Sonnette Bascoe

Research Interests

In general, I’m interested in the ways that relationships within the family (i.e., interparental, parent-child, sibling) influence children’s socio-emotional adjustment. Working from the emotional security theory, my research has focused on understanding how children’s representational models of family relationships serve as processes for understanding individual differences in children’s socioemotional functioning. My thesis specifically examined children’s peer representations as an explanatory mechanism underlying the association between their insecure representations of interparental and parent-child relationships and their psychological maladjustment.

Additional research interests broadly involve a focus on integrating family systems and developmental psychopathology theory and research to understand the role of sibling relationships within different family contexts and the developmental implications of these sibling relationships.

Publications/Manuscripts

• Bascoe, S. M., Davies, P. T., & Cummings, E. M. (under review). Children’s insecure interparental representations and their psychological maladjustment: Children’s peer information processing as an Explanatory Mechanism. Developmental Psychology.

Presentations

• Bascoe, S. M., Davies, P. T., Gasaway, K., & Cummings, E. M. (2008). The link between interparental and parent-child insecurity and child adjustment problems: Children’s peer information processing as an explanatory mechanism. Poster submitted for the Conference on Human Development, Indianapolis, IN.
• Bascoe, S. M., Woitach, M. J., Manning, L., Davies, P. T., & Cummings, E. M. (2008). Links between emotional insecurity in the interparental and peer relationships: An ethological formulation as an explanatory mechanism. Poster submitted for the Conference on Human Development, Indianapolis, IN. 
• Woitach, M. J., Bascoe, S. M., George, R. M., Davies, P. T., & Cummings, E. M. (2008). Children’s reactivity to peer transgressions and their psychological adjustment: An evolutionary based analysis. Poster submitted for the Conference on Human Development, Indianapolis, IN.
• Robinson (Bascoe), S. M. (2002). Father Absence and Children’s Academic Achievement. Poster session presented at Atlanta University Center Psychology Research Conference, Atlanta, GA.
• Robinson (Bascoe), S. M. (2002). Parenting Style and the Characteristics of Preschoolers’ Sharing Behavior. Poster session presented at The Southeastern Psychological Association Research Conference, Orlando, FL. 
• Robinson (Bascoe), S. M. (2002). Parenting Style and the Characteristics of Preschoolers’ Sharing Behavior. Presentation presented at the Spelman College Departmental Honors in Psychology Research Symposium, Atlanta, GA.
• Robinson (Bascoe), S. M. (2001). Father Absence and Children’s Academic Achievement. Presentation presented at the University of Rochester Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, Rochester, NY.
• Robinson (Bascoe), S. M. (2001). Father Absence and Children’s Academic Achievement. Presentation presented at The Pennsylvania State University Ronald E. McNair Research Conference, University Park, PA.

Additional Information

During my first year of graduate school, I worked as a Research Assistant for Project FUTURE at Mt. Hope Family Center. During my second and third years of graduate school, I worked as a Research Assistant for the Me and My Family Project at the U of R, and I devised an innovative semi-structured interview for mothers to assess their children’s sibling relationships. I am currently mentoring an undergraduate student on her honors thesis. Finally, I am applying for a competitive Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Fellowship from the Public Health Service for research training in health-related areas.

In my “spare time,” I enjoy being a wife and a mother to my active three-year old son, Sean!