Christina Rinaldi -Director

Welcome to my research lab website. I am a professor in the College of Social Sciences & Humanities in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. My educational background is in school/applied child psychology. In collaboration with colleagues and graduate students, I conduct developmental research on the social and emotional functioning of children (preschool to adolescence). For over two decades my main research has focused on (1) the assessment of social and emotional functioning of children, and (2) the examination of how parenting behaviours and parent-child relationships support optimal social and emotional development. Currently, I am examining parent-adolescent relationship data, and learning about the challenges both parents and their adolescents face during this key period of development. Also, in partnering with MENTOR Canada and the Alberta Mentoring Partnership, we are studying how mentoring relationship quality is central to fostering strong mentoring relationships and wellbeing outcomes for children and youth. In summary, my research interests include studying how critical relationships (family, mentors) support children’s and adolescents’ social and emotional learning, development, and overall wellbeing.

Visit my Faculty Profile for more information.

Temi Akinola

I am a first-year PhD student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology program at the University of Alberta. I obtained my Bachelor of Arts from the University of Saskatchewan. I am interested in researching parent-child interactions in at-risk families. Mainly, I would like to understand better how best to support immigrant and refugee families and which cultural gaps need to be bridged to help them adjust to the Canadian environment. I am excited to be joining the LEAP lab this year and growing as a researcher.

Clarissa Cheong

I am currently a doctoral student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program. I have been part of the SED lab since 2014. I am interested in researching vulnerable youth, and trying to understand how their social and emotional functioning has been impacted by adverse situations. I am also interested in exploring how these youth can grow into resilience.

Gabe Kotch

I am beginning my first year in the Master of School and Clinical Child Psychology program. I completed my Honours B.Sc. in Psychology at the University of Ottawa, then worked as an educational assistant before moving to Edmonton. I am excited to join the LEAP Lab and look forward to further developing my research skills while contributing to research that supports children's learning and development.

Nicole Murray

I am a second year PhD student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology program at the University of Alberta, and I am very excited to be continuing my work in the LEAP lab! My master's research was in programming for parents and teachers of children with ADHD, supervised by Dr. Christina Rinaldi and Dr. Yuanyuan Jiang. My research interests include neurodiversity, parenting, and the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community. I hope to become an affirming clinician for youth who feel different from their peers, and the families trying to understand and support them.

Alyssa Shukalek

I am a second-year PhD student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology program at the University of Alberta. My masters research focused on perceptions of parenting and how diverging and converging perceptions of parenting behaviors related to adolescent adjustment. I am excited to continue my learning here in the LEAP lab, with a particular interest in the bidirectional nature of the parent-child relationship and how those unique relationships interact within the greater family system.

Rachel Zukiwsky

I am a third-year PhD student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program at the University of Alberta. In June 2024, I graduated from the SCCP masters program with Christina as a supervisor, where my thesis focused on understanding the influence of parenting stress on the social and emotional development in early childhood. Since then, I have been grateful to continue my academic and professional journey in the doctoral program with Christina by my side. I am currently preparing for my candidacy exam, with my proposed dissertation topic focusing on the lived experiences of younger siblings to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder regarding emotional understanding and regulation in the self and others. Other than my academic life, my hobbies include hiking, camping, and trying to be as active as possible by playing soccer and taking ballet classes.