Dr. Sonia Rubens

University of New Orleans

Sleep as a Mechanism in the Link between Trauma Exposure and Psychopathology in Youth

Sleep plays an important role in the physical, cognitive, and emotional development of youth. In her talk, Dr. Rubens will discuss her research on the role of sleep in the link between trauma exposure and mental health among diverse youth.

Dr. Sonia Rubens is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of New Orleans. Dr. Rubens has over 30 peer-reviewed manuscripts. She examines ways to promote resilience among youth exposed to trauma. Using a developmental framework, her research primarily focuses on health behaviors (e.g., sleep, physical activity), contextual factors (e.g., peers, schools, neighborhood), and cultural factors (e.g., language, acculturation, ethnic identity) that foster resilience among diverse youth exposed to chronic and acute trauma