Lia O'Brien

Lia O'Brien is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at West Chester University, located in the College of Sciences and Mathematics. She holds a Ph.D. from Temple University and specializes in developmental psychology with a focus on gratitude, optimism, and future orientation in children and adolescents. Her work examines bidirectional relationships between context and cognitive/social development, often employing cross-cultural methodologies.

Research interests include understanding how cultural and familial contexts shape emotional and moral development, particularly through studies on gratitude's emergence and its links to materialism. She has contributed to edited volumes like Developing Gratitude and co-authored papers in journals such as Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology and Human Development.

Dr. O'Brien teaches courses in child development (PSY 382) and developmental bases of behavior (PSY 608). Her office is located in Wayne Hall 515, with Fall 2024 office hours on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. She actively critiques outdated applications of developmental theories and advocates for culturally responsive research methods.