Dr. Kornienko is considering applications from prospective graduate students to join the lab for the 2026-27 academic year.
Our current research projects use longitudinal and social network research design and methods to answer the following research questions:
- How do social identities inform selection and social influence processes in peer networks?
- What are the benefits and challenges of intergroup connections for adolescent and young adult development, health, and wellbeing?
- How is critical consciousness associated with social network structure and dynamics in adolescence and young adulthood?
- How do cultural assets (e.g., bicultural identity, multicultural socialization across parents, educators, and peers) and social network resources play promotive and buffering role for adolescent development and health?
- How are in-person peer networks associated with social media and digital behaviors (i.e., social media addiction, digital status-seeking, and digital distress) and what are developmental consequences of these reciprocal processes?
We welcome applications from students who are interested using longitudinal and social network analysis design and methods to understand how peer social networks promote and constrain the development, health, and well-being in adolescence and young adulthood.
Please feel free to reach out to Dr. Kornienko with any questions or to schedule a meeting to discuss the interests and questions related to graduate studies.
Selected Peer-Reviewed Posters and Presentations by Graduate and Undergraduate Students
* Student who performs research in Peer Networks & Development Lab
** Student from another faculty member’s research lab
Kornienko, O., Burson, E., **Young, D.L.., Godfrey, E.B., & Garner, P.W. (2025). Conscious selection: Critical consciousness informs cultivation of peer networks in a living and learning community. Social Development 34 (1), e12780. DOI:10.1111/sode.12780
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 adolescence. 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 youth. Paper presented at the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development Conference, Lisbon, Portugal.
**Maras, O., Ha, T., Kornienko, O., **Quiroz, S., *White, N., Hernández, M (2023, September). Peer contagion of adolescent digital dating abuse: A network study across social contexts. Poster presented at the Digital Media and Developing Minds International Scientific Congress, Washington, D.C.
*Toth, C., Kornienko, O., **Quiroz, S., **Maras, O., Hernández M. M., & Ha, T. (2023, April). Friend homophily regarding social media addiction and digital status seeking in adolescence. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence Biennial Meeting, San Diego, CA.
*Davila, M., Kornienko, O., Clary, L. K., & Ha, T. (2022, March). Adolescent relational aggression and internalizing symptoms in adulthood: The protective role of network centrality. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence Biennial Meeting.
*Davila, M., & Kornienko, O. (2021, July). Making, maintaining, and influencing friends: Examining the role of fear of negative evaluation and gender in adolescent networks. Paper presented at Networks 2021 Conference. Virtual/Washington, D.C.
*Whitmore, S., Kornienko, O., *Davila, M., & Ha, T. (2021, April). Individual differences in appraisals of social relationships predict loneliness among adolescents. Poster presented at the Virtual Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development