Recinos Seeks Evidence-Based Solutions to Prevent Childhood Trauma and Violence Exposure

Ph.D. student Manderley Recinos conducts research with two broad goals: to improve the lives of children who have been exposed to trauma or maltreatment and to prevent exposure for children who have not had these experiences.

Name: Manderley Recinos

Hometown: Marietta, Georgia

Undergraduate and master’s degrees and institutions: I earned my Bachelor and Master of Science in Psychology from Augusta University.

Expected date of graduation: 2026

Ph.D. concentration: Health Promotion and Behavior

Dissertation advisor: Shannon Self-Brown

Why did you choose the Georgia State School of Public Health?
One of my mentors at Augusta University recommended that I consider Georgia State University’s School of Public Health for my Ph.D. because the program aligned with my research focus and career goals. However, it was ultimately the faculty in the School of Public Health that lead me to choose Georgia State. The faculty are so kind, supportive and truly care about student learning and success.

Tell us about your research:
My broad research interest is in the prevention and treatment of child maltreatment and child trauma. My primary work has been with SafeCare, a child maltreatment prevention program for parents of young children. I have been working on a grant testing a new version of SafeCare to reduce the risk of child maltreatment and secondhand smoke exposure. I also have worked on projects examining how to use technology to improve trauma-focused therapy for children, program evaluation of Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for youth who have been trafficked, and risk and protective factors for experiencing intimate partner violence among youth and young adults in El Salvador. Although my research interest and experiences do not fall into a single category within the broad field of child maltreatment and trauma, at the core, my goal has been to contribute to research that improves the lives of children who have been exposed to trauma and/or maltreatment and to prevent exposure for children who have not had these experiences.

What’s been your most memorable experience so far in the Ph.D. program?
It is so difficult to pinpoint one, as I have had many memorable experiences during my time in the Ph.D. program, from attending national and international conferences to mentoring students in the “Research Methods” class that I was the teaching assistant for. Nevertheless, one of my proudest moments during my time in the Ph.D. program at GSU was getting my first lead-author publication in a peer-reviewed journal, which also marked me successfully passing comps.

What’s your career aspiration?
Once I finish my Ph.D., my goal is to work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or in the private sector and work on research that improves the lives of children and reduces inequities that contribute to violence exposure in vulnerable populations. Wherever I end up, I hope that I will get to support communities through collaboration, further the improve the dissemination and implementation of trauma prevention and reduction programs, and get to mentor others.