The Pediatric Coping and Language Lab studies family, linguistic, and sociocultural influences on children’s adaptation to stress. Our research focuses on families faced with chronic stressors, such as a child’s medical illness, to better understand how family coping, language and communication, and sociocultural context impact children’s mental and physical health outcomes.
Currently, we have several ongoing studies examining coping and adjustment in pediatric cancer and asthma. Please see descriptions below:
Pediatric Cancer
The goal of this study is to understand the factors that help families cope with the disease and its impact on marital and family relationships.
Pediatric Asthma
Our research in this area seeks to understand coping in low-SES Latinx children with asthma and their parents, and how these factors impact children’s asthma control, emotional and behavioral well-being, and school outcomes.
Bilingualism & CBPR
In the current study, we are exploring the potential impact of language ability on coping and mental health in English-Spanish bilingual youth. This study takes a community-based participatory research approach to identifying mental health needs in the Hispanic/Latino community in Austin and identifying naturalistic intervention targets for those youth at risk for mental health difficulties.
This community-based participatory research study seeks to collaborate with both members of the Latino community in Austin as well as those who serve the Latino community, to gain a better sense of the lives of Latino youth and their families. This research will then inform later intervention utilizing community member feedback and partnership.
There will be opportunities for direct interactions with youth and families and co-authorship on conference presentations and research manuscripts.
For more information on our research please visit here:
http://sites.edb.utexas.edu/pcllab
Required qualifications:
- Interest in gaining experience in clinical, school, and/or community psychology research.
- Highly motivated and conscientious
- Minimum GPA of 3.3
- Proficiency in spoken and written Spanish.
Preferred qualifications:
- Major in psychology or a related field.
- Familiarity with the following software: SPSS, Excel, SALT, Qualtrics
- Previous work/volunteer experience with youth and families and/or outreach to community organizations in Austin.
The undergraduate RA position will be available starting in the fall of 2021. A two semester commitment is required.
• Participant recruitment & home visit assessments.
• Conducting and transcribing interviews with participants (both English and Spanish interviews).
• Assisting with outreach in the Latino community.
• One year minimum commitment and can work a minimum of 8-10 hours a week, with weekend availability.
• Must enroll for course credit in either EDP 379L OR be involved in a university undergraduate research program (e.g., Bridging Disciplines, Intellectual Entrepreneurship-Pre-Graduate School Internship).
