Mary Ryan

Degree: PhD in Clinical Psychology

Dissertation: My dissertation examined how adolescents’ experiences of peer acceptance shape their emotional functioning in daily life, integrating ecological momentary assessment and fMRI methods. This work was recently published in Child Psychiatry & Human Development and highlights the importance of real-time peer experiences for adolescent positive and negative emotions.

Most impactful class: One of the most impactful classes I took was Lifespan Development with Professor Thalia R. Goldstein. I was pregnant with my second while taking the course, and another student in the class had a three-month-old baby, which made the material feel especially immediate and meaningful. Professor Goldstein created a learning environment that was not only intellectually engaging, but also deeply supportive of us moms. Her openness and encouragement helped me feel that parenthood and academic/professional growth did not have to exist in competition with one another, which made a lasting impact on me.

Future plans: After graduation, I will be completing a postdoctoral fellowship at USF Health with the Early Steps birth-to-three program, where I will provide developmental and autism evaluations as well as parent coaching. I will also continue working with families across the child lifespan, supporting children with behavioral, oppositional, and other challenging behaviors, including children with ASD and ADHD. I am excited to continue developing my work in early childhood, assessment, and family-centered behavioral intervention.