معرفی
Rhiannon Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Connecticut. She serves as the Head of UConn K.I.D.S. (Kids In Developmental Science) and is the faculty advisor for the UConn chapter of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology.
Dr. Smith earned her Ph.D. in 2011 from the University of Missouri. Her research focuses on friendships and social-emotional adjustment in childhood and adolescence, particularly examining how peer relationships influence depression, anxiety, and empathy development. She also investigates diversity in peer relations, including cross-race/ethnicity friendships and the experiences of LGBTQIA+ youth. Her work integrates insights from social, developmental, and clinical psychology to address questions about emotional engagement, perspective-taking, and the dynamics of youth friendships.
Her recent publications (2021–2011) explore themes such as friendship dissolution, LGBQ+ youth peer relationships, teacher empathy, and the role of co-rumination in depression contagion. These studies highlight her expertise in adolescent social cognition and mental health.
In teaching, she instructs courses like General Psychology II, Laboratory in Developmental Psychology, and Social Development, emphasizing both undergraduate and graduate education. Her advising roles and leadership in UConn K.I.D.S. reflect her commitment to fostering academic and professional growth in psychology students.
