Lab Director
Lynnda Dahlquist earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Purdue University in 1981 and has been a faculty member at UMBC since 1996. Her research interests include the development of effective psychological treatments for the pain and fear children experience during medical treatment and child and family adjustment to chronic illnesses.
Graduate Students
Julia Zeroth is a seventh-year human services psychology graduate student at UMBC with a concentration in child clinical psychology. After receiving her B.A. from UMBC in 2012 and working as an undergraduate research assistant in the Pediatric Psychology Lab, she just couldn’t leave! Julia’s research interests include acute pain management and family adjustment to childhood chronic illness. Julia completed her masters thesis project examining the effects of virtual reality distraction on pain tolerance in college students.
Emily Steiner is a fifth-year graduate student in the Pediatric Psychology Lab. She received her B.S. from Haverford college in 2012. After graduating, she worked as a psychology research associate at University of Pennsylvania and University of Pittsburgh. Emily’s research interests include coping and family adjustment to pediatric chronic illness. Emily enjoys yoga, cooking and playing on the Baltimore Social bocce league.
Danielle Weiss is a third-year graduate student in the Pediatric Psychology Lab. She received her B.A. from the University of Colorado in 2013. After graduating, she earned her M.S. from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She also worked as a research assistant at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in the Center for Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndromes and in the Center for Injury Research & Prevention. Danielle’s research interests include child and family adjustment to pediatric injury and chronic illness.
Tali Rasooly
is a third-year graduate student in the Pediatric Psychology Lab. She graduated from University of Maryland College Park in 2011 and then worked as a research assistant in the psychology and anesthesia departments of Boston Children’s Hospital. Tali’s research interests include therapeutic applications of virtual reality technology on the context of uncomfortable medical procedures or environments, and how attitudes towards pain can impact function. In her free time, Tali enjoys playing board games with her family.
Brianna Jehl is a second-year graduate student in the Pediatric Psychology Lab. She received her B.A. from Washington College in 2016. After graduating, she earned her M.A. from Tufts University in 2018. She also worked as a research assistant at Boston Children’s Hospital in the Pain Treatment Services. Brianna’s research interests include child and family adjustment to pediatric chronic illness, particularly the adjustment of healthy siblings.
Master’s Thesis: The Effect of Explanatory Frameworks and Metaphors on Understanding Chronic Pain