معرفی
Cara S. Maffini is an Associate Professor in the Department of Child & Adolescent Development at San José State University's Lurie College of Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Indiana University (2014), with prior degrees from UC Davis and CSU Sacramento. Her research focuses on intersections of culture, mental health, and trauma, especially among underserved youth and emerging adults. Key areas include trauma risk/protective factors, refugee experiences, and bicultural identity development.
She teaches courses such as CHAD 060 (Child Development), CHAD 165 (Risk and Resilience), and EDCO 232 (Law & Ethics in Counseling). Maffini directs the Healthy Development Community Clinic (HDCC) and leads grants totaling over $1.7 million from agencies like DHCS and SAMHSA. Her work emphasizes culturally-responsive interventions addressing campus safety, racial disparities, and community well-being.
Recent grants include Rainbow FLASH (2024) for LGBTQ+ families and interventions targeting health equity in Santa Clara County (2024). Over 30 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters highlight her contributions to counseling psychology, biculturalism research, and trauma-informed practices. She frequently presents at APA, SRCD, and multicultural conferences, advocating for marginalized populations in academic and clinical settings.
