Sarah Erickson

Sarah Erickson is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair for the Graduate Program in the Department of Psychology at The University of New Mexico. She holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University (1994). Her research focuses on clinical child psychology, health psychology, and developmental processes. Key areas include disordered eating in preadolescent girls, mother-daughter relationships, college student well-being, and cultural influences on parenting outcomes among Hispanic/Latinx populations. She also investigates internalized weight bias and long-term adaptation in pediatric chronic illness survivors.

Her work integrates attachment theory and multidisciplinary approaches to study stress adaptation in families and children. Notable studies include the Outcomes Related to College Student Attachment (ORCA) project exploring adult attachment security and psychological health. She has led research on biculturalism’s role in emerging adults’ mental health and the impact of maternal scaffolding on preterm infants’ development.

Dr. Erickson collaborates with graduate students on studies involving pediatric cancer survivors, preterm infants, and chronic illness adaptation. Her lab team includes Suzanne Vaccaro, Ayesha Bhatia, Amanda Cramer, and Brynn LiaBraaten. She actively mentors graduate students in clinical and health psychology research, emphasizing strong academic performance and research experience.

Her recent publications (2020–2024) address hemodialysis patient outcomes, maternal-infant interactions in preterm populations, and pediatric cancer survivorship. Current projects investigate internalized weight bias correlates and cultural contributions in social media contexts.