professional portrait

Syracuse University Falk College Human Development and Family Science
144D White Hall
Syracuse, New York  13244

315.443.7377
rrazza@syr.edu

Experts Profile

CV available upon request

Rachel Razza

Ph.D.
Department Chair
Graduate Director (co-chair)
Associate Professor

Dr. Razza’s research focuses on:

  • The biological and contextual factors that promote self-regulation among children and youth
  • The benefits of mindfulness-based programs for promoting resilience in schools and communities, particularly those exposed to concentrated poverty and/or high levels of trauma
  • The cognitive, social-emotional, and neural mechanisms of mindfulness-based practice
  • Learn more about The SELF (Social-Emotional Learning and Functioning) Regulation Lab

Dr. Razza will be accepting graduate students for fall 2024

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow, Developmental Psychology, National Center for Children and Families, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, N.Y. Mentor: Jeanne Brooks-Gunn (2005-2007)

Ph.D. Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA (2005)

M.S. Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA (2001)

B.A. Psychology, State University of New York College (SUNY) at Geneseo, Geneseo, NY (1999)

Specialization

Social and cognitive development in at-risk children and youth; development and benefits of self-regulation; school readiness skills; mindfulness-based intervention; program evaluation

Statistical Expertise

SPSS, STATA, SEM, Program Fidelity and Efficacy analyses, Experimental design and evaluation

Courses

HFS 331 - Play, Childhood Development & Early Education

HFS 345 - The Developing Infant

HFS 452/652 - Mindfulness in Children & Youth

HFS 458 – The Science of Caring and Sharing

HFS 637 - Theories, Interpretations & Applications in Child Development

HFS 736 - Development of Self-Regulation in Children and Youth

Recent Publications

  • Brann, L. S., Razza, R. A., & Smith, C. S. (2022). The feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a mindfulness intervention on preschooler’s executive function and eating behaviors. Early Education and Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2022.2154579
  • Zhang, Y., Razza, R. A., Wang, Q., & Bergen-Cico, D., & Liu, Q. (2022). Mechanisms of change underlying mindfulness-based practice among adolescents. Mindfulness, 13, 1445-1457. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01881-z
  • Zhang, Y., & Razza, R. A. (2022). Father involvement, couple relationship quality, and maternal postpartum depression: The role of ethnicity among low-income families. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 26(7), 1424-1433. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-022-03407-4
  • Reid, S., & Razza, R.A. (2022). Exploring the efficacy of a school-based mindful yoga program on socioemotional awareness and response to stress among elementary school students. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 31, 138-141. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-021-02136-6
  • Bergen-Cico, D., Grant, T., Hirshfield, L., Razza, R., Costa, M., & Kilaru, P. (2021). Using fNIRS to examine neural mechanisms of change associated with mindfulness-based interventions for stress and trauma: Results of a pilot study for women. Mindfulness, 12, 2295-2310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01705-6
  • Razza, R. A., Bergen-Cico, D., Reid, S., & Linsner Uveges, R. (2021). The benefits of mindfulness for promoting resilience among at-risk adolescents: Results from the Inner Strength Teen Program. ECNU Review of Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/2096531120982254