Biography and education
I earned a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in History of Science from Harvard University in 2014, where volunteering in the Nock Lab sparked my interest in youth suicide prevention research. After working as a research assistant at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, I completed my M.A. (2019) and Ph.D. (2023) in Clinical Psychology at George Mason University, with an APA-accredited internship at UC Davis Children’s Hospital (Trauma–Adolescent Mental Illness Track). I then served as a Postdoctoral Scholar and Clinical Instructor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the Department of Psychiatry under advisement of Dr. Joan Asarnow. In addition to being a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Texas State, I am a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of CA.
Teaching Interests
Research Interests
Featured grants
- López Jr., Roberto (Principal). Peter and Malina James & Dr. Louis P. James Legacy Scholarship, American Psychological Foundation & Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology, Private / Foundation / Corporate, $5000. (Funded: 2021). Grant.
- López Jr., Roberto (Principal). APS Student Grant Competition, American Psychological Association, Private / Foundation / Corporate, $500. (Funded: 2021). Grant.
- López Jr., Roberto (Principal). Psychological Science Research Grant – Diversity, American Psychological Association of Graduate Students, Private / Foundation / Corporate, $1000. (Funded: 2021). Grant.
Featured scholarly/creative works
- López Jr., R., Meza, J. I., Asarnow, L. D., Berk, M. S., McCauley, E., & Asarnow, J. R. (2026). Implicit identification with death and adolescent self-injurious thoughts and behaviors: Sleep quality as a moderator. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 55(1), 150–162. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2025.2541349
- López Jr., R., Esposito-Smythers, C., Lee, P., Leichtweis, R. N., & Miller, I. W. (2025). Psychometric properties Modified Scale for Suicidal Ideation Self-Report-Revised with high-risk adolescents. Behavior Therapy, 56(2), 409–421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2024.07.004
- Whitmyre, E. D., Esposito-Smythers, C., López Jr., R., Goldberg, D. G., Liu, F., & Defayette, A. B. (2024). Implementation of measurement-based care in mental health service settings for youth: A systematic review. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 27(4), 909–942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-024-00498-z
- Seibel, L., Harris, K. M., López Jr., R., Wolff, J., Spirito, A., & Esposito-Smythers, C. (2024). Perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness as mediators of the relation between anxiety and suicidal ideation among adolescents. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 54(6), 914–924. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.13094
- López Jr., R., Harris, K. M., Seibel, L., Thomas, S. C., Leichtweis, R. N., & Esposito-Smythers, C. (2024). Trajectories of adolescent suicidal ideation and depressive symptom severity during a partial hospital program: Clinical and demographic characteristics as predictors of change. Psychological Services, 21(3), 444–453. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2024.2344735
Featured awards
- Award / Honor Recipient: Unrestricted Travel Grant, Psi Chi. 2024
- Award / Honor Recipient: Research Grant for Psychology Students and Recently Graduated Psychologists of Color, American Psychological Association. 2023
- Award / Honor Recipient: Training Scholarship, Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. 2022
- Award / Honor Recipient: Dean's Challenge Award, George Mason University. 2022
- Award / Honor Recipient: George Mason University Graduate Student Travel Award, George Mason University. 2022
Featured service activities
- Reviewer / Referee
Psychiatry Research Communications
- Reviewer / Referee
Journal of Affective Disorders
- Reviewer / Referee
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
- Participant
Clinical Faculty Search
- Reviewer / Referee
Journal of Affective Disorders
- Reviewer / Referee
Journal of Homosexuality