Overview

The Trauma and Disclosure Lab (TDL) is located in the Psychology Department at Northern Illinois University (NIU). We conduct research looking into the effects of trauma on victims, as well as the people around them. Current TDL research projects are focused on adult sexual assault, and primary research lines include:

• Exploring the characteristics and experiences of disclosure recipients
• Determining how to best support disclosure recipients to help them manage their own distress while also helping victims
• Assessing the factors that affect responses to victims, including beliefs about, and perceptions of, the victim and trauma more broadly

The TDL provides unique experiences that allow undergraduate and graduate students to get hands-on experience with research at all levels of the process, including study development and design, data collection and analyses, and dissemination of research results (e.g., publications, presentations). Broader experiences with the field of psychology and professional development are also provided through lab meetings and discussions, as well as individual mentoring relationships.

We will be recruiting undergraduate students to join the lab and help with ongoing research projects; this recruitment will likely begin in Spring 2013.