Sophia Magro, MA

Sophia Magro

Undergraduate School
St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN

Graduate School
University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN
 

 

 

Interests & Career Goals

My research and clinical interests center around the importance of relationships for promoting positive development and mental health in the infancy and early childhood periods. I am interested in accessible early assessment, intervention, and consultation programs for families with young children experiencing developmental delays, medical complexities, or early life stress. In the long term, I hope to pursue an academic career where I will have the opportunity to conduct community-partnered research that promotes access to high-quality, evidence-based prevention and early intervention programs for young children at risk for the development of mental health difficulties.

Favorite Pastimes

In my free time, I love playing board games, hiking, bouldering, cooking, eating ice cream, and snuggling with my cats. I also love to sing and studied music education as an undergraduate!

Why I Chose Duke

I am excited to be training at Duke because of the opportunity to gain general training in child clinical psychology as well as to build competency in an area of expertise. I am happy to be training at the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, where I can continue to build my skills in the assessment and treatment of infants and young children with developmental disabilities. Duke’s mission to provide accessible care is also evident in the many rotations in community-based or integrated care.

Research interests

My research focuses on the intersection of family and school influences on children's development. I am interested in the role that parents, teachers, and schools play in supporting children's development of socioemotional skills, especially for children at high risk for the development of psychopathology. I am also interested in implementing and evaluating early childhood prevention and intervention programs based in community settings, like schools, child cares, and primary care clinics.

Publications

Peer-reviewed

  • Magro, S. W., Nivison, M. D., Englund, M. M., & Roisman, G. I. (2023). The quality of early caregiving and teacher-student relationships in grade school independently predict adolescent academic achievement. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 47(2), 158-168. https://doi.org/10.1177/01650254221137511
  • Eller, J., Magro, S. W., Roisman, G. I., & Simpson, J. A. (2022). The predictive significance of fluctuations in early maternal sensitivity for secure base script knowledge and relationship effectiveness in adulthood. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39(10), 3044-3058. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221077640
  • Kunkel, J. J., Magro, S. W., Bleil, M. E., Booth-LaForce, C., Vandell, D. L., Fraley, R. C., & Roisman, G. I. (2022). Early maternal sensitivity and markers of physical health: Enduring or transient associations from childhood to adulthood? Developmental Psychology, 58(12), 2252–2263. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001430
  • Mondi, C. F., Rihal, T. K., Magro, S. W., Kerber, S., & Carlson, E. A. (2022). Childcare providers’ views of challenging child behaviors, suspension, and expulsion: A qualitative analysis. Infant Mental Health Journal, 43(5), 695-713. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.22005
  • Waters, T. E. A., Magro, S. W., Alhajeri, J., Yang, R., Groh, A. M., Haltigan, J. D., Holland, A. S., Steele, R., Bost, K. K. F., Owen, M. T., Vaughn, B. E., Booth-LaForce, C., & Roisman, G. I. (2021). Early child care experiences and attachment representations at age 18 years: Evidence from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Developmental Psychology, 57(4), 548-556. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001165
  • Magro, S. W., Fraley, R. C., & Roisman, G. I. (2020). Early maternal sensitivity and teacher-student relationship quality across grade school: Enduring or transient associations? Child Development, 91(4), 883-901. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13322
  • Magro, S. W., Utesch, T., Dreiskämper, D., & Wagner, J. (2019). Self-esteem development in middle childhood: Support for sociometer theory. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 43(2), 118-127. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025418802462
  • Reynolds, A. J., Magro, S. W., Ou, S.-R., & Eales, L. (2019). Do parent involvement and school quality predict adult smoking? Findings from an urban cohort. Preventive Medicine, 127(105768), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105768

Under review

  • Magro, S. W., Hobbs, K. A., Li, P. H., Swenson, P., Riegelman, A., Rios, J. A., & Roisman, G. I. (revised and resubmitted). Meta-analytic associations between the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale and students’ social competence with peers. Manuscript invited to revise and resubmit at School Psychology Review.
  • Mondi, C. F., Magro, S. W., Rihal, T. K., & Carlson, E. A. (revised and resubmitted). Emotional burnout and perceptions of child behavior among childcare professionals. Manuscript invited to revise and resubmit at Early Childhood Education Journal.
  • Magro, S. W., Mondi, C. F., Rihal, T. K., & Carlson, E. A. (under review). Site and provider characteristics predict the use of exclusionary discipline in Minnesota early care and education sites. Manuscript under review at Early Education and Development. 
  • Nivison, M. D., Caldo, P. D., Magro, S. W., Raby, K. L., Groh, A. M., Fraley, R. C., Carlson, E. A.,  Simpson, J. A., & Roisman, G. I. (under review). The predictive validity of the Strange Situation Procedure: Evidence from pre-registered analyses of two landmark longitudinal studies. Manuscript under review at Developmental and Psychopathology. Preregistration at https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/WKVUP

Chapters, Policy Reports, and Practice Guidelines

  • Magro, S. W., VanMeter, F., & Roisman, G. I. (in press). Attachment, regulation, and the development of coping. In E. A. Skinner & M. J. Zimmer-Gembeck (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook on the Development of Coping. Cambridge University Press.
  • Kroupina, M., Dahl, C. M., Magro, S. W., Stuppy, J. J., & Georgieff, M. K. (2023). A complex case with Axis I co-morbidity: Leah, 2 years old. In K. Mulrooney, M. Keren, & J. D. Osofsky (Eds.), DC:0-5 Casebook. ZERO TO THREE.
  • Magro, S. W., & Center for Early Education and Development (2023). Introducing it: Understanding and Recognizing the Effect of Trauma on Young Children. University of Minnesota. https://ceed.umn.edu/tip-sheets-the-effects-of-trauma-on-young-children/
  • Magro, S. W., & Center for Early Education and Development (2023). Applying it: Responding to the Effects of Trauma on Young Children. University of Minnesota. https://ceed.umn.edu/tip-sheets-the-effects-of-trauma-on-young-children/
  • Meuwissen, A., Magro, S. W., & Watson, C. (2022). What does reflective supervision/consultation look like in practice? Examining variation in implementation. Center for Early Education and Development (CEED) Reports. https://hdl.handle.net/11299/227128
  • Carlson, E. A., Mondi, C. F., & Magro, S. W. (2020). Minnesota Early Care and Education (MECE) Study: A pilot study of statewide early childhood suspension and expulsion [Research and Policy Report for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health and Child Development Services Divisions]. Report available upon request.

Poster Presentations

  • Magro, S. W., Eller, J., Carlson, E. A., & Fraley, R. C. (2023, March 23). The enduring versus transient predictive significance of consistency in early parental sensitivity for psychopathology symptoms [Poster presentation]. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.
  • Rihal, T., Mondi-Rago, C., Magro, S. W., & Carlson, E. A. (2021, April 23). Predictors of childcare provider emotional burnout: Associated demographic and systemic variables [Poster presentation]. Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, online.
  • Rihal, T., Mondi-Rago, C., Magro, S. W., & Carlson, E. A. (2021, April 9). Predictors of childcare suspension and expulsion: Childcare site demographics and childcare provider emotional burnout [Poster presentation]. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, online.
  • Caldo, P., Nivison, M. D., Magro, S. W., Raby, L., Groh, A., Fraley, R. C., Carlson, E. A., Simpson, J., & Roisman, G. I. (2021, April 8). The significance of infant attachment security for socioemotional outcomes and academic skills across development [Poster presentation]. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, online.
  • Kerber, S., Magro, S. W., Mondi-Rago, C., Rihal, T., & Carlson, E. A. (2021, April 8). Listening to the voices of child care providers: Policies, supports, and challenges [Poster presentation]. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, online.
  • Magro, S. W., Wright, A. G., Gates, K. M., & Krueger, R. F. (2020, February 26). Individual differences in the within-person structure of internalizing and externalizing problems [Poster presentation]. Society for Personality and Social Psychology Convention, New Orleans, LA, United States.
  • Magro, S. W., Mondi, C. F., Kohli, N., & Reynolds, A. J. (2019, March 21). Maternal depression and socioemotional skill development in the Midwest Child-Parent Center Expansion [Poster presentation]. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, MD, United States.
  • Magro, S. W., Utesch, T., Dreiskämper, D., & Wagner, J. (2017, June 10). Social support and self-esteem development in middle childhood: An international perspective [Poster presentation]. Association for Research in Personality Biennial Conference, Sacramento, CA, United States.
  • Magro, S. W., Svoboda, R. C., Thomas, S. E., & Haase, C. M. (2016, May 6). Big Five personality traits predict emotional reactivity [Poster presentation]. Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL, United States.
  • Magro, S. W., & Cho, G. E. (2016, April 23). Emotion identification ability and academic competency in preschool-aged students [Poster presentation]. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
  • Magro, S. W., Svoboda, R. C., Thomas, S. E., & Haase, C. M. (2016, March 19). Big Five personality traits predict emotional reactivity [Poster presentation]. Annual Conference of the Society for Affective Science, Chicago, IL, United States.

Research Talks

  • Magro, S., Mondi-Rago, C., Rihal, T., & Carlson, E. (2023, April 16). Predicting expulsions from Minnesota early care and education sites: Site and provider characteristics. In C. A. Wiltshire (Chair), Policies and practices impacting children [Symposium]. Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL, United States.
  • Magro, S., DeJoseph, M., & Roisman, G. (2023, April 15). Using MNLFA to test and adjust for measurement noninvariance in the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale. In J. Mee (Chair), Measurement invariance [Symposium]. Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL, United States.
  • Magro, S. W., Mondi-Rago, C. F., Rihal, T. K., & Carlson, E. A. (2023, March 23). “So many people are depending on me”: Stressors and supports among Minnesota child care professionals. In A. P. Williford (Chair), Looking out for teachers who are looking after our children: Examining teacher stressors and supports [Symposium]. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.
  • Magro, S. W., Hobbs, K. A., Li, P. H., Swenson, P., Riegelman, A., Rios, J., & Roisman, G. I. (2021, April 9). Meta-analytic associations between teacher-student relationship quality and children’s social competence. In A. N. Blankson (Moderator), Teacher-student and peer relationships as learning contexts [Flash talk symposium]. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, online.
  • Magro, S. W., Fraley, R. C., & Roisman, G. I. (2019, March 23). Early maternal sensitivity and the quality of teacher-student relationships across grade school. In S. W. Magro & G. I. Roisman (Chairs), Child development in the school context: Origins and consequences of teacher and parental influence [Symposium]. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, MD, United States.