Emma Hooper

Emma Hooper, PhD, serves as Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Psychology at California Lutheran University and directs the Parenting Lab. Her work focuses on children's emotional development within family systems, particularly examining emotion socialization and regulation during crisis periods like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Hooper's academic credentials include:

• PhD in Human Development and Family Science with Couple and Family Therapy specialization from The Ohio State University
• MS in Human Development and Family Science from The Ohio State University
• BA in Psychology and Cultural Studies from Chatham University

Her research investigates how parenting practices shape children's emotional development, with current work centered on pandemic-era parenting through longitudinal studies of emotional regulation and intervention development. The Parenting Lab explores parental stress management, support strategies for children's emotional needs, and long-term developmental impacts using observational coding methods.

Dr. Hooper mentors Counseling Psychology MFT graduate students Sara Dorman and Nikita Sarmiento in her IRB-approved study (FY-2024-23), which analyzes pandemic parenting through interviews and surveys to develop future family support systems. The lab team includes clinical consultants focused on family resilience and emotional health.