Supervising Faculty: Leslie Horton, PhD
Contact: Email both Megan Deam (deamm@upmc.edu) and Charise Peters (petersc10@upmc.edu)
Area of Research: Psychosis risk in adolescence, social stress sensitivity
Description of Research: The Youth Emotions, Thoughts, and Interactions (YETI) lab studies thinking patterns, stressors, emotions, and social interactions in young people at-risk for psychosis using psychophysiological and behavioral methods.
Duties of Students:
- Directed reading of the literature on psychosis risk, stress, and social functioning in adolescence.
- One-on one and group meetings, including meeting weekly with the lab group, weekly with the Research Coordinator or Postdoctoral Associate of YETI Lab studies, and at least monthly and as needed with Dr. Horton.
- Completion of an end-of-the-semester research product as specified in the Learning agreement.
- Hands-on practical work on NIMH-funded research studies examining clinical high-risk for psychosis in adolescents and young adults. Responsibilities will be specified in the Learning Agreement and may vary based on interest, but can include:
- Serving as a panelist for the Trier Social Stress test (TSST) administered with research participants
- Participating in the collection, data cleaning, and data analysis of laboratory measurements of psychophysiology (e.g., heart rate variability, cardiac impedance, and skin conductance). Note: we are hoping to recruit 1-2 students for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters who have specific interest (experience preferred but not required) in psychophysiology data cleaning!
- Shadowing and administering research study clinical visits, including cognitive assessments and clinical interviews, as well as EEG procedures.
- Assisting with research administrative tasks, such as data entry, literature reviews, and assistance with research participant scheduling.
- Assisting with ambulatory assessment procedures, including heart rate variability and phone-based questionnaires
Requirements:
- Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher
- 12 credits of Psychology (including current term)
- STAT 0200/1000/1100 Statistics
- PSY 0036 Research Methods Lecture
- PSY 0037 Research Methods Lab
- 2-term commitment encouraged, but not required
Recruitment Process: Students should provide a copy of a CV or Resume, an unofficial transcript, as well as a cover letter, or a brief description as to why they are interested and are a good fit for our lab specifically as well as any specific skills/experiences they hope to gain. Interviews are scheduled either in-person or via Zoom. We use standardized questions to determine interests, student goals, and assess fit between the lab and the student. Students should also expect to provide contact information for 2-3 professional and/or academic references.
Terms offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Number of Students: 4
Lab website: www.yetilab.pitt.edu See projectreporter.nih.gov for more information on both lab projects: R01MH121386-01 and 1U01MH124639-01.