Joelle Schaffer

Pronouns: she/he

Contact:

joelle.schaffer@torontomu.ca

Degree in progress:

MA in Clinical Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University

Degrees:

BA Hons in Psychology, McGill University (Minor: Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies)

Research Interests:

I am broadly interested in understanding the cognitive mechanisms underlying internalizing disorders, particularly generalized anxiety disorder, and am motivated by the ways we can use our findings to improve interventions. My Master’s thesis will examine the relationship between existential concerns and anxiety symptoms and explore the differences between pathological and healthy engagements with existential dread. I am also interested in conducting research that improves our understanding of gendered experiences of anxiety. I am passionate about integrating feminist, anti-oppressive frameworks into psychological research and practice.

Selected Publications:

  1. Daoust, J., Schaffer, J., Zeighami, Y., Dagher, A., García-García, I., & Michaud, A. (2021). White matter integrity differences in obesity: A meta-analysis of diffusion tensor imaging studies. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.020
  2. Freeman, C., Panier, L., Schaffer, J., & Weinberg, A. (in press). Neural response to social but not monetary reward predicts increases in depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Selected Conference Presentations:

  1. Schaffer, J., De Sousa, D., Leonard, M-J., Lonergan, M., Sapkota, R., Saumier, D., & Brunet, A. (Nov, 2021). A Review of the Content and Quality of Canadian Trauma and PTSD Websites. Poster at International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies 37th Annual Meeting: Virtual Series.
  2. Schaffer, J., Hong, S., Freeman, C., Renault, H., Panier, L., & Weinberg, A. (Oct, 2021). A History of Childhood Trauma is Associated with Blunted Neural Responses to Positive Social Feedback in Adult Women. Poster at Society for Psychophysiological Research Annual Meeting: Virtual Series.
  3. Hong, S., Schaffer, J., Panier, L., Renault, H., Freeman, C. & Weinberg, A. (Oct, 2021). Adverse Parenting Styles Are Associated with Blunted Neural Responses to Social Feedback in Adulthood. Poster at Society for Psychophysiological Research Annual Meeting: Virtual Series.
  4. Freeman, C., Panier, L., Schaffer, J., Weinberg, A. (Oct, 2021). The Reward Positivity to Social but Not Monetary Incentives Prospectively Predicts Depressive Symptoms During the Covid-19 Pandemic. Poster at Society for Psychophysiological Research Annual Meeting: Virtual Series.