Category: Faculty Partner Research

Leanne Nieforth – “We’re advocating for the option of having service dogs as part of a treatment modality for PTSD and overcoming sexual assault trauma,” Senter said. “I interact with the people. I’ve conducted interviews with the participants just asking them about their experiences, the process of getting their service dog, how their service dog assists them in their day-to-day life and the changes that have come from that, and the advantages and disadvantages of having a service dog in 2025.”

Annabelle Atkin – A common racial stressor for Multiracial people is racial identity invalidation: the experience of having one’s racial identity denied by others. This preregistered, exploratory study investigated Biracial people’s experiences of identity invalidation within a family setting.

Ellen Ernst Kossek – “Women who pause their careers often underestimate the emotional adjustment their families will face when they return. Children, in particular, may interpret the change as a kind of loss—even if it ultimately strengthens the family in the long term.”

Sooyeon Jeong – As social robots get more deeply integrated into our everyday lives, they will be expected to engage in meaningful conversations and exhibit socio-emotionally intelligent listening behaviors when interacting with people. Active listening and backchanneling could be one way to enhance robots’ communicative capabilities and enhance their effectiveness in eliciting deeper self-disclosure, providing a sense of empathy,and forming positive rapport and relationships

Jorge Banda – Can a customized computer-driven 12-month short message service (SMS) counseling platform increase weekly walking minutes among adults to levels comparable with those receiving telephone counseling from a trained human advisor?

Laura Schwab Reese – Every year in the United States, it’s estimated that more than 1 in 7 children face violence or neglect in their home. These experiences often go unreported. Some children don’t recognize their experiences as abuse. Others are ashamed. Many fear what will happen next if they speak out.

Trent Mize – Sociological social psychology and the study of human sexuality have largely developed as distinct fields of study. Yet, they share considerable overlap in topics of inquiry, such as identity and status processes; stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination; and stress processes at the micro, meso, and macro levels, respectively.

Leanne Nieforth – Riding or being around horses is one form of therapeutic recreation. For safety, helmets are required by most practitioners, if not strongly encouraged. Yet, current helmet designs for equine activities remain largely inaccessible and noninclusive, raising significant safety concerns within equine-assisted services (EASs).

Kimberly Updegraff – Sibling relationships are often a person’s longest—preceding most friendships and romantic relationships—so the magnitude of sibling influence can’t be ignored

David Purpura – Many children in the United States fail to meet proficiency benchmarks on mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) tests in elementary school despite those tests being related to future outcomes. Thus, strategies are needed to identify and support children at risk for failing to reach proficiency in mathematics and ELA that consider multiple school readiness domains.