Research

My current research interests span three main lines of work: the central question on AI chatbots and suicide, the use of intensive longitudinal study designs to understand suicidal ideation in the moment, and supporting applied researchers in using quantitative methods.

AI chatbots, distress, and suicidal ideation

People experiencing emotional distress and suicidal ideation are increasingly turning to AI chatbots, but the field still has limited understanding of how these interactions impact vulnerable individuals.

My MA thesis examines how young adults use AI chatbots when they are in serious emotional distress or experiencing suicidal ideation (PI: Dr. E. David Klonsky). It combines the quantitative findings of a large-scale survey with the in-depth accounts of lived experiences from qualitative interviews to better understand this phenomenon and lay the groundwork for future hypothesis-driven research.

Momentary measurement of suicidal ideation

Suicidal ideation can fluctuate over the course of hours, which clinic visits and one-time surveys are too infrequent to capture; smartphones and intensive longitudinal study designs allow us to capture changes as they happen.

I am interested in using intensive longitudinal study designs such as ecological momentary assessments (EMA) to better understand suicidal ideation as it occurs in daily life, in the moment. I am currently studying how discrete emotions and emotion dynamic indices relate to changes in suicidal ideation among high-risk young adults (PI: Dr. Klonsky).

Quantitative methods for applied researchers

Complex quantitative methods can open the door to a wider range of research questions, but accessible guidance that would support applied researchers in using them is often limited.

I am also interested in the measurement and modeling side of clinical science. Currently, I am working on assessing the psychometric validity of an existing emotion measure (the Multidimensional Emotion Questionnaire; PI: Dr. Klonsky), developing a tutorial on how to apply structural equation modeling of latent interactions (with Dr. Victoria Savalei), and writing a reporting practices guideline for using multilevel models in intensive longitudinal data (with Dr. Jason Rights).

Publications

Full list on my CV and Google Scholar.