Stephanie Milan

Stephanie Milan is an Associate Professor of Psychological Sciences and Director of the Clinical Psychology graduate program at the University of Connecticut. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical/Quantitative Psychology from Vanderbilt University (2001) and is a licensed clinical psychologist in Connecticut. Her research focuses on developmental psychopathology in contexts of poverty, intergenerational trauma transmission, maternal mental health, and cultural factors in family functioning. Key areas include the impact of maternal depression/PTSD on parenting, mechanisms of trauma across generations, and resilience in families of color. She supervises the Psychological Services Clinic and directs the Milan Lab, which emphasizes community-engaged research and clinical training.

Education

• Ph.D., Clinical/Quantitative Psychology, Vanderbilt University, 2001
• CT Clinical Psychologist Licensure #002587

Research Highlights

• Examines how childhood maltreatment and violence exposure affect long-term mental health outcomes
• Studies cultural values like familismo and their dual role as protective/vulnerability factors for adolescents
• Investigates maternal trauma history’s influence on parenting behaviors and vaccine hesitancy during the pandemic
• Pioneers work on racialized socialization practices post-2020 racial incidents

Teaching & Mentoring

• Teaches courses on abnormal psychology, child development, and clinical research methods
• Supervises clinical practicum in child/family therapy
• Mentored graduates like Dr. Karla Rivera Figueroa (postdoc at Denver Health) and Dr. Christina Carlone (Connecticut Pediatric Neuropsych Associates)

Labs & Collaborations

Directs the Milan Lab, which integrates clinical practice with research on marginalized populations. Current projects include:

• Evaluating racial/ethnic disparities in autism service utilization
• Analyzing parental stigma’s role in mental health treatment barriers
• Studying disorganized trauma memories in borderline personality disorder