Research Team

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Sheila McCabe

Sheila McCabe received a BS in Mathematics, a BA in Philosophy, and a MEd. in Applied Behavioral Studies from Oklahoma City University. She also holds a BS and MS in Psychology from Portland State University. In between her studies, she served as an Air Defense Officer in the United States Army and deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After her service tour, she redirected her sense of public service toward applied psychology research by volunteering in Dr. Cynthia Mohr’s lab, where she worked on several projects involving military populations. Now a doctoral candidate, Sheila’s research interests broadly encompass women's social roles and health outcomes, as well as applying perspectives from phenomenological existentialism to concepts of subjective well-being and interpersonal relationships.

MaryAnn Samson

MaryAnn Samson received her B.S. in Psychology from Endicott College in 2019. She focused her undergraduate thesis on the therapeutic alliance of physicians and empathy. MaryAnn earned her M.S.W. from the University of Southern California in 2021, where she provided short-term mental health counseling at an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Her research interests include the protective nature of pro-social relationships in romantic, platonic, and workplace settings. She also wishes to spend research attention on positive psychology and personality/mindset related to well-being. Her dissertation investigates how partner-provided capitalization support- sharing and responding to positive experiences—buffers stress, reduces loneliness, and improves coping for military veterans.

Julia Oosi Lynch

Julia Oosi Lynch (she/her) received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Dundee in Scotland in 2019. Her undergraduate dissertation investigated autistic traits, depressive symptoms, and the sense of belonging to social groups. After graduation, Julia worked as a clinical research assistant and coordinator at Michigan Medicine, focusing on substance use and mental health research. Julia's Master's thesis at the Portland State University focused on the role of perceived partner responsiveness, health, alcohol use, and stress. In general, her research interests center around social groups, social support, and interpersonal relationships' impact on physical and mental health.

Michelle Duong

Michelle Duong received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Child and Adolescent Studies from California State University, Fullerton in 2023. After her undergraduate degree, she worked as a classroom aide to support students with developmental delays at K-12 schools. Her research interests revolve around examining interpersonal relationships cross-culturally and its affects on health and subjective well-being.

Tyler Edwards

Tyler Edwards received a B.S. in Neuroscience and a B.A. in Psychology from Washington State University, Pullman in 2022. Following this he worked as a Medical assistant in addiction medicine in Spokane, Washington. He is also a veteran of the US Navy, in which he served for five years as a Corpsman both on ship and with the marines. His research interests are addictive behaviors and interventions.

UNDERGRADUATE AND POST-BAC RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

Kragen Anderson

Kragen (he/him) is currently an undergrad student and RA in the DYADIC lab at PSU pursing a dual major in Economics and Psychology with the intent of getting into a Behavioral Economics grad program. His hobbies include cooking, baking, and hiking. He greatly enjoys gifting baked goods to family, friends, and labmates.

Ciella Puterbaugh

Ciella (she/her) completed her BA in Psychology & Philosophy at Mount Holyoke College. She studied parenting habits of military veteran parents over time, and now works at the DYADIC Health Lab where she contributes to studies on how drinking habits are affected by interpersonal relationships, and anger among military veterans.

Margaret King

Margaret (she/her) is a first-generation college student and senior at PSU. She is a Psychology major and has aspirations to attend graduate school and pursue a career in clinical work. Her research interests include maladaptive coping behaviors, including substance use and nonsuicidal self-injury, as well as investigating how interpersonal relationships serve as buffers. Her hobbies include reading, cooking and sewing.

Zoe Gupta

Zoe (she/her) completed her BA in Psychology from Columbia University. She studied co-rumination and attachment in adult romantic couples at the Columbia Couples Lab, and now works the PSU DYADIC Health Lab, where she contributes to studies of how interpersonal relationships influence health and well-being through the lens of alcohol use, loneliness, and perceived partner responsiveness. She is also a research assistant at the Social Neuroscience and Psychotherapy Lab based at the Portland VA, where she assists in running studies on using psychedelics to assist therapy for veterans with PTSD and depression.