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S. Taylor Younginer

Graduate Student Well-Being Committee Member

Research

2017- present      Research Assistant

PAVES (Preventing Aggression & Victimization through Evidence-based Strategies) Lab Department of Psychology | University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  • Graduate research advisor: Dr. L. Christian Elledge, Ph.D.
  • Successfully submitted an IRB to study the effect of mentoring relationships on psychological outcomes such as internalizing and externalizing symptomology in a sample of chronically victimized elementary school children
  • Adapted an existing research protocol and lead a data collection during the Fall 2018
  • Manage, train, and supervise undergraduate research assistants on data collection, organization, entry, and cleaning of large datasets; facilitate regular meetings
  • Mentor research assistants on how to create posters for presentation and conducting literature reviews

2015-2017       Research Assistant

                        The Center for the Prevention of Youth Behavioral Problems Tuscaloosa, AL

  • Conducted parent and child interviews for participants in the Coping Power Program, a school based cognitive-behavioral intervention for children who exhibit deviant behavior

2015-2017    Undergraduate Psychology Honors Thesis Research

                      University of Alabama Psychology Honors Program | Tuscaloosa, AL                               

  • Selected as one of 10 members participating in a 2- year independent research project under the direction of a faculty mentor, culminating in the production of a mock master’s thesis
  • Worked with Dr. John Lochman and Dr. Qshequilla Mitchell researching the effect of the therapeutic alliance on intervention outcomes when used with a school based, cognitive-behavioral intervention for children exhibiting deviant behavior
  • Compiled a literature review of topic, worked with other students to code 180 pre-recorded therapy sessions with the TPOCS-a measure (McLeod, 2005), analyzed data, wrote and will defend thesis

2016       Research Assistant

               Vanderbilt University | Nashville, TN

  • Worked with Dr. David Cole at the Peabody College of Education and Human Development studying online social support

Education

2023     Doctoral Candidate

            The University of Tennessee- Knoxville, TN

            Clinical Psychology

            Supervisor: Dr. L. Chris Elledge

2019     M.A., Psychology

            The University of Tennessee- Knoxville, TN

            Clinical Psychology

Master’s Thesis: The Influence on Mentor Personality Traits & Attachment Style on Youth Mentoring Relationship Quality

Committee: Dr. L. Chris Elledge (Chairperson), Dr. Kristy Allen, Dr. Todd Moore

2017     B.S., Psychology

The University of Alabama- Tuscaloosa, AL

Majors: Psychology, Spanish        

Minors: Social Innovation & Leadership

Honors Thesis: The Evaluation and Implications of Therapeutic Alliance in Children with Externalizing Behaviors

Supervisors: Dr. John Lochman, Dr. Qshequilla Mitchell

Psychology GPA: 4.113 | Overall GPA: 3.972

 

Professional Service

2013-2017          Program Director

SPARK Mentoring Program | 57 Miles Partnership | University of Alabama Honors College

  • Lead class of approximately 30 students every Friday during the academic year at Francis Marion High School in Marion, AL
  • Designed 16-week curriculum for freshmen students at FMHS focusing on development of confidence, communication, critical thinking, and leadership skills
  • Conducted qualitative interviews for pre- and post-test assessments to determine efficacy of program curriculum
  • Recruited, trained, and lead weekly reflection sessions for UA student mentors

2015-2017          Logistical Coordinator Intern

Education Outreach | University of Alabama Honors College

  • Conducted analysis on quantitative pre- and post-test assessments to determine efficacy of program curriculum
  • Acted as liaison between Education Outreach and Tuscaloosa One Place, a local non-profit organization who coordinates all Tuscaloosa school-based programming
  • Recruited, trained, organized, and tracked attendance of approximately 500 undergraduate student volunteers per semester

2013-2017          University Fellows Experience

University of Alabama Honors College                                                           

  • Researched community engagement and the effects of systemic poverty in Alabama and America, and partnered with community members to conduct needs-based assessments in Tuscaloosa and Marion, Alabama
  • Traveled to Cuba for a 10-day comparative-immersion experience as a student in March 2016, and work as the UFE Cuba intern throughout the 2016-17 academic year which included designing the course curriculum, organizing travel for 26 students, and co-leading the March 2017 immersion trip

2015-2017          Blackburn Institute

University of Alabama                                                                                                                

  • Accepted into an intergenerational network that focuses on facilitating a dialogue of diverse opinions and on understanding the challenges specific to the state of Alabama
  • Traveled to different regions throughout Alabama and met with government officials, civic leaders, and community members in order to analyze public policy
  • Recruited and trained volunteers, recorded attendance and service hours

Awards and Recognitions

2018 Graduate Student/Faculty Research Award

2017 University of Tennessee Chancellor’s Fellowship

2017 University of Tennessee Bruce Painter and Eva Woody Seaton Memorial Graduate Fellowship

2017 Outstanding Major in Psychology Award Awarded to one senior undergraduate psychology major at the University of Alabama who demonstrates superior achievement in research, teaching, and community service

2017 XXXI

One of thirty-one women to be tapped for membership in XXXI, the only all-female honor society at The University of Alabama which honors women who have shown outstanding commitment through leadership, service, and character

2016  Normal Ellis Psychology Scholarship

2013  University Fellows Experience

Selected as one of 23 members from nearly 6500 incoming students to complete the Social Innovation & Leadership minor during undergraduate degree at The University of Alabama

2013 Academic Elite Scholar One of six recipients of the highest academic scholarship at the University of Alabama

2013 University of Alabama Honors College

Publications

Younginer, S. T., & Elledge, L. C. (2020). Mentor Personality Traits & Attachment Style on Youth Mentoring Relationship Quality (in preparation).

McClain, C., Younginer, S. T., & Elledge, L. C. (2020). The moderating role of self-, teacher-, and peer-reported teacher-student relationship quality on the association between rejection and peer victimization in elementary school children (in preparation).

Mitchell Q. P., Younginer, S. T., Lochman, J. E., Vernberg, E. M., Powell, N. P., and Qu, L. (2020) Examining for the Protective Effects of Therapeutic Engagement on Child Aggression. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.

McClain, C. M., Younginer, S. T., & Elledge, L. C. (2019). Social risk and internalizing distress in middle childhood: The moderating role of emotion regulation processes. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29(1), 167-181. doi:10.1007/s10826-019-01548-9

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Younginer, S. T., Green, E. C., McClain, C., Watson, A., Elledge, L. C. (2019, November 21-24). The impact of positive mentoring relationship quality on substance use and internalizing symptoms in College. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Atlanta, GA.

McClain, C., Watson, A., Younginer, S. T., & Elledge, L. C. (2019, November 21-24). The role of mentoring relationships on sense of belonging, self-efficacy, and academic motivation in a college population. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Atlanta, GA.

Watson, A., Green, E. C., Younginer, S. T., McClain, C., & Elledge, L. C. (2019, November 21-24). An examination of a peer contagion effect on endorsement of emotion regulation strategies and internalizing behaviors in children. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Atlanta, GA.

Watson, A., McClain, C., Younginer, S. T., & Elledge, L. C. (2019, November 21-24). The relationship between shared demographic characteristics in mentoring dyads and college student academic and emotional outcomes. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Atlanta, GA.

McClain, C., Younginer, S. T., Elledge, L. C., Smeraglia, K., Martin, M., Dyer, L., Crittenden, E. B., Mehdiyar, D. (2019, March 21-23) Student-teacher relationship quality as a moderator of the association between peer rejection and peer victimization. Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, MD. 

McClain, C., Younginer, S. T., Elledge, L. C., Mehdiyar, D., Crittenden, E. B., Martin, M. (2018, August 9-12). Peer victimization, rejection, and emotion regulation as predictors of emotional distress. American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.

McClain, C., Elledge, L. C., Manring, S., Whitley, M. L., Mehdiyar, D., Crittenden, E. B., Younginer, S. T., Martin, M. (2018, May 29-June 1). Transactional relations between functions of aggression and peer likeability in elementary school children. Society for Prevention Research, Washington, D.C.

Mitchell, Q. P., Lochman, J. E., Vernberg, E., Powell, N., Younginer, S. T., Qu, L. (2018, April 12-18). The role of gender as a moderator of therapeutic alliance for aggressive adolescents. Society for Research on Adolescence, Minneapolis, MN.

Mitchell, Q. P., Lochman, J. E., Vernberg, E. M., & Younginer, S. T. (2017, April 6-8). Examining for protective effects of therapeutic alliance on children’s trauma coping. Society for Research in Child Development, Austin, TX.

Younginer, S. T., Mitchell, Q. P., Lochman, J. E. (2017). The evaluation and implications of therapeutic alliance in children with externalizing behaviors. University of Alabama Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity Conference, Tuscaloosa, AL.

Younginer, S. T., Mitchell, Q. P., Lochman, J. E. (2016). Establishing inter-rater reliability on an observer-coding measure. University of Alabama Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity Conference, Tuscaloosa, AL.

INVITED TALKS

Younginer, S. T. (2020). External Practicum: What to Expect. Presented to the University of Tennessee Psychology Doctoral Program Colloquium (Knoxville, TN).

Younginer, S. T., Noose, S., Thompson, S. M. (2019). Introduction to Mindfulness. Presented to the University of Tennessee Chancellor’s Honors Program (Knoxville, TN).


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