Meet the Human Development and Social Justice Lab
Celia B. Fisher, Ph.D., Director
Celia B. Fisher, Ph.D., is the Marie Ward Doty Endowed University Chair in Ethics and Professor of Psychology, and founding Director of the Fordham University Center for Ethics Education. She currently directs the NIDA funded Fordham University HIV/Drug Abuse Prevention Research Ethics Training Institute.
Dr. Fisher has over 300 publications and 8 edited volumes on children’s health research and services among diverse racial/ethnic, sexual and gender minority groups in the U.S. and internationally. She has been funded by NIDA, NICHD NIAID, NIAAA, NSF, and NIMHD. Recent publications include research on health equity for BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and economically marginalized children, youth and young adults in areas including social determinants of sexual health, substance use, social media and offline discrimination, mental health and COVID-related distress and racial bias among Asian, Indigenous, Hispanic, Black and White adolescents and adults, and parental COVID-19 pediatric vaccine hesitancy across diverse populations. Dr. Fisher is well-known for her federally funded research programs focusing on ethical issues and well-being of vulnerable populations including ethnic minority youth and families, LGBTQ+ youth, persons with HIV and substance use disorders, college students at risk for drinking problems, and adults with impaired consent capacity.
A founding editor of the journal Applied Developmental Science, Dr. Fisher is the author of Decoding the Ethics Code: A Practical Guide for Psychologists (Fifth Edition) (2022, Sage Publications); co-editor of eight books, including The Handbook of Ethical Research with Ethnocultural Populations and Communities (2006, Sage Publications) and Research with High-Risk Populations: Balancing Science, Ethics, and Law (2009, APA Publications). She has served as chair for the Ethics Code Task Force for the Society for Research in Child Development, Chair of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Human Studies Review Board, the DHHS Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections (SACHRP; Subcommittee on Children’s Research), the American Psychological Association’s Ethics Code Task Force, the New York State Licensing Board for Psychology, the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Common Rule Task Force, and the American Public Health Association Ethics Code Committee. She has been a member of national panels amd external advisory boards relevant to children;s health including the NIH Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the Consensus Panel of the American Psychological Association Therapeutic Responses to Gender Nonconformity, Gender Dysphoria, and Sexual Orientation Distress in Children and Adolescents, the National Academies' Committee on Revisions to the Common Rule for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research in the Behavioral and Social Sciences, the IOM Committee on Ethical Review and Oversight Issues in Research Involving Standard of Care Interventions, the IOM Committee on Clinical Research Involving Children. She received the American Psychological Association’s 2017 Outstanding Contributions to Ethics Education Award, the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Human Research Protection, and was named a 2012 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Recipient of the 2017 American Psychological Association’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Ethics Education. Dr. Fisher is currently a member of the Data Monitoring Board and NIH/NIDA HEALing Study (HCS)
Anna (Yea Won) Park, Ph.D.
Anna Park is a postdoctoral fellow at the Human Development and Social Justice Lab. Anna received her PhD in Life-span Developmental Psychology from West Virginia University. The title of her dissertation was, "Profiles of Positive and Negative Risk-taking among Asian American and Non-Asian American Emerging Adults." Her research broadly stems from a strength-based approach and examines the role of socio-cultural factors on positive risk-taking among minoritized populations. Her research interests include cultural factors, socialization on child and adolescent socio-emotional development, and health disparities among marginalized populations.
Publications
Park, Y.W., Bernstein, L.E., Francis, S.E., &; Gentzler, A.L. (2023). Sociocultural Considerations in Pursuits of Well-being among Youth. In G.A. Liem &; D.M. McInerney (Series Eds), Handbook on Flourishing in Contexts: Sociocultural Perspectives on Well-being and its Promotion (Vol.14). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing
Park, Y.W. &; Gentzler, A.L. (2023) Parenting and courage: Exploring the mediating role of self- esteem and emotion regulation among adolescents. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology.
Romm, K. F., Park, Y. W., Hughes, J. L., &; Gentzler, A. L. (2021). Risk and Protective Factors for Changes in Adolescent Psychosocial Adjustment During COVID-19. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 31(3), 546–559.
Xiangyu Tao, M.A., Doctoral Candidate
Xiangyu is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Applied Developmental Psychology program at Fordham. Her research interests center around racial/ethnic discrimination and substance abuse, especially alcohol use and non-medical use of prescription drugs among people of color. She has recently finished her master’s thesis on social media racial justice engagment, online racial discrimination, and mental health among youth of color. Xiangyu recently completed a project with the National Institute on Drug Abuse with Dr. Brenda Crutis and her team examining the impact of perceived control over COVID-19 risk on substance use for her applied research practicum. Xiangyu earned a Master’s degree in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago, where she wrote her thesis on alcohol use and marital quality in older adults, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Washington, Seattle.
Master's Thesis Title
Social Media Use, Social Media Racial/Ethnic Discrimination, and Mental Health Among BIPOC Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Awards and Honors
2023 | Emerging Scholar Best Article Award (2021): “Exposure to Social Media Racial Discrimination and Mental Health among Adolescents of Color.”
2023 | Workshop Travel Stipend - Applications of Machine Learning for Measuring and Modeling Psychological Concepts via Different Methods of Communication, Sam Houston State University
2022 | APA Division 45 Student Committee
2022 - Present | Student Support Grant - Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Fordham University
2022 | Summer Graduate Assistantship - Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Fordham University
2020 | Fordham Summer Graduate Assistantship
Publications
Tao, X., Liu, T., Giorgi, S., Fisher, C.B., & Curtis, B. (in press). Extended Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Trajectories of Mental Health and Substance Use among U.S. Adults, September 2020 – August 2021. Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports.
Tao, X. & Fisher, C.B. (2023). Does Online Social Support Mitigate the Associations Between Online Civic Engagement, Discrimination, and Mental Health and Substance Use Risk Among LGBTQ+ Youth? A Cross-Sectional Survey Study. J Med Internet Res 2023;25:e46604) doi: 10.2196/46604.
Tao, X., Liu, T., Fisher, C. B., Giorgi, S., & Curtis, B. (2023). COVID-related social determinants of substance use disorder among diverse US racial ethnic groups. Social Science & Medicine, 115599. https://doi.org/10.
Tao, X., Yip, T., & Fisher, C. B. (2022). Employment, Coronavirus victimization distress, and substance use disorders among Black and Non-Hispanic White young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 1-20. DOI: 10.1080/15332640.2022.2091702
Tao, X., Yip, T., & Fisher, C. B. (2023) Psychological Well-being and Substance Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ethnic/Racial Identity, Discrimination and Vigilance. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 28, 1-10. 10.1007/s40615-022-01497-y
Tao, X., & Fisher, C. B. (2022). Exposure to social media racial discrimination and mental health among adolescents of color. Journal of youth and adolescence, 54, 30-44. PMCID: PMC8535107. PMID: 34686952. https://doi.org/10.1007/
Fisher, C. B., Tao, X., Yip, T. (2022). The effects of COVID-19 victimization distress and racial bias on mental health among AIAN, Asian, Black, and Latinx young adults. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, Http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/
Tao, X., Bragard, E., & Fisher, C.B. (2021). Risks and benefits of adolescent girls’ participation in online sexting survey research. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02003-x
Fisher, C.B., Tao, X., Liu, T., Giorgi, S., & Curtis, B. (2021). Covid-related victimization, racial bias and employment and housing disruption increase mental health risk among U.S. Asian, Black and Latinx adults. Frontiers in Public Health, 1625. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.772236
Azhar, S., Tao, X., Jokhakar, V., & Fisher, C. B. (2021) Barriers and facilitators to participation in long-acting injectable PrEP research trials for MSM, transgender women, and gender-nonconforming people of color. AIDS Education and Prevention, 33, 465 – 482. https://doi.org/10.1521/aeap.
Presentations
Tao, X., & Fisher, C.B. (2023, Apr.) Social Media Community Engagement, Discrimination, and Mental Health among LGBTQ+ Youth [Paper Presentation]. Fordham Data Science Symposium: Doing Good with Data, Bronx, NY.
Tao, X., Liu, T., Giorgi, S., Fisher, C.B., & Curtis, B. (2023) Extended Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Trajectories of Mental Health Among U.S. Adults, September 2020 – August 2021 [Flash Talk]. 2023 APS Annual Convention, Washington, DC.
Tao, X., & Fisher, C.B. (2023) Racial Justice Civic Engagement Online, Mental Health, and Substance Use among BIPOC youth: the Role of Ethnic/Racial Identity Commitment [Poster session]. SRA 2023 Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA
Tao, X., Bragard, E., & Fisher, C.B. (2021, Aug.) Risks and Benefits of Adolescent Girls’ Participation in Online Sexting Survey Research. APA Convention, Virtual Conference.
Fisher, C. B., Tao, X., & Yip, T. (2021, Aug.) The Effect of Coronavirus Victimization Distress and Coronavirus Racial Bias on Mental Health Among AIAN, Asian, Black, and Latinx Young Adults. APA Convention, Virtual Conference.
Tao, X., Yip, T., & Fisher, C.B. (2021, Jul.) Substance Use among Black and Non-Hispanic White Adults During Pandemic. The 6th Biennial APA Division 45 Research Conference, Virtual Conference.
Azhar, S., Tao, X., & Fisher, C. (2021, Jan.). “Facilitators and Barriers to Long-Acting Injectable PrEP Utilization for MSM and Transgender Women of Color in the US.” Society for Social Work and Research Conference, San Francisco, CA.
Azhar, S., Tao, X., & Fisher, C. (2020, Nov.). “Injectable PrEP for MSM and Transgender Women of Color in the US.” Sexuality & Social Work Conference, Mumbai, India
Fisher, C. B., Tao, X., & Yip, T. (2020). Mental Health and Racial Justice in the Time of COVID-19. American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH) 22nd Annual Conference
Rimah Jaber, M.A.
Rimah is the Program Administrator of the NIDA-Funded HIV and Drug Abuse Prevention Research Ethics Training Institute, which supports research studies with underrepresented and vulnerable populations, as well as the Senior Editor of The Ethics & Society Blog in the Center for Ethics Education at Fordham University. Rimah received her BS in Biology from John Carroll University and her MA in Ethics and Society from Fordham University, and is currently a third-year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology PhD program in the Graduate School of Education at Fordham University. Her research interests include identity development, cultural and spiritual tensions, and stigma among Muslim and Arab-American women and families.
Publications
Fisher, C. B., Bragard, E., Jaber, R., & Gray, A. (2022). COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Parents of Children under Five Years in the United States. Vaccines, 10(8), 1313. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10081313
Fisher, C. B. & Jaber, R. (2019). Ethical issues in substance use prevention research. In Z. Sloboda, H. Petras, R. Hingson & E. Robertson (eds). Prevention of substance use. New York: Kluewer Academic/Plenum Publishers. (pp 281-299).
Lily Brinkman, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Lily Brinkman is a sophomore at Fordham College Rose Hill and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Lily is interested in public health and psychology and she is excited to do meaningful work with the lab. She enjoys journalism and has written and copy-edited for the paper, Fordham’s free-speech journal for commentary. She enjoys reading, cooking, and collaging and she hopes to explore more of NYC this semester.
Katherine Brown, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Katherine Brown is a junior at FCRH working towards a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Economics. She enjoys visual art, and has participated in galleries such as Women’s History Month Art Fair. She also spends her free time making coffee, and works as a barista during the summer. She is a Research Assistant in the HDSJ lab, and plans to attend graduate school after graduation. She hopes to someday work in research involving juvenile delinquency.
Jana DeMartino, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Jana DeMartino is a sophomore at Fordham College Rose Hill. She is working towards a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and has joined the HDSJ lab as a research assistant. Jana is interested in the impacts of social media on minority groups and adolescents, as well as substance abuse prevention. She is involved in many clubs on campus, including the psychology and visual arts clubs. After graduation, Jana hopes to attend graduate school to continue her studies and pursue a career in Counseling Psychology
Jess Herron, MA, Research Assistant
Jess is a recent graduate of Fordham’s MA in Ethics & Society Program, specializing in bioethics. She first developed a special interest in both research and medical ethics at Gonzaga University, where she received her BA in biology and philosophy. She now works as a graduate assistant for the HDSJ Lab and hopes to pursue a career in research ethics.
Madeline Ford, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Madeline Ford is a Fordham Rose Hill Junior. She is interested in cognition and behavioral studies, especially in regards to adolescents. After graduation, she plans to continue her clinical and research studies as a graduate student in a clinical psychology program. She hopes to take her research experience and apply it to the real world! In her free time, she is always singing, writing, or trying to do something creative. She also spends a lot of time watching podcasts and studying the digital world.
Diana Paradise, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Diana Paradise is a sophomore at FCRH working towards a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. They are involved in many clubs on campus and can often be found working at Rodrigue’s Coffee House or singing with Fordham’s all-female acapella group, the Satin Dolls. They are a Research Assistant in the HDSJ lab, and plan to attend graduate school after graduation to continue their involvement in research & work towards a career in psychology.
Ava Randel, Graduate Research Assistant
Ava Randel is a master's student in Ethics and Society at Fordham and a graduate assistant at the Center for Ethics Education. She received her BA from Pepperdine University in 2020 and a Master of Divinity from Princeton Seminary in 2023. She is now a research assistant at the HDSJ Lab and hopes to pursue further education at the intersection of ethics, psychology, and media studies.
Recent Alumni
Laurel Baxter, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Laurel Baxter is a first-year at Fordham College Rose Hill and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. She spends time mentoring a middle school student through the Youth Engagement Program, working with Fordham University Emergency Medical Services, and is currently training to become an EMT. Laurel is a research assistant at the HDSJ lab and hopes to attend medical school in the future.
Emily Berinato, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Emily Berinato is a senior at Fordham University Rose Hill pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biology with minors in Psychology and English. She enjoys being involved in FUEMS (Fordham University Emergency Medical Service) on campus as well as being an orientation leader and peer mentor for pre-health students. She joins the HDSJ Lab as the research assistant. After graduation, she hopes to attend graduate school to become a Physician’s Assistant.
Presentations
Berinato, E., Gray, A., & Fisher, C.B. (2022, May). Experiences of Heterosexual and Bisexual Adolescent Girls who Sext with Males. Fordham University Undergraduate Research Symposium. New York, NY.
Elise Bragard, M.A., Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow (NIAAA T32)
Alcohol Research Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, C.T.
Elise Bragard graduated with her PhD in Applied Developmental Psychology from Fordham in May 2023. Her doctoral dissertation explored parental messaging about sexuality among ethnically diverse adolescent girls. In June 2023, she started a new position as an NIAAA T32 Postdoctoral Fellow at the Alcohol Research Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Her current postdoctoral research uses ecological momentary assessment to examine social factors predicting alcohol use and mental health outcomes among emerging adults. This work builds upon the research Elise conducted on loneliness and substance use during her applied research practicum at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, working with Dr. Brenda Curtis. She is a continued collaborator with HDSJ, currently supporting an ongoing research project about sexting behaviors among LGBTQ youth. Prior to her studies at Fordham, Elise earned a Master's degree in Women's and Gender Studies from the Graduate Center, CUNY. She also holds an MA in Theatre Education from Emerson College and formerly worked as a middle school drama teacher. Elise is from England and received her Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of Bristol.
Dissertation Title
Parental Messaging And Attitudes Toward Sex And Sexuality Among Ethnically Diverse Adolescent Girls
Master’s Thesis Title
The Role of Sexual Subjectivity and Peer Influences on Sexting Consequences Among Adolescent Girls
Awards and Honors
2021 | IASR 2021 Student Research Development Award
2020 - Present | Co-Chair, APA Division 35 Committee on Adolescent Girls @APATeenGirls
2020 | Fordham Three Minute Thesis Competition – 1st Place & People’s Choice Award
2019 | Society for Prevention Research Student Travel Award
2019 & 2020 | Fordham GSAS Student Support Grant
2019 | Fordham Summer Graduate Assistantship
Publications
Bragard, E. & Fisher, C. B. (2023). Parental messaging and attitudes toward sex and sexuality among ethnically diverse adolescent girls. SPSP Sexuality Pre-Conference, February, Atlanta GA.
Fisher, C., Bragard, E., Madhavanan, P. (2023). COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Economically Marginalized Hispanic Parents of Children under Five Years in the United States. Vaccines, 11, 599. https://doi.org/10.3390/
Bragard, E., Giorgi, S., Juneau, P., & Curtis, B. L. (2022). Daily diary study of loneliness, alcohol, and drug use during the COVID‐19 Pandemic. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.14889
Fisher, C. B., Bragard, E., Jaber, R., & Gray, A. (2022). COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Parents of Children under Five Years in the United States. Vaccines, 10(8), 1313. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10081313
Bragard, E., & Fisher, C. B. (2022). Associations between sexting motivations and consequences among adolescent girls. Journal of Adolescence, 94(1), 5–18. https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12000
Himelein-Wachowiak, M., Giorgi, S., Kwarteng, A., Schriefer, D., Smitterberg, C., Yadeta, K., Bragard, E., Devoto, A., Ungar, L., & Curtis, B. (2022). Getting “clean” from nonsuicidal self-injury: Experiences of addiction on the subreddit r/selfharm. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 11(1), 128–139. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2022.00005
Bragard, E., Giorgi, S., Juneau, P., & Curtis, B. L. (2021). Loneliness and Daily Alcohol Consumption During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Alcohol and Alcoholism, agab056. https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agab056
Tao, X., Bragard, E., & Fisher, C. B. (2021). Risks and Benefits of Adolescent Girls’ Participation in Online Sexting Survey Research. Archives of Sexual Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02003-x
Bragard, E., Macapagal, K., Mustanski, B., & Fisher, C. B. (2020). Association of CAI vulnerability and sexual minority victimization distress among adolescent men who have sex with men. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000436
Fisher, C.B., Bragard, E., & Bloom, R. (2020). Ethical considerations in HIV eHealth intervention research: implications for informational risk in recruitment, data maintenance, and consent procedures. Current HIV/AIDS Reports. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11904-020-00489-z
Bragard, E., Fisher, C. B., & Curtis, B. L. (2019). “They know what they are getting into:” Researchers confront the benefits and challenges of online recruitment for HIV research. Ethics & Behavior, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2019.1692663
Presentations
Bragard, E. & Fisher, C.B. (2023, August). Parental messaging & attitudes toward sex among ethnically diverse sexual minority adolescent girls. [Symposium]. In C.B. Fisher (Chair). Psychological and Sexual Health among LGBTQ+ Youth in Online and Offline Contexts. American Psychological Association Convention, Washington, DC.
Bragard, E. & Fisher, C.B. (2023, February). Parental messaging and attitudes toward sex and sexuality among ethnically diverse adolescent girls. [Symposium]. Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Convention. Sexuality Pre-Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Bragard, E., Giorgi, S., Juneau, P., & Curtis, B.L. (2022, June) Daily Diary Study of Loneliness, Alcohol, and Drug Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic. In I. Rhew (Chair). Longer- and Shorter-Term Associations of Loneliness with Substance Use and Related Outcomes before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic. [Symposium]. Society for Prevention Research Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Bragard, E., Gray, A., & Fisher, C.B. (2022, July). Sexting Frequency and Motivations Among Bisexual Adolescent Girls [Poster presentation]. International Academy of Sex Research Conference, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Tao, X., Bragard, E., & Fisher, C.B. (2021, Aug). Risks and benefits of adolescent girls’ participation in online sexting survey research. [Poster presentation]. APA Convention, Virtual Conference. https://convention.apa.org/
Himelein-Wachowiak, M., Giorgi, S., Kwarteng, A., Schriefer, D., Smitterberg, C., Yadeta, K., Bragard, E., and Curtis, B. (2021, June 7). Getting "clean" from nonsuicidal self-injury: Addiction language and experiences on the subreddit r/selfharm. Abstract presented at the 2nd Workshop on Data for the Wellbeing of the Most Vulnerable, International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM).
Bragard, E., & Fisher, C. B. (2020, August 6-9). Sexual agency and peer influences on perceived sexting consequences among adolescent girls. [Poster presentation]. APA Convention, Virtual Conference. https://convention.apa.org/
Bragard, E., Macapagal, K., Mustanski, B., & Fisher, C. B. (2020, August 6-9). Association of CAI Vulnerability and Sexual Minority Victimization Distress Among Adolescent Men Who Have Sex With Men (AMSM). [Poster presentation]. APA Convention, Virtual Conference. https://convention.apa.org/
Bragard, E., & Fisher, C. B. (2020, November 6-9). Sexual Subjectivity, Peer Influences, and Sexting Motivations on Sexting Consequences among Adolescent Girls. [Brief Communication]. SSSS 2020 Global Sex Research Virtual Conference
Bragard, E., Fisher, C. B., & Curtis, B. L. (2019). Whose Responsibility? Investigators Deliberate the Benefits and Challenges of HIV/AIDS Online Research. [Poster presentation]. APA Convention, Chicago, IL
Bragard, E., Fisher, C. B., & Curtis, B. L. (2019). “They are an adult, they know the risks:” Investigators confront the benefits and challenges of HIV online research. [Poster presentation]. Society for Prevention Research Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA.
Aaliyah Gray, M.A., Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow in HIV Epidemiology
Department of Epidemiology
Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work
Florida International University
Aaliyah completed the doctorate program in the Applied Developmental Psychology program at Fordham University in 2022. Her research interests focus on sexual development and preventative sexual health research among sexual and ethnic minority adolescents and emerging adults. In 2018, Aaliyah received a grant from the GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality (GLMA) to support her masters research on Predictors of Sexual Health Among Lesbian and Bisexual Black Women who Have Sex with Men. She also previously worked on a study funded by Dr. Fisher's NIMHD grant assessing barriers and facilitators to participation in surveillance studies involving HIV testing among adolescent males who have sex with males. Currently, Aaliyah is collaborating with Dr. Brenda Curtis at the National Institute on Drug Abuse examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and substance abuse outcomes. Additionally, she is working with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in Adolescent Girls data at Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center. She is also beginning to develop her dissertation on HPV vaccine hesitancy and acceptability among Black mothers with daughters ages 9–17 years old. Aaliyah earned her bachelor's degree in Psychology from Stetson University with concentrations in Sociology and Gender Studies.
Dissertation Title
Social Determinants of HPV Vaccination Intentions among Black Mothers with Young Daughters
Master’s Thesis Title
Predictors of Sexual Health in Lesbian and Bisexual Black Women who Have Sex with Men
Awards and Honors
2023 | Outstanding Poster Presentation, APA, Division 38
2021 | APA Division 45 Student Scholarship for Conference Attendance
2021 | APA Division 38 SfHP Graduate Student Research in General Health Psychology Award
2021 | PSI CHI Mamie Phipps Clark Diversity Research Grant
2020 - Present | Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
2020 | Fordham University Student Support Grant
2019 | APF Ungerleider/Zimbardo Travel Scholarship
2019 | APA Science Directorate Student Travel Award
2019 | Fordham University Psychology Student Development Fund
2019 | SPR ECPN Annual Meeting Travel Award
2019 | Fordham University Student Support Grant
2018–2019 | GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality, Lesbian Health Fund
Publications
Gray, A., Liu. T., Giorgi, S., Fisher, C. B., & Curtis, B. (2023). Mental health and alcohol use outcomes across profiles of work, home, and social life during COVID-19 in the United States. Alcohol and Alcoholism, agad028, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agad028
Gray, A. & Fisher, C. B. Factors Associated with HPV Vaccine Acceptability and Hesitancy Among Black Mothers with Young Daughters in the United States, Frontiers in Public Health. 11(1124206), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1124206
Fisher, C. B., Bragard, E., Jaber, R., & Gray, A. (2022). COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Parents of Children under Five Years in the United States. Vaccines, 10(8), 1313. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10081313
Fisher, C. B., Gray, A., & Sheck, I. (2022). COVID-19 pediatric vaccine hesitancy among racially diverse parents in the United States Vaccines (MDPI Journal), 10(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/
Gray, A. & Fisher, C. B. (2022) Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in adolescents 12 – 17 years old: Examining pediatric vaccine hesitancy among racially diverse parents in the United States. Frontiers in Public Health: Children and Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.844310
Gray, A., & Fisher, C. B. (2021). Predictors of contraceptive self-efficacy and condom use among young Black women who have sex with women and men. Journal of Bisexuality. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15299716.2021.1971592
Gray, A., & Fisher, C. B. (2021). Independent and intersectional effects of racial and heterosexist medical mistrust on medical visit delay among young Black women who have sex with women and men [Under review].
Gray, A., Macapagal, K., Mustanski, B., & Fisher, C. B. (2020). Surveillance studies involving HIV testing are needed: Will at-risk youth participate? Health Psychology, 39(1), 21–28. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31512922/
Presentations
Gray, A. & Fisher, C. B. (2023, August 3-5). Exploring pediatric HPV vaccine acceptability and hesitancy among Black mothers with young daughters [Poster presentation]. American Psychological Association, Washington D.C.
***Received APA Division 38 SfHP 2023 award for outstanding poster presentation
Gray, A., Fisher, C. B., & Sheck, I. (2022, August 4-6). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among racially-diverse parents of young children, ages 5 – 10 [Data Blitz: Div 38 SfHP Health Psychology Honors]. American Psychological Association, Minneapolis, MN.
***Ranked among the top six individual submissions for the 2022 APA Division 38 SfHP Program
Bragard, E., Gray, A., & Fisher, C.B. (2022, July 6-9). Sexting frequency and motivations among bisexual adolescent girls [Poster presentation]. International Academy of Sex Research, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Berinato, E., Gray, A., & Fisher, C.B. (2022, May). Experiences of Heterosexual and Bisexual Adolescent Girls who Sext with Males. Fordham University Undergraduate Research Symposium. New York, NY.
Gray, A., & Fisher, C. B. (2021). The intersectionality of racial and heterosexist medical mistrust among Black women who have sex with women and men. World Association for Sexual Health, Virtual.
Gray, A., & Fisher, C. B. (2021). Predictors of contraceptive self-efficacy and condom use among young Black women who have sex with women and men. International Academy of Sex Research, Virtual.
Gray, A., & Fisher, C. B. (2021). Psychosocial factors influencing contraceptive self-efficacy among Black bisexual women. American Psychological Association Division 45 Research Conference, Virtual.
Gray, A. & Fisher, C.B. (2019). Sexual Minority Identity and Sexual Health Among Lesbian and Bisexual Black Women Who Have Sex with Men. GLMA Nursing Summit, New Orleans, IL.
Gray, A. & Fisher, C.B. (2019). Sexual Minority Identity and Sexual Health Among Lesbian and Bisexual Black Women who Have Sex with Men. GLMA Annual Conference on LGBTQ Health, New Orleans, IL.
Gray, A., Macapagal, K., Mustanski, B., & Fisher, C. B. (2019). Motivation to Participate in HIV Testing Research Among Adolescent Males who Have Sex with Males. American Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
Gray, A., Macapagal, K., Mustanski, B., & Fisher, C. B. (2019). Facilitators and Barriers to Recruitment of Sexual Minority Male Adolescents into Surveillance Research Involving HIV Testing. Society for Prevention Research, San Francisco, CA.
Gray, A. (2019). Predictors of Sexual Health in Lesbian and Bisexual Black Women who Have Sex with Men. National Institutes on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, MD.
Gray, A., Macapagal, K., Mustanski, B., & Fisher, C. B. (2019). Surveillance Studies Involving HIV Testing Are Needed: Will Sexual Minority Adolescent Males Participate? Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, MD.
Jada Heredia, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Jada Heredia is a current accelerated master's student at Fordham University in the Ethics and Society program. She received her BA in May from Fordham College at Lincoln Center after fulfilling a double major in Philosophy and Political Science and completing a double minor in Bioethics and Spanish. She works now in the HDSJ Lab as a graduate assistant while studying to take the LSAT exam. She aims to apply to law school next fall and pursue a career as a lawyer.
Deborah Layman, M.A., Ph.D.
Research Scientist and Co-Director of Prorgram Research and Evaluation Unit
Office of Mental Health/ Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene (OMH/ RFMH)
Office of Population Based Health and Evaluation
Deborah Layman, Ph.D., is a Research Scientist at the Office of Mental Health/ Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene (OMH/ RFMH) in the Office of Population Based Health and Evaluation and the Co-Director of the Program Research and Evaluation unit. This unit collaborates with OMH/ RFMH program staff implementing children and adult services to monitor, evaluate, and conduct health services research related to innovative mental health programs. Deborah completed her doctoral studies in the Applied Developmental Psychology program at Fordham University in 2022. Her major research interest includes the implications of the context for supporting recovery from mental health conditions, social justice, and mental health stigma, and genetic and other biological research on the process of informed consent. She was a winner of the 2019 Association of Psychological Science's student grant competition for this study. During her third year at Fordham, Deborah completed a research practicum project with a community-based organization providing wrap-around care for low-income youth. She was a winner of the 2021 top Student Poster for Division 12 of American Psychological Association Annual Convention for her practicum study. In 2020, Deborah also won a Love of Learning award from the Honor Society of Ph Kappa Phi. Prior to joining the lab, Deborah earned her Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado at Denver and her bachelors in Psychology from the University of Virginia. Deborah returned to academia after working several years on multi-disciplinary research teams conducting applied social research and evaluation. She worked four years as a Senior Researcher at OMNI Institute and has been a Research Scientists at the Office of Mental Health/ Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene since moving to New York in 2010. For a full list of publications see Deborah’s public profiles on Google Scholar or ORCID.
Dissertation Title
Psychosocial developmental trajectory profiles and psychiatric hospitalization among transition-age youth receiving mental health services
Master’s Thesis Title
Developmental strengths and vulnerabilities and mental health among young adults with a history of adolescent inpatient psychiatric hospitalization
Awards and Honors
2021 | Winner of the Top Student Poster for Division 12 of American Psychological Association Annual Convention
2019 - Present | Member of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
2020 | Winner of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning Award
2019 | Winner of the Association of Psychological Science Student Caucus Student Grant Competition
2019 | Fordham Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Student Support Grant
Publications
For a full list of publications see Deborah’s public profiles on Google Scholar or ORCID.
Layman, D. M., & Fisher, C. B. (2022). Profiles of Psychological Strengths on Symptom Distress, Recovery, and Quality of Life Among Young Adults with a History of Adolescent Psychiatric Hospitalization. Community mental health journal, 10.1007/s10597-022-00936-8. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-022-00936-8
Fisher, C. B., & Layman, D. M. (2020). Genomics, big data, and broad consent: A New Ethics Frontier for Prevention Science. In K. Phillips, D., Yamamoto, D., & L. Racz, (Eds.). Total Exposure Health: An Introduction, (pp. 307-322). Boca Raton, Fl: Taylor & Francis Group.
Fisher, C., & Layman, D. (2018). Genomics, big data, and broad consent: A new ethics frontier for prevention science. Prevention Science, 19(7), 871-879.
Presentations
Layman, D. & Fisher, C. B. (2023). Psychosocial Developmental Trajectory Profiles and Psychiatric Hospitalization Among Transition-Age Youth Receiving Mental Health Services. SRCD Biennial Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 23 – 25.
Fisher, C.B. & Layman, D. M. (2019, March). Genomics, Big Data, and Broad Consent: A New Frontier for Developmental Scientists. Poster session presented Society for Research on Child Development, Baltimore, MD.
Layman, D.M. & Fisher, C.B. (2019, August). Genomics, Big Data, and Broad Consent: A New Frontier for Psychologists. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
Layman, D. M. & Fisher, C.B. (2020, August). Determinants of Life Satisfaction in Adults with a History of Adolescent Psychiatric Hospitalization. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Virtual Conference.
Layman, D., Brown, J., Hoyt, L., Leckman-Westin, E., Mirzo,V. , Guzman, J., Khan, F., (2021, August). Predictors of Mental Health Treatment Engagement and Mental Health Outcomes among Low-Income BIYOC. [Poster session] American Psychological Association 2020 Online Annual Convention.
Anna Penkiunas, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Anna Penkiunas is a senior at FCRH pursuing a major in Biological Sciences with minors in Bioethics and Psychology. Anna spends her free time dancing with Fordham Flava as well as being involved with other clubs on campus such as the Pre-PA Club and Fordham Dance Marathon! In addition, she works as a research assistant in the HDSJ lab. Anna hopes to go back to school after graduation to become a Physician’s Assistant.
Past Doctoral Graduates
Tobi Abramson
Dolores Benn
Mark Brennan
Cheryl Camenzuli
Christine Cea
Maria Fracasso
Denise Fyrberg
Charlotte Gallagher
Robyn Glover
Barbara Lisa Johnson
Crystal Matthews
Carol Olsen
Matthew Oransky
Colleen O' Sullivan
Roberta Paley
Jean Marie Rau
James Reid
Joann Reinhardt
Rosie Sood
Yvette Martens Stowkowski
Patricia Sullivan
Janet Szlyk
Eileen Treacy
Scyatta Wallace