Tyia Wilson, PhD

  • Research Scientist

Tyia Wilson received her PhD in lifespan developmental psychology at West Virginia University and is currently a Research Scientist at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Wilson's research interests and expertise are deeply connected to race, social determinants of health, and approaches to dismantling oppression and enhancing mental health outcomes. Specifically, her research focuses on understanding the social (e.g., race, peer networks), environmental (e.g., availability of drugs/substances) and psychological (e.g., stress, coping) factors that influence positive emotional health in young minoritized populations. Dr. Wilson is currently working on her diversity supplement (AWD00006399) that examine the intersectional experiences of violence and racial discrimination among Black youths and explore how these experiences shape youths’ coping and emotion regulation strategies.

Professional and Scientific Society Memberships

  • Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, 2021-Present
  • Research Society on Alcohol, 2021-Present
  • Society for Research on Adolescence, 2021-Present

Education & Training

  • BS, Psychology, Penn State University, 2015
  • MS, Lifespan Developmental Psychology, West Virginia University, 2018
  • PhD, Lifespan Developmental Psychology, West Virginia University, 2020
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, NIH T32 Pediatric Department, University of Pittsburgh, 2020 – 2021
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, NIAAA T32 Psychiatry Department, University of Pittsburgh, 2021-2023

Selected Publications

 

Wilson, T.K., Fenner, M., Riley, A., & Culyba, A. J. (2023). Understanding the Protective Role of Adolescent-Adult Relationships Among Minoritized Youths in Neighborhoods Impacted by Community Violence. Journal of Adolescent Research.

Wilson, T.K., Riley A.T., Khetarpal S.K., Abernathy P.T., Booth J.M., & Culyba, A.J. (2022). Exploring the Impact of Racism on Black Youth: A Multidimensional Examination of Discriminatory Experiences Across Place and Time. Journal of Adolescent Health, 72, 246-253.

Wilson, T.K. & Gentzler, A. L. (2021). Emotion regulation and coping with racial stressors among African Americans across the lifespan. Developmental Review, 61, 1-27.

Morrow, K, Gentzler, A. L, Wilson, T. K., Romm, K. F., & Root, A. E. (2021). Maternal Depression and Socialization of Children’s Positive Affect Regulation. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 30, 2413-2426.

Moran, K. M., Root, A. E., Vizy, B. K., Wilson, T. K., & Gentzler, A. L. (2019). Maternal socialization of children’s positive affect regulation: Associations with children’s savoring, dampening, and depressive symptoms. Social Development, 28, 326-322.

Academic and Research Interests

  • Black Adolescent Health
  • Racism and Discrimination
  • Coping
  • Social Support
  • Emotional Health
  • Substance Use

Research Grants

AWD00006399, The Intersectional Experiences of Violence and Racial Discrimination among Black Youth, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023-2024, $10,000