Lab Members

Michelle Ward, M.A. 

PhD4, Clinical Psychology

Michelle completed her Master’s degree in school psychology and is now in her fourth year of the clinical psychology PhD program. Her dissertation research is focused on exploring the parental fit between maternal autism symptomology and child autism symptomology. Her current research interests include child and adolescent psychopathology, childhood adversity, attachment relationships, family systems, and women’s mental health.

[umward23@myumanitoba.ca]

Karis Cochrane, M.A.

PhD1, Clinical Psychology 

Karis will be entering into the second year of her PhD in the Clinical Psychology program next Fall 2021. She completed her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology in October 2020. Her Current Dissertation research is focused on exploring family quality of life and parenting stress accross the lifespan, in parents of children 2-18 years of age with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder. Her overarching research interests include early childhood interventions, developmental disorders, family systems, parenting stress, family quality of life, and early child development.

[cochra13@myumanitoba.ca]

Dana Ronaghan, M.A.

PhD1, Clinical Psychology 

Dana is currently in her first year the Clinical Psychology PhD program. She graduated with her M.A in February 2021, with her dissertation examining the association between marital satisfaction and coparenting quality through meta-analysis. In her current research, Dana aims to explore the association between coparenting quality and family quality of life in families of children with autism spectrum disorder, families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and families of typically developing children. Her research interests include parenting, parent-child attachment, developmental disorders, child and adolescent psychopathology, and family systems.

[ronaghad@myumanitoba.ca]

Alyssa Romaniuk

MA3, School Psychology

Alyssa is currently in the third year of her Master’s degree in the School Psychology program. She graduated with her B.A. Honours degree at the University of Manitoba in 2020. Alyssa’s honours thesis examined how mothers of children with ASD, ADHD, and comorbid ASD and ADHD, differed in their levels of family quality of life. In her current research, Alyssa aims to examine differences between mothers and fathers of children with ADHD and their family quality of life. Her research interests include parenting, parent-child relationships, children’s goal orientation, developmental disorders, and family systems.

[romaniu3@myumanitoba.ca]

Hannah Bartel

MA3, School Psychology

Hannah is currently in the third year of her Master’s degree in the School Psychology program. She completed her B.A (honours) at the University of Winnipeg in 2019. Hannah’s honours thesis explored the relationship between sexual education and feelings of sexual shame and guilt. In her current research, Hannah will be exploring Canadian educator’s trauma-informed attitudes and knowledge as a way to better understand the use of trauma-informed education in Canadian schools. Her research interests include developmental disorders, child and adolescent psychopathology, childhood trauma, and social-emotional learning.

[bartelh@myumanitoba.ca]

Lara Penner-Goeke

MA2, Clinical Psychology

Lara is a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology Master’s program. She completed her B.A (Honours) at the University of Winnipeg in 2021. Lara’s honours thesis was a meta-analysis of group-based parenting programs for preschool-aged children.  Lara has held research positions in the Hearts and Minds Lab at the University of Manitoba and for the Trans Youth Can! project. Her Master’s thesis will examine the impact of an ADHD diagnosis on children and their families. Her broader research interests include parent-child relationships, neurodevelopmental disorders, and evaluating interventions to increase family wellbeing. 

Emily Hogan

MA2, Clinical Psychology

Emily is currently in her second year of her Master’s degree in the Clinical Psychology program. She graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with her B.Sc. (Honours) in 2019, followed by her Master’s degree in Applied Psychological Science (Co-operative) in 2021. In her current research, Emily aims to explore the relationships between social support, paternal depressive symptoms, coparenting quality, and parenting stress. Her research interests include social support, parent mental health, family systems and lifespan psychopathology. 

Taryn Gaulke

MA1, School Psychology

Taryn is currently in the first year of her Master’s degree in the School Psychology program. She completed her B.A (Honours) at the University of Manitoba in 2022. Her honours thesis examined maternal depressive symptoms as a predictor of coparenting quality in families of children with ASD and ADHD. In her current research, Taryn will examine how the birth order of a child diagnosed with ASD, ADHD or an intellectual disability impacts parenting stress, family quality of life and coparenting quality. Taryn’s current research interests include family systems, developmental disorders, parent-child relationships, and social-emotional development.  

[gaulket@myumanitoba.ca]

Cass Ilchena

Honours

Cass is currently in the final year of their B.Sc. Psychology Honours degree. They held an Undergraduate Research Award (URA) over the summer and are now working as a Research Assistant for the lab. Cass’ honours thesis will examine teachers’ experience working with vulnerable student populations and their use of trauma-informed practices. Their research interests include childhood trauma, developmental psychopathology, and mental health literacy.

[ilchenac@myumanitoba.ca]

Sarah Petriw

Honours

Sarah is currently in her final year of her B.A Psychology Honours degree. She works as a research assistant in the lab assisting on various projects. Sarah’s thesis is examining paternal mental health, externalizing behavioural problems in children, and parenting stress. Her research interests include parental mental health, adolescent psychopathology, and well-being.

[petriws1@myumanitoba.ca]

Jada Benedictson  

Honours

Jada is currently in her fourth year of the B.A. Psychology Honours program. She will be completing her honours thesis under the supervision of Dr. Theule during the 2023-2024 school year. Her research interests include family systems, and child and adolescent psychopathology. 

[benedicj@myumanitoba.ca]