MY RESEARCH

 intersects developmental psychology, social justice, and policy studies, focusing on the cognitive, social, and emotional development of children affected by legal policies.

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I approach this line of inquiry in three ways:

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1. by exploring how familial strategies can moderate the impact of exposure to challenging circumstances on developmental outcomes,

2. by investigating individual differences in how children ages 6-15 years old cognitively and emotionally understand complex concepts related to policies in the United States, and

3. by studying the influence of caregiver-child relationship quality on individual meaning-making processes within diverse family structures.

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Across these three intertwined lines of work I take an interdisciplinary lens, I prioritize methodologies that elevate the voices of these communities, and I consider families’ geographical contexts, sociopolitical ecologies, and caregivers’ perimigration contexts.