McNair Scholar 2023 Bernarda Torres
Bernarda Torres is a senior at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, majoring in psychology. Her research interests revolve around cultural competence within counselors and discovering the best methods to implement evidence-based therapeutic practices. Ms. Torres plans on getting her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology.
I believe that once knowledge is acquired, it should be shared. My dream is to live by the skills and insights taught to me throughout my education and experiences so that I can teach and help others to achieve their goals and wholeheartedly enjoy their lives.
Research project
Socio-Economic Factors Predicting Psychiatric Symptoms Within the Hispanic/Latine Community
Abstract: It is estimated that by 2050, a quarter of the United States (US) population will be Latine (De Andrade & Viruell-Fuentes, 2011). In a study on depression and anxiety within Hispanics/Latines, 27.0% of the participants reported experiencing symptoms of depression, which positively correlated with anxiety (Wassertheil-Smoller et al., 2014). The objective of this study is to increase understanding on how psychiatric symptoms manifest in four different racial/ethnic groups; non-Hispanic Whites (n=2595), White Hispanics/Latines (n=270), non-Hispanic biracial people of color (BIPOC) (n=831), and Hispanics/Latines who identify as BIPOC (n=247). Controlling for demographic variables, we aim to examine the effects of race and ethnicity on symptoms of psychopathology (anxiety and depression). Results showed there is no effect of racial/ethnic identity on either Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD7) and Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ9) scores. GAD7 and PHQ9 scores are affected by gender, education, income, and race regardless of ethnicity. Hispanicity accounts for higher rates of depression on the PHQ 9 than those who said no or prefer not to say.
Faculty mentor
Angus Macdonald is a professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota and the director of the Translational Research in Cognitive and Affective Mechanisms (TRiCAM) laboratory. The focus of his lab is the causes and symptoms of psychosis through cognitive/affective and clinical studies, as well as studies that create new methods to measure psychosis. In addition to this, Dr. MacDonald’s lab utilizes brain imaging techniques to understand the neural and genetic influences on psychosis.