LEE  RABY, PH.D.

Research Interests

My research focuses on longstanding questions regarding the significance of early experiences with parents and other caregivers for individuals’ socioemotional, cognitive, and neurobiological development. Through my research, I hope to understand how various early caregiving experiences influence traditional markers of behavioral adaptation (e.g., self-regulation abilities and strategies, executive functions, and language skills) as well as attachment-related mental representations and stress neurobiology. My research focuses on children in diverse and at-risk contexts, including children who have experienced early adversity and children whose parents are at risk for mental health challenges. The two-fold goal of this work is to deepen our understanding of how development is shaped by the continuous interplay of environmental experiences and biologically based characteristics while simultaneously providing information about how parent-child relationship experiences can promote the healthy development of children.

Opportunities for Students

Dr. Raby is not be recruiting a graduate student to begin the fall of 2024.  

Our undergraduate research assistants are a very important element to our research. Currently, there are several opportunities for undergraduate students to assist with current research projects in the lab. If you are interested in joining our team, please go to Early Experiences Lab Website. On the 'Students' tab, you will find a newsletter outlining the lab’s current activities, information on being a research assistant, and an application to apply as a Research Assistant.

Education

Ph.D., University of Minnesota (Child Psychology), 2014
M.S., University of Minnesota (Child Psychology), 2011
B.S. Truman State University (Psychology), 2009

Selected Publications

(* Involves trainee as lead author)

*Speck, B., Isenhour, J., Gao, M. M., Conradt, E., Crowell, S. E., & Raby, K. L. (in press). Pregnant women’s autonomic responses to an infant cry predict young infants’ behavioral avoidance during the Still-Face Paradigm. Developmental Psychology.

Labella, M., Raby, K. L., Bourne, S. E., Trahan, A. C., Katz, D., & Dozier, M. (in press). Is Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up effective for parents with insecure attachment states of mind? Child Development.

Raby, K. L., Verhage, M. L., Fearon, R. M. P., Fraley, R. C., Roisman, G. I., Van IJzendoorn, M. H., … The Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis. (2022). The latent structure of the Adult Attachment Interview: Large sample evidence from the Collaboration on Attachment Transmission Synthesis. Development and Psychopathology, 34, 307-319.

*Shakiba, N. & Raby, K. L. (2023). Attachment dimensions and cortisol reactivity during the Strange Situation among children adopted internationally. Attachment and Human Development, 25, 89-103.

Raby, K. L., Waters, T. E. A., Tabachnick, A. R., Zajac, L., & Dozier, M. (2021). Increasing secure base script knowledge of high-risk mothers with an attachment-based parenting intervention. Development and Psychopathology, 33, 554-564.

*Isenhour, J., Raby, K. L., & Dozier, M. (2021). The persistent associations between early institutional care and diurnal cortisol among children adopted internationally. Developmental Psychobiology, 63, 1156-11664.

Raby, K. L., Bernard, K., Gordon, K., & Dozier, M. (2021). Enhancing diurnal cortisol regulation among young children adopted internationally: A randomized controlled trial of a parenting-based intervention. Development and Psychopathology, 32, 1657-1668.

Raby, K. L., Freedman, E., Yarger, H. A., Lind, T., & Dozier, M. (2019). Enhancing the language development of toddlers in foster care by promoting foster parents’ sensitivity: Results from a randomized control trial. Developmental Science, 22, e12753.

Raby, K. L., Roisman, G. I., Labella, M. H., Martin, J., Fraley, R. C., & Simpson, J. A. (2019). The legacy of early abuse and neglect for social and academic competence from childhood to adulthood. Child Development, 90, 1456–1831.

Raby, K. L. & Dozier, M. (2019). Attachment across the lifespan: Insights from adoptive families. Current Opinion in Psychology, 25, 81–85.

 

Current Graduate Students

Jenn Isenhour, M.S.
Bailey Speck, M.S.