Research Labs
Research Lab: Family Violence Lab
Faculty Name: Dr. Arthur Cantos
Brief Description of Research: The main focus of the Family Violence/Intimate Partner Violence Lab is to assess all aspects of the family violence area and the treatment of male perpetrators of intimate partner violence.
Current Research Investigation (Topics or Titles):
- A comparison among athletes and non-athletes perceived stress levels in a sample of college students from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley college students
- The mediation of jealousy and anger on the interaction of partners' attachment styles and impulsivity on intimate partner violence in college student couples
- Teen dating violence in a sample of high school students in the Rio Grande Valley
- Hormonal assessment in perpetrators of intimate partner violence
Research Lab: Multicultural Clinical Lab
Faculty Name: Dr. Alfonso Mercado
Brief Description of Research: Our goal as researchers in the Multicultural Clinical Lab is to produce new knowledge and deepen our understanding of multicultural mental health, treatment efficacy with culturally diverse groups, trauma and resiliency with the recent immigrant population, and the significances of perceived stigma among caretakers of individuals diagnosed with an intellectual disability.
Current Research Investigation (Topics or Titles):
- Immigration and Mental Health
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- Intellectual Developmental Disorders
Research Lab: Behavior and Child Development Lab
Faculty Name: Dr. Cecilia Montiel-Nava
Brief Description of Research: The diversified research in development from the Behavior and Child Development Lab allows members of the community for an opportunity to received screening and diagnostic services for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Current Research Investigation (Topics or Titles):
- Collaboration with UT Austin: Identifying needs of Texas Children
- Autism in Latino Children
- Instrument Validations
- Early identification and intervention
- Global Perspective on Autism: Focus on Latin America
Research Lab: Adversities in Childhood and Trauma Studies (ACT) Lab
Faculty Name: Dr. Ruby Charak
Brief Description of Research: Dr. Charak's program of research is aimed at understanding the cumulative effect of childhood adversities, including child abuse and neglect in the development of traumatic stress reactions, such as PTSD and substance use, and revictimization across the lifespan. She has examined the same in samples from geographically diverse regions, namely, India, Burundi, the United States, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Northern Ireland. A recent focus of the lab has been on the interpersonal violence among sexual minorities, and the intergenerational transmission of violence from parent(s) to the sibling dyad.
Current Research Investigation (Topics or Titles):
- Sibling Relationship Quality in Adolescents Residing in Low-income Regions along the US-Mexico Border (SIBSHIP)
- Stressful Life Events and Emotional ExpeRiences (STEER)
- Stressful Life Events and Mental Health (SEM)
- Dating Violence in Early Adolescents from Denmark
- Intergenerational Transmission of Violence in Burundi, Africa
- Meta-analysis of Technology-mediated Intimate Partner Violence
- Epidemiology of Child Abuse and Neglect in a National Registry Data from Denmark
- Life Experiences and Emotional Difficulties (LEED)
Research Lab: Research Enhancing Access to Culturally-Informed Mental Health Services (REACH) Lab
Faculty Name: Dr. Juventino Hernandez Rodriguez & Dr. Bianca Villalobos
Brief Description of Research: REACH is dedicated to increasing access to evidence-based and culturally sensitive mental health services to underserved populations.
Current Research Investigation (Topics or Titles):
- Best practices for parents of bullied children (Dr. Hernandez Rodriguez)
- School-wide screenings for bullying and related problems (Dr. Hernandez Rodriguez)
- Community mental health needs assessment (Dr. Villalobos)