Category: Faculty Partner Research

Arielle Borovsky – We tested the hypothesis that Parkinson’s disease (PD) impairs verbs’ event structures and/or sensory-motor semantic features, as suggested by theories of grounded cognition. Nineteen participants with PD and 16 age-matched Controls produced verbs and used a Likert scale to rate verbs’ event-based association with instruments (e.g. fork – eating versus bathing) and locations (e.g. airport – waiting versus singing).

Sooyeon Jeong – While the efficacy of social robots in supporting people in learning tasks has been extensively investigated, their potential impact in assisting students in self-studying contexts has not been investigated much. This study explores how a social robot can act as a peer study companion for college students during self-study tasks by delivering task-oriented goal reminder and positive emotional support.

Leanne Nieforth – Many organizations are seeking innovative options to promote workplace mental health and wellbeing, including the integration of employees’ pets into the workplace. While empirical research exists, there has not yet been a systematic analysis focused on the outcomes of pets in the workplace.

Kim Updegraff – Parent-child communication is vital in preventing pre-adolescent health risk behaviors such as substance use and sex, yet little is known about these dynamics in Hispanic families.

Kristine Marceau – Adolescents exposed to traumatic events, including physical and sexual abuse, are at higher risk of developing problematic substance use behaviours. This study investigates associations between traumatic experiences and trajectories of substance use in adolescence and young adulthood, focusing in particular on differences in neuroendocrine and subjective stress reactivity as potential explanatory mechanisms.

Chris Agnew – Some people are single despite desiring a committed romantic relationship. Past research has revealed relationship maintenance strategies—thoughts and behaviors that couple members enact to fuel overall relationship satisfaction and commitment—associated with relationship stability.

Leigha MacNeill – The scope of the pediatric mental health crisis in the United States, coupled with clinical manifestations prior to school age, necessitates a systematic approach to early detection of mental health problems in public health settings.

David Purpura – Negative associations between English Learners (EL) status and early skills were found on measures of cardinality, numeral identification, and broad numeracy, but not spatial skills. The negative relation between EL status and numeracy was moderated by indicators of Executive Function, such that the negative relation between EL status and early numeracy was present for children with higher EF, but not lower.

Heather Eicher-Miller; Cordelia Running; Amanda Veile – The marked individual variability in response to common dietary exposures necessitates tailoring of dietary guidance to individuals, or small groups of individuals with similar needs, to optimize health.

Maria Marshall – Food safety concerns associated with fresh produce have gained prominence due to recurring foodborne outbreaks and recalls. However, consumer awareness and perceptions regarding food safety in small and medium-sized farm (SMF) operations remain
underexplored.