Research Projects
Active data collection
Expanding a Novel Healthcare Coordinated Response to Human Trafficking by Enhancing Outreach, Case Management, and Continuity of Care:
The overarching goal of the proposed project is to ensure the Greater Houston PATH Collaborative continues to build, expand, and sustain cooperative, clinical-community links that provide assistance to meet the biopsychosocial and ongoing needs of human trafficking victims and their families. This project aims to do this by 1) Increasing Victim Identification and Care and Providing a Trauma-Informed Family Support Program; 2) Enhancing Street, Online, and Social Media Outreach; and 3) Expanding the Availability of Clinical Case Management and Substance Abuse Recovery Supports.
Graduate Student Project Lead: Cayla Hari and Renae Johnson
The overarching goal of the proposed project is to ensure the Greater Houston PATH Collaborative continues to build, expand, and sustain cooperative, clinical-community links that provide assistance to meet the biopsychosocial and ongoing needs of human trafficking victims and their families. This project aims to do this by 1) Increasing Victim Identification and Care and Providing a Trauma-Informed Family Support Program; 2) Enhancing Street, Online, and Social Media Outreach; and 3) Expanding the Availability of Clinical Case Management and Substance Abuse Recovery Supports.
Graduate Student Project Lead: Cayla Hari and Renae Johnson
Intimate Partner Violence:
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is described as abuse or aggression that occurs in romantic relationships (Barrick et al.,2013). Black American young adults are particularly vulnerable to IPV and its psychological consequences, due to a multitude of socio-cultural factors (e.g., discrimination, socioeconomic status, limited access to resources, and limited awareness of IPV risk factors; Barrick et al., 2013). Unfortunately, there is little accessible information focusing on IPV among young Black women and men, particularly in a college environment. Further, given the social distancing measures stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic victims are less likely to leave their abusers, increasing the rates of IPV (Breiding et al., 2008) yet little is known regarding risk and protective factors of IPV during this period. The current study has two primary aims: 1) To identify risk and protective factors of IPV at different ecological levels among Black college students attending three institutions (i.e., an HBCU, PWI, and HSI). 2) To develop an App-based psychological and coping skills toolkit.
Graduate Student Project Lead: Tiah Keishea Stewart and Rebeea Baloch
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is described as abuse or aggression that occurs in romantic relationships (Barrick et al.,2013). Black American young adults are particularly vulnerable to IPV and its psychological consequences, due to a multitude of socio-cultural factors (e.g., discrimination, socioeconomic status, limited access to resources, and limited awareness of IPV risk factors; Barrick et al., 2013). Unfortunately, there is little accessible information focusing on IPV among young Black women and men, particularly in a college environment. Further, given the social distancing measures stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic victims are less likely to leave their abusers, increasing the rates of IPV (Breiding et al., 2008) yet little is known regarding risk and protective factors of IPV during this period. The current study has two primary aims: 1) To identify risk and protective factors of IPV at different ecological levels among Black college students attending three institutions (i.e., an HBCU, PWI, and HSI). 2) To develop an App-based psychological and coping skills toolkit.
Graduate Student Project Lead: Tiah Keishea Stewart and Rebeea Baloch
Supervisor Support and Emotion Regulation Skills Program Among First Responders
This project was developed in response to a previous research study that was conducted to examine mental health within first responders. We found that, in line with previous research, our participants had higher rates of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and harmful drinking behaviors. We developed a two-part program (supervisor support and individual skills training) to provide first responders with the skills and training they need to mitigate the psychological consequences of the unique stressors they experience (e.g., critical incidents, work stress, etc.). With support from Dr. Matthias Berking, we will be using the Affect Regulation Training Manual (Berking & Schwarz, 2014) as our skills-based intervention. This is a relatively brief emotion regulation skills training that has previously been shown to be effective amongst law enforcement communities. We plan to evaluate the effectiveness of a modified version of this intervention in Texas first responders and provide services to a vulnerable population.
Graduate Student Project Lead: Charlotte Hillegass
This project was developed in response to a previous research study that was conducted to examine mental health within first responders. We found that, in line with previous research, our participants had higher rates of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and harmful drinking behaviors. We developed a two-part program (supervisor support and individual skills training) to provide first responders with the skills and training they need to mitigate the psychological consequences of the unique stressors they experience (e.g., critical incidents, work stress, etc.). With support from Dr. Matthias Berking, we will be using the Affect Regulation Training Manual (Berking & Schwarz, 2014) as our skills-based intervention. This is a relatively brief emotion regulation skills training that has previously been shown to be effective amongst law enforcement communities. We plan to evaluate the effectiveness of a modified version of this intervention in Texas first responders and provide services to a vulnerable population.
Graduate Student Project Lead: Charlotte Hillegass
Race-Related Trauma, Resilience, and Psychological Well-Being: A Prospective Study
Race-related stress has been associated with poor mental health outcomes, physical health outcomes, and life satisfaction (Williams et al., 2003). Resilience, the ability to withstand and cope with stressful circumstances while maintaining healthy functioning, has been found to be a protective factor against psychopathology (Dunkel Schetter & Dolbier, 2011; Kapoor et al., 2018). For racial/ethnic minorities in particular, resilient coping mechanisms such as self-esteem mitigate distress resulting from experiences with racial discrimination (Brown & Tylka, 2011; Odafe, Salami, & Walker, 2017). In conjunction with collaborators at the University of Houston (i.e., Dr. Rheeda Walker and Ijeoma Madubata), we aim to expand on the current knowledge and investigate the moderating effect of exposure to racial stressors on the association between resilience and psychological well-being.
Graduate Student Project Lead: Sha'breon Luper
Race-related stress has been associated with poor mental health outcomes, physical health outcomes, and life satisfaction (Williams et al., 2003). Resilience, the ability to withstand and cope with stressful circumstances while maintaining healthy functioning, has been found to be a protective factor against psychopathology (Dunkel Schetter & Dolbier, 2011; Kapoor et al., 2018). For racial/ethnic minorities in particular, resilient coping mechanisms such as self-esteem mitigate distress resulting from experiences with racial discrimination (Brown & Tylka, 2011; Odafe, Salami, & Walker, 2017). In conjunction with collaborators at the University of Houston (i.e., Dr. Rheeda Walker and Ijeoma Madubata), we aim to expand on the current knowledge and investigate the moderating effect of exposure to racial stressors on the association between resilience and psychological well-being.
Graduate Student Project Lead: Sha'breon Luper
Post Critical Incident Seminar
Following exposure to a critical incident, police departments tend to have policies and procedures surrounding debriefing, intervention, and support (see Addis & Stephens, 2008; Ramchand et al., 2018). To date, however, debriefings and stress management interventions have not shown to be effective methods of mitigating health consequences of critical incidents (see Addis & Stephens, 2008; Patterson, Chung, & Swan, 2014). This ineffectiveness may be due to a variety of reasons, including a short time frame between the event and the debriefing and the psychoeducational components, among others (see Devilly, Gist, & Cotton, 2006). One factor that has received some preliminary support as being an effective component is peer support programs (Lambert et al., 2017). In group-based settings, using peers as facilitators has been shown to increase knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions surrounding mental health (Ramchand et al., 2017). This is important since due to cultural norms of law enforcement, peer supporters can provide a necessary bridge between mental health providers and law enforcement officers (Bohl-Penrod & Clark, 2017). The Post Critical Incident Seminar through the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (Director: Rita Watkins) seeks to meet the needs of law enforcement officers and their spouses while addressing the concerns of the ineffectiveness of debriefings through a standardized, peer-driven, and evidence-supported three-day program. The weTHRIVE lab has been contracted as an independent research team with the goal of examining the effectiveness of the Post Critical Incident Seminar.
Graduate Student Project Lead: Alexus Uhl
Following exposure to a critical incident, police departments tend to have policies and procedures surrounding debriefing, intervention, and support (see Addis & Stephens, 2008; Ramchand et al., 2018). To date, however, debriefings and stress management interventions have not shown to be effective methods of mitigating health consequences of critical incidents (see Addis & Stephens, 2008; Patterson, Chung, & Swan, 2014). This ineffectiveness may be due to a variety of reasons, including a short time frame between the event and the debriefing and the psychoeducational components, among others (see Devilly, Gist, & Cotton, 2006). One factor that has received some preliminary support as being an effective component is peer support programs (Lambert et al., 2017). In group-based settings, using peers as facilitators has been shown to increase knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions surrounding mental health (Ramchand et al., 2017). This is important since due to cultural norms of law enforcement, peer supporters can provide a necessary bridge between mental health providers and law enforcement officers (Bohl-Penrod & Clark, 2017). The Post Critical Incident Seminar through the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (Director: Rita Watkins) seeks to meet the needs of law enforcement officers and their spouses while addressing the concerns of the ineffectiveness of debriefings through a standardized, peer-driven, and evidence-supported three-day program. The weTHRIVE lab has been contracted as an independent research team with the goal of examining the effectiveness of the Post Critical Incident Seminar.
Graduate Student Project Lead: Alexus Uhl
Living in Fear: Black Emerging Adults Navigate a World of Police Violence
Living in Fear Project - Imagine being judged as soon as you walk into a room before you’ve had the opportunity to formally introduce yourself based solely on the color of your skin. Furthermore, think about what it would be like to be perceived as a threat based solely on the color of your skin by the very men and women public service agents that are supposed to protect and serve you. There is no longer a need to imagine or think about these “hypothetical” scenarios any further because these are the very reasons that many Black individuals are “living in fear”
Graduate Student Project Lead: Casiah Evans
Living in Fear Project - Imagine being judged as soon as you walk into a room before you’ve had the opportunity to formally introduce yourself based solely on the color of your skin. Furthermore, think about what it would be like to be perceived as a threat based solely on the color of your skin by the very men and women public service agents that are supposed to protect and serve you. There is no longer a need to imagine or think about these “hypothetical” scenarios any further because these are the very reasons that many Black individuals are “living in fear”
Graduate Student Project Lead: Casiah Evans