Current lab members:

Left to right: Dr. Lisa Edwards, Mackenzie Goertz, Ashley Faytol, Kat McConnell, Karina Loyo

Overview and Mission Statement

The mission of the Culture & Well-Being Research Lab is to conduct ongoing research about multicultural issues in psychology, with a particular focus on understanding individual, family and community strengths that help individuals of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds experience well-being. To this end, the lab provides a setting in which students, faculty and other colleagues can engage in project development, implementation and dissemination of findings about various topics.

Current projects:
Proyecto Mamá - A comprehensive resource and needs assessment of perinatal mental health among Latinas in Milwaukee. To learn more, please see: Proyecto Mamá.

All correspondence concerning research and training should be directed to: lisa.edwards@marquette.edu.

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Lab Director

Lisa M. Edwards, Ph.D.
(University of Kansas, 2003)

Research & Professional Interests
Dr. Edwards’ research focuses on positive functioning and well-being among racial/ethnic minorities in the United States. Specifically, she examines the influence of cultural resources (e.g., familism and ethnic identity) on well-being among Latino adolescents, racially diverse college students, and multiracial individuals. She is also interested in how Latina mothers experience and cope with perinatal mental health concerns, and how our communities might better support mothers and their families during pregnancy and postpartum periods.  

See Dr. Edwards' curriculum vitae

Current Lab Members

Ashley Faytol, M.S. (California State University - Fullerton, 2013)
Research & Professional Interests: Multicultural counseling, race-based stress, trauma, Latina and Chicana spirituality, Native/Indigenous cultural and religious practices, cultural identity development, women’s issues.

Mackenzie Goertz, M.A. (Chicago School of Professional Psychology, 2015)
Research & Professional Interests: processes of racial identity development and identifying strategies for dismantling the impact of whiteness

Karina T. Loyo, M.Ed. (University of Houston, 2015)
Research & Professional Interests: Latino/a psychology, multicultural counseling, stress and coping among underrepresented populations, trauma, well-being, resiliency, attachment theory, ethnic identity, and community-based research.

Kat McConnell, M.A. (Ball State University, 2018)
Research & Professional interests: working with individuals dealing with issues of physical health, mental health, and grief, with a multicultural emphasis.

Previous Lab Members

Bianca Bello, B.A. (University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2013)
Research & Professional Interests: Depression in Latina mothers, psychosocial cultural theory, multicultural counseling, resilience, identity, and Latino/a psychology.

Daniel Lattimore, B.S., B.A. (University of South Florida, 2013)
Research & Professional Interests: Motivation, resiliency, positive psychology, adaptive functioning, play theory, multicultural counseling, self-efficacy, and humor in therapy.

Juan Pantoja, M.S. (Marquette University, Milwaukee, 2018)
Research & Professional Interests: Latino/a resiliency, gender roles, masculinity, and bicultural/ biracial identity.

Amanda Ramirez
Research & Professional Interests:Multicultural mental health, Latino/a mental health,pediatric mental health, family therapy, childhood psychopathology, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Jenny Guerrero, M.A. (Santa Clara University, 2010)
Research & Professional Interests: Biracial and multiracial identity development, resiliency in minority populations, stress and coping of minority populations, multicultural counseling.

Scott Lang, B.A. (University of California - Irvine, 2009)
Research & Professional Interests: co-occurring mental disorders in substance abuse populations, gambling, mindfulness, depression, and resiliency in impoverished racial/ethnic minority communities.

Jessica B. McClintock, M.S. (California State University Fullerton, 2011)
Research & Professional Interests: Ethnic identity formation, ethnic minority students and retention, risky behavior in minority populations, well-being among African American adolescents, racism/discrimination, and multicultural counseling.

Diana R. Slivensky, B.A. (University of Wisconsin- Madison, 2010)
Research & Professional Interests: Mental health challenges for youth, resiliency, use of spirituality and traditional healing forms, promotion of community wellness, positive psychology, and community participatory research all within low income minority communities.

Marcel Hernani Tassara, M.S. (University of Kansas, 2010)
Research & Professional Interests: Therapy processes and outcome, community health psychology, conflict resolution in friendship,strengths, community-based participatory research, preventative health care promotion.

Lucia Stubbs, B.S.W. (University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, 2007)
Research & Professional Interests:  Bicultural identity and stress and coping, racial identity, multicultural counseling, racial/ethnic minority children and educational attainment, and racism.

Darnell A. Durrah Jr., M.S. (Alabama State University, 2005)
Research & Professional Interests: African American men, correctional psychology, homelessness, co-occurring disorders

Noah E. Adrians, B.S. (University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh)
Research & Professional Interests: Addictive behaviors, family violence, multicultural counseling, and family therapy. 

Brittany Nicole Barber, B.A. (DePauw University, 2006)
Research & Professional Interests:  Treatment of young children with behavior and emotional problems, positive psychology, stress, coping, and well-being among Latino adolescents, family systems

Marisa B. Green, B.A. (Winona State University, 2006)
Research & Professional Interests: Health psychology, holistic health, influence of cultural factors on persons' lives, mixed methods research, counselor competency, and interracial families & relationships

Keyona Jarrett, M.A. (Illinois Wesleyan University, 2006; Marquette University, 2008)
Research & Professional Interests: Stress, well-being, racial identity, ethnic identity, and discrimination issues within racial/ethnic minority communities

Amy E. Kowalski, B.A. (Illinois Wesleyan University, 2006)
Research & Professional Interests: racial identity, racism, implicit processes, school programming, intersection of racial/ethnic minority status and low-income, stress and coping skills of women and racial/ethnic minorities

Rebecca C. Mayor, M.A. (Marquette University, 2006)
Research & Professional Interests: Coping and adaptive functioning, health psychology, motivational interviewing, geropsychology

Shirley Newcomb, B.A. (Iowa State University, 2007)
Research & Professional Interests: Biracial and multiracial identity development, risk behavior in minority populations, stress and coping of minority populations, multicultural counseling.

Elizabeth P. McCadden, B.A. (University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004)
Research & Professional Interests: Women and gender, LGBT counseling, multicultural counseling

Matthew R. Weyer, B.A. (University of Iowa, 2005)
Research & Professional Interests:  Educational psychology, second language acquisition, curriculum design for multicultural classrooms, testing and assessment

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Conference Presentations

Loyo, K., Edwards, L.M., Bello, B., Pantoja, J., Faytol, A., Lattimore, D. (2017, November). The complex role of perinatal mental health among Latinas: Findings from a community assessment. In S. Lara-Cinosomo (Chair), Religion/Faith and Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Perinatal Depression. Symposium presented at the 3rd Biennial Perinatal Mental Health Conference, Chicago.

Edwards, L.M., Loyo, K., Bello, B., Lattimore, D., & Ramirez, A. (2016, October). “I can handle this on my own”: A community-based study of resources and needs regarding perinatal health among Latinas. In A. Barrera (Chair), Emerging Topics in Research about Perinatal Mental Health among Latinas. Symposium presented at the National Latina/o Psychological Association Conference, Orlando.

Edwards, L.M., Bello, B., Ramirez, A., Loyo, K.T., & Lattimore, D. (2015, November). Practitioners’ perspectives about community assets and needs regarding perinatal mental health among Latinas. Poster presented at the Perinatal Mental Health Conference, Chicago.

Edwards, L.M., McClintock, J., Walker, K., Barber Garcia, B., & Tailor, K. (2014, March). Acculturative stress and early sexual activity among Latina adolescents: The protective role of ethnic identity. Poster presented at the Counseling Psychology Conference, Atlanta.

Edwards, L.M., Stubbs, L., Guerrero, J., Tassara, M., & Durrah, D. (2011, August). Gender differences in religiosity and well-being outcomes among Latino/a adults. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC. [view abstract]

Edwards, L. M., Barber, B. N., Jarrett, K., Kowalski, A. E., Mayor, R. C., Newcomb, S., Green, M. B., & Stubbs, L. (2009, August). Differences in aspects of familism across ethnically diverse college students. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto. [view abstract]

Edwards, L. M., Barber, B., Newcomb, S., Jarrett, K., Kowalski, A.E., Mayor, R. C., & Green, M.B. (2008, November). Success among Latina adolescents: Definitions, perceptions, and connections. Poster presented at the National Latina/o Psychology Association conference, Costa Mesa. [view abstract]

Edwards, L. M., Kowalski, A.E., Barber, B.N., Green, M.B., Jarrett, K., Mayor, R.C., & Newcomb, S. (2008, August). Coping as a buffer of racism stress in Latino/a adults?  Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Boston. [view abstract]

Edwards, L. M., Mayor, R. C., Barber, B. N., Green, M. B., Jarrett, K., Kowalski, A. E., & Newcomb, S. (2008, March). Well-Being among Latina Adolescents: Coping with Bicultural Stressors. Poster presented at the International Counseling Psychology Conference, Chicago. [view abstract]

Barber, B. N. (2007, August). Making the most of your research team/lab experience. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco. [view abstract]

Green, M. B., & McCadden, E. P. (2007, August). Positive characteristics of successful lab members. In B. N. Barber (Chair), Making the most of your research team/lab experience. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco. [view abstract]

Edwards, L. M. (2007, August). The “ideal” lab member: A faculty perspective. In B. N. Barber (Chair), Making the most of your research team/lab experience. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco. [view abstract]

Jarrett, K., & Mayor, R. C. (2007, August). Applying lab experiences and learning to professional development. In B. N. Barber (Chair), Making the most of your research team/lab experience. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco.[view abstract]

Edwards, L. M., Adrians, N. E., & McCadden, E. P. (2006, October). Ethnic identity, racism- related stress and life satisfaction in Latino college students. Poster presented at the National Latina/o Psychological Association Conference, Milwaukee. [view abstract]