Biography and education
Education:
Ph.D., Family and Human Development, Arizona State University
M.S., Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
B.A., Psychology, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX
Research/Scholarly Focus:
Dr. Alfaro’s research explores how family, cultural, and environmental factors shape the lives of adolescents and college students. Using ecological and academic resilience frameworks, she investigates the roles of parental support, sibling relationships, and cultural values in promoting student success. Her work often centers on Mexican-origin youth and emphasizes strengths-based approaches to understanding development in diverse contexts.
Ph.D., Family and Human Development, Arizona State University
M.S., Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
B.A., Psychology, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX
Research/Scholarly Focus:
Dr. Alfaro’s research explores how family, cultural, and environmental factors shape the lives of adolescents and college students. Using ecological and academic resilience frameworks, she investigates the roles of parental support, sibling relationships, and cultural values in promoting student success. Her work often centers on Mexican-origin youth and emphasizes strengths-based approaches to understanding development in diverse contexts.
Featured grants
- Shen, Yishan (Principal), Zhou, Xuan (Co-Principal), Weimer, Amy Ann (Co-Principal), Alfaro, Edna C (Co-Principal). Race-Status Beliefs in Mexican American and Chinese American Adolescents: Development, Antecedents, and Multifaceted Impact, TXST CADS Catalyst Research Grant, Texas State University, $4000. (Submitted: December 2, 2024, Funded: February 1, 2025 - Present). Grant.
- Goble, Priscilla Maria (Principal), Shen, Yishan (Principal), Weimer, Amy Ann (Supporting), Alfaro, Edna C (Supporting), Seo, Eunjin (Supporting), Behnke, Andrew Owen (Supporting). REU Site: Opportunities for Undergraduate Research in Human Development and Family Sciences (OUR HDFS) Fellowship Program, National Science Foundation, Federal, $439005. (Funded: September 2024 - August 2027). Grant.
- Shen, Yishan (Principal), Goble, Priscilla Maria (Co-Principal), Alfaro, Edna C (Co-Principal), Behnke, Andrew Owen (Co-Principal), Dier, Shannon Elizabeth (Co-Principal), Seo, Eunjin (Co-Principal), Weimer, Amy Ann (Co-Principal). Opportunities for Undergraduate Research in Human Development and Family Sciences (OUR HDFS): A Two-Track Training Program, Texas State University, $6000. (Submitted: July 2024, Funded: September 2024 - May 2025). Grant.
- Shen, Yishan (Principal), Goble, Priscilla Maria (Principal), Weimer, Amy Ann (Co-Principal), Alfaro, Edna C (Co-Principal), Seo, Eunjin (Co-Principal), Behnke, Andrew (Co-Principal). Opportunities for Undergraduate Research in Developmental Psychology (OUR DP) Fellowship Program, American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, $5000. (Submitted: October 2023, Funded: January 2024 - Present). Grant.
- Shen, Yishan (Principal), Percent Contribution: %25, Goble, Priscilla Maria (Co-Principal), Percent Contribution: %25, Weimer, Amy Ann (Co-Principal), Percent Contribution: %25, Alfaro, Edna C (Co-Principal), Percent Contribution: %25. Opportunities for Undergraduate Research in Human Development and Family Sciences (OUR HDFS) Fellowship, Texas State University, $5000. (Submitted: July 2022, Funded: September 2022 - May 2023). Grant.
Featured scholarly/creative works
- Jones, S. K., Killoren, S. E., Kline, G. C., & Alfaro, E. C. (2022). Mexican-origin college students’ stress, sibling relationships, academic motivation, and depressive symptoms. Journal of Family Issues, 43(2). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X21994135
- Alfaro, E. C. (2020). Communication frequency and types of supportive messages: A mixed methods approach to examining Mexican-origin college students’ relationships with mothers and fathers. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 9, 52–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538192718772663
- Seo, E., Lee, Y., Steingut, R. S., Alfaro, E. C., & Lee, K. (2024). Testing the generalizability of the multiplicative effects of expectancy and value across different ages, genders, and races. Learning and Individual Differences, 116, 102578. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102578
- Gulseven, Z., Pierotti, S., Killoren, S. E., Alfaro, E. C., & Carlo, G. (2024). The role of maternal warmth in understanding the relations between cultural orientations and prosocial behaviors. Journal of Latinx Psychology, 12(3), 261–276. https://doi.org/10.1037/lat0000253
- Killoren, S. E., Alfaro, E. C., Jones, S. K., & Campione-Barr, N. (2023). Perceived discrimination and Latina college students’ depressive symptoms: The roles of dyadic coping with sisters and familism values. Family Process, 62, 1176–1195. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12822
Featured awards
- Award / Honor Recipient: Favorite Professor, Alpha Chi National College Honor Society. 2020
- Award / Honor Recipient: Teaching Award of Honor during COVID-19 Crisis, Texas State Alumni Association. 2020
- Award / Honor Recipient: Teaching Acknowledgement from Graduating Undergraduate Student, Texas State University. 2020
- Award / Honor Recipient: Transfer Student Appreciation of Campus Support, Texas State University. June 25, 2019
- Award / Honor Recipient: Graduating Undergraduate Student Recognition, Texas State University. 2015 - June 21, 2018
Featured service activities
- Other
Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Program Coordinator
- Reviewer / Referee
Institute of Education Sciences, Review Panel
- Other
Texas Council on Family Relations
- Member
Texas Council on Family Relations Board Member
- Member
Child Life Committee
- Member
Books, Blocks, & Balls