The SPROUT Lab

The SPROUT (Strengthening Parent-Child Relationships and Outcomes, Understanding Treatment) Lab is directed by April Highlander in the Department of Psychology at the University of Rhode Island. Our lab is dedicated to understanding how stress, adversity, and social contexts shape the mental health and well-being of children and families.

Research in the lab aims to understand the psychosocial mechanisms underlying child and family mental health outcomes, particularly among underserved and historically marginalized communities. We study how socioecological factors (e.g., financial strain, community stress) interact with individual and family processes (e.g., emotion regulation, parenting practices) to influence development across early childhood.

Another focus of our work includes parent-mediated interventions designed to support children’s emotional and behavioral development. We are especially interested in understanding how and for whom these interventions work, with the goal of improving treatment engagement, effectiveness, accessibility, and long-term outcomes.

The SPROUT Lab also examines resilience and protective processes in the context of adversity, including the role of positive parenting, positive emotional processes, and family relationships in promoting healthy development. Our work integrates developmental psychopathology, clinical psychology, and implementation science to inform culturally responsive and community-engaged approaches to mental health care.

The SPROUT Lab is located in Independence Square in URI’s Pawtucket building.