{"id":29,"date":"2024-09-19T22:14:58","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T22:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpdev.acsu.buffalo.edu\/reischer-lab\/?page_id=29"},"modified":"2026-09-28T18:24:59","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T18:24:59","slug":"research","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ubwp.buffalo.edu\/reischer-lab\/research\/","title":{"rendered":"Research Aims and Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lab Aims<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our research projects are aligned with our overall lab research aims. We strive toward these values in both research content<\/em> and conduct<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Promoting human flourishing and dignity; <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Drawing on person-centered research methods; and <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Advancing ethical practices in clinical science. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Flourishing and dignity: <\/strong>We are interested in understanding the psychological qualities of lives and lived experiences characterized by eudaimonic (meaning-centered) happiness, such as connectedness to others and to the universe; self-worth and self-acceptance; and dignity and belonging. Recent projects involve developing and testing interventions to promote these feelings, especially among older adults and those coping with life-limiting illness.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Person-centered research methods (especially narrative identity methods):<\/strong> Person-centered research methods involve engaging individuals\u2019 lived experiences to better understand psychological phenomena, needs, and desires. We most often use a mixed methods narrative identity<\/em> framework (McAdams & McLean, 2013). Narrative identity is a person\u2019s evolving story of self that they use to make sense of their experiences and explain how they have come to be the people that they are\u2014to this end, we often collect and analyze individual life story interview data. Decades of research have demonstrated that the ways adults story their life experiences tend to be associated with psychological well-being and other health outcomes. We also use other person-centered qualitative methods (such as thematic analysis and grounded theory) as well as quantitative methods (such as multilevel modeling and regression) to connect research on lived experiences to the broader literature concerned with generalizability.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Enhancing ethical practices in clinical science: <\/strong>Ethics-related work relates to both research practices (e.g., equitable open science; involvement of underserved populations) and clinical practices (e.g., increasing dignity of care through improving patient-provider communication). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Current and Recent Research<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Below we share a bit about some of the current and recent research projects we are excited about!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Narrative<\/strong> Self-Transcendence, Self-Acceptance, and Connectedness<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The Narrative Lab is very interested in self-transcendence\u2014feeling connected to something bigger than oneself. This can include feeling connected to all of humanity, to nature, or to the divine, or feeling a sense of wholeness and integration within the self. We are interested in understanding and measuring individuals\u2019 lived experiences of these psychological phenomena (typically through narrative identity themes and self-report measures) as well as their relationships to various psychological outcomes. Because the literature demonstrates overwhelmingly positive relationships with psychological health, we are also interested in understanding the developmental and clinical conditions under which self-transcendence and self-acceptance may increase for those with and without symptoms of mental illness. Representative publications include:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n