAPM 2026 Congress of the European Association of Psychosomatic Medicine, held in Florence from 16 to 19 June 2026. The congress is one of the most important European gatherings of experts in psychosomatic medicine, psychology, psychiatry, and related disciplines, and once again brought together a large number of leading researchers and clinicians from across Europe and the world.

At the congress, Associate Professor Brajković delivered a well-received presentation entitled “Spiritual and Existential Beliefs and Coping Strategies as Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life in Oncology Patients.” In her presentation, she presented the results of research conducted together with Dora Korać, mag. psych., and Dorotea Knezović, mag. psych., thereby further highlighting the value of collaborative scientific work and the involvement of young researchers. The study examined the influence of spiritual and existential beliefs, a sense of meaning and inner peace, and various coping strategies on the quality of life of oncology patients. The findings confirm the importance of integrating psychological and spiritual resources into holistic models of oncology care, with the aim of preserving psychological stability during treatment.

A further recognition of the value of this work is the fact that the presentation abstract was selected among the 150 best contributions of the congress and published in a special issue of the esteemed Journal of Psychosomatic Research. This is one of the most prestigious international journals in the field of psychosomatic medicine and clinical psychology. It is ranked in the Q1 category of relevant scientific fields and is published by the renowned publisher Elsevier. The journal is known for publishing high-quality multidisciplinary research linking psychology and medicine, and it enjoys a long-standing reputation and high citation impact within the international scientific community.

Participation in EAPM 2026 and publication in a leading international journal represent significant recognition for Associate Professor Lovorka Brajković and confirm the high quality of her research work and her contribution to the development of contemporary approaches in psychosomatic medicine and psycho-oncology. They also further highlight the reputation and international visibility of the Faculty of Croatian Studies.