Office of Undergraduate Research

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Emphasizing equitable and inclusive access to research opportunities, the University of Maryland's Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) empowers undergraduates and faculty to engage and succeed in inquiry, creative activity, and scholarship. This collection includes materials shared by undergraduate researchers during OUR events. It also encompasses materials from Undergraduate Research Day 2020, Undergraduate Research Day 2021, and Undergraduate Research Day 2022, which were organized by the Maryland Center for Undergraduate Research.

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Associations between social responsiveness and brain structure in children
(2025) Karan, Anna; Blaustein, Madison; Collins, Mia; Perry, Aleyah; Dr. Tracy Riggins PhD
Early childhood is critical for assessing socioemotional development, especially to identify risk of a disorder developing. Research exists showing relations between brain development and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Damage to the amygdala can result in impaired response and perception of social cues (1). Additional findings show larger amygdala and hippocampal volumes (2) and cortical thinning (3) in individuals with ASD. Behavioral studies have shown that social responsiveness as a key indicator of risk (4). However, children with differences in social behavior without ASD are understudied. This project will investigate relations between neurological variations and differences in social responsiveness in 4- to 8-year-old typically developing children. We will explore relations between amygdala volume, hippocampal volume, and cortical thickness of frontal, parietal and occipital lobes and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) scores (3). Our study includes approximately 200 children (ages 4-8 years), with neuroimaging and questionnaire data. We measured social responsiveness using the SRS, a parent-report questionnaire (4). We measured amygdala and hippocampal volumes and cortical thickness from structural brain scans using Freesurfer. Correlations between measures will be conducted using R. We hypothesize that lower levels of social responsiveness will be associated with larger amygdala and right hippocampal volumes and decreased cortical thickness. Conducting this research will expand brain research in relation to socioemotional development in all children. (1) Skuse et al., 2003 (2) Barnea-Goraly et al., 2014 (3) Richter et al., 2015 (4) Aldridge et al., 2011
Cognitive Measures Explain Variance in Speech-in-Noise Among Older Adults
(2025) Mosinyan, Ani; Subramanian, Supreeta; Avenilla, Seren; Kim, Yuri; Goupell, Matthew; Bilokon, Anhelina; Goupell, Matthew
Binaural hearing, the ability to hear with two ears, helps individuals localize sound and understand speech in noisy environments. As individuals age, speech-in-noise understanding becomes more difficult, and this decline has been linked to both auditory and cognitive changes. This study investigates how processing speed, the rate at which the brain processes and receives stimuli, affects speech-in-noise understanding. The Coordinate Response Measure (CRM) evaluates how well a person separates speech from background noise. We hypothesized that individuals with higher processing speed would exhibit better speech-in-noise ability, with age acting as a moderator. Processing speed was measured with the NIH Pattern Comparison test, and binaural hearing abilities were assessed with CRM. Results revealed that higher Pattern Comparison scores significantly predicted better speech-in-noise recognition at 45° (p = 0.00026, R² = 0.478), suggesting that processing speed plays a role in spatial listening ability. However, when age was added to the model, Pattern Comparison was no longer a significant predictor (p = 0.5675), and age itself became the dominant predictor of performance (p = 0.0129). This indicates that age may act as a confounding factor in cognitive influences on speech-in-noise recognition. These findings highlight the role of cognitive factors in spatial and speech processing, particularly in more complex listening environments. Future research should explore how cognitive training can enhance binaural hearing, particularly in older individuals, and whether targeted interventions can improve spatial listening abilities.
Relations between Social Motivation and Gaze Behavior in Autistic and Non-Autistic Adolescents
(2025) Plastino, Sofia; McNaughton, Kathryn; Redcay, Elizabeth; Redcay, Elizabeth
Autistic individuals experience challenges in their social interactions. One factor that may underlie these challenges is social motivation, which may also be related to variations in eye contact. Perspectives on this relation consist of several mixed views, potentially due to the fact that most research has been done in static, non-real world settings. My research uses mobile eye-tracking to bridge this gap by analyzing gaze patterns in individuals from three different dyad types: N-AUT (Non-autistic)-N-AUT (n = 37), AUT (Autistic)-N-AUT (n = 24), and AUT-AUT (n = 6), with a total of 67 participants, exploring the link between gaze-to-face behavior and social motivation during live interactions. I hypothesize that there will be a significant positive correlation between gaze and social motivation. The visit my research focuses on simulates a real-world environment, allowing better assessment of the underlying aspects of peer social interactions. It consists of both an interactional and individual section. Throughout the duration of the interaction, both participants of the dyad are wearing eye-tracking glasses, which I will use to quantify their gaze-to-face behavior. To assess social motivation, I am focusing on an individual task, which uses money as a reward. In the task, the participant is given options to choose between learning more about their partner, other kids their age, or trivia facts. I am measuring social motivation by comparing the percentage of time participants select trivia over their partner, and other kids over their partner. Once all data is collected, I will assess the correlation between gaze-to-face behavior and social motivation, furthering understanding of their link in a real-world setting.
Intersectionality of Race, Autism, and Anxiety in Marginalized Youth
(2025) Gyimah, Davina; Thomas, Stephen; Yarger, Heather; Yarger, Heather
The prevalence of anxiety in marginalized (i.e., non-White) populations has been largely overlooked in literature. Autistic research and its focus on comorbidities with anxiety are mostly focused on White youth and their families (Malone et al., 2022). These gaps in literature are often due to an overrepresentation of White individuals in studies and a lack of wide scale Non-White studies. This may be due to systematic disparities that marginalized populations often face. Research geared towards non-White populations is vital in creating a better understanding of their life experiences and how to treat their diagnoses. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety in non-White adolescents relative to White adolescents, and to examine the intersectionality with autistic diagnoses and experiences of discrimination. The Anxiety Scale for Children- ASD (ASC-ASD; Rodgers et al., 2016) scale was used to assess anxiety and the Everyday Discrimination Scale (Williams et al., 1997) was used to capture experiences of discrimination. Participants were 30 adolescents (12 Non-Hispanic White, 20 non-White), aged 11-14 years, and their parents. Results of an independent samples t-test indicated that marginalized autistic youth reported higher levels of anxiety in comparison to their non-White counterparts (p = 0.08). When evaluating whether experiences of discrimination moderated relations between race and anxiety, we found that the effect of discrimination varies by race, although not statistically significant (p = .13). Further, being a member of a marginalized group was associated with a 19.18-point increase in anxiety (holding experiences of discrimination constant).
Prevalence of Depressive and Loneliness Symptoms in ASD & Non-ASD Youth by Race
(2025) Raza, Yamha; Yarger, Heather; Thomas, Stephen
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with elevated depression rates, yet racial and ethnic disparities in mental health outcomes remain understudied. This study examined differences in depressive and loneliness symptoms among White, Non-Hispanic and Non-White adolescents with and without autism. As part of a larger study on anxiety and psychophysiology in autistic and nonautistic adolescents, we investigated whether depressive and loneliness symptom rates varied across groups. The sample included 34 adolescents (aged 11-14). Participants completed the Child Depression Inventory-2 (CDI-2; Kovacs, 2011) and the Asher Loneliness Scale (Asher & Wheeler, 1985), self-reporting their experiences over the past two weeks. Of note, lower scores on the Loneliness scale indicate more loneliness. Independent samples t-tests compared symptom severity between racial/ethnic groups. No differences between groups (i.e., Non-White, White Non-Hispanic) were identified regarding average depression scores (p = 0.27) or average loneliness scores (p = 0.27). Specifically, Non-White adolescents reported an average of 10.8 (SD = 5.6) on the depression scale whereas White, Non-Hispanic adolescents reported an average of 8.71 (SD = 4.86). White, Non-Hispanic adolescents reported an average of 58.6 (SD = 7.8) on the loneliness scale compared to Non-White Hispanic adolescents who reported an average of 54.7 (SD = 10.80). Although Non-White Hispanic individuals with and without ASD exhibited higher average depression symptom scores, further research is needed to determine whether systemic factors contribute to mental health disparities. Future studies should incorporate larger, more diverse samples and investigate socioeconomic and environmental influences on mental health outcomes among autistic youth.
Discrepancies Between Parent- and Child-Reported Anxiety Symptoms in Autistic and Non-Autistic Youth
(2025) Resnick, Rachel; Yarger, Heather
Anxiety is one of the most common co-occurring conditions in youth on the autism spectrum (ASD) and can manifest differently compared to non-ASD youth, making it difficult to identify anxiety in ASD youth. The Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED; Birhmaher et al., 1997) is a gold-standard measurement tool that aims to provide a dual-informed perspective of anxiety symptoms (Behrens et al., 2020). However, discrepancies between parent and child reports have been observed, suggesting a need for further analysis of whether discrepancies vary by diagnostic group (ASD or non-ASD). This study aimed to determine if discrepancies existed between parent- and self-reported anxiety symptoms and if there was a difference between diagnostic groups. Data were obtained from a larger study examining anxiety and heart rate variability in youth. Results of a correlation test showed that parent and child-reported anxiety symptoms scores were not statistically significantly correlated (r = 0.33, p = .07). An independent samples t-test indicated that there was a significant difference between parent-reported and child-reported anxiety symptoms (t = - 3.00, p = .01), such that parent anxiety symptom ratings were 7.4 points lower than child anxiety symptoms (95% CI [-13.33, -2.5]). There was a significant mean difference between the discrepancies for the ASD and non-ASD groups (t = -3.41, p = .001) with a higher rate of discrepancy in the non-ASD group (95% CI [-15.44, 0.07]). These results indicate that parents of non-ASD youth are more likely to underreport their child’s anxiety symptoms, while parents of ASD youth are more likely to align with their child’s report.
A Tri-Factor Model of Relationship-Specific Intellectual Humility
(2025) Benvenisti, Laura; Diamond, Romi; Mizrachi, Sarah; Davis, Alexander J.; Lemay Jr, Edward P.; Lemay Jr, Edward P.
The current study (N = 498) examined the existence, predictors, and consequences of relationship-specific intellectual humility (R-IH). Intellectual humility refers to the degree to which people recognize that their beliefs may be wrong (Leary et al., 2017). While most research has treated intellectual humility as an individual difference variable that is seemingly stable across situations, it is possible that intellectual humility varies depending on who one is interacting with. R-IH refers to one’s tendency to acknowledge that their beliefs might be wrong when interacting with a specific relationship partner who holds different beliefs or brings forth contradictory evidence. Participants received partial course credit in exchange for participation and completed well-established, reliable scales assessing respect for partner knowledge, concern for partner’s well-being, psychological safety with partner in making mistakes, and level of conflict with regard to three relationship partners: someone they are close to, someone they interact with frequently but are not close to, and someone they conflict with. Findings revealed that R-IH in fact varied significantly across participants’ multiple relationships via a tri-factor model, in which R-IH was uniquely predicted by respect, care for one’s partner, and psychological safety, while R-IH predicted reduced conflict frequency. Results suggest that individuals are more intellectually humble in certain relationships as compared to others; that care, respect, and safety in relationships can strengthen intellectual humility in those relationships; and that intellectual humility toward specific partners may lead to fewer conflicts.
Groundwater Contamination and Property Values: A Hedonic Price Analysis
(2024) Keane, Jack; Cropper, Maureen
About 15% of the United States population (~43 million people) rely on private wells for their source of drinking water. This water is not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, and as a result, the water in these wells can contain harmful contaminants (e.g., arsenic, nitrates, and nitrites) that go undetected by homeowners unless otherwise tested. Using a dataset of housing transactions (n=3,908) in the Orlando, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, I examine the impact of testing well water on the property value at time of sale. In Florida, not all homes with wells are tested before sale. I address the possibility of selection bias by using a subsample of homes from this dataset (n=1,566) that had all tested their well water before being sold. Using a hedonic pricing model, I test the impact of a well water test finding a contaminant above the detectable limit on sales price, controlling for housing characteristics, geospatial characteristics, and the date of sale. My results indicate a 10% decrease in property value when a well test revealed a contaminant to be above the detectable limit, relative to properties with well tests that did not reveal any contaminant above the detectable limit. The most robust, significant effects are found when homes were tested within a 3-year window prior to transaction. This has implications for the public health and financial stability of homeowners using private well water.
Mitochondrial Morphology in Orbitofrontal Cortical Neurons During Incubation of Oxycodone Craving
(2024) Luo, Xiang; Olaniran, Adedayo; Matheson, Chloe; Lin, Hongyu; Li, Xuan
Mitochondrial morphology in orbitofrontal cortical neurons during incubation of oxycodone craving Relapse is a major challenge in treating opioid addiction, including oxycodone, a commonly abused prescription opioid. In rats, cue-induced oxycodone seeking progressively increases during abstinence. Our previous work demonstrated that orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) plays a critical role in this incubation of oxycodone craving. However, the molecular mechanisms in OFC that contribute to this incubation are unknown. Here, we focus on mitochondrial dynamics in OFC and characterize the mitochondrial morphology in OFC neurons during incubation of oxycodone craving. We used a dual-virus approach to sparsely label mitochondria in OFC neurons by injecting the adeno-associated virus (AAV)-hSyn-GFP together with AAV-CMV-mitoDsRed bilaterally into OFC. Next, we trained male rats to either self-administer saline (as the control group) or oxycodone (0.1 mg/kg/infusion) for 6 h/day over 10 days. On abstinence day 15, we perfused both groups of animals and processed the brain for confocal microscopy. Our image analysis showed that in the somas of OFC neurons, there was a significant increase in the size-frequency of the smallest mitochondria, accompanied by overall increased mitochondria density, in oxycodone rats compared with saline rats. This finding suggests that mitochondria in OFC neuronal cell bodies enhanced fission after 15-day abstinence from oxycodone self-administration. In contrast, we did not observe the differences in primary dendrites of OFC neurons between the two groups. Studies are underway to examine whether enhanced mitochondrial fission in OFC somas is time-dependent after abstinence and whether there are sex differences in mitochondrial morphology during incubation of oxycodone craving.
Fostering Empathy in Children: The Role of Maternal Supportive Response to Child Distress and Child Attachment Security
(2024-04-17) Diphilippo, Emma; Patel, Vacha; Parrott, Jayla; Awao, Sayaka; Cassidy, Jude
Maternal response to child distress has been linked with child attachment security (Isabella et al., 1989); child attachment security has been associated with child empathy (Xu et al., 2022). This study examines whether child attachment security is a mechanism for the association between maternal response to child distress and child empathy. Ninety-five mother-child dyads participated (Mchild age=4.5 years). Mothers self-reported their likelihood of responding to child distress in unsupportive and supportive ways (Fabes et al., 1990). Child empathy was measured through (1) mother report (Kochanska, et al., 1994), (2) child self-report (Bryant, 1982), and (3) observation (Schrandt et.al, 2009). Observed child attachment security was measured through the MacArthur Story Stem Battery (Bretherton et al., 1990). Mother’s unsupportive response to child distress did not predict child attachment security or child empathy. Mother’s supportive response to child distress did not predict child attachment security but did predict mother-reported (but not child reported or observed) child empathy (p=0.03). Higher child attachment security predicted higher observed (but not mother or child reported) child empathy (p < 0.01). Child attachment security was not a significant mechanism between maternal response to child distress (unsupportive/supportive) and child empathy. Findings highlight the importance of supportive (but not unsupportive) maternal response and child attachment security for development of child empathy. Findings also underscore the importance of considering reporter bias. Future studies should examine this model, with careful attention to how constructs are measured.

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