Counseling, Consultation, & Psychotherapy Services (CCPS)

CCPS Associate

Jochebed G. Gayles, M.S.

Joche's experience in community psychology has provided her skills in interacting with and understanding dynamics among diverse groups. She has also had the opportunity to learn how to facilitate group sessions to increase awareness among minority populations (i.e., increasing cancer awareness and cancer screening among African-American and Mexican-American elderly). Her work in family/community ethnographic data collection has given her hands-on and in-depth experience working with diverse populations over a variety of issues. Through her ethnographic work, she has come to learn the importance of respect, sensitivity and understanding needed in community organizations as well as group and individuals in order to foster group cohesion and successful businesses. Joche's longstanding fascination with cultural differences in interpersonal relations has led her into the Human Development and Family Studies program at Penn State where she is currently pursuing her PhD.

Joche's interests include, family processes, in-group/out-group dynamics, parent-adolescent relations, research methodology and understanding families and interpersonal relations from a cross-cultural perspective. She is also interested in understanding how family and parental socialization influence adolescent attitudes, behavior and development.

Education

		Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University, in Human Development and Family Studies expected in 2010
		M.A.S, Pennsylvania State University: University Park, Master's in Applied Statistics, expected 2009
		M.S., Pennsylvania State University: University Park, Human Development and Family Studies expected in 2006
		B.A., San Diego State University, in Psychology with minor in American Indian Studies, 2004
		Graduated Summa Cum Laude with Honors and Distinction in Psychology, Received Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior in the Psychology Major

Non-degree Educational Experiences

		Fredrick-Schiller University of Jena (FSU): Jena, Germany, Graduate Summer Exchange, 2005
		University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP), 2003

Honors and Awards

		Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society, (2005-Present)
		Edward and Helen Skade Hintz Graduate Educational Enhancement Fellowship, (2004-2005)
		National Science Foundation and Social Economic and Behavioral Sciences Alliance graduate scholar, (2005-2007)
		Research Society on Alcoholism Student Merit Award for Excellence in Research, (2004)
		Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior in the Psychology Major in the College of Arts and Sciences at San Diego State University, (2004)
		Outstanding Research Scholarship in the Summer Research Opportunities Program, (2003)
		Outstanding Oral Research Presentation in the Summer Research Opportunities Program, (2003)
		National Institutes on Mental Health, Career Opportunities in Research, Education and Training (NIMH-COR) Scholar, (2002-2004)
		Golden Key International Honor Society, Lifetime membership, (2002)
		Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, (2002-2004)
		Dean's List for College of Arts and Sciences, San Diego State University, (2002-2004)

Experience

		Family Ethnographer and Research Assistant, Family Life Project, Project V and the Center for Family Research in Diverse Contexts, Department of Human Development and Family Studies and Population Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, 2004-2006
		Research Assistant, Parenting and Adolescent Wellness Study (PAWS), Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, 2004-Present
		Research Assistant, Project PRIMER/USE, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 2003-2004
		Research Assistant, Beckman Institute, Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 2003
		Research Assistant, Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 2002-2004
		Research/Administrative Assistant, Center for Eating and Weight Disorders, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 2001-2002

Presentations

Gayles, J.G., Marks, J.L, & Burton, L.L. (November, 2006). Sibling relationships in the face of domestic violence. To be presented at the 68th annual scientific meeting for the National Council on Family Relations,

Gayles, J.G., Faulk, M.T., & Coatsworth, J.D. (March, 2006). "Being a swimmer means I work hard and am part of a team": Adolescent self-definition in sports and other activities. Poster to be presented at the biennial meeting for the Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA), San Francisco, CA.

Gayles, J.G., Marks, J.L., & Burton, L.L. (November, 2005) Low-income children's experiences with domestic violence: An ethnographic lens. Poster presented at the 67th annual scientific meeting for the National Council on Family Relations, Phoenix, AZ.

Palen, L., Coastworth, J.D., Gayles, J.G., & Sharp, E.H. (May, 2005). Activity-based interventions for youth: A viable approach? Poster presented at the 13th annual meeting for the Society for Prevention Research, special section "Prevention Science to Public Health: Promoting Well-being in the Population, Washington, D.C.

Gayles, J.G., Lee, K.T., Riley, E.P., & Mattson, S.N. (June, 2004). Mental age discrepancies in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: The relationship between sex, age, and mental age. Presented at the annual scientific meeting for the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) Annual Convention. Published in supplemental section of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 28(5 Supplement): 43A-43A, Vancouver, Canada.

Pinter, M.N., Gayles, J.G., Riley, E.P., Marintcheva, G. & Mattson, S.N. (April, 2004). Global-Local Performance in Russian Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Presented at the 84th annual Convention for the Western Psychological Association (WPA), Phoenix, AZ.

Mubarak, H., Gayles, J.G., Oliver, K., & Cronan, T. (April, 2004). The effects of sleep quality on psychological functioning in people with Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Presented at the 84th annual Convention for the Western Psychological Association (WPA), Phoenix, AZ.

Gayles, J.G., & Garnsey, S.N. (August, 2003). Dissociating semantic and syntactic processing in idiom comprehension: An event-related brain potential study. Presented at the Committee on Institutional Cooperation Summer Conference for the Summer Research Opportunities Program Poster Presentation, Urbana-Champaign, IL.

Invited Speaker, "Life After COR and Making it in Graduate School", the NIMH-Career Opportunities in Research and Training (COR) Annual Conference, Intercontinental Hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2004

Summer Research Opportunities Program, Oral Research Symposium and Round Table Discussion, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, 2003

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