Peer Relations & Reward Responsivity
The Peer Relations & Reward Responsivity study investigates the relationship between reward processing and bullying behaviors in early adolescence. Specifically, this study aims to test whether increased behavioral and neural responsivity to relative rewards, compared to absolute rewards, is related to the development of maladaptive peer relationship behaviors. To accomplish this, we utilize questionnaires assessing past and present bullying behaviors, psychopathology, personality functioning, as well as behavioral and fMRI tasks that distinguish differential reward responses. We hypothesize that increased behavioral preference for relative rewards and increased activity in goal-directed attention networks (e.g., dorsal-attention, frontoparietal) are related to increases in bullying behaviors. This work is funded by a K99 and R00 grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Child & Parent Reward Processing
The Child & Parent Reward Processing study assesses relations between children’s psychosocial functioning, parents’ cognitive beliefs and behaviors, and children’s behavioral and neural responsivity to different forms of rewards. Similar to the Peer Relations & Reward Responsivity Study, this study aims to longitudinally track the development of different reward preferences in childhood and examine how they relate to the development of maladaptive peer relationship behaviors. We hypothesize that I) increased behavioral preference for relative rewards in early childhood and II) increased parental focus on social competition are related to greater activity in goal-directed attention networks (e.g., dorsal-attention, frontoparietal) during competition.
Attention Mechanisms Underlying Conduct Problems
The Attention Mechanisms Underlying Conduct Problems study assesses neural activity in both bottom-up and top-down attention networks during affective processing. In collaboration with Dr. Rebecca Schwarzlose, we are recruiting participants with histories of externalizing problems while collecting psychological and clinical surveys and administering an fMRI visual-attention processing protocol. We hypothesize that some of the emotion deviations commonly observed in externalizing populations are related to hypoactive bottom-up processing of affect, whereas others may be related to increased top-down modulation. This work is being supported by a Visionary Grant from the American Psychological Foundation.
Characterizing Prosocial Media and Neurodevelopment in Kids
The Characterizing Prosocial Media and Neurodevelopment in Kids study assesses relations between children’s (3-7 years old) social media usage, psychological functioning, and neural affective processing. In collaboration with Dr. Cat Camacho and Dr. Rose Donohue, we are recruiting participants to complete psychological surveys, behavioral tasks, and a Diffuse Optical Tomography (DOT) protocol while collecting children’s media usage data.