Melinda Gonzales-Backen, Ph.D.

Interests

My research focuses on the psychosocial well-being of Latino youth and families. Specifically, I’m interested in how cultural stressors (e.g., discrimination, acculturative stress, etc.), cultural strengths (e.g., ethnic identity, familial ethnic socialization, etc.), adolescent development, and family processes intersect to predict adolescent adjustment in the areas of self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and substance use.

Education

• B.S. Psychology, University of Arizona
• M.S. Family and Human Development, Arizona State University
• Ph.D. Family and Human Development, Arizona State University

Publications and Other Scholarly Activities

Gonzales-Backen, M. A., Bámaca-Colbert, M. Y., & Allen, K. (2016). Ethnic identity trajectories among Mexican-origin girls during early and middle adolescence: Predicting future psychosocial adjustment. Developmental Psychology, 52(5), 790.

Gonzales-Backen, M. A., Bámaca-Colbert, M. Y., Noah, A. J., & Rivera, P. M. (2017). Cultural profiles among Mexican-origin girls: Associations with psychosocial adjustment. Journal of Latina/o Psychology, 5(3), 157-172. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/lat0000069

Bámaca-Colbert, M. Y., Gonzales-Backen, M., Henry, C. S., Kim, P. S.Y., Roblyer, M. Z., Plunkett, S. W. and Sands, T. (2017), Family Profiles of Cohesion and Parenting Practices and Latino Youth Adjustment. Family Process. doi:10.1111/famp.12314

Gonzales‐Backen, M. A. (2013). An application of ecological theory to ethnic identity formation among biethnic adolescents. Family Relations, 62(1), 92-108.

Gonzales-Backen, M. A., Dumka, L. E., Millsap, R. E., Yoo, H. C., Schwartz, S. J., Zamboanga, B. L., … & Brown, E. J. (2015). The role of social and personal identities in self-esteem among ethnic minority college students. Identity, 15(3), 202-220.

Accomplishments

• Award for Excellence in Online Course Design (2013, 2015), Office of Distance Learning, Florida State University
• Award for Excellence in Online Instruction (2013), Office of Distance Learning, Florida State University
• NIH/NIMHD Loan Repayment Program Scholar, 2014-2016
• Martha E. Bernal Memorial Award (2011), Department of Psychology, Arizona State University