Dr. Hannah L. Schacter

Dr. Schacter is an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Developmental Science Area at Wayne State University affiliate faculty of the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute. She completed a National Science Foundation postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Southern California, and received her PhD in Psychology from UCLA and BA from Hamilton College.

Broadly speaking, her research examines how adolescents’ interpersonal relationships contribute to their psychological well-being, physical health, and school functioning. She seeks to understand pathways from peer stress to adjustment problems and identify contextual factors that protect against versus exacerbate the maladjustment of socially vulnerable (e.g., bullied) youth. Dr. Schacter investigates these questions using multiple methods and time-scales (e.g., daily diaries; yearly school-based surveys) to understand both the short- and long-term impact of interpersonal difficulties.

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Ayodeji Solomon Adegoke

As a second-year Ph.D. student in Developmental Science and Quantitative Methods, my research focuses on the critical social contexts of adolescence, including peer relationships, victimization, and parent-child dynamics, and their impact on psychosocial development. My academic foundation, including a master's in Psychology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, has driven my passion for applying rigorous quantitative methods to complex research questions. My goal is to produce research that not only advances scientific understanding but also directly informs decisions and policies that support youths and adolescents.

faizun bakth

Faizun is a Ph.D. Candidate in Developmental Science at Wayne State University. Her research examines how peer relationships, from supportive friendships to experiences of victimization and discrimination, shape adolescents' health, well-being, and long-term adjustment. She employs advanced longitudinal methods, including daily diary and multi-wave studies, to capture both short- and long-term developmental processes. A central goal of her work is to promote equity by uncovering the unique challenges faced by marginalized youth. Her research has been published in leading journals, including the Journal of Research on Adolescence, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, Sleep Health, and the International Journal of Behavioral Development. Outside of the lab, Faizun enjoys horror movies, reading, and exploring new cuisines.

je’nae johnson

My name is Je’Nae Johnson. I am a fourth-year Clinical Psychology graduate student at Wayne State University, coming from Los Angeles, California. I received my Master of Arts in Psychology from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Riverside. My primary research interest is in how interpersonal and community factors influence youth psychological well-being and achievement in diverse communities. I also have an interest in understanding how child and adolescent trauma impacts long-term development. My long-term goal is to apply this understanding to intervention development that is culturally considerate of diverse experiences. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, creative writing, reading fictional novels, watching movies/shows, and hanging out with my dog, friends, and family.