Child and Adolescent Laboratory

Directed by Jenny Lee Vaydich, PhD, the Child and Adolescent Laboratory within the School of Psychology, Family, and Community at Seattle Pacific University explores the influence of parent-child relationships and interactions on child and adolescent emotion regulation development. We are particularly interested in parent-child relationships and parental emotion socialization during childhood and adolescence. Previous projects have focused on aggression; however, more recent projects have examined the influence of parent-child relationships on symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Dr. Vaydich and her research team study:

  • Child and adolescent emotion regulation
  • Parental emotion socialization
  • Attachment
  • Parent-adolescent conflict
  • Neuroendocrine responses to stress within parent-child relationships

Their current projects explore:

  • The influence of parent-adolescent conflict on adolescent mental and physical health
  • The relationship between parental criticism and adolescent depressive symptoms
  • Parental attachment relationships and disordered eating during late adolescence
  • The impact of early parenting experiences on adolescent emotional functioning

Research assistantships

If you are a current SPU student interested in joining the Child and Adolescent Lab research team, you must:

  1. Complete a research contract with Dr. Vaydich
  2. Commit to participate as a research assistant for two or more quarters

If you would like to join our lab or participate in our current research studies, we would love to talk with you. Please contact Dr. Vaydich at vaydichj@ejly.net for more information.

Why I teach at SPU

Jenny Lee Vaydich, associate professor of psychology

“I teach at Seattle Pacific University because we prioritize student learning and training within a caring community. Our students are mentored by dedicated faculty committed to excellence in teaching and research, guiding them through a curriculum that emphasizes a biopsychosocial perspective. Faculty focus on preparing students for their future careers while fostering their personal, professional, and spiritual development. Our clinical psychology program prioritizes diversity and intersectionality, recognizing the importance of individual differences in ethical practice.”

Students

Explore. Examine. Analyze.

All faculty members in the School of Psychology, Family, and Community are active in scholarship, research, and writing.