Dr Inmaculada Adarves-Yorno

Dr. Inmaculada Adarves-Yorno (PhD, MA, MSc, BSc, CPsychol, AFBPsS)  is a social scientist whose work lies at the intersection of psychology, leadership, social identity, mindfulness, and resilience. Her research examines how people and leaders navigate complexity, adapt to change, and sustain wellbeing and performance across changing contexts.

Her earlier work in social identity challenged existing approaches to creativity and expanded understanding of how group processes shape individual outcomes. This research, developed with collaborators including Prof. Alex Haslam and Prof. Tom Postmes, generated influential contributions published in leading journals.

Her subsequent research extended into authentic leadership, change agency, and mindfulness, examining tensions between individual experience and social systems. Through this work she developed a growing interest in how people navigate uncertainty and transformation, both personally and collectively.

Her work on mindfulness and social identity investigated questions such as: How can shared identities support mindfulness? Can identification with a mindful identity strengthen psychological resources? How do social and psychological processes jointly contribute to wellbeing and resilience? This research has been conducted across diverse settings including organisational and community contexts, and informed impactful work within the Kenyan Prison Services, contributing to systemic organisational change.

Her current research programme lies at the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and leadership and examines resilience as a dynamic and cyclical process rather than a static individual trait. She investigates the antecedents and moderators of resilience capacity, mindset, and skills, exploring how individuals and leaders regulate themselves across changing biological, psychological, social, and contextual rhythms.

Her long-term aim is to develop evidence-based, adaptable, and identity-informed approaches to leadership development and resilience interventions that bridge rigorous research and practical impact.

Alongside her academic work, Dr. Adarves-Yorno is a Chartered Psychologist with experience as an organisational psychologist, executive advisor, and coach. She works at the intersection of research and practice, helping individuals, and organisations explore the underlying patterns, identities, and assumptions that influence leadership, resilience, wellbeing, and transformational change.

Qualifications:

• PhD on Social Identity and Creativity (Exeter University)
• MSc in Psychological Research Methods, (Exeter University)
• MA in Social Psychology (University Autonoma, Madrid)
• Diploma on Community Interventions (Universidad Autonoma, Madrid)
• BSc (5 years) in Psychology (University Autonoma, Madrid)