Research
I have worked in numerous research settings studying various aspects of development in toddlers, preschool-aged children, school-aged children, and adolescents. I have a passion for research that I look forward to incorporating into my child life practice.
Graduate Research Assistant
Biology, Early Experiences, and Development Lab
During my graduate career I worked as a graduate research assistant in the Biology, Early Experiences, and Development Lab at the University of Georgia. Here, I assisted with research exploring how early adversity impacts development in childhood and adolescence. Foci of completed research projects include the relation between parental job loss and accelerated epigenetic aging in adolescents, the effect of environmental instability on adolescent outcomes, social buffering, and individual differences in stress reactivity and recovery during the pubertal transition. My responsibilities included the creation and revision of research protocols, the conduction of literature reviews, and the management and training of undergraduate research assistants
Related Competency: IV.
Senior Research Assistant
Early Development Lab
From August 2017 - August 2019, I worked as a senior research assistant in the Early Development Lab at Vanderbilt University. Here, I assisted with research exploring the impact of interactive media and technology on children's cognitive and language development. Specific research projects included the examination of toddlers' ability to transfer information received via interactive technology to reality as well as the impact of an interactive avatar embedded in an electronic book on preschool-aged children's vocabulary and story comprehension. Responsibilities included participant recruitment, data collection, transcription, and behavioral coding, as well as the creation of coding manuals and the training of research assistants in research and recruitment procedures.
Related Competency: IV.
Research Assistant
Jessika Boles, PhD, CCLS
From January 2018 - May 2018, I assisted with qualitative research being conducted by a Certified Child Life Specialist exploring perceptions of the term "legacy" among patients, caregivers, and practitioners in a pediatric healthcare setting. Here, I was primarily responsible for the transcription of data from interviews conducted with participants.
Related Competency: IV.
Research Assistant
Music Cognition Lab
From January 2017 - August 2017, I assisted with research being conducted in the Music Cognition Lab at Vanderbilt University. This research explored the effect of music on preschool-aged children's prosocial behavior. Responsibilities included participant recruitment, data collection, and behavioral coding.
Related Competency: IV.