Youth Adjustment & Learning Lab (YALL)
Youth Adjustment & Learning Lab (YALL)
The Youth Adjustment & Learning Lab (YALL) provides East Central University undergraduate and graduate students with opportunities to participate in psychological research from project development through data collection, analysis, and presentation.
Our research focuses on adolescent and emerging adult well-being, education, and success. Through this work, we aim to better support the parents, educators, counselors and other professionals who help young people thrive.
Our Mission
YALL conducts both basic and applied research to better understand the factors that influence student well-being, academic achievement, and successful transitions into adulthood.
TIGER PAWS - Current Research
Targeted Intervention for enhancing Educational Readiness and Promoting Affective Wellbeing in Students
TIGER PAWS is a randomized controlled trial conducted during the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters. Funded through a Behavioral Health Research Award from the University of North Texas Center for Psychosocial Health Disparities Research, the project examines how targeted interventions affect first-year college students' psychosocial adjustment and academic success.
Participants were assigned to one of two groups:
- A therapeutic and academic skills training program developed by the research team
- The university's standard freshman orientation curriculum
Researchers have collected four waves of data, providing valuable insight into student experiences during their first year of college.
Meet the Team
Emily Simpson, Ph.D.
Faculty
Dr. Simpson is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at ECU. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Sewanee: The University of the South, her master’s degree from Wake Forest University, and her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Sciences from the University of Connecticut. Before joining ECU, she completed a T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Prevention and Methodology at Penn State. Her research focuses on adolescent and emerging adult well-being, including mental health, substance use, social media, and early intervention. She also specializes in advanced research methods to better understand youth development and psychosocial adjustment.
Paulette Pitt, Ph.D.
Faculty
Dr. Pitt is an Assistant Professor, Licensed Psychologist, and Nationally Certified School Psychologist whose research focuses on child & adolescent mental health, psychological assessment, special education, & education law. Her scholarly interests include behavioral & emotional disorders, risk behaviors, school-based mental health, & factors that influence educational & developmental outcomes. Her work emphasizes evidence-based, legally defensible assessment & educational decision-making under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to improve outcomes for students with diverse educational & behavioral needs.
Robin R. Roberson
Professor
Dr. Robin R. Roberson is a Professor of Psychology & Assessment Coordinator at ECU. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology & spent 11 years as a K–12 science teacher in rural Oklahoma before joining ECU, where she teaches developmental psychology to students pursuing careers in education & healthcare. She also serves as Managing Editor of the Chronicle of Rural Education. Her research focuses on educational psychology, including teacher-student relationships, teacher authority & identity development, & innovative teaching strategies & mentors undergraduate Honors students as they complete their first research projects and theses.
Rafael Charqueno
Research Assistant
Hello! I am a junior psychology student and an RA for the YALL lab. I was initially drawn to this lab while looking for opportunities to gain research experience, and I have grown to love the process. I have always been interested in how people act and think. However, what I love about research in psychology is that it allows us not just to witness human behavior and thought, but to investigate it and to then form conclusions in a rigorous, replicable, and falsifiable way. My specific research interests include a variety of topics within cognitive and social psychology, and I hope to get into a clinical psychology program post-undergrad.
Zachary Clouse
Research Assistant
Zachary Clouse is a Psychology major in his Senior year at ECU. His favorite part of research is collecting and organizing data. In addition to the lab, Zach can be seen on campus as a receptionist at the Student Counseling Center, the Lab Manager of the Esports program, and participating in various student-led activities on campus.
Makenzy Herman
Research Assistant
My name is Makenzy Herman. I am a Senior at East Central and I will graduate in December. I was drawn to the YALL lab because of the opportunity to learn! It is very interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes in a study. The YALL lab has helped me build my experience for the future. After graduation I plan to continue my education with the end goal of getting my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. I have loved working in the lab and all that has come from it regarding my education and experience!
Current Publications
Autrey, D. Simpson, E. G., Roberson, R. R., Pitt, P. D. Leaf, B. D., Camp, H., & Humphries, L (2024). The case for academic regulation: Preliminary results from an innovative pilot intervention for entry-level college students. Chronicle of Rural Education, 1(2), 1-13. https://ojs.library.okstate.edu/osu/index.php/chronicle-of-rural-education/article/view/9567
Contact
Emily Simpson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Join YALL
Contact Emily Simpson, Ph.D. for information and application
Open to ECU Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Applications are accepted for Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters.
Contact
Emily Simpson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Join YALL
Contact Emily Simpson, Ph.D. for information and application
Open to ECU Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Applications are accepted for Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters.