School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences - The University of Texas at Dallas

Dr. Nelson, the director of the Family Research Lab, is an assistant professor of Psychological Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas. She earned her BA in psychology from Elon University and her PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Dr. Nelson studies emotional family processes from a systems prospective, recognizing that family members and relationships are interconnected. Specifically, she is interested in parent-child relationships, how mothers and fathers influence one another's parenting practices, negative spillover of family stress, parents' beliefs and socialization of children's emotion, and children's emotional development.

Brittany joined the Family Research Lab in August of 2011, and is currently working toward her PhD in Psychological Sciences. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in December of 2008 with a BS in Psychology.

Her research interests include family dynamics and relationship health, stress reduction and anxiety treatment, and mindfulness and spiritual well-being.

Mo is working on her MS in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison in May 2010 with a BS in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders.

She has always enjoyed working with children. Her recent involvement working with children with disabilities has sparked her interest in their social development. Mo would like to research the influence of family support and early intervention programs on a child's social development.

Samantha joined the Family Research Lab in January, 2012, and is currently working toward her MS in Psychological Sciences. She graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas on May 19, 2012, with a BS in Child Development and Psychology with a minor in Criminology.

Her research interests include family dynamics with an emphasis on sibling relationships and environmental versus biological impacts on social development.

Elizabeth joined the Family Research Lab in August of 2012, and is currently working toward her MS in Psychological Sciences. She graduated from Louisiana State University in May of 2012 with a BS in Psychology.

Her research interests include family dynamics and emotion regulation in children and adolescents.

Denise joined the family research lab in May of 2012 and is currently working toward her MS in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders. She graduated from Texas Woman's University in May 2008 with a BA in Fashion Design.

Her interests include early childhood intervention, attachment disorders and the therapeutic importance of parent-child relationships.