Dr. Haatembo Mooya is a developmental psychologist and has been a Lecturer and Researcher in the Department of Psychology at the University of Zambia since 2009. Since March 2021 he has also led the Centre for the Promotion of Literacy in Sub-Saharan Africa (CAPOLSA), a research centre housed within the Department.
He obtained his PhD in Developmental Psychology jointly from the University of Zambia and Leiden University in the Netherlands in 2015, having completed his Master of Arts in Child and Adolescent Psychology and his Bachelor of Arts in Education at UNZA.
His work centres on developmental and child psychology and on the promotion of literacy across sub-Saharan Africa. Through CAPOLSA he advances literacy research and collaboration in the region, working towards child development and literacy advocacy grounded in evidence-based practice.
He has extensive experience in project management, team leadership and research coordination, and has led several local and international research studies. He brings a strong background in quantitative techniques for study design and data analysis, alongside qualitative approaches spanning research design, instrument development and analysis.
Forslund, T, Granqvist, P, & ... (2022). Attachment goes to court: Child protection and custody issues. Attachment &human …, Taylor &Francis, https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2020.1840762
Mesman, J, Ijzendoorn, M Van, & ... (2016). Is the ideal mother a sensitive mother? Beliefs about early childhood parenting in mothers across the globe. International …, journals.sagepub.com, https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025415594030
Mooya, H, Sichimba, F, & ... (2016). Infant–mother and infant–sibling attachment in Zambia. Attachment &Human …, Taylor &Francis, https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2016.1235216
Pierucci, JM, Aquino, GA, Pearson, A, Perez, M, & ... (2023). Parent-mediated intervention training for caregivers of children with developmental differences in Zambia. Research in …, Elsevier, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891422222002037
Abiyo, R, Zeidler, H, Farrow, C, Mtemeri, J, & ... (2025). Using a wordless picture book to explore children's narrative production in rural Kenya. Reading &Writing …, journals.co.za, https://doi.org/10.4102/rw.v16i1.573
Sichimba, F, Mooya, H, & ... (2017). Predicting Zambian grandmothers' sensitivity toward their grandchildren. The International Journal …, journals.sagepub.com, https://doi.org/10.1177/0091415016680070
Brudevold-Newman, A, Dias, P, Folotiya, JJ, & ... (2018). Study on traditional parenting and child care practices in Zambia. American Institutes for …, air.org, https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/Study-on-Traditional-Parenting-Child-Care-Practices-Zambia-July-2018.pdf
Zeidler, H, Farrow, C, Jarman, M, & ... (2022). The role of mealtimes in fostering language development and aligning home and school learning: Protocol for a multi-method study of preschool children in …. JMIR Research …, researchprotocols.org, https://www.researchprotocols.org/2022/7/e36925
Forslund, T, Granqvist, P, & ... (2022). El Apego Va a Juicio: Problemas de Custodia y Protección Infantil1. Anuario de …, researchportal.murdoch.edu.au, https://researchportal.murdoch.edu.au/esploro/outputs/journalArticle/El-Apego-Va-a-Juicio-Problemas/991005540321307891
Jarman, M, Zeidler, H, Shapiro, L, Clarke, R, Mooya, H, & ... (2021). Qualitative accounts of school-aged children's diets during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural, central, Kenya. Nutrients, mdpi.com, https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/10/3543
Mtemeri, J, Patel, H, Abiyo, R, Farrow, C, & ... (2026). Home Mealtimes in Kenya and Zambia: Recognising culturally grounded practices that foster healthy eating behaviours. … of Psychology in …, research.aston.ac.uk, https://research.aston.ac.uk/en/publications/home-mealtimes-in-kenya-and-zambia-recognising-culturally-grounde/
Haatembo, M (2015). Sibling care in Zambia: Infant attachment in the context of multiple caregivers., dspace.unza.zm, https://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/4214
Forslund, T, Granqvist, P, Hammarlund, M, & ... (2022). La prise en compte des liens d'attachement au tribunal: protection de l'enfance et décisions de résidence des enfants dans les situations de séparation parentale. Devenir, shs.cairn.info, https://shs.cairn.info/article/DEV_221_0015
Phiri, ML, Cabus, S, Mathenge, J, Mooya, H, Ressler, D, & ... (2024). An empirical investigation of social emotional learning among children in primary education: The case of Catch Up in Zambia., lirias.kuleuven.be, https://lirias.kuleuven.be/handle/20.500.12942/757933
Mooya, H (2007). School of Humanities and Social Sciences Department of Psychology., lollenautafoundation.eu, https://lollenautafoundation.eu/uploads/haatembo-mooya-ma-proposal-lnf.pdf
Mooya, H, & Hapunda, G (2018). Translating Evaluation Findings into Advocacy Plans and Policy. Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation …, researchgate.net, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Given-Hapunda/publication/325961684_Participatory_Monitoring_and_Evaluation_for_Projects_Programmes_or_Policies/links/5fa26028299bf1b53e611052/Participatory-Monitoring-and-Evaluation-for-Projects-Programmes-or-Policies.pdf#page=255
Mooya, H (2015). Jacobs Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science., academia.edu, https://www.academia.edu/download/58100624/J_J_Psych_Behav_Sci_2_1_010.pdf
Mooya, H Discipline in schools. Alternatives to corporal punishment in Zambian schools. lollenautafoundation.eu, https://lollenautafoundation.eu/uploads/issbd-final-report-mooya.pdf
Shapiro, L, Jarman, M, Farrow, C, Wadende, P, Zeidler, H, & ... (2020). Qualitative Accounts of Changes to School-aged Children's Diets due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rural, Central, Kenya, 2020. reshare.ukdataservice.ac.uk, https://reshare.ukdataservice.ac.uk/855241/
Cabus, S, Schroen, S, Phiri, M, Haatembo, M, & ... (2023). ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF REMEDIAL TEACHING TO SOCIO-EMOTIONAL LEARNING OF CHILDREN IN THE PRIMARY EDUCATION SYSTEM OF …., vvob.org, https://www.vvob.org/sites/default/files/2025-10/catchup_sel_in_zambia_final_report_november_2023.pdf
Forslund, T, Granqvist, P, Hammarlund, M, & ... (2022). Attachment goes to court: Child protection and child custody issues. Devenir, shs.cairn.info, https://shs.cairn.info/article/E_DEV_221_0015
Haatembo, M (2012). Child-Mother interaction and child secure-base behaviour in zambia., dspace.unza.zm, https://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/1679
Forslund, T, Granqvist, P, Hammarlund, M, & ... (2022). Importancia del apego en los tribunales: decisiones de protección y residencia de los niños en casos de separación de los padres. Devenir, stm.cairn.info, https://stm.cairn.info/revista-devenir-2022-1-page-15
- Developmental and child psychology
- Literacy promotion in sub-Saharan Africa
- Early childhood development
- Educational psychology
- Quantitative research design and data analysis
- Qualitative research design and analysis
- eTALE Project
- Graphogame Project