Director: Dr. Casey McGregor

Dr. McGregor is passionately dedicated to research aimed at improving the lives of parents and children, particularly those facing challenges due to economic or social circumstances. Her current research focuses on two main areas: 1). investigating how societal ideas about parenting affect family dynamics, and 2). examining how different social factors influence parenting styles and their impact on children’s growth and well-being. For instance, Dr. McGregor is currently delving into the connections between intensive parenting beliefs, positive parenting practices, parental stress and depression, and the social-emotional development of young children. Her goal is to uncover how these intense parenting attitudes might shape children’s development through various family processes.

Jolie Szpak is a senior Psychology major and Human Development and Family Science minor at URI. Her current focus areas are on family dynamics and social emotional development and plans to pursue a graduate degree. She has previously conducted an independent study on Social Emotional Learning in School Systems. Currently she is assisting in the work of the PEACH Lab with the goal of uncovering how intense parenting attitudes might shape children’s development through various family processes.

Riley Tsechrintzis is a junior Human Development and Family Science major and Psychology minor at URI. Her areas of interest include increasing access to quality child care and early intervention resources. She intends to pursue a graduate degree in occupational therapy with a focus on pediatrics. Her previous research experience has centered around family health and adolescent substance use. She is excited to support the PEACH Lab in their intensive parenting study as well as in their examination of early intervention in Rhode Island.

Eli Meneses is a senior Human Development and Psychology double major at URI. Their current interest is increasing accessibility to an inclusive comprehensive sexual education for adolescents. Their previous research has been on the relationship between academic performance and self-efficacy. Currently they are supporting Dr. McGregor’s PEACH Lab in hopes to explore the relationship between parenting attitudes and children’s development.