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Teaching Area/Interests
My areas of teaching includes child and adolescent development (with an emphasis on adolescent problems, such as depression and misconduct), child maltreatment, and cross-cultural psychology.
Research Interests (area & methodologies)
My research interests, as a developmental psychologist with clinical training, focuses on at-risk youth, particularly juvenile delinquents, older youth in the foster care system, and low-decile youth. I am interested in transitions and the social contexts of development for youth taking into account culture, family, peers, and important non-parental adults. An additional line of my current work involves examining self-entitled attitudes among adolescents and college students.
My research methodologies are primarily quantitative in nature, including longitudinal and cross-cultural (cross-sectional) designs. I utilize surveys, interviews, archival data, observations, and more recently biological markers.
Professional Links
Professional Memberships: Society for Research on Adolescence, Society for Research in Child Development; American Psychological Association, and American Psychological Society. Reviewer for developmental journals. International collaborators: Professors Ellen Greenberger, Chuansheng Chen and Jutta Heckhausen, and Associate Professor Beth Cauffman at University of California, Irvine, and Dr. Julia Dmitrieva at Temple University
University Committees served on
School Identity Project (Leader)
Qualifications / Degrees
- B.A. (Psychology) - Saint Mary's College of Minnesota
- M.A. (Clinical Psychology) - Califonia State University, Northridge
- Ph.D. (Developmental Psychology, Minor: Quantitative Analysis & Research Methods) - University of Califonia, Irvine
Previous professional experience (prior to present position)
- The Youth Campus, Chicago, IL., U.S.: Child Welfare Specialist (boys group home staff member), Behaviour Management Specialist (crisis intervention), Case Manager (treatment foster care programme), and Lead Case Manager
- Children's Home of Southern California: Therapist
- Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles: Coordinator of Big Brother/Little Brother pairs
- University of California, Irvine: Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant
- Culver City Unified School District: Assessment and Evauation Specialist
Other information, interests or things that drive you
I recently moved to Auckland from the U.S. and am excited to live in the New Zealand culture that celebrates diversity and individual rights.
