Margaret Fields-Olivieri

Margaret Fields-Olivieri serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), where she leads the TALK Lab research team focused on naturalistic parent-child interaction studies.

Education

• Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University
• M.S. in Clinical Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University
• B.A. in Psychology, Duke University

Research Focus

Her work centers on emotional and verbal development in the toddler period, examining how caregivers shape children's emotional understanding through daily communication. She investigates parent-toddler communication patterns and emotion socialization processes using naturalistic methods that capture authentic family interactions outside laboratory settings, contributing to developmental psychology and clinical intervention frameworks.

Teaching Portfolio

She instructs specialized courses including PSY470 (Psychological Disorders of Children), PSY723 (Evidence-based Practice with Children and Adolescents), PSY 735J (Contemporary Problems), and advanced clinical practica (PSY 742 and PSY 762) that integrate research with hands-on therapeutic training.

Research Leadership

As director of the UNCG TALK Lab, she oversees studies observing parent-child communication dynamics in everyday contexts, emphasizing real-world applicability of developmental research findings.

Academic Mentoring

Through clinical practicum supervision, she guides graduate students in evidence-based therapeutic techniques for pediatric populations, bridging research and clinical practice in child psychology.