Rebecca McHugh

Dr. Rebecca McHugh serves as Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of the Psychology Program within the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. She teaches diverse courses spanning Introduction to Psychology through specialized upper-level offerings in developmental processes across the lifespan.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology, University of Pittsburgh
• M.S. in Applied Developmental Psychology, University of Pittsburgh
• B.A., Edinboro University

Dr. McHugh's research centers on Visibility Management—a coping mechanism for navigating stigma within microcommunities—using qualitative and mixed methods approaches. Her investigations span developmental psychology across the lifespan, socioemotional and cognitive development, gender and sexuality studies, media socialization, and parenting dynamics. She actively explores communities including Furries and Asexual individuals, examining identity disclosure strategies and interpersonal relationship navigation.

Her publication portfolio reveals strong thematic continuity in microcommunity studies (particularly Furry fandom) and adolescent developmental psychology. Recent work examines dream content, sexual orientation expression, and anthropomorphism, while earlier research includes meta-analyses on adolescent alcohol interventions and neurocognitive markers in depression. Methodologically, she consistently integrates qualitative depth with quantitative rigor across diverse research designs.

Academic honors include:

• Study Abroad Scholarship enabling research in Edinburgh, Scotland during undergraduate studies
• Multiple Teaching Fellowships during graduate education

Dr. McHugh demonstrates exceptional commitment to student research engagement through Directed Research projects, SURP Grants (Summer Undergraduate Research Program), and Capstone Projects. She mentors students on Visibility Management studies, gender marker analyses in children's media, campus community needs assessments (including on-campus daycare feasibility), and healthcare communication research in long-term facilities. Her collaborative approach empowers students to lead investigations aligned with both established research programs and emerging interests.

She leads collaborative undergraduate research teams investigating Visibility Management across microcommunities, with findings presented at venues including Carnegie Mellon University's TedX conference. Her work bridges academic rigor with real-world community engagement, fostering student development through hands-on research experiences in stigma management and developmental processes.