Research Interests
Broadly speaking, I am interested in ethnic and Asian American mental health disparities. Some topics include:
- Cultural factors of mental health stigma and help-seeking behavior
- Cultural contributors towards treatment gaps and whether these gaps can be addressed via culturally adapted/tailored treatment
- Racial and ethnic LGBTQ+ experiences and how cultural factors influence mental health disparities differently for this population
- Cultural considerations in how client-therapist cognitive match affects treatment process (e.g., treatment planning, treatment goals, and treatment outcome)
- Cultural considerations and ethnic differences in the psychometrics of measures and assessments
Education
M.A. in Psychology, San Diego State University (2019)
B.S in Psychology (Mathematics Emphasis), University of California Davis (2014)
B.A. in Asian American Studies (Social Science: Sociology/Psychology Emphasis), University of California Davis (2014)
Awards and Honors
- Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by a Graduate Student (2024)
- Rappaport-Lo Award (2023)
- American Psychological Association SCCAP Division 53 Student Poster Award - Diversity Research (2019)
Courses Taught
- Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 100)
- Community Psychology (PSYC 239)
- Abnormal Psychology Lab (PSYC 379)
Highlighted Publications
Manuscripts
Todd, N. R., Nguyễn, D. M., Blackburn, A. M., & La, R. (2024). Associations between state policies and sexual minority mental health disparities. Translational Issues in Psychological Science. Advance online publication.
Yi, J., La, R., Lee, B. A., & Saw, A. (2023). Internalization of the model minority myth and sociodemographic factors shaping Asians/Asian Americans' experiences of discrimination during COVID‐19. American Journal of Community Psychology, 71(1-2), 123-135.
McCabe, K., Sakamoto, S., Green-Rosas, Y., Kehoe, K., La, R., Zerr, A., & Yeh, M. (2021). Keeping an “I” in PRIDE: Measuring imitation in parent child interaction therapy. Behavior Therapy, 52(1), 28-38.
La, R. (2019). Parent, child, and therapist cultural orientation and triadic (dis)agreement on treatment goals. (Unpublished master’s thesis). San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.
Yeh, M., Zerr, A., La, R., & McCabe, K. (2018). An exploration of parent-youth agreement on functional impairment in adolescents utilizing outpatient mental health services. Healthcare, 6(3), 106-118. doi: 10.3390/healthcare6030106
Presentations/Research Posters
La, R., & Hunter, C.D. (2024, October). Internalized model minority myth, personal and vicarious discrimination, and PTSD. In La., R. (Chair). Internalized model minority myth (IMMM) and sociopolitical and mental health implications. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Asian American Psychological Association, Atlanta, GA.
La, R., Zhao, C., Cornejo, M. B., Yang, G., & Hunter, C.D. (2023, July). Internalized model minority myth, racial discrimination, and depression among Asian/Asian American college students: A preliminary study. Poster presented at the biannual meeting of the American Psychological Association Division 45, San Diego, CA.
La, R., Yeh, M., Zerr, A., McCabe, K., & Green-Rosas, Y. (2019, October). Social support and lifetime major depressive episode experience among Asian American adolescents. Poster presented at the meeting of the Asian American Psychological Association, San Diego, CA.
La, R., Yeh, M., McCabe, K., Zerr, A., & Ganger, W. (2019, August). Culture and parent-child (dis)agreement on etiological explanations for child mental health problems. Poster presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
La, R., Yeh, M., McCabe, K., Zerr, A., Green-Rosas, Y., Sanchez, B. L., & Ganger, W. (2018, August). Immigration history, culture, and parent-child differences in functional impairment evaluations. Poster presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.