Lab Director
Dr. Rodriguez is a Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Training at Old Dominion University. Her research has investigated theoretical and methodological advances in understanding mothers’ and fathers’ risk to engage in physical abuse that would inform prevention and intervention programs. Her research and clinical interests focus on prevention, particularly concentrating on at-risk and abusive parenting and family violence in an effort to promote optimal parenting. She has simultaneously considered parental disciplinary behaviors, beliefs, and abuse risk that may be associated with children’s internalizing difficulties, such as the development of depressive and anxious symptomatology, paying particular attention to potential cognitive mechanisms that can be transmitted intergenerationally. To better understand potential avenues leading to abusive parenting, the Parenting Challenges with Kids (PaCK) Lab considers factors that promote optimal parenting in addition to factors that affect parenting in more at-risk, challenging circumstances.
Graduate Students
Paige Munshell (she/they) is a second year doctoral student in the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology. Their research interests include family trauma and adversity, particularly in the parent-child relationship, and their clinical interests include family intervention and family therapy. Prior to joining the PaCK lab, Paige studied and worked in neuroscience research at the University of Maryland, College Park, with neurodiverse adolescents. In the future, they hope to pursue intervention implementation work with families from diverse backgrounds.
Edoardo Modanesi is a second-year student in the Virginia Consortium Program. He is interested in risk-factors for intimate-partner violence, developmental psychopathology, and substance abuse. Prior to joining the lab, he obtained an undergraduate degree in psychological science and criminology at the University of California, Irvine. Subsequently, he obtained a master’s in developmental neuroscience and psychopathology from a joint collaboration between University College London and Yale University. He enjoys playing soccer, surfing, and watching recipe videos on YouTube.
Jewelian Fairchild is a first-year student in the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests focus on the intergenerational transmission of childhood trauma, specifically examining how parents who experienced childhood abuse may go on to maltreat or engage in harsh parenting with their children. Jewelian aims to explore both the mechanisms that exacerbate risk of such behaviors and those that promote resilience. She is particularly interested in the dynamics of the parent-child relationship and how these dynamics influence child outcomes. Before joining the lab, she earned her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University, where she also worked as the Project Coordinator for the Prenatal Stress Study.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Vanessa Achamfuor is a senior at Old Dominion University, double majoring in Psychology and Criminal Justice. After finishing her undergraduate degree, she intends to continue her education by obtaining a PsyD in Clinical Psychology or attending medical school for psychiatry. To combine her passion for psychology and criminal justice, her dream is to utilize the skills she learns throughout her career in psychology in law enforcement. Vanessa’s dream is to become a forensic psychologist or psychiatrist. In her free time, she likes spending time with family and friends, dancing, cooking, binge-watching shows on Netflix, reading, and traveling.
Kassandra De Jesus is a senior at Old Dominion University majoring in Psychology with a monor in Criminal Justice. She is currently in the Undergraduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (U-RISE) and plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, Kassandra volunteers at a local domestic violence emergency shelter and is President of Rotaract, a community service organization.
Juliana Spencer is a sophomore at Old Dominion University majoring in psychology. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she plans to obtain a PhD in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, Juliana enjoys reading, listening to musicals, and hanging out with her friends.