April G. Thomas

Dr. April G. Thomas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at El Paso's College of Liberal Arts. Her research examines adolescent development through the lens of risk-taking and problem behavior, with specific focus on juvenile justice contexts and socio-ecological influences on decision-making.

She holds a PhD in Developmental Psychology from University of California, Irvine, with dual concentrations in Psychology/Law and Quantitative Methods. Her academic training includes an MA in Human Development from Colorado State University and BA in Psychology from Wichita State University.

Research Focus:
Dr. Thomas investigates how parental and peer influences shape adolescent risk behavior, juvenile justice policy impacts, and developmental factors in legal decision-making. Current NSF-funded projects examine effects of juvenile incarceration on adolescent sleep/social development and COVID-19 impacts on at-risk youth.

Publication Trends:
Her scholarly output integrates developmental theory with legal applications, featuring longitudinal analyses of risk behavior trajectories, experimental studies of juror decision-making, and evaluations of justice system impacts on adolescent outcomes.

Awards and Recognition:

• UTEP College of Liberal Arts Mentoring Award (2022)
• Multiple NSF grants supporting juvenile justice research
• American Psychological Foundation Visionary Grant

Research Leadership:
Directs the Adolescent Development & Delinquency Laboratory and collaborates on multi-site studies including the Crossroads longitudinal project examining adolescent offenders' social development.