Undergraduate Directed Study in Research
Program Overview
This experience is best suited for highly motivated individuals who are capable of taking initiative, accepting feedback, and working as a member of a team. Depending on the nature of the project, the work may entail either laboratory or field-based work. The grade will be a function of completing research tasks on time, as well as the quality of the work accomplished. Students will be expected to produce a final product in order to receive a passing grade, the format of which will be determined in conjunction with the supervising faculty member (see Directed Study Requirements below).
Contact Information
Óscar F Gonçalves, PhD
404 Int’l Village
Boston, MA 02115
Tel: 617.373.2485
[email protected]
Current Research Team
APPEAR (Applied Psychology Program on Eating and Appearance Research)
Principal Investigators
Dr. Jessica B. Edwards George, Dr. Debra L. Franko, & Dr. Rachel F Rodgers
Team Members
Nike Balogun, Alexandra Convertino, Alyssa Iannuccilli, Megahn Lovering, Stephanie Luk, Atsushi Matsumoto, Pamela Naab, Wendy Pernal, Kayla Yates, Kristine Zhang.
Main Objectives
The main objective of our research lab is to develop and evaluate evidence-based interventions that successfully promote positive body image and healthy eating patters. As such, our work focuses on the identification of risk factors for body image and eating that may serve as targets in interventions. In addition, we aim to develop and evaluate the efficacy of interventions aiming to improve body image and support healthy eating patterns, in particular through Internet and mobile technology. Our overall approach emphasized the importance of health as opposed to weight, and our work aims to be translational in that its focus ranges from the individual to the social and policy level.
Main Current Research Projects
- The development and evaluation of interventions aiming to decrease body image and eating disorders capitalizing on technology
- The development of sociocultural models of body image and eating concerns
- Psychological and behavioral correlates of adherence to medically necessary dietary regimens in pediatric populations, such as children with gastrointestinal disorders and food allergies
- The role of working memory in body image and eating disorders.
Contacts
Mindfulness in Everyday Living for Mental and Physical Wellness
Principal Investigator
Dr. Mariya Shiyko
Team Members
none yet
Main objectives
The overall goal of this research is to understand the role of mindfulness in the context of daily living and develop mindfulness-based training that can be integrated into everyday life and benefit physical and mental health. Mindfulness is generally defined as a non-judgmental awareness of the present moment. The state of clear awareness can be developed through daily formal and informal practices. We are interested in understanding:
- the state of and fluctuations in mindfulness in trained and untrained individuals
- contextual factors associated with heightened and dull states of mindfulness
- approaches to training mindfulness in the context of daily living
We make use of modern approaches to assessment and intervention that involves technology(e.g., mobile phones, and other portable electronic devices).
Main research projects
Ongoing research projects include a) ecological momentary assessment of mindfulness in a sample of cancer patients; b) Facebook-based survey of general interest in technology-based mindfulness training programs; c) development of a technology-based mindfulness training program for stress reduction in younger adults; d)meta-analysis of mindfulness-based training programs to alleviate stress and work burnout in physical and occupational therapists.
Contacts
Mariya Shiyko [email protected]
Motivational Interviewing Health Disparities (MIHD) Research Lab
Principal Investigator
Dr. Christina Lee
Research Team Members
Tonya Tavares, Julissa Ayala, Elian Roberts, Janelle Alabiso
Main objectives
Reduce risky health behaviors among under-served urban, immigrant populations; co-morbidity poor mental health and drug use; social determinants of mental health, acculturation stress, ways of coping, HIV and treatment engagement; measuring behavioral outcomes of integrated care
Main Research Projects and funding
- Motivational Interviewing translated and adapted for Latino hazardous drinkers: A randomized clinical trial: culturally-tailored Motivational Interviewing (NIH Funded, NIAAA, 2012-2017)
- Development of a brief motivational intervention to enhance treatment retention among HIV+ patients (Dean’s Office Funding)
- The impact of Integrated Care on physical and mental health outcomes* (Research funded by the Kenerson Faculty Award for Community Service)
We have an active study research site at the South End Community Health Center, where Dr. Lee directs the Integrated Behavioral Health Program
Contacts
Christina Lee [email protected] 617-373-2470; Tonya Tavares, Project Director [email protected] 617-373-6891
Website
Behavior Disorders Research Team
Principal Investigators
Drs Amy Briesch & Robert Volpe
Team Members
Jacquelyn Briesch, Ruth Chaffee, Brian Daniels, Alysa Dempsey, Matt Dubois, Josefine Eriksson, Marissa Goyden, Betsy Hemphill, Genevieve Krebs, Petrina Provenzano, Megan Roth, Beth Rutman, Christina Sakelarakis, Victoria Summerlin, Mary Varner, Arielle Wezdenko
Main objectives
To design and evaluate sustainable procedures to prevent and treat emotional and behavior disorders in school settings; To provide members of our research team with opportunities to provide service to children, families, and school systems; To provide team members with an understanding of applied psychological research in school settings. At present our research team is involved in evaluating academic and behavioral interventions, evaluating the psychometric properties of assessment tools, and designing efficient and psychometrically adequate assessment tools to inform intervention.
Main research projects
- Creation and validation of behavioral assessment measures for monitoring the effects of school-based interventions
- Computer-aided instruction targeting early literacy skills
- Examination of school-based behavior screening practices across the U.S.
- Meta-analysis of classwide interventions to support student behavior
Contacts
Amy Briesch: [email protected], Rob Volpe: [email protected]
Website
Violence in Dating Relationships Research Team
Principal Investigator
Dr. Christie J. Rizzo
Team Members
none yet
Main objectives
The goals of this research are to 1) better understand the intrapersonal and interpersonal factors that contribute to the development of violent dating relationships during the adolescent years, 2) to develop evidence-based intervention programs that offset dating violence and other relationship risk behaviors; 3) effectively disseminate prevention programs through school, juvenile justice, and child welfare organizations; and 4) harness technology to disseminate prevention strategies in a way that reaches youth most at risk (e.g., juvenile justice, DCF involved).
Main research projects
Ongoing research projects include:
- an efficacy study of an indicated dating violence and sexual risk prevention program targeted to high school girls with histories of serious dating violence exposure (physical and/or sexual violence)
- study examining factors that impact treatment response, including family history, parenting strategies, and individual risk profiles
- a study examining mechanisms of treatment response, including change in mental health symptomatology, emotion regulation skills, and partner selection practices.
Contacts
Christie J. Rizzo [email protected]
Project Play
Principal Investigators
Drs. Karin Lifter, Emanuel Mason, and Amanda Cannarella
Team Members
Ashley Cameron; Kristin Concannon; Summer Klug; Genevieve Krebs; Kate Vertucci; Brianne Fitzpatrick; Minh Nguyen; Michelle Berton; Alexandra Colpack; Brittany Morley; and Christine Chao.
Main Objectives
To adapt the research version of the Developmental Play Assessment (DPA-R: Lifter, 2000) into a user-friendly version for practitioners (DPA-P); scale and validate the new instrument; and test an online training program for practitioners to use the DPA-P. The DPA-R is used to determine a child’s progress in play (i.e., provide a profile of play) in order to identify instructional goals centered on play. Children with delays in cognition, language, and social interaction show delays in play. We think instructional goals for such children should include attention to developments in play, too, which is why we developed the DPA-R.
The study’s participants include young children, their parents/caregivers, and their service providers/teachers. A total of 500 children with and without delays, from the ages 8 months to 5 years, are being recruited for calibrating and scaling the DPA-P. A subset of these children (n = 200) is being followed every 6 months to verify the longitudinal sequence of the categories and predict readiness for school from the play and other measures. The children’s parents/caregivers play with their children during the play observations in their homes. Service providers and teachers (i.e., practitioners) are being recruited to learn about and administer the DPA-P. Their training includes participation in an on-line training package and the administration of the DPA-P. The participants will receive toys, gift cards, and payments for their participation.
Main research projects
Project Play is focused on observational, descriptive research at this point. These studies are in preparation for future intervention work. The current projects are: a. Data collection in the field; b. Data coding of the videotaped play observations; c. analyses of the descriptive data on play to determine the developmental sequence of play from 8 months to 60 months in children with and without disabilities; and d. analyses of practitioners online training; and e. analyses of the comparisons between the DPA-R and the DPA-P.
Contacts
[email protected]; [email protected]
Website
Analysis of the Psychological Effects of Poverty
Principal Investigator
Dr. Emanuel Mason
Team members
Ashley Cameron, Caley Arzamarsky
Main objective
To utilize population representative data sets from private and governmental agency sources to analyze relationships and test hypotheses about effects of ecological and environmental factors related to poverty and their effects on academic performance, aspirations, social adjustment, parenting, careers, and other aspects of life,development and adjustment. Such research permits the practical assessment of theory,the development of new theory, and can be the source of new research investigations in the field.
Current Projects
This is a new research team, with two current projects, the effects of the degree to which services are available in the schools on the services for children with autism, and the effects of poverty on parenting practices.
Contact
E. Mason [email protected]
High Stakes Testing: Risk, Resiliency and Culture
Principal Investigators
Drs. Louis Kruger & Chieh LiTeam Members: Kalyani Krishnan, Ashley Cameron, Rachel Ruah, Edward Kimble, Diana Stoianov, Kristin Holborn
Main objectives
The purpose of our research is to unravel the mystery of why some individuals give up after a failure and others persevere and eventually succeed. More specifically, we are investigating the internal and external risk and protective factors that lead to either success or failure in academics among youth from low-income urban communities and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Main research projects
Our current study is exploring former high school students’ perspectives on (a) why they failed their state’s mandated high stakes test, (b) the psychological effects of failing a high stakes test, (c) the psychological and ecological factors that contributed to their resilience after this failure, and (d) culturally responsive intervention strategies.
Contacts
Louis Kruger [email protected] 617-373-5897
Chieh Li [email protected] 617-373-4683
Website
Center on Population Health and Health Disparities: Boston Puerto Rican Health Study
(Collaboration between UMass, Northeastern University and Tufts University) Based at Northeastern University: Project 2: Social Indicators of Psychosocial Stress Among Puerto Rican Elders in the Boston Area
Principal Investigators
Drs. Katherine Tucker; Luis Falcon (UMass Lowell); Dr. Irina Todorova (Co-Investigator for Project 2)
Team Members
Irina Todorova; Wallis Adams; Mariana Guzzardo; Zlatina Kostova
Main objectives
Project 2: Social Indicators of Psychosocial Stress Among Puerto Rican Elders in the Boston Area – The long term goal of this work is to contribute to understanding psychological, social and environmental contexts of health disparities of older Puerto Ricans. The objective of this proposal is to examine, in our study population, how stressors, personal resources, social networks, and perceptions and characteristics of the local environment relate to physical and mental health outcomes over time. We draw on the large scale longitudinal data set (N=1200) being collected at three time points; as well as on in-depth interviews conducted with a sub-sample of the larger cohort. The use of mixed methods and the multi-level examination of individual, social, and environmental factors will contribute to a fuller approach in answering the research questions. Our results will further the understanding of the complex processes leading to health disparities, and provide evidence for policy changes, the development of successful interventions, and more efficient use of resources for lowering health disparities.
Main research projects
- To assess the impact of stressors on health disparities experienced by Puerto Rican adults over 5 years.
- To assess the characteristics and effects of social networks on health outcomes over 5 years.
- To assess associations between depressive symptomatology, psychosocial stress and cardiovascular risk.
- To assess the characteristics of social networks and their effects on cardiovascular risk.
- To provide in depth understanding of experiences through ethnographic methods and interviews with a subset of participants.
These interviews focus on the social domains of migration, family, stress, social support, meanings of aging, health and illness and cultural identity.
Contacts
Irina Todorova, PhD [email protected]
Websites
https://www.uml.edu/Research/UML-CPH/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20193082/
Multiple Identities Research Team
Principal Investigator
Dr Tracy Robinson-Wood
Team Members
Nike Balogun, Isabelle Biennestin, Noreen Boadi, Shelly Collins-Rawle, Atsushi Matsumoto, Bianca Poindexter, Ami-Popat, Amanda Weber, Elda Zeko-Underwood
Main objectives
To investigate the prevalence and nature of microaggressions among highly educated racial, gender, and sexual minorities and to chronicle coping strategies. In addition, our team is exploring the presence and type of racial socializations messages that white mothers and black mothers give to their black/white biracial children.
Main Current Research Projects
In an effort to provide members of our research team with an understanding of applied psychological research, we engage in the following activities
- Review the research literature
- Write grants
- Collect and analyze data
- Prepare proposals for poster and conference presentations
- Co-author manuscripts for publication in counseling related peer reviewed journals
Understanding the psychological and physiological impact of microaggressions on staff, students, and faculty, our research team is a safe space for sharing and telling of microaggressions and is comprised of members who are diverse across ethnicity, nationality, race, gender, and sexuality. We are working on the development of an instrument to measure multiple, distinct, and simultaneous microaggressions.
Contacts
Tracy Robinson-Wood: [email protected]
Neuro4Health
Principal Investigator
Dr Oscar Gonçalves
Team Members
Sandra Carvalho, Jorge Leite[JL1] , Ana Gonçalves, Carmen Armengol, Brandon Frank, Silvia Carvalho, Leonor Garcia-Gomez
Main objectives
The main objective of our lab is to combine neuroimaging, neurophysiology and neurotherapheutics to study the interface between brain and behavior, in both healthy and clinical populations. Our mission is a twofold: to conduct basic research on neurocognitive and neuroemotional processes relevant to the understanding of clinical phenomena; and to do applied research, assessing the effectiveness of novel treatment interventions combining neuromodulation, psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions
Main current research projects
- The use of an interactive tDCS intervention in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- A Closed Loop System for the Improvement of Motor and Cognitive Symptoms in Parkinson´s Disease
Contacts
Oscar F. Gonçalves [email protected] 617-373-8120;