Groups: Current Honor's, MA, and PHD Students
Marita Coker is a current Master’s student in the Applied Developmental Psychology program. She is passionate about exploring the dynamic intersections of peer social networks, acculturation, multicultural adolescents, ethnic and racial identity, and psychopathology. Her research journey is guided by a deep curiosity about how these factors influence one another and shape the lives of individuals, particularly in the context of diverse and multicultural settings. Marita completed her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Science and Social Inquiry with a Minor in Africana Studies at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in May 2022. In the next few years, she hopes to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology, building off the foundations of developmental and socio-cultural theories research to help improve and support the mental health and social relationships of multicultural individuals.
Peer-reviewed presentations and publications:
Hernández, M. M., Kornienko, O., *Figueroa, J. M., *Coker, M., *Paredes, K. A., *Carrillo, J. P., *Toth, C., Rogers, A. A., & Ha, T. (2024). Identifying culturally relevant school support profiles and links to academic functioning in adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. * Equally contributing authors. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-024-02098-0
Kornienko, O., Safa, D. M., Coker, M., Boaheng, P., Hernández, M., & Ha, T. (2024). How peer networks shape bicultural orientations among ethnic-racial minoritized and immigrant youth. Paper presented at the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development Conference, Lisbon, Portugal.