Magdalena Mijas

Research interests 

chronic/traumatic stress and health, health psychology and health inequalities, non-invasive biomarkers of stress, sexual and reproductive health 

 

Education 

2021 Doctor of Medical and Health Sciences in Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College 

2021 Doctor of Social Sciences in Psychology, Jagiellonian University 

2013 Postgraduate Studies in Sexual Education, University of Warsaw 

2011 Postgraduate Studies in Sexology, Adam Mickiewicz University 

2008 Master of Science in Psychology, Jagiellonian University 

 

Appointments 

Baylor University 

  1. Postdoctoral research associate, Department of Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, 2024 – ongoing 

Jagiellonian University Medical College 

  1. Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2022 – ongoing 
  2. Research Assistant, Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2021-2022 

Yale University 

  1. Visiting Fellow, Yale Reproductive Ecology Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, 2023 
  2. Visiting Fellow, Yale Reproductive Ecology Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, 2022 
  3. Visiting Assistant in Research, Yale Reproductive Ecology Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, 2018-2019 

 

Research projects 

2023 – ongoing Diversity related to sexual orientation and gender identity and indicators of psychological and sexual well-being in the Polish population. POB FutureSoc grant, PI: prof dr hab. Wojciech Dragan. 

2021 – 2023 Relationships between reproductive tract microbiota and levels of sex steroid hormones, physical activity and psychological stress. POB qLIFE grant, PI: prof. dr hab. Grażyna Jasieńska. 

2022 – 2023 Trauma, resilience, health: Hormonal, immunological and genetic biomarkers of stress response among three generations of Ukrainian refugees. NAWA grant, PI: prof. dr hab. Grażyna Jasieńska. 

2019 – 2020 Selected health indicators among men who belong to Bear subculture. NCN Etiuda grant, PI: dr Magdalena Mijas. 

2017 – 2020 Impaired habituation and recovery of cortisol response to stress as possible mechanism linking minority stress with adverse health outcomes. NCN Preludium grant, PI: dr Magdalena Mijas. 

2018 – 2019 Bearing the sitgma. How does interplay between weight and sexual minority stigma relate to physical health inequalities? Polish-US Fulbright Commission grant, PI: dr Magdalena Mijas. 

2014 – 2015 Analysis of HIV and people living with HIV are portrayed in the Polish national media. Research grant received from EEA and Norway Grants, Stefan Batory Foundation, conducted in collaboration with Health Promotion Association ‘One world’. 

2014-2015 Levels of hormones and sexual selection – innovative perception on human sexual preferences. NCN Fuga grant, PI: dr hab. Urszula Marcinkowska, prof. UJ. 

2013 – 2014 European research on cross-national attitudes toward same-sex marriage and lesbian/gay parenting. PI: Salvadore D’Amore, PhD. 

2011 – 2014 The childfree choice. A qualitative study in South Africa, India and Poland. In collaboration with Ingrid Lynch (University of Pretoria, RPA), Tracy Morison (Human Sciences Research Council, RPA), Seemanthini Tumkur Shivakumar (Mangalore University, Indie) and prof. Catriona Macleod (Rhodes University, RPA). 

 

Publications 

Books 

Grabski, B., Mijas, M., Dora, M., Iniewicz, G. (2020). Dysforia i niezgodność płciowa. Kompendium dla praktyków. Warszawa: PZWL. ISBN: 978-83-200-6029-4 

Mijas M, Dora M, Brodzikowska M, Żołądek S. 2016. Język, media, HIV. Obraz zakażenia i osób seropozytywnych w artykułach prasowych. Kraków: Stowarzyszenie Profilaktyki i Wsparcia w zakresie HIV/AIDS “Jeden świat”. ISBN: 978-83-944232-1-6 

Iniewicz G, Mijas M, Grabski B. 2012. Wprowadzenie do psychologii LGB. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Continuo. ISBN: 978-83-62182-30-5 

Iniewicz G, Mijas M. 2011. Seksualność człowieka. Wybrane zagadnienia. Kraków: WUJ. ISBN: 978-83-233-3101-8 

 

Peer-reviewed papers 

Mijas, M, Koziara, K, Galbarczyk, A, Jasienska, G (2024). Weight discrimination and body mass indexes as predictors of body esteem in members of the Bear subculture. Archives of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy 26(3), 35-43. Doi: 10.12740/APP/183679.  

Słojewska K, Galbarczyk A, Klimek M, Tubek-Krokosz A, Krzych-Miłkowska K, Szklarczyk J, Mijas M, Ścibor M, Jasienska G. (2024). Higher number of steps is related to lower endogenous progesterone but not estradiol levels in women. PLOS ONE 19 (4), e0299580. Doi: doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299580 

Żyrek J, Klimek M, Apanasewicz A, Ciochoń A, Danel DP, Marcinkowska UMM, Mijas M, Ziomkiewicz A, Galbarczyk A. 2024. Social support during pregnancy and the risk of postpartum depression in Polish women. A prospective study. 2024. Scientific Reports 14 (1), 6906. Doi: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57477-1 

Grabski, B, Koziara, K, Kania, T, Pliczko, MP, Mijas, M (2024). Polish mental and sexual health specialists working with transgender and gender diverse persons – who are they and what is their background? Polish Psychiatry, 336, 1-14. Doi: 10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/174471. 

Grabski, B, Kasparek, K, Koziara, K, Kania, Z, Mijas, M (2023). The diverse joys of sex and relationships in straight, gay, and bisexual Polish men. Polish Psychiatry, 57(5), 1037-1055. Doi: 10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/149514. 

Grabski, B, Kasparek, K, Koziara, K, Mijas, M (2023). Erectile problems in Polish straight, bisexual and gay men. Does sexual identity really matter? Journal of Sex Research, 60(4), 473-483. Doi: 10.1080/00224499.2022.2074952 

Kania, Z, Mijas, M, Grabski, B, Gąsiorowski, P, Pliczko, P (2023). HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for Transgender and Nonbinary persons. Literature review and guidelines for professionals. Polish Psychiatry, 57(5), 1023-1035. Doi: 10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/144821 

Koziara, K, Mijas, M, Pliczko, P, Wycisk, J, Grabski, B (2023). Psychometric assessment of the Polish translation of the Transgender Positive Identity Measure (T-PIM). Polish Psychiatry, 57(1), 107-119. Doi: 10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/140140  

Koziara, K, Mijas, M, Galbarczyk, A, Wycisk, J, Pliczko, MP, Krzych-Miłkowska, K, Grabski, B (2022). It gets better with age: resilience, stigma and mental health among LGBTQ persons from Poland. Frontiers in Psychology, 13: 958601. Doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.958601 

Grabski, B, Kasparek, K, Koziara, K, Mijas, M (2022). Professional help-seeking in men experiencing sexual problems – the role of sexual identity and minority stress. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 19(7), 1090-1097. Doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2022.04.012  

D’Amore, S, Wollast, R, Green, R-J, Bouchat, P, Costa, PA, Katuzny, K, Scali, T, Baiocco, R, Vecho, O, Mijas, M, Aparicio, M, Geroulanou, K, Klein, O (2022). Heterosexual University Students’ Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Couples and Parents Across Seven European Countries. Sexuality Research and Social Policy: A Journal of the NSRC, 19(2), 791-804. Doi:10.1007/s13178-020-00511-4 

Mijas, M, Blukacz, M, Koziara, K, Kasparek, K, Pliczko, MP, Galbarczyk, A, Jasieńska, G (2021). Dysregulated by stigma: Cortisol responses to repeated psychosocial stress in gay and heterosexual men. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 131, 1-9. Doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105325  

Koziara, K, Mijas, M, Pliczko, M, Wycisk, J, Grabski, B (2021). Exploring health and transition-related needs in Polish transgender and non-binary individuals. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 18(6), 1110-1121. Doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.04.001  

Mijas, M, Grabski, B, Blukacz, M, Davies, D (2021). Sexual Health Studies In Gay And Lesbian People: a critical review of the literature. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 18(6), 1012-1023. Doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.02.013  

Miłkowska, K, Galbarczyk, A, Mijas, M, Jasienska, G (2021). Disgust Sensitivity Among Women During the COVID-19 Outbreak. Frontiers in Psychology, 12: 622634. Doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.622634  

Mijas, M (2021). Health determinants in men of the Bear subculture compared with the MSM population. Literature review. Polish Psychiatry, 214, 1-12. Doi: 10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/127468  

Mijas, M, Koziara, K, Galbarczyk, A, Jasienska, G (2021). Cardiovascular disease risk in Bears and other gay men: a descriptive study from Poland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18: 1044. Doi: 10.3390/ijerph18031044  

Mijas, M, Koziara, K, Galbarczyk, A, Jasienska, G (2020). Chubby, hairy and fearless. Subcultural identities and predictors of self-esteem in a sample of Polish members of Bear community. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17:4439. Doi: 10.3390/ijerph17124439  

Grabski, B, Rachoń, D, Czernikiewicz, W, Dulko, S, Jakima, S, Muldner-Nieckowski, Ł, Trofimiuk-Muldner, M, Baran, D, Dora, M, Iniewicz, G, Mijas, M, Stankiewicz, S, Adamczewska-Stachura, M, Mazurczak, A (2020). Zalecenia Polskiego Towarzystwa Seksuologicznego dotyczące opieki nad zdrowiem dorosłych osób transpłciowych – stanowisko panelu ekspertów. Psychiatria Polska, 187, 1-8. Doi: 10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/125785 

Marcinkowska, UM, Mijas, M, Koziara, K, Grebe, NM, Jasienska, G (2020). Variation in sociosexuality across natural menstrual cycles: Associations with ovarian hormones and cycle phase. Evolution and Human Behavior. Doi: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.06.008 

Mijas, M, Koziara, K (2020). Polish adaptation of The Daily Heterosexist Experiences Questionnaire. Polish Psychiatry, 54(1), 137-152. Doi:10.12740/PP/97215 

Galbarczyk, A, Mijas, M, Marcinkowska, UM, Koziara, K, Apanasewicz, A, Ziomkiewicz, A (2019). Association between sexual orientations of individuals and perceptions of tattooed men. Psychology & Sexuality, 1–11. Doi: Doi: 10.1080/19419899.2019.1679867 

Dora, M, Mijas, M, Dobroczyński, B (2019). DSM-5 paraphilic disorders criteria in the light of autoerotic asphyxiophilia and non-sexual forms of oxygen restriction. Psychiatria Polska, 53(5), 1103-1112. Doi: 10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/78166 

Mijas, M, Koziara, K, Dora, M (2017). Stygmatyzacja związana z HIV a zdrowie zakażonych osób i postawy wobec wykonywania testów. Seksuologia Polska, 15(2), 73-80. 

Morrison, T, MacLeod, C, Lynch, I, Mijas, M, Shivakumar, ST (2016). Voluntary Childlessness, Stigma and Resistance: the Use and Limitations of Choice Rhetoric in Online Communities. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 40, 184-198. Doi: 10.1177/0361684315603657  

Mijas, M, Dora, M, Dobroczyński, B (2015). Terapia z biseksualnym klientem – wybrane zagadnienia. Seksuologia Polska, 13, 19-30. 

Mijas, M, Iniewicz, G, Grabski, B (2012). Stadialne modele formowania się tożsamości homoseksualnej. Implikacje dla praktyki terapeutycznej. Psychiatria Polska, 46, 815-828. 

Iniewicz, G, Grabski, B, Mijas, M (2012). Zdrowie psychiczne osób homoseksualnych i biseksualnych – rola stresu mniejszościowego. Psychiatria Polska, 46, 649-663. 

Grabski, B, Mijas, M, Iniewicz, G (2012). Zdrowie psychiczne osób homoseksualnych i biseksualnych – przegląd badań i prezentacja zjawiska. Psychiatria Polska, 46, 637-647. 

 

Awards 

Outstanding young scientists scholarship received from the Polish Ministry of Education and Science (July 2022). 

Artur Rojszczak Award received from the Club of Foundation for Polish Science Scholars (May 2022). 

Honors for the PhD in social sciences received from Jagiellonian University (December 2021).