EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Minor: Japanese, May 2003 Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA
Clinical Geropsychology Doctoral Program, 2004 - present
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO
HONORS
2005 APA Minority Fellowship Program, Alternate
2004 - present Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities Fellowship, CU Colorado Springs
2004 - present CU Colorado Springs Graduate Fellowship
2004 Out of State Residency Scholarship, CU Colorado Springs
2001 Association for International Education, Japan (AIEJ), scholarship for study abroad
1999 - 2003 President's Scholarship, Occidental College
1999 Howard Swan Award, Music Scholarship, Occidental College
RESEARCH
Interests
* Influence of culture and ethnicity on conceptualizations of disease and disability
* Early detection of Alzheimer's disease; decision-making process for seeking help
* Access to health services for ethnic minority older adults
* Interactions between environment/context, older adults, and culture
* Assistive technology
Experience
Master's Thesis
Does Culture Influence Anglo-Americans' and Japanese-Americans' Conceptualization of Alzheimer's Disease and Decision to Seek Help?
Chairperson: Sara H. Qualls, Ph.D.
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO
Spring 2004 - present
Honor's Thesis
Who's to Blame? The Effect of Alcohol on Attributions of Blame in Acquaintance Rape.
Chairperson: Jaclyn Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA
November 2002 - May 2003
Research Assistant
Duties: Assisted in online survey development to assess individuals' perception of diversity policies and practices at their job sites in Colorado Springs. Performed literature search for similar studies in other cities with comparable demographics, developed and analyzed content of survey questions, helped develop interview questions to ask employers of large and small companies in Colorado Springs.
Supervisor: Lori James, Ph.D.
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO (research commissioned through Colorado Springs' Diversity Board)
June 2006 - October 2006
Duties: Assist in survey development and data analysis to understand the needs of caregiver clients and their care recipients with dementia, code interview transcripts of aging family members with adult children with developmental disabilities, perform literature searches, summarize data for poster presentations at the Gerontological Society of America and the Coleman Institute conferences, assist lab team members with data collection and data entry, attend research meetings.
Supervisor: Sara H. Qualls, Ph.D.
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO
August 2004 - present
Duties: Measure blood pressure, heart rate, carbon monoxide breath analysis, and collect saliva samples for cotinine analysis, perform telephone screenings testing materials to participants, educate participants on the psychopharmacological aspects and administration of Nicotine Replacement Treatments, perform literature searches, administer electrocardiograms.
Supervisor: Nina G. Schneider, Ph.D.
Nicotine Dependence Research Unit, UCLA, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Administration, Los Angeles, CA
August 2003 - March 2004
Duties: Administer computer-based neuropsychological tests, data entry, file
and organize subject test data, observe interviews with out-patient participants
with schizophrenia.
Supervisor: Kenneth Nuechterlein, Ph.D.
University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
July 2002 - August 2002 (volunteer); June 2003 - August 2003 (part-time
employee)
Duties: Collect archival data on depression measures for patients who applied for disability to investigate relationship between depression scale outcome and purchaser bias.
Supervisor: G. E. Griffin, Ph.D.
Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA
June 2003 - November 2003
Duties: Develop study on effects of activity anorexia on analgesia in rats,
administer various tests, help collect and enter data for lab team members
study, maintain care of rats. Funded by the NSF-AIRE grant.
Supervisors: Nancy Dess, Ph.D. and Clinton Chapman
Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA
June 2002 - August 2002
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
Clinical Practicum
University of Colorado Aging Center
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Duties: Provide individual therapy, co-lead group therapy, provide caregiver therapy, conduct intake interviews, conduct neuropsychological evaluations, write reports.
Supervisors: Michael P. Kenny, Psy.D., Daniel L. Segal, Ph.D., & Sara H. Qualls, Ph.D.
June 2005 - present
TEACHING
Interests
* Psychology of aging in ethnic minorities
* Influence of acculturation in ethnic minorities' cultural values
* Privilege, cultural minorities, and social reproduction
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
American Psychological Association, Division 45 and Division 12, Sections 2, 4, 6
Asian American Psychological Association
Associated University Centers for Disabilities
Environmental Design Research Association
Gerontological Society of America
Neuroscience Education Institute
ABSTRACTS
Qualls, S. H., Berryman, K., Bustos, E., Hiroto, K., Layton, H. Phillips, L., Rogers, M. et al. (2004, October). Who calls the doctor? A cognitive impairment response model for Alzheimer's disease. Poster presented at annual conference of the Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities. Denver, CO
Qualls, S. H., Layton, H., Stephens, M., Hiroto, K., Williams, A., Altayli, B., Foster, S., et al. (2005, December). Family caregivers of elderly seek caregiver counseling services primarily for cognitive disabilities.Poster presented at annual conference of the Gerontological Society of America. Washington, DC.
Layton, H., Williams, A., Hiroto, K., Qualls, S. H., & Kenny, M. (2005, December). Behavioral health services for aging persons with Down's syndrome and their families. Poster presented at Down Syndrome "Call to Action" Symposium. Aurora, CO
Qualls, S., Layton, H., Williams, A., Hiroto, K., Foster, S. (2006, October) To plan or not to plan: The development of a therapeutic intervention to assist families of individuals with cognitive disabilities in late-life planning. Poster presented at the Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities Conference, Broomfield, CO