APEx Lab

Dr. Alexandria K. Johnson, Ph.D. (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Psychological Science at Ball State University. Dr. Johnson received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a concentration in Psychology & Law from the University of Alabama. She completed an APA-accredited predoctoral internship at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center and an APA-accredited postdoctoral clinical psychology fellowship at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Further information on current publications may be found at: Google Scholar, LinkdIn, Research Gate.

Laughlin Aschenbrenner is a first-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology M.A. program and the Quantitative Psychology M.S. program. She received her B.S. in Psychology and minor in Applied Behavioral Analysis from Mississippi State University. Laughlin is interested in personality, specifically psychopathy and narcissism, and deviant behaviors and deviant sexual behaviors. Laughlin plans on pursuing her PhD in Clinical Psychology.

Kirsi Michael is a first-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology M.A. program. She received her Honors B.S. in Psychology and minors in French and Applied Forensics from The University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Kirsi’s work broadly focuses on psychological measurement and violence, emphasizing assessment. After graduating, Kirsi plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. 

Kimberly Ingold (she/her) graduated in 2022 from Ball State University. While at Ball State, Kimberly double majored in Psychological Science and Criminal Justice & Criminology, minored in Women’s and Gender Studies, and was in the Honors College. Her Senior Honor’s Thesis focused on public perception of solitary confinement under the supervision of Dr. Johnson. After graduating, Kimberly joined the Criminal Justice Sciences M.S. program at Illinois State University.

Molly Armstrong graduated from Ball State University with a major in Psychology and minors in Psychology of Human Development and International Studies. Her research interests lie primarily in the parenting styles, traumatic experiences, empathy levels, risk-taking and aggressive behaviors in children and adolescents. She is currently a master’s student in Ball State’s clinical psychology master’s program.

Deemah Alturkait is a second-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology M.A. program. She received her B.S. in Psychological Sciences and minor in Human Development and Family Studies from Purdue University. Deemah is interested in studying childhood trauma, empathy, personality, and externalizing behavior. She is especially interested in how environmental and cultural influences shape externalizing behavior, and how personality and resiliency play a role in differentiating between those who do and do not engage in violence, despite sharing similar environments. Deemah plans on pursuing her PhD in Clinical Psychology, with the ultimate goal of working as a professor and owning a private practice. Link to CV

Mattea is interested in exploring pathways to risk within the context of externalizing psychopathology in youth and families. With a particular focus on specific child-rearing environments, such as those characterized by poverty, parent-child relationships, intergenerational trauma, and early exposure to trauma, Mattea seeks to understand how these factors influence and potentially modify the quality of life and resilience among young individuals. Additionally, Mattea is interested in elevating the validity and cultural sensitivity of personality assessment through a concentrated examination of racial experiences and factors that potentially impact test scores.