Mary Gates Endowment For Students

Angelique Nguyen

Mary Gates Research Scholar, Winter 2024

Research Project: Parenting in ADHD and Regulation of Emotion (PARE)

Project Description: The PARE study aims to better understand how parental ADHD impacts parenting patterns of children with ADHD. This is important because ADHD has high heritability rates, yet there is little research on ADHD in parents. I use standardized parent-child interactions and self-report questionnaires to investigate the relationship between parent temperament and how they respond to their children’s negative emotions. Our goal is to identify emotion-based targets to use in interventions to improve emotional regulation for parents and children with ADHD.

What have you learned throughout your research project? Being involved with this study since my freshman year, I have learned so much about the entire research process, from creating a project to carrying it out. Helping develop and administer the study has helped me gain confidence and independence as a student researcher. This research experience has also taught me how to build strong relationships and foster a welcoming environment that make families feel heard. Getting to help bridge this consequential gap in ADHD research has pushed me to continue working towards providing comprehensive care as an aspiring physician.

What piece of advice do you have for future applicants? Take time to reflect on why your research is valuable, both to you and the greater community. Doing this reminded me why I am passionate about my work! Everyone’s research is uniquely meaningful, so it’s important to be able to convey that in your genuine voice.