School Based Mental Health Assessment and Intervention
Dr. Coyle's research focuses on understanding evidence based assessment and intervention for mental health in schools. Her research focuses on universal screening and scale development for mental health conditions. In collaboration with another faculty member in the Psychology Department at MSU, Dr. Carrie Masia, her team is conducting a study to investigate a culturally responsive school based intervention for socially anxious teenagers.
Social Support and Stress Buffering
Social Support
Dr. Coyle's research lab is interested in exploring the role of social support in promoting social-emotional well being.
Social support includes one’s perceptions of supportive behaviors (such as caring behavior, supportive feedback, time and resources) provided by individuals within ones social network. Our lab explores several different facets of social support.
Dr. Coyle's research lab is interested in exploring the role of social support in promoting social-emotional well being.
Social support includes one’s perceptions of supportive behaviors (such as caring behavior, supportive feedback, time and resources) provided by individuals within ones social network. Our lab explores several different facets of social support.
- The General Benefits Model of Support: Social support is beneficial to everyone, regardless of circumstances or the presence of adversity
- The Stress Buffering Model of Support: Social support is especially helpful in protecting against the development of psychological symptoms when faced with stressors
Social Support Compensation
The PSS lab is interested in exploring lack of support as one stressor experienced by youth, or social support compensation. This is the idea that social support from one source (e.g., mothers) might compensate for lack of social support from another source (e.g., fathers). In other words, the benefits of support from one source might make up for the lack of support from other sources.
The PSS lab is interested in exploring lack of support as one stressor experienced by youth, or social support compensation. This is the idea that social support from one source (e.g., mothers) might compensate for lack of social support from another source (e.g., fathers). In other words, the benefits of support from one source might make up for the lack of support from other sources.
Contemporary Adolescent Stressors
The PSS lab is also interested in exploring stressors that are particularly relevant for youth in today's society. Our research team is interested in exploring how stress related to social media use impacts social-emotional functioning in youth.
The PSS lab is also interested in exploring stressors that are particularly relevant for youth in today's society. Our research team is interested in exploring how stress related to social media use impacts social-emotional functioning in youth.
Bullying-Victimization
Bullying is defined as repeated and intentional aggressive behavior that is experienced by someone with lower status or standing. The PSS lab is interested in exploring the complexity of the bullying-situation, including the role of bystanders, in relation to student well-being. Our work also investigates protective factors for youth experiening bullying, such as positive and socially supportive behaviors.
School Climate and School Safety
School climate includes observable characteristics of the school, the organizational structure and behavior of students and school staff members, and values and beliefs that are evident within the school environment. School climate may interact with school safety measures, including the use of metal detectors, ID badges, and resource officers. The PSS Lab is involved in projects assessing how school safety and school climate variables might impact various psychosocial and educational outcomes.