Psychological Science

Dr. Laura Armstrong

September 21, 2018 by Laura Armstrong
department: Psychological Science

Laura ArmstrongAssistant Professor
Department of Psychological Science

My primary research interests are in the area of early childhood mental health. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] Broadly, I am interested in the role of family risk and parenting behaviors in the development of child emotion regulation during the toddler and preschool years. This has led to two interrelated lines of research focused on: (a) understanding how young children develop the ability to use language as a way to effectively manage negative emotions and how certain child-rearing environments (e.g., parental psychopathology, poverty) may compromise this process; and (b) examining how cognitions among low-income parents (e.g., cognitive complexity, mind-mindedness, parenting self-efficacy and locus of control) as well as child and family functioning influence parents’ ability to promote self-regulatory skills in their preschool-age child. My long-term goal is to refine intervention targets for low-income families raising young children.
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Laura Armstrong

keywords: mental healthsocioeconomic status

Dr. Jeanette M. Bennett

September 28, 2018 by Jeanette Bennett
department: Psychological Science

Associate Professor
Department of Psychological Science

I am an experimental health psychologist who focuses on understanding the biopsychosociological antecedents of stress-related chronic disease. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] My research seeks to understand the physiological mechanisms that cause chronic diseases and how individual differences in emotion regulation ability and implementation of stress management interventions can holistically improve health and well-being. Currently, my lab, StressWAVES BRL, examines the relationships among emotional stressors, caffeine administration, and physiological markers such as heart rate variability and systemic inflammation. In addition, I developed and manage the Department of Psychological Science’s Biobehavioral Core (BBC) Lab that consists of a 500 ft2 BSL-2 wet lab, 2 data collection rooms designed for BSL-2 data collection, and office space.
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Jeanette M. Bennett

keywords: biobehavioral healthchronic conditionscomplex & adaptive systemsstress

Dr. Amy Canevello

September 28, 2018 by Amy Canevello
department: Psychological Science

Amy Canevello

Associate Professor
Department of Psychological Science

My research investigates the dynamics of close relationships and is driven by a simple, but powerful assumption: people create what they experience through the goals and motives that drive their behavior. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] My research addresses questions such as: When and how do we create upward and downward spirals in our relationships with others? How do we contribute to our own and others’ experiences? What does it mean to have good relationships and how can we create them for ourselves and others? What are the benefits of giving to vs. receiving from others? What are the physiological correlates and health-related consequences of these processes?
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Amy Canevello

keywords: health behavior

Dr. Andrew Case

September 28, 2018 by Andrew Case
department: Psychological Science

Andrew CaseAssistant Professor
Department of Psychological Science

My work focuses broadly on issues of equity related to race and ethnicity. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] Through basic and applied research, I seek to: (a) identify the causes of health disparities as well as other racial disparities in r life outcomes; and, (b) support community-driven strategies that reduce these disparities. One line of my current research is focused on examining community and societal risk factors (e.g., poverty and discrimination) that underlie the disproportionate disease burden experienced by African Americans in reference to cardiovascular disease. A second line of my research utilizes ethnographic and community-based participatory research to address factors within organizations and communities that underlie racial disparities in health and life outcomes. Current investigations focus on empowerment as an anti-poverty strategy and empowering counterspaces as a means reducing juvenile offending and incarceration among racial minority youth.
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Andrew Case

keywords: community engagementcommunity healthcommunity-based participatory researchhealth disparitiesrace and socioeconomic status

Dr. Jim Cook

September 28, 2018 by Jim Cook
department: Psychological Science

Jim CookProfessor
Department of Psychological Science

My area of research is community psychology, which focuses on changing systems and settings to better meet the needs of individuals and families. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] With a strong emphasis on community-based participatory research (CBPR), my faculty and student colleagues and I work with community groups as partners. We work together to develop research questions, collect data, and use the knowledge gained to improve the community. Examples of current partnerships (with Ryan Kilmer) include: evaluation of a major children’s mental health initiative; evaluation of family support programs within both mental health and child protective services (CPS); pilot efforts to improve social workers’ ability to identify and meet the mental health needs of youth in CPS; evaluating efforts to increase school readiness and skills for young children. Through working with these programs to evaluate their impact, we help them improve their ability to help children and families.
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Jim Cook

keywords: community engagementcommunity healthcommunity-based participatory researchmental health

Dr. George Demakis

September 28, 2018 by George Demakis
department: Psychological Science

George DemakisProfessor
Department of Psychological Science

I study neuropsychological correlates of Parkinson’s Disease, recovery from traumatic brain injury, meta-analysis, detection of malingering, activities of daily living, and competency evaluations and issues (both civil and criminal). [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’]
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. George Demakis

keywords: clinical neuropsychology and forensic psychology

Dr. Jane Gaultney

September 28, 2018 by Jane Gaultney
department: Psychological Science

Jane GaultneyProfessor
Department of Psychological Science

I study cognition and behavior in children and adults with sleep disorders; the effect of sleepiness on children and adults. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] Click here for more information about Dr. Gaultney’s sleep lab.
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Jane Gaultney

keywords: sleep

Dr. Virginia Gil-Rivas

September 28, 2018 by Virginia Gil-Rivas
department: Psychological Science

Virginia Gil-RivasProfessor
Department of Psychological Science

I study the development, implementation, and evaluation of culturally appropriate brief cognitive behavioral interventions that can be widely disseminated in primary care and community settings. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] In particular, my work aims to develop interventions that address the needs of individuals living in poverty and other vulnerable populations (i.e., ethnic/racial minority groups, immigrants, individuals with mental health disorders, and other marginalized groups).
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Virginia Gil-Rivas

keywords: behavioral healthglobal healthmental healthstresstrauma

Dr. Susan Johnson

September 28, 2018 by Susan Johnson
department: Psychological Science

Professor
Department of Psychological Science

I study mood and information processing, efficacy and prevalence of alternative and complementary medicine, and bio-psychosocial approaches to unexplained illness. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’]
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Susan Johnson

Dr. Ryan Kilmer

September 28, 2018 by Ryan Kilmer
department: Psychological Science

Ryan KilmerProfessor
Department of Psychological Science

A child clinical-community psychologist, my interests center around children and families and: (a) factors influencing the development of children at-risk for emotional, behavioral, and/or academic difficulties, particularly risk and resilience and youngsters’ adjustment to trauma; and (b) the use of evaluation research to guide system change, program refinement, service delivery, and policy. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] One recent effort involved a multi-year partnership with our local school system’s pre-kindergarten program and office of research, analytics, and evaluation. We worked to increase their capacity to collect, manage, and use data to better support teacher coaching, teacher differentiated instruction, teacher curricula implementation, and research capacity.
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Ryan Kilmer

keywords: behavioral healthclinical researchcommunity engagementcommunity healthcommunity-based participatory researchhealth policy

Dr. Alyssa McGonagle

September 28, 2018 by Alyssa McGonagle
department: Organizational SciencePsychological Science

ATTACHMENT DETAILS Heather-Perry.jpg September 28, 2018 5 KB 150 × 150 Edit Image Delete Permanently URL http://pages.charlotte.edu/healthresearch/wp-content/uploads/sites/1185/2018/09/Heather-Perry.jpg TitleAssistant Professor
Psychology & Organizational Science

I research topics related to worker health, safety, and well-being, and I focus on potentially vulnerable working populations, including aging workers, disabled workers, and workers with chronic health conditions. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] I am currently working on research related to preventing disability discrimination at work, understanding factors that relate to workers’ perceptions of their work ability, and designing an intervention to promote work ability and quality of work life for workers with chronic health conditions.[/read]

For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Alyssa McGonagle

keywords: agingchronic conditions

Dr. Erika Montanaro

September 28, 2018 by Erika Montanaro
department: Psychological Science

Erika MontanaroAssistant Professor
Department of Psychological Science

HIV prevention often begins with a targeted behavior, for example, a young woman negotiating condom use with her partner. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] It is important to understand what factors contribute to HIV risk behavior in order to create effective interventions. Additionally, HIV disproportionately impacts young minority populations. To that end, the goal of my research program is to integrate theory, advanced analytic techniques, and technology to develop and assess innovative and impactful interventions to decrease HIV transmission rates in at-risk minority health communities.
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Erika Montanaro

keywords: health technologyrace

Dr. Amy Peterman

September 28, 2018 by Amy Peterman
department: Psychological Science

Amy PetermanAssociate Professor
Department of Psychological Science

My research interests center on developing a deeper understanding of the role played by psychological and behavioral factors in the socioeconomic gradient of health. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] I am also very interested in the role that health psychology interventions, including those delivered in primary care settings, can play in minimizing SES-related health disparities.
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Amy Peterman

keywords: behavioral healthchronic conditionshealth disparitiessocioeconomic status

Dr. Charlie Reeve

September 28, 2018 by Charlie Reeve
department: Psychological Science

Charlie ReeveProfessor
Department of Psychological Science

My research areas are quantitative research methods; measurement theory; data analytic designs. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’]
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Charlie Reeve

keywords: quantitative methods

Dr. Victoria Scott

September 28, 2018 by Victoria Scott
department: Psychological Science

Victoria scottAssistant Professor
Department of Psychological Science

I am an applied, interdisciplinary social scientist with background and formal training in community psychology, clinical psychology, and business administration. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] My research focuses on systems-level (organizational and community) improvement, primarily in health and human service organizations. Fostering collective wellness – that is, the health and well-being of individuals and their communities – rests at the heart of my commitment and contributions as a professional. As a faculty member in the Health Psychology Doctoral program, I concentrate on how systems and settings can be improved to promote health as a key aspect of wellness. For example, how can sectors of a community work together to increase access to preventive healthcare? Or, how can a healthcare system change its organizational culture to facilitate healthier employee behaviors? To better understand and advance collective wellness, I engage in evaluation, interdisciplinary approaches, and cross-sector collaborations. With a commitment toward bridging the gap between research and practice, my colleagues and I are continuously working to bring the fruits of our research into the hands of practitioners.
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Victoria Scott

keywords: behavioral healthclinicalcommunity engagementcommunity healthcross-sector collaborationhealth systems and organizations

Dr. Rich Tedeschi

September 28, 2018 by Rich Tedeschi
department: Psychological Science

Rich TedeschiProfessor
Department of Psychological Science

I study predictors, correlates, and consequences of posttraumatic growth, i.e., the experience of positive change that can emerge from the struggle with a highly stressful event (with Lawrence Calhoun).

For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Rich Tedeschi

keywords: stress

Dr. Jennifer B. Webb

September 28, 2018 by Jennifer Webb
department: Psychological Science

Associate Professor
Department of Psychological Science

My research and teaching emphasize the critical importance of adopting interdisciplinary, multicultural, and positive psychological/strengths-based perspectives in the science and practice of clinical health psychology. [read more=’Read more’ less=’Read less’] More specifically, our lab studies socio-cultural risk and protective factors (e.g., body image, ethnic identity, marginalization stress, weight stigma) that may contribute to and/or mitigate disparities in cardiometabolic health among culturally-diverse women during college, pregnancy, and the postpartum. I also have a strong interest in the application of integrative mind-body approaches (including the practices of yoga, mindful and intuitive eating, and self-compassion) and Health at Every Size® principles towards optimizing a more holistic experience of health and well-being in ethnically-diverse groups.
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For more information: Faculty Connections > Dr. Jennifer B. Webb

keywords: clinicalhealth disparitieshealth technologymixed methodsrace and ethnicitysociocultural influencesstress