Rebecca White

Rebecca White

Professor,
The Sanford School
  • Rebecca.White@asu.edu
  • Phone: 480-965-0511
  • Fax: 480.965-6779
  • CWDN 133 TEMPE, AZ 85287-3701
  • Mail code: 7203
    Campus: Tempe
  • ‌
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Long Bio

Rebecca M. B. White (she/they) is professor of family and human development in the Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University (ASU). White trained in general studies (New River Community College), human services (Old Dominion University), Public Health (University of Arizona), and family and human development (ASU). White’s program of research examines Mexican-origin Latino/a/x adolescents’ development within cultural, neighborhood, and family contexts. Broadly, White aspires to engage in meaningful scholarship (research, mentoring, teaching, and service) geared toward promoting positive development among diverse youths, families, and neighborhoods. In terms of research, they are a William T. Grant Foundation Scholar and have published research in Developmental Psychology, Journal of Marriage and Family, and Child Development. White has engaged in mentoring emerging scholars, including those in SRCD’s Frances Degen Horowitz Millennium Scholars Program and SRA’s Undergraduate Scholars Program. White has served on multiple editorial boards (Child Development Perspectives, Developmental Psychology, Child Development) and, regularly, as a conference abstract reviewer for SRCD’s and SRA’s Biennial Meetings. Finally, as a former secretary of the Latinx Caucus they worked to promote high-quality research with Latinx children, youth, and families. 

Education
  • Ph.D. Family and Human Development, Arizona State University 2008
  • M.P.H. Community Health Practice, University of Arizona 2003
  • B.S. Human Services Counseling, Old Dominion University 2000
  • A.A.S. General Studies, New River Community College 2000
CV
Curriculum Vitae
Google Scholar URL
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=e7FEfAgAAAAJ&hl=en
Research Interests

Dr. White's collaborative research program focuses on Mexican origin families and youth from middle childhood to emerging adulthood. The body of work highlights endemic neighborhood stressors as critical determinants of family processes and, in turn, Mexican origin youths' adjustment (e.g., emotional and behavioral health). 

More recently, she has begun to contribute to a nascent but growing body of literature on the implications of neighborhood ethnic concentration for minority youths' ethnic-based attitudes and identifications. This line of research draws on prior neighborhood work, but incorporates a culturally-informed perspective on neighborhood ethnic concentration. 

See more about her current projects:

 

https://thesanfordschool.asu.edu/lre/success-latino-neighborhoods-proje…;

Research Group

https://thesanfordschool.asu.edu/lre/success-latino-neighborhoods-project 

Publications

  • Gaias, L. M., Lindstrom Johnson, S., White, R. M. B., Pettigrew, J., & Dumka, L. (in press). Understanding school-neighborhood mesosystemic effects on adolescent development. Adolescent Research Review.

    White, R. M. B., Nair, R. L., & Bradley, R. H. (accepted). Theorizing the benefits and costs of adaptive cultures for development. American Psychologist. 

    Zeiders, K. H., Causadias, J. M., & White, R. M. B. (in press). The health correlates of culture: Examining the association between ethnic-racial identity and diurnal cortisol slopes. Journal of Adolescent Health.

    Nair, R. L., Roche, K., & White, R. M. B. (advance online publication). Acculturation gap distress among Latino youth: Prospective links to family processes and youth depressive symptoms, alcohol use, and school performance. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. doi: 10.1007/s10964-017-0753-x

    Knight, G. P., Carlo, G., Streit, C., & White, R. M. B. (advance online publication). A Model of Maternal and Paternal Ethnic Socialization of Mexican-American Adolescents’ Self-Views. Child Development. doi: 10.1111/cdev.12939

  • Gonzales, N. A., Liu, Y., Jensen, M., Tein, J.-Y., White, R. M. B., & Deardorff, J. (advance online publication). Externalizing and internalizing pathways to Mexican American adolescents’ risk-taking. Development and Psychopathology. doi:10.1017/S0954579417000323

    White, R. M. B., Knight, G. P., Jensen, M., & Gonzales, N. A. (advance online publication). Ethnic socialization in neighborhood contexts: Implications for Mexican-origin adolescents’ development of ethnic attitudes and identities. Child Development. doi: 10.1111/cdev.12772

    Carlo, G., White, R. M. B., Streit, C., Knight, G. P., & Zeiders, K. H. (advance online publication). Longitudinal relations among parenting styles, prosocial behaviors, and academic outcomes in U.S. Mexican adolescents. Child Development. doi: 10.1111/cdev.12761

    White, R. M. B., Updegraff, K. A., Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Zeiders, K. H., Perez-Brena, N., & Burleson, E. (2017). Neighborhood and school ethnic structuring and cultural adaptations among Mexican-Origin adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 53, 511 – 524. doi: 10.1037/dev0000269

    White, R. M. B., Liu, Y., Gonzales, N. A., Knight, G. P., & Tein, J. (2016). Neighborhood qualification of the association between parenting and problem behavior trajectories among Mexican-origin father-adolescent dyads. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 26, 927 – 946. doi: 10.1111/jora.12245

    Zeiders, K. H., Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Updegraff, K. A., Jahromi, L. B., & White, R. M. B. (2016) Discrimination and acculturation stress: A longitudinal study of children’s well-being from prenatal development to 5 years of age. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 37, 557 – 564. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000321

    White, R. M. B., Liu, Y., Nair, R. L., & Tein, J.-Y. (2015). Longitudinal and integrative tests of family stress model effects on Mexican origin adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 51, 649-662. doi: 10.1037/a0038993

    White, R. M. B., Knight, G. P., & Roosa, M. W. Using culturally informed theory to study Mexican American children and families. Mexican American Children and Families: Multidisciplinary Perspectives (2015).

  • Roosa, M. W., & White, R. M. B. Neighborhood Effects. Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research (2014).
  • White, R. M. B., Zeiders, K. H., Knight, G. P., Roosa, M. W., & Tein, J. Y. Mexican Origin Youths' Trajectories of Perceived Peer Discrimination from Middle Childhood to Adolescence: Variation by Neighborhood Ethnic Concentration. Journal of Youth and Adolescnece (2014).
  • Deardorff, J. Heining, C., Gonzales, N. A., White, R. M. B., Wong, J., & Roosa, M. W. Pubertal timing and Mexican American girls’ internalizing and externalizing symptoms: The influence of harsh parenting. Developmental Psychology. Developmental Psychology (2013).
  • Nair, R. L., White, R. M. B., Roosa, M. W., & Zeiders, K. H. Cultural stressors and mental health symptomatology among Mexican Americans: Examining the impact of family and neighborhood contexts. Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2013).
  • White, R. M. B., Deardorff, J.; Liu, Y.; Gonzales, N. A. Contextual Amplification or Attenuation of the Impact of Pubertal Timing on Mexican American Boys’ Mental Health Symptoms. Journal of Adolescent Health (2013).
  • White, R. M. B., Zeiders, K. H., Gonzales, N. G., Tein, J., & Roosa, M. W. Cultural Values, U.S. Neighborhood Danger, and Mexican American Parents’ Parenting. Journal of Family Psychology (2013).
  • White, R. M. B. & Roosa, M. W. Neighborhood contexts, fathers, and Mexican American young adolescents' internalizing symptoms. Journal of Marriage and Family (2012).
  • White, R. M. B., Deardorff, J., Gonzales, N. A. Contextual amplification or attenuation of pubertal timing effects on depressive symptoms among Mexican American girls. Journal of Adolescent Health (2012).
  • White, R. M. B., Roosa, M. W., & Zeiders, K. H. Neighborhood and Family Intersections: Prospective Implications for Mexican American Adolescents' Mental Health. Journal of Family Psychology (2012).
  • Gonzales, N., Roosa, M. W., Coxe, S., White, R. M. B., Knight, G. P., Saenz, D., & Zeiders, K. H. Economic hardship, neighborhood context, and parenting: Prospective effects on Mexican American adolescent’s mental health. American Journal of Community Psychology (2011).
  • Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Updegraff, K. A., White, R. M. B., Herzog, M. Pflieger, J., Madden-Derdich, D. Examining the Psychometric Properties of a Measure of Social Support for Mexican-origin Teen Mothers and their Mother Figures. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences (2011).
  • White, R. M. B., Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Knight, G. P., Zeiders, K. H. Language measurement equivalence of the Ethnic Identity Scale with Mexican American early adolescents. Journal of Early Adolescence (2011).
  • Baldwin, M.L., & White, R.M.B. Workplace accommodations that work for people with mental illness. Perspectives on Disability and Accommodation (2010).
  • Nair, R. L., White, R. M. B., Roosa, M. W., & Knight, G. P. Cross-language measurement equivalence of parenting measures for use with Mexican American populations. Journal of Family Psychology (2009).
  • Roosa, M. W., Weaver, S. R., White, R. M. B., Tein, J., Knight, G. P., Gonzales, N., et al. Family – neighborhood goodness-of-fit and the adjustment of Mexican American parents and adolescents. American Journal of Community Psychology (2009).
  • Roosa, M. W., White, R. M. B., Zeiders, K., & Tein, J. An examination of the role of perceptions in neighborhood research. Journal of Community Psychology (2009).
  • White, R. M. B., Roosa, M. W., Weaver, S. R., & Nair, R. L. Cultural and contextual influences on parenting in Mexican American families. Journal of Marriage and Family (2009).
  • Deardorff, J. Heining, C., Gonzales, N. A., White, R. M. B., Wong, J., & Roosa, M. W. Pubertal timing and Mexican American girls’ internalizing and externalizing symptoms: The influence of harsh parenting. Developmental Psychology. Developmental Psychology (0).
  • Nair, R. L., White, R. M. B., Zeiders, K. H., & Roosa, M. W. Cultural stressors and mental health symptomatology among Mexican Americans: Examining the impact of family and neighborhood contexts. Journal of Youth and Adolescence (0).
Research Activity
  • White,Rebecca May Blumenauer*. A New Look at Neighborhood Ethnic Concentration: Implications for Mexican Origin Adolescents Cultural Adaptation (ASUF 30006252). ASU FDN(7/1/2014 - 6/30/2019).
  • White, R. M. B. (PI, 40%), Tein, J.-Y. (15%), Gonzales, N. A. (25%), Knight, G. P. (5%), & Causadias, J. (15%). U.S. Mexicans’ Pathways to Character. Pathways to Character Project, John Templeton Foundation ($225K), December 2017 – November 2019. Roche, K. M. (PI), Calzada, E. J., Lambert, S. F., Little, T. D., Schulenberg, J. E. & White, R. M. B. (Co-Is, listed alphabetically). Linking Community and Family Characteristics to Adolescent Adjustment. R0-1, NICHD, National Institutes of Health ($2.8M), October 2017 – September 2022. Baldwin, M. (PI, 75%) & White, R. M. B. (Co-I, 25%). Disclosure of Serious Mental Illness in the Workplace. R0-1, NIMH, National Institutes of Health ($2.1M). July 2017 – June 2021. White, R. M. B. (PI, 100%). Mentoring and Career Development Fellowship: Integrating Knowledge on Residential Segregation across Neighborhoods and Groups. William T. Grant Foundation ($60K), July 2016 – June 2018.
Courses
2025 Spring
Course Number Course Title
FAS 592 Research
2024 Fall
Course Number Course Title
AFR 370 Family Ethnic & Cultural Diver
FAS 370 Family Ethnic & Cultural Diver
2024 Spring
Course Number Course Title
FAS 792 Research
FAS 799 Dissertation
2023 Fall
Course Number Course Title
FAS 361 Applied Research Methods
SOC 391 Applied Research Methods
FAS 792 Research
FAS 799 Dissertation
2023 Summer
Course Number Course Title
FAS 784 Internship
2023 Spring
Course Number Course Title
FAS 592 Research
2022 Fall
Course Number Course Title
FAS 792 Research
FAS 799 Dissertation
2022 Summer
Course Number Course Title
FAS 792 Research
2022 Spring
Course Number Course Title
FAS 361 Research Methods
SOC 391 Research Methods
CDE 592 Research
FAS 792 Research
2021 Fall
Course Number Course Title
FAS 792 Research
2021 Spring
Course Number Course Title
FAS 531 Theoretical Issues Family
FAS 390 Supervised Research Experience
2020 Summer
Course Number Course Title
FAS 792 Research
2020 Spring
Course Number Course Title
FAS 390 Supervised Research Experience
FAS 592 Research
Presentations
  • White, R. M. B. Parenting in the Context of Socioeconomic Disadvantage in Mexican American Families Across Developmental Periods. SRCD Special Topics Meeting: New Conceptualizations in the Study of Parenting-at-Risk (Nov 2014).
  • White, R. M. B., Updegraff, K. A., Umana-Taylor, A. J., Zeiders, K. H., Perez-Brena, N., & Burleson, E. Mexican-origin Youth’s Cultural Trajectories in Community and Family Contexts. National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference (Nov 2014).
  • White, R. M. B., Liu, Y., Nair, R. L., & Tein, J.-Y. Culturally Distinguished and Contextually Relevant Family Stress Model Effects. Society for Research on Adolescence Biennial Meeting (Mar 2014).
  • White, R. M. B., & Zeiders, K. H. Z. Cultural Values and Youth Adjustment: Longitudinal Examinations of Mediating Processes and Moderating Factors. Soceity for Research on Adolescence Biennial Meeting (Mar 2014).
  • White, R. M. B., Zeiders, K. H., Nair, R. L., Roosa, M. W., Knight, G. P., Tein, J.-Y., & Gonzales, N. A. Exploring the Enclave Paradox: Neighborhood Ethnic Concentration and Mexican American Adolescent Trajectories of Discrimination. Society for Research on Adolescence Biennial Meeting (Feb 2014).
  • White, R. M. B., Liu, Y., Nair, R. L., Tein, J.-Y., Gonzales, N. A., Knight, G. P., & Roosa, M. W. Neighborhood, Economic, and Mexican American Family Intersections. National Council on Family Relations (Nov 2013).
  • White, R. M. B. A Culturally Distinguished and Contextually Relevant Look at Mexican Origin Fathers’ Stress and Parenting. National council on Family Relations' Men in Families Focus Group Meeting (Nov 2013).
  • White, R. M. B., Deardorff, J., Liu, Y., & Gonzales, N. A. Contextual Amplification or Attenuation of Pubertal Timing Effects on Mental Health Symptoms among Mexican American Boys. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Child Development (Apr 2013).
  • White, R. M. B. Conducting Research with Mexican American Youth and Families. Latino/a Research Focus Group at the National Council on Family Relations Annual Meeting (Nov 2012).
  • White, R. M. B., Zeiders, K. H., Gonzales, N. A., Tein, J-Y., Roosa, M. W., & Knight, G. P. A Person-Centered Approach to Socialization among Mexican American Families. 74th National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference (Nov 2012).
  • White, R. M. B., Gonzales, N. A., Roosa, M. W., & Knight, G. P. Neighborhood Context and Mexican American Adolescents’ Mental Health and Risk of Drug and Alcohol Use. 12th Annual International Conference of the National Hispanic Science Network (Sep 2012).
  • White, R. M. B., Roosa, M. W., Zeiders, K. H., Gonzales, N. G., Knight, G. P., & Tein, J-Y. Neighborhood Risk, Parenting and Adolescent Internalizing: The protective role of Mexican American mothers’ cultural beliefs. Paper presented at the 14th Society for Research on Adolescence Biennial Meeting, Vancouver, BC, Can (Mar 2012).
  • Tein, J-Y, Knight, G. P., Roosa, M. W., Zeiders, K. H., White, R. M. B., & Millsap, R. Testing Measurement Equivalence and Stability in Longitudinal Data. the Society for Research in Child Development Special Topics Meeting: Developmental Methodology (Feb 2012).
  • White, R. M. B., Zeiders, K. H., Gonzales, N. A., Tein, J., & Roosa, M. W. Neighborhood Variability of Mexican Origin Parents' Parenting Styles. 73rd National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference (Nov 2011).
  • White, R. M. B., Deardorff, J., Gonzales, N. A., Roosa, M. W., Knight, G. P., & Tein, J. Early Puberty and Mexican American Girls' Depressive Symptoms: the Influence of Neighborhood Context. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Child Development (Apr 2011).
  • Deardorff, J., Cham, H., Gonzales, N. A., White, R. M. B., Tein, J., Wong, J, Roosa, M. W., & Knight, G. P. Early Puberty and Mexican American Girls' Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms: The Influence of Parenting Behaviors. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Child Development (Apr 2011).
  • Roosa, M. W., Zeiders, K. H., White, R. M. B., Nair, R. L., Vargas, D. A., Gonzales, N. A., Knight, G. P., & Tein, J. Trajectories of Discrimination from Late Childhood to Early Adolescence in Mexican American Youth. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Child Development (Apr 2011).
  • White, R. M. B. & Gonzales, N. A. Longitudinal Examinations of Latino Adolescents' Bioecological Adjustment. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Child Development (Mar 2011).
  • Umaña-Taylor, A. J., Updegraff, K. A., White, R. M. B., Herzog, M. Pflieger, J., Madden-Derdich, D. Examining the Psychometric Properties of a Measure of Social Support for Mexican-origin Teen Mothers and their Mother Figures. Annual Meeting of the National Council on Family Relations (Nov 2010).
  • White, R. M. B., Roosa, M. W., Gonzales, N. A., Knight, G. P. Neighborhood Contexts, Fathering, and Mexican American Early Adolescents’ Internalizing Problems. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence (Mar 2010).
  • Gonzales, Nancy A.; White, Rebecca M. B. Exploring the Roles of Fathers in Mexican American Families. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence (Mar 2010).
  • Nair, Rajni, Roosa, Mark, Zeiders, Katharine, White, Rebecca. Cultural Stressors and Outcomes in Mexican American Families. National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference
  • White, Rebecca, Roosa, Mark, Nair, R, Zeiders, K, Burrell, G, Gonzales, Nancy, Knight, George, Saenz, Delia. Variations of risk and resilience for depression among Mexican-origin parents. American Public Association Annual Conference
  • Zeiders, K, Roosa, Mark, Nair, R, White, Rebecca. Mexican-Americans' Experiences with Discrimination: Examining Protective Factors. National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference
  • Nair, R, Roosa, Mark, White, Rebecca, Zeiders, K., Burrell, G., Knight, George, Gonzales, Nancy, Saenz, Delia. Profiles of Risk among Mexican American Adolescents: Relations with Mental Health and Academic Outcomes. Biennial Meeting of the Society of Research on Adolescence
  • White, Rebecca, Roosa, Mark, Roosa, Mark, Gonzales, Nancy, Knight, George, Saenz, Delia, Nair, R., Zeiders, K., Burrell, G. Neighborhood Contexts and Mexican American Adolescent Internalizing Disorders. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence
  • Zeiders, K, Roosa, Mark, White, Rebecca, Nair, R, Gonzales, Nancy, Knight, George, Saenz, Delia. Overweight Status and Depression: Associations among Mexican American Adolescents. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence
Service
  • William T. Grant Foundation, Major Grants External Reviewer (2014 - Present)
  • Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Ad hoc reviewer (2014 - Present)
  • Sanford School Graduate Program Committee, Committee Member (2014 - Present)
  • Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, Early Career Reviewer (2014 - Present)
  • Developmental Review, Ad hoc reviewer (2014 - Present)
  • T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics Assistant Professor Search Committee, Committee Member (2013 - Present)
  • Journal of Adolescent Health, Ad hoc Reviewer (2013 - Present)
  • Journal of Adolescent Health, Ad hoc Reviewer (2013 - Present)
  • Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Editorial Board Member (2013 - Present)
  • Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Editorial Board Member (2013 - Present)
  • Latino Resilience Enterprise, Co-Director (2013 - Present)
  • Latino Resilience Enterptise, Executive Director (2013 - Present)
  • Social Science Research, Ad hoc Reviewer (2013 - Present)
  • Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, Ad hoc Reviewer (2012 - Present)
  • Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, Ad hoc Reviewer (2012 - Present)
  • La Familia Project, Prevention Research Center, Executive Committee Member (2012 - Present)
  • La Familia Project, Prevention Research Center, Executive Committee Member (2012 - Present)
  • Prevention Research Center Training Program, Faculty (2011 - Present)
  • Prevention Research Center Training Program, Faculty (2011 - Present)
  • Prevention Research Center Training Program, Faculty (2011 - Present)
  • Journal of Marriage and Family, Ad hoc Reviewer (2011 - Present)
  • Journal of Marriage and Family, Ad hoc Reviewer (2011 - Present)
  • Journal of Marriage and Family, Ad hoc Reviewer (2011 - Present)
  • Journal of Marriage and Family, Ad hoc Reviewer (2011 - Present)
  • Journal of Research on Adolescence, Ad hoc Reviewer (2011 - Present)
  • Journal of research on Adolescence, Ad hoc Reviewer (2011 - Present)
  • Journal of research on Adolescence, Ad hoc Reviewer (2011 - Present)
  • Child Development Perspectives, Ad hoc Reviewer (2010 - Present)
  • Child Development Perspectives, Ad hoc Reviewer (2010 - Present)
  • Developmental Psychology, Ad hoc Reviewer (2010 - Present)
  • Developmental Psychology, Ad hoc Reviewer (2010 - Present)
  • Developmental Psychology, Ad hoc Reviewer (2010 - Present)
  • Journal of Community Psychology, Ad hoc Reviewer (2009 - Present)
  • Journal of Community Psychology, Ad hoc Reviewer (2009 - Present)
  • Journal of Community Psychology, Ad hoc Reviewer (2009 - Present)
  • Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Ad hoc Reviewer (2008 - Present)
  • Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Ad hoc Reviewer (2008 - Present)
  • Society for Research on Child Development, Member (2006 - Present)
  • Society for Research on Child Development, Member (2006 - Present)
  • Society for Research on Child Development, Member (2006 - Present)
  • National Council on Family Relations, Member (2005 - Present)
  • National Council on Family Relations, Member (2005 - Present)
  • National Council on Family Relations, Member (2005 - Present)
  • Society for Research on Adolescence, Member (2005 - Present)
  • Society for Research on Adolescence, Member (2005 - Present)
  • Society for Research on Adolescence, Member (2005 - Present)
  • American Public Health Association, Member (2003 - Present)
  • Society for Research on child Development, Senior Mentor, Frances Degen Horowitz Millennium Scholars Program (2013 - 2019)
  • Developmental Psychology, Editorial Board Member (2014 - 2015)
  • Society For Research in Child Development, Conference Abstract Reviewer, Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships (2014 - 2015)
  • Sanford School Assistant Professor in Latino Youth & Families Search Committee, Committee Member (2013 - 2014)
  • School of Social and Family Dynamics Personnel Committee, Member (2011 - 2013)
  • Society for Research on Child Development, Biennial Meeting Abstract Reviewer (2012 - 2012)
  • Society for Research on Child Development, Mentor, Mentor-Mentee Program Absrtract Reviewer (2012 - 2012)
  • Society for Research on Adolescence 2012 Biennial Meeting, Abstract Reviewer (2011 - 2011)
Expertise Areas
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