Assistant Professor of Developmental Psychology
Department of Psychology, University of Jordan

Dr. Somaya Al-Ja'afreh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Jordan, with a PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada (2017). Her research and teaching focus on developmental psychology across the lifespan, with a special interest in refugee mental health, family dynamics, social-emotional development, and the psychological well-being of children and youth.

She has extensive academic experience teaching undergraduate courses, including Developmental Psychology, Psychology of Motivation and Emotion, Family Issues, and Research Methods. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she is actively engaged in academic advising, curriculum development, and faculty service at the departmental and university levels.

Dr. Al-Ja'afreh has also contributed to national development initiatives through her previous work as a career counselor and gender specialist at the National Centre for Human Resources Development, where she helped establish career counseling centers in Jordanian universities. Her interdisciplinary work bridges the fields of psychology, education, and community development, with a strong commitment to inclusion, mental health advocacy, and evidence-based interventions.

Her current research explores psychosocial adaptation among refugees, parenting in contexts of displacement, and resilience among youth in vulnerable settings.​