Meet our team members!

    1. safad

      Although life expectancy and overall health have improved in recent years for most Americans, many minority and underserved populations continue to experience significant health disparities. In our lab we seek to identify socio cultural and psychological factors influencing differential sexual health outcomes, including HPV uptake, HIV/ AIDS, non- voluntary sex, and sexual violence. We conduct studies examining the development of attitudes about sexual health and, in turn, how these attitudes inform sexual behavioral outcomes. Further, our studies explore the trajectories of these risk taking behaviors both within and across diverse populations. To read more about our work, please visit our Current or Past Research pages.

      Our research team includes faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, lab alumni and community organizations. Using a feminist framework of collaboration and mentorship, the HDCI lab
      is committed to maintaining a welcoming and supportive research environment for all team members.       For more information about joining our lab please download our brochure or visit our Student Information page.



    3. Faculty
  1. Dr. Dionne Stephens is the Director of the HDCI lab. Her research examines socio- historical factors shaping minority populations’ sexual health processes, with emphasis on gender and ethnic/ racial identity development. Through the tracking of sexual life trajectories, Dr. Stephens' goal is to identify developmental factors promoting resilience and buffering negative health outcomes.

 

Dr. Tami Thomas is a Co- Investigator on a number of HDCI lab studies. An Assistant Professor in the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University in Atlanta, Dr. Thomas’ extensive nursing career in acute care, nursing administration and advanced practice nursing is the foundation for her research in health risks and health care disparities. Her minor in epidemiology provides additional expertise in infectious diseases and in her current focus on reduction of STIs in emerging adults.

 

Dr. Asia Eaton is a Co- Investigator on two dating violence studies. She is currently a 2011 Kauffman Professor and Research Scientist at Florida International University with joint appointments in Psychology, the College of Business Administration, and Women’s Studies. Dr. Eaton's research explores the relationship between social power and gender in the U.S. and the implications of enacting powerful roles and gender roles for individuals’ attitudes and behaviors.

 



Current Graduate Research Assistants

 

Laura Oramas (Doctoral Student, Life Span Psychology)
Laura is currently pursuing both a doctoral degree in Life Span Psychology and masters degree
in Counseling Psychology. Laura’s research interests lie in the impact of family dynamics on
psychological adjustment.  Her current research focuses on the transmission of conflict resolution
styles from parents to their young adult children, with an emphasis on the intergenerational
transmission of relationship violence. Laura's thesis examines Hispanic women's dating violence experiences within the context of familial conflict values.

 

 

Diana Garcia (Masters Student, Mental Health Counseling Psychology)
TBA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Undergraduate Research Assistants


    2. Luis Abreu       (Psychology Major)

Luis transferred to FIU from Broward College after receiving his A.A. He began working in the HDCI lab in Spring 2011 on our "College Students attitudes toward HPV vaccination uptake" study on the Biscayne Bay Campus. Luis currently is coordinating Qualtrics portion of an upcoming study examining the role of racial/ ethnic and cultural identity on HPV vaccination uptake. In addition to working in the HDCI lab, he works as a behavior therapist for Automaticity Inc. Luis will graduate this May 2012 and plans to enter graduate school to pursue a career in both counseling (family/ marital) and applied behavior analysis.
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    1. Sabrina Aguilar (Psychology Major)

TBA

 

 

Jorge Barona (Psychology Major)
Jorge joined the HDCI lab in Spring 2011. He is currently working on a research project which evaluates the intergenerational transmission of relationship violence. Jorge is in the process of applying to dental school programs

 

 

    1. Aida Custode (Psychology Major)

Aida joined the HDCI lab in the Fall 2010 semester. She is double majoring in Psychology and Women’s Studies, and is also working towards BCaBA certification. Currently, Aida is working on the Intergenerational Conflict Styles study which examines Hispanic students’ experiences with intimate violence. She plans to enter a graduate program in Clinical Psychology after her Fall 2011 graduation. She is based at the Modesto Madique Campus lab.

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Byron Garcia (Psyschology Major)
Byron joined the lab in Fall of 2011. He is currently working in our Hispanic college
student dating coercion study.  Byron's long term academic goal is to enter a graduate
program in Clinical psychology.

 

 

    1. Lauren Hayes (Psychology Major)

Lauren joined the HDCI lab in the Fall of 2011. She is double majoring in Psychology and Women’s Studies. She is currently working on the Dating Coercion Qualitative Study, which examines students’ perceptions of and experiences with sexual coercion. She is based at the Modesto Madique Campus lab. Lauren will graduate May 2012, and she plans to enter a graduate program in Counseling Psychology. She is currently the Professional Development Officer of the FIU Chapter of Psi Chi.


 

 

    1. Maria Mejia (Psychology Major)

Maria is a psychology major and criminal justice minor. She plans to graduate in Fall 2012. In Spring 2011, Maria began working in the HDCI lab on the Intergenerational Conflict Styles study which examines Hispanic students’ experiences with intimate violence. She is very active member of the FIU Chapter of Psi Chi; her term as Vice President of the chapter ends this December.

 

 

 

Myrlyn Verdelus (Biology Major)
Myrlyn joined the HDCI lab in Summer 2010. She has been working on our Haitian
Parental attitudes toward HPV study study on the Modesto Madique Campus.

 

 

Myrlande Vincent (Psyschology Major)
Myrlyn joined the HDCI lab in Summer 2011. Currently, Myrlyn is working on the Dating Coercion Qualitative Study, which examines students’ perceptions of and experiences with sexual coercion. Prior to this, Myrlyn was a member of our Haitian Parental attitudes toward HPV research team. She transfered from Barry University to FIU in Fall 2010, and will graduate in 2012.

 

 

 

 

SELECT HDCI LAB ALUMNI


Vivianne Arriola (Carlos Albizu University- Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program)
Ingrid Boveda (University of Utah- Doctoral Program)

Monica Capovoni (Carlos Albizu University- Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program)
Zoeann Finzi- Smith (Howard University- Psychology Doctoral Program)
Diana Garcia (Florida International University- Mental Health Counseling Program)
Richard Garcia (San Francisco State University- Sexuality Studies Doctoral Program)
Alexandria Hernandez(University of Florida- Psychology Doctoral Studies Program)
Alexjandra Perry (Nova Southeastern University- Psychology Doctoral Program)
Jaika Selesky (Barry University- Counseling Psychology Masters Program)

 

 

 

 

HDCI LAB BROCHURE

    1. Select here to download our brochure