Ciara Collins

August 4, 2023- "Subjective Well-Being of Youth with Experience in Foster Care: A Mixed Methods Evaluation"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Preston A. Britner, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Beth Russell, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Nathanael Okpych, Ph.D., School of Social Work

Lindsay Westberg

July 28, 2023- "Long-Term Child Welfare Outcomes for Families Provided Supportive Housing: Lessons from a Model Program"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Preston A. Britner, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Caitlin Lombardi, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Christopher Rhoads, Ph.D., Educational Psychology

Taylor Rathus

June 27, 2023- "Masculinity, Stigma, Critical Consciousness and HIV Prevention among Sexual and Gender Diverse Individuals of Color"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Ryan Watson, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Lisa Eaton, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Rebecca Puhl, Ph.D.

Alyssa Clark

June 12, 2023- "Sexual and Affectionate Behaviors in Adult Romantic Relationships"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Eva Lefkowitz, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Ryan Watson, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Shannon Weaver, Ph.D.

Kaleigh Ligus

June 6, 2023- "The role of chronic disease self-management and psychological resources in rural Medicare beneficiaries’ health-related quality of life and health care service utilization"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Keith Bellizzi, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Ryan Watson, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Julie Robison, Ph.D., UConn Health Center on Aging

Tracy Walters

May 22, 2023- "Correlates of Young Adults’ Sexual Behavior and its Consequences"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Eva Lefkowitz, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Shannon Weaver, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Erik Loken, Ph.D., Educational Psychology

Sarah McKee

April 6, 2023- "Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to Improve Within-School Collaboration and Support the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Marlene Schwartz, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Maria LaRusso, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Sandra M. Chafouleas, Ph.D.

Eminet Gurganus

April 5, 2023- "Linking Community and Clinical Care: Assessing Implementation of Social Needs Screening, Referral, and Tracking Technology"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Marlene Schwartz, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Kim Gans, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Caitlin Caspi, Ph.D.

Eleanor Fisk

March 31, 2023- "How early is early enough? How enrolling in Early Head Start and the availability of services during pregnancy promotes later parenting and child development outcomes"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Caitlin Lombardi, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Rachel Chazan Cohen, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Erik Loken, Ph.D., Educational Psychology
Associate Advisor: Kyle DeMeo Cook, Ph.D., Boston University

Alex Molaver

August 2, 2022- “Development and Initial Validation of a New Measure of Romantic and Friendship Loneliness for Single and Partnered Individuals"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Kari Adamsons, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Preston A. Britner, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Beth Russell, Ph.D.

Yuan Zhang

July 27, 2022- “Examining the Association between Acculturation and Parental Psychological Control in Chinese Immigrant Mothers"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Linda C. Halgunseth, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Preston A. Britner, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Eric Loken, Ph.D.

G. Hilal Kuscul

June 29, 2022- “Custodial Father Families: Predictors, Dynamics and Influences on Adolescents’ Emotional Well Being"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Kari Adamasons, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Beth Russell, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Preston A. Britner, Ph.D.

Mackenzie Wink

May 24, 2022- “Supporting Teachers, Supporting Students: Teachers' Stress, Self-compassion, and Mindsets about Children's Behavior"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Maria D. LaRusso, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Laura Donorfio, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Sandra M. Cafouleas, Ph.D.

Qianxia Jiang

April 15, 2022- “Associations of family childcare home nutrition, physical activity and screen time environments with the diet quality, physical activity and sedentary time of preschool children in their care"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Kim Gans, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Marlene Schwartz, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor-Caitlin Lombardi, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Patricia Risica, DrPH, RD

Samantha Lawrence

March 31, 2022- “The Nature and Psychosocial Correlates of Family-based Weight Communication and Stigma"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Rebecca M. Puhl, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Ryan J. Watson, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor- Marlene Schwartz, Ph.D.

Morica Hutchison

July 14, 2021- “Outcomes From an Emotion Regulation Intervention: A Comparison of Levels of Care"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Beth Russell, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor- Angela Starkweather, Ph.D., RN, ANCP-BC, CNRN, FAAN;
Associate Advisor- Inge-Marie Eigsti, Ph.D.

Sumbleen Ali

March 11, 2021- “Neural Correlates of Remembered Parental Acceptance-Rejection in Childhood"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor- Preston A. Britner, Ph.D;
Associate Advisor- Ronald P. Rohner, Ph.D;
Associate Advisor- Inge-Marie Eigsti, Ph.D.

Ellen Pudney

February 19, 2021-“Parental Weight Talk with Children: The Role of Stigma and Social Position"

Major Advisor: Rebecca Puhl, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Linda Halgunseth, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Marlene B. Schwartz, Ph.D.

Anne Thompson Heller

February 18, 2021- “Collegiate Recovery Programs and the Promotion of Psychosocial Development and Adjustment: A Student Development Perspective"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Beth Russell, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Ronald Sabatelli, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Tom Kimball, Ph.D., LMFT

Erin Donohue

April 15, 2020- “Parenting after the Death of a Co-parent: A Qualitative Study of the Lived Experiences of Surviving Parents"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Linda Halgunseth, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Keith M. Bellizzi, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Laura Donorfio, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Laura Mauldin, Ph.D., NIC

Kate Dibble

April 8, 2020-“Genetic Counseling for BRCA1/2 Mutations: Women’s Experiences, Preferences, and Outcomes of Counseling"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Keith M. Bellizzi, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Preston Britner, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Laura Donorfio, Ph.D.

Carmen Britton

April 1, 2020- “Women’s Experiences of Disability and Community-based Rehabilitation in Sri Lanka"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Laura Mauldin, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Edna Brown, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Kathryn Libal, Ph.D.

Jonelle Reynolds

March 23, 2020- "Predictors of Foster Parents’ Home-based Academic Involvement with their Foster Youth"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Preston A. Britner, PhD.;
Associate Advisor: Megan Feely, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Caitlin Lombardi, Ph.D.

Emily G. Simpson

September 10, 2019- “Maternal Expectations for Adolescence: Emotion Regulation, Parenting, and Child Internalizing Symptoms"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Charles M. Super, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Linda C. Halgunseth, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Christine McCauley Ohannessian, Ph.D.

Tanika Eaves Simpson

May 10, 2019- “Workplace supports in the Infant Mental Health field: A mixed methods investigation"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: JoAnn L. Robinson, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Preston Britner, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Edna Brown, Ph.D.;
Associate Advisor: Laura Mauldin, Ph.D.

Marea M. Tsamaase

April 22, 2019- "Developmental Timetables of Urban and Rural Parents, Grandparents and Teachers in Botswana"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Sara Harkness, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Charles Super, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Maria LaRusso, Ph.D.

Thomas Bischoff

April 17, 2019- "Marriage and Family Therapist Websites: A Qualitative Content Analysis"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Rachel Tambling, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Caitlin Lombardi, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Maria LaRusso, Ph.D.

Marina Vracevic

April 16, 2019-"Exploring Perceptions of Personhood of a Spouse in the Early Stage of Dementia"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Laura Donorfio, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Thomas Blank, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Keith Bellizzi, Ph.D., MPH

Jennifer Dealy

April 15, 2019- "An evaluation of the Intensive Case Management Program: Reducing the court involvement of high conflict co-parents"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Ronald Sabatelli, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: JoAnn Robinson, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Beth Russell, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Shayne Anderson, Ph.D.

Kevin C. Hynes

April 8, 2019- "Measurement Invariance of Acculturation and Enculturation Measures in East Asian Americans"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Rachel Tambling, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Linda Halgunseth, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Annamaria Csizmadia, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Noel Card, Ph.D.

Courtney R. Lincoln

October 31, 2018 - “Parenting a Child with a Chronic Health Condition: Examining Caregivers’ Health Outcomes”

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Beth S. Russell, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Keith Bellizzi, Ph.D., MPH
Associate Advisor: Christine McCauley Ohannessian, Ph.D.

Hyeseong Kang

October 24, 2018 - “Ecosystemic Resilience Relative to Increasing Populations of Unwed Mothers in Korea: A Preliminary Mixed Methods Investigation”“Cultural Models of Shyness and Parenting Among Local and Immigrant Mothers in Hong Kong”

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Sandra Rigazio-DiGilio, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Charles M. Super, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Linda Halgunseth, Ph.D.

Jia Li Liu

July 25, 2018 - “Cultural Models of Shyness and Parenting Among Local and Immigrant Mothers in Hong Kong”

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Sara Harkness, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Charles M. Super, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Linda Halgunseth, Ph.D.

Jessica L. Maksut

July 16, 2018 - "Beyond the individual: The roles of social and structural contexts in HIV prevention and HIV acquisition in the United States"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Lisa Eaton, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Edna Brown, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Keith Bellizzi, Ph.D.

Hyanghee Lee

June 28, 2018 -“Toward a Culturally Robust Measure to Assess Marital Relationships”

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Ronald M. Sabatelli, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Noel Card, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Kari Adamsons, Ph.D.

Alexander Reid

June 25, 2018 - "Cultural Values and Romantic Relationship Satisfaction in Mexican Adolescents: The Moderating Effects of Parental Psychological Control"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Linda Halgunseth, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Annamaria Csizmadia, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Noel Card, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Graciela Espinosa-Hernandez, Ph.D.

Joy Heafner

March 20, 2018 - "Feminist Therapists: A Qualitative Exploration of Values and Practices with Context"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Rachel Tambling, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Kari Adamsons, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Marisol Asencio, Dr.P.H.
Associate Advisor: Laura Mauldin, Ph.D.

Jodie Comer Oshana

November 29, 2017 - "Family and Juvenile Court Judges and the Best Interests of the Child: Current Practices, Procedures, and Recommendations"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Preston Britner, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Steven Wisensale, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Jane Goldman, Ph.D.

Brandyn-Dior McKinley

November 8, 2017 - "Negotiating Motherhood and Intersecting Inequalities: A Qualitative Study of African American Mothers and the Socialization of Adolescent Daughters"

Advising Team:
Major Advisor: Marysol Asencio, Dr.P.H.
Associate Advisor: Bandana Purkayastha, Ph.D.
Associate Advisor: Kari Adamsons, Ph.D.