Dr. Francis Sichimba is a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology, University of Zambia. As a senior lecturer, he provides academic leadership in clinical and counseling courses, lecturing, research, and student development. He has about 20 years of teaching, research, and professional experience. He has been involved in the training of professional psychologists both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in counseling, psychotherapy, mental health issues, clinical psychology, neuropsychology, cognitive behavioral therapy, behavior therapy, psychopathology, and qualitative research methods. His current area of research focuses on grandparenting, attachment, maternal sensitivity, caregiver-infant interactions, and parenting views. Other research interests include mental illness, cultural beliefs, maternal health, clinical empathy, and psychosocial aspects of HIV/AIDS. Dr Francis Sichimba has vast experience in collecting video data and teaching undergraduates and postgraduate students in specialized courses in clinical psychology, psychotherapy, program monitoring, and evaluation. He is also an expert coder of mother-infant interaction sensitivity videos, the home environment observational scale, and quality of care. Dr Sichimba also works as a psychotherapist, with a special interest in gender-based violence, suicide, marital issues, grief, and maternal health. He is also involved in training professionals and lay people in counseling and related interventions. Dr. Sichimba has published several articles in leading journals and has presented several papers at both national and international conferences.
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
Sichimba, F, Janlöv, AC, & Khalaf, A (2022). Family caregivers' perspectives of cultural beliefs and practices towards mental illness in Zambia: an interview-based qualitative study. Scientific Reports, nature.com, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-25985-7
Sichimba, F, Nakazwe, KC, Halawi, L, & ... (2025). Exploring exclusive breastfeeding readiness: experiences of first-time mothers in Lusaka, Zambia. International Journal of …, Taylor &Francis, https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2025.2463159
Sichimba, F, Mooya, H, & ... (2017). Predicting Zambian grandmothers' sensitivity toward their grandchildren. The International Journal …, journals.sagepub.com, https://doi.org/10.1177/0091415016680070
Aboud, F, Omoeva, C, Gomez, R Contreras, & ... (2025). Scaling parenting programs for early child development in four low-and middle-income countries. Frontiers in Public …, frontiersin.org, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1604308
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
Khalaf, A, Nakazwe, KC, Halawi, L, & ... (2026). Professional competence and spiritual care provision among Zambian maternal healthcare providers: Through the lens of Watson's Theory of Human Caring. Journal of Holistic …, journals.sagepub.com, https://doi.org/10.1177/08980101251321970
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
Omoeva, C, Gomez, R Contreras, Hatch, R, Aboud, F, & ... (2025). Do Playful Parenting Programs Implemented at Scale Improve Caregiver Practices and Child Development?. Children, mdpi.com, https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/9/1241
Sichimba, F, Nakazwe, KC, & Phiri, T (2020). Untold stories of women living in violence: lived realities of why women stay: a case study of Ngombe and Kanyama compounds in Lusaka. Journal of Aggression …, Taylor &Francis, https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2019.1667466
Halawi, L, Sichimba, F, Nakazwe, KC, & ... (2026). Exploring clinical empathy among maternal healthcare providers in Zambia: Does the heart meet the mind? Insights from a qualitative study. Journal of Health …, journals.sagepub.com, https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053251378961
Mubanga, B, Fwoloshi, S, Lwatula, L, & ... (2023). Effects of the ECHO tele-mentoring program on HIV/TB service delivery in health facilities in Zambia: a mixed-methods, retrospective program evaluation. Human Resources for …, Springer, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-023-00806-8
Aboud, F, Choden, K, Hapunda, G, Sichimba, F, & ... (2024). Using implementation research to inform scaling of parenting programs: independently conducted case studies from Zambia and Bhutan. Children, mdpi.com, https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/11/4/477
Hapunda, G, & Sichimba, F (2026). Understanding Barriers to Police Reporting of Sexual Violence in Zambia: Service Providers' Perspectives on Sociocultural, Economic, Psychological, and Structural …. Women &Criminal Justice, Taylor &Francis, https://doi.org/10.1080/08974454.2026.2650371
Sichimba, F (2015). GRANDPARENTING IN ZAMBIA: PREVALENCE, BELIEFS ABOUT SENSITIVE CAREAND QUALITY OF GRANDPARENTAL CHILDCARE., lollenautafoundation.eu, https://lollenautafoundation.eu/uploads/francis-21052015updatedthesisfinal-2015-05-19.pdf
Kaluba, C, Nakazwe, KC, & Sichimba, F (2024). From grandmother to first-time mother: A qualitative study of prenatal and postnatal maternal socialization in Lusaka, Zambia. Journal of Human Behavior …, Taylor &Francis, https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2023.2190361
Sichimba, F (2015). Grand parenting in Zambia: Prevalence, beliefs about sensitive care and quality of Childcare., dspace.unza.zm, https://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/4216
Khalaf, A, Sichimba, F, Nakazwe, KC, & ... (2026). Women's Autonomy and Respectful Maternity Care in Zambia: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Validated Patient-Reported Measures. Maternal and Child Health …, Springer, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-026-04278-9
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
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
Sichimba, F, & Musonda, N Peer-Reviewed Articles. PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN, innovation.umn.edu, https://innovation.umn.edu/sites/innovation/files/attachments_files/Ferguson-2017_A.R.C.-Toward-Your-Mark_ipb_2017-21-1-winter.pdf#page=14
Sichimba, F (2018). Reflecting, Learning, Documenting Best Practices and Adjusting the Project Strategy. Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation for Projects …, researchgate.net, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Given-Hapunda/publication/325961684_Participatory_Monitoring_and_Evaluation_for_Projects_Programmes_or_Policies/links/5fa25d87458515b7cfba5ebf/Participatory-Monitoring-and-Evaluation-for-Projects-Programmes-or-Policies.pdf#page=239
Sichimba, F (2015). Jacobs Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science., academia.edu, https://www.academia.edu/download/58100518/J_J_Psych_Behav_Sci_1_2_007.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
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
- Mental Health
- Grandparenting
- Gender Based Violence
- Mental illness
- Clinical Empathy
- HIV and AIDS
- Maternal Sensitivity
- Culture
- RISEinFAMILY healthcare project funded by the EU intends to undertake a targeted implementation research strategy to make the FICare model suitable for all environments (no matter the country and/or the NICU) and to carry out the groundwork to set it as the new international standard of neonatal and family care. https://riseinfamily.eu/en/the-project/
- Cross-cultural project on economic inequality: This is 40-nations study on the perception and explanation of economic differences between nations.
- Maternal health project: This project endeavors to explore the perception of pregnant women’s autonomy, clinical empathy in maternal health care in Zambia from the perspectives of pregnant women, health care providers, and stakeholders – an in-depth qualitative approach.