Graduate Students
Vivian Hongyuan Qi (She/Her)
Vivian is a 4th year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver. She is interested in the role of culture and how it relates to social relationships and adjustment in youth. Her research has examined the benefits of cross-racial versus same-racial friendships in children, and understanding barriers to help-seeking for mental health difficulties in Asian Canadian/Asian American adolescents. Her PhD dissertation involves understanding and testing the internal and contextual factors that facilitate cross-racial friendships in UBC undergraduate students. Vivian enjoys getting bubble tea with her family.
Caroline Miller (She/Her)
Caroline is a 4th year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver. Her research interests include comorbidities with ADHD and patterns of association with social skills in children and adolescents, as well as depictions of ADHD on social media platforms such as TikTok. She is also interested in the differential diagnosis of ADHD and ASD and stigma surrounding neurodevelopmental disorders. She was born and raised in Houston, Texas, is a National Weather Service Certified Advanced Storm Spotter, and can quote pretty much all of Mamma Mia! from memory.
Vasileia (Vasia) Karasavva (She/Her)
Vasia is a 3rd year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver. Her research interests are focused on digital social interactions and relationships, especially the dark side of these interactions, among adolescents and emerging adults. Vasia’s masters thesis examined bystander intervention in the context of cyber aggression, and her dissertation involves depictions of ADHD information on TikTok. She is also passionate about technology-facilitated sexual violence: understanding who is affected by it, why some people choose to engage in it, and most importantly, what are ways we can better support those who have experienced it.
Andrés Montiel (He/Him)
Andrés is a 1st year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver. His research interests center around the influences of traditional gender socialization on the peer relationships of cisgender boys and young men. For his MA thesis, he compared the quality and stability of friendships between boy-boy, girl-girl, and mixed-gender friendship dyads of children with ADHD. He is originally from Venezuela. Academics aside, he enjoys swimming, spending time at the beach, photography, and writing poetry.
Jenevieve (Jen) Hyslop (She/Her)
Jen is a 2nd year MA student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver. Her research interests are related to social and emotional influences on mental health, including stigma and barriers to help-seeking, for youth. Jen is especially passionate about researching how mental health interventions can be made more appropriate and accessible for underserved populations such as Indigenous people. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, playing soccer and going to the beach.
Study Coordinators/Lab Managers
Laura Joyce (She/Her)
Laura is a recent graduate from the Honours BA Psychology program at the University of British Columbia. She is currently the coordinator of the Family Perceptions of ADHD Project, which follows Asian and White Canadian families’ experiences through the assessment and treatment process. She also coordinates the ADHD Game Study, which aims to reduce ADHD stigma amongst peers and family members through a video game intervention. Previously, Laura coordinated the Daily Experiences & Culture Study, which is now in the data analysis stage. Laura’s research interests include the social experiences of neurodiverse children, executive functioning in relation to the mental health of neurodiverse individuals, and inclusive psychoeducational and social service practices. Outside of academics, she enjoys sailing, travelling, and hanging out with her two bunnies, Willow & Peaches!
Sidney Nedelmann (She/Her)
Sidney is a recent graduate of the Honours Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver. She is currently a coordinator for various ongoing studies in the lab. Her research interests include dissociation as a transdiagnostic experience and dimensional frameworks for understanding mental health. Outside of research, Sidney loves being outdoors, whether hiking, skiing, or going to the beach.
Cristina Ardelean (She/Her)
Cristina completed her BA in Psychology in 2020, with a minor in Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies. She is currently contributing to the Cross-Racial Friendships Study and the TikTok/ADHD Relationship Over Time Study. Her research interests include how children’s and youth’s emotion regulation strategies shape their social interactions with caregivers and peers, as well as how social media consumption can influence perceptions of mental illness and approaches to treatment. Inspired by her passion for understanding the role of friendships, relationship-building, and diverse learning styles in early childhood, Cristina pursued the BC Early Childhood Education Certificate at UBC. Outside of her academic work, Cristina enjoys playing tennis, testing her knowledge in trivia games with friends, going to concerts, and spending quality time with her family.
Research Assistants
Elaine Poon (She/Her)
Elaine is a fourth-year Psychology major with a minor in Special Education at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Originally from Hong Kong, she is actively involved in research, contributing to both the ADHD Family Perception Study and the PRISM Study. This year, she is also completing a Directed Study focused on the Cross-Racial Friendships Study, exploring the effects of psychoeducation and mindfulness practices among university students. Elaine has a strong interest in psychopathology—particularly mental disorders, brain dysfunctions, and their treatments—and is working toward her goal of becoming a clinical psychologist. In her free time, she enjoys journaling, watching films, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family. Fun fact: Elaine absolutely loves corgis—especially their adorable little butts!
Daniela Carbonell (She/Her)
Daniela is a 4th year student in the BA Psychology program at University of British Columbia Vancouver. She is from Tampico, Mexico. This is her third year in the lab, and she is enjoying learning about the influence ADHD has on how children form peer relationships. She is currently pursuing a minor in Special Education on the road to becoming a psychologist. She will be conducting a directed studies in the lab and working on different projects. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, listening to music and sightseeing around Vancouver.
Simi Di Paula (She/Her)
Simi graduated from the University of British Columbia’s BA Psychology program in 2024. She has worked in a number of psychology labs at UBC and is hoping to become a practicing clinician. She is interested in exploring holistic and dimensional approaches to mental health and well-being and the development and efficacy of coping profiles. She is currently supporting the Daily Experiences and Culture Study. In her free time, you can find her spending time with family and friends, taking care of her cat, reading, and playing guitar.
Jason Izadi (He/Him)
Jason is a psychology graduate from the University of British Columbia (Honors equiv.). His research focuses on immigrant mental health and resilience, exploring how trauma and cultural adaptation affect the wellbeing of newcomers and refugee families from both neurobiological and sociocultural perspectives. Jason has facilitated workshops and presented research highlighting the strengths and challenges faced by immigrant communities, aiming to improve support systems and foster positive adaptation. He also contributes to crisis intervention and community integration programs in British Columbia, seeking realistic ways to support belonging and resilience. In his free time, Jason enjoys cooking and reading about migration experiences.
Melissa (Mel) Di Paula Brega (She/Her)
Mel is a third-year Honours Psychology student who has been part of the lab for the past year. She has worked on the Cross-Racial Friendships project and the Family Perceptions of ADHD project. For her Honours thesis, she is continuing her work on Family Perceptions, and she’s super excited about this project as it aligns with her research interest in understanding how perceptions influence treatment-seeking behavior and how research can be used to inform public health. She is also excited to begin contributing to the ADHD Game Study. A fun fact about Mel is that her nickname, “Mel,” means honey in Portuguese, her native language. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, making jewelry, and reading.
Virginia Sandler (She/Her)
Virginia is a third year student in the BA Psychology program at the University of British Columbia Vancouver, and a RA at the PEARL lab through Psych 240. She is originally from Durham, North Carolina, but is currently based in Victoria, British Columbia. She is involved with the TARO study as well as in research into improving access to mental healthcare for Indigenous populations. Virginia has a strong interest in mental healthcare and counseling practices, and in improving the quality of mental healthcare. She plans to pursue a PHD in psychology and work in that field in the future. In her free time, Virginia enjoys playing board games and tabletop role-playing games, cooking and baking, spending time with her friends, and visiting the Vancouver aquarium to commune with the otters.
Kaitlyn Leung (She/Her)
Kaitlyn is a 4th year student in the B.A. Honours Psychology program at UBC. She is currently involved in the ADHD Game study, which aims to promote empathy and reduce stigma toward adolescents with ADHD, by simulating the experience of ADHD through a video game. She also works on the Family Perceptions project in collaboration with BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, helping to understand the relationship between cultural background and families’ experiences of the ADHD treatment process. Her research interests focus on the intersection of digital media and clinical psychology, exploring how digital technologies can both help and hinder those with lived or living experiences of mental illness. In her spare time, Kaitlyn enjoys spending time with children, reading fictional novels, and exploring the city.
Mio Wang (They/He)
Mio is a 2nd year student in the BA psychology program, with a minor in Biology at the University of British Columbia. They are particularly interested in accessing Quality of Life and interventions regarding those living with chronic conditions (as a person with chronic illnesses). As such he is particularly excited to be working alongside the TARO study. In their free time they enjoy collecting anything cat shaped, and cat like.
Maria (Malú) Tambini (She/Her)
Malú is a 4th-year Psychology student with a minor in Sociology, and is part of the TARO study with the lab! She is very passionate about how to integrate innovative treatment measures for a better diagnosis of often misdiagnosed disorders (like ADHD!). Malú loves doing yoga, and you can see her trying to do a handstand in the most random places.
Nike (Nicole) Peng (She/Her)
Nicole is a third-year student in the BA Psychology program at the University of British Columbia. She recently joined the lab as a Research Assistant through the PSYC 240 program and is currently supporting Jen’s project on help-seeking behaviour among Indigenous students. Her research interests include understanding how to support the growth and mental health of children, particularly those from minority backgrounds. Outside the lab, you’ll likely find her struggling up a bouldering wall or waiting in line for ice cream at Rain or Shine!
Jade Hendy (She/Her)
Jade is a recent graduate from the University of British Columbia’s BA Psychology and Linguistics programs. In addition to working as a Research Assistant for the TARO study, she plans to pursue a Masters in Speech Language Pathology (SLP) and is currently working as an SLP Assistant. Her interests lie in promoting the accessibility and efficacy of SLP services for neurodiverse kids and their families, providing them with tools and support to communicate their needs through speech or other modalities. She is also interested in exploring the strengths and advantages that come with neurodiversity, such as creativity and empathy. In her free time, she enjoys baking sourdough, drinking matcha, going to the beach, and connecting with friends and family.
Anushé Daudi (She/Her)
Anushé is a 3rd-year Psychology major at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Born in Toronto and raised in Pakistan, she is currently involved in research, contributing to the TARO Study on ADHD and social media influences. Her academic interests include clinical psychology, with a focus on brain dysfunctions, mental disorders, and reducing mental health stigma. She hopes to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. In her free time, she enjoys cycling, playing soccer, going to concerts, and spending time with friends and family.
Khian M. Tan (He/Him)
Khian graduated with a BA in psychology in 2022. He is currently based in Malaysia and runs a company focused on Corporate Training & HR Consulting. He was previously involved in research on peer relationships on social media and in the upcoming term, will contribute to the studies on cross-racial friendships. He enjoys reading and listening to lectures about exposure therapy, evolutionary psychology and personality development. In his spare time, he reads, writes, goes to the gym and plays a lot of badminton.
Sara Trnovska (She/Her)
Sara graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BA in Psychology and Minor in Statistics in 2024. She is currently contributing to the Barriers and Facilitators to Mental Health Help-Seeking Among Indigenous Undergraduate Students study. Sara’s research interests include psychopathology, perfectionism as a transdiagnostic process, and the accessibility of mental health resources. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gaming, and going for long walks.