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Allison M

- Research Program Mentor

PhD candidate at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

Expertise

clinical psychology

Bio

I have been passionate about clinical psychology and applied research since I was a student at Princeton University. At Princeton, I completed a senior thesis research project focused on risk factors for depression in undergraduate students. Following college, I pursued a position at Columbia University Medical Center to advance my research skills in a research lab focused on mood disorders and suicide prevention. Now, as a clinical psychology PhD student, I have built a program of research focusing on protective factors and resilience regarding depression and anxiety, with a particular focus on social support and emotion regulation. Outside of research and graduate school, I enjoy exploring and spending time with my family and German shepherd/great pyrenees mix. I am also a big foodie, which means that I am often trying out new restaurants and cooking. Lastly, as a former contemporary dancer, I love being active and watching dance when I can!

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

Social Support Effects on Mental Health: A Systematic Review

In this project, you will conduct a literature search and write a scientific paper on the effects of social support on mental health. This paper could cover a wide range of mental health disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, eating disorders) and explore how social support may benefit mental health or potentially harm mental health. This process will teach you how to find, access, and assess psychology research literature and compile findings into a scientific review. You will learn skills in critical thinking, writing, and editing as a part of this process.

Coding skills

R, SPSS, MPlus, Blimp

Languages I know

Spanish, Basic

Teaching experience

As a graduate student at UCLA, I have served as a teaching assistant for undergraduate psychology classes, including those in clinical psychology, developmental psychology, and research methods. I have also served as a mentor for undergraduates and junior graduate students in developing and completing research projects on a wide range of topics related to depression and anxiety disorders as well as consulted on statistics.

Credentials

Work experience

Columbia Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute (2015 - 2018)
Clinical Research Coordinator
UCLA (2018 - 2020)
Teaching Assistant
UCLA (2020 - 2023)
Graduate Student Researcher
Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System (2023 - Current)
Clinical Psychology Predoctoral Intern

Education

Princeton University
BA Bachelor of Arts (2015)
Psychology
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
MA Master of Arts (2019)
Psychology
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
PhD Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Psychology

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