Scholarly Work

Recent Publications

  • Craig, J. T., Steggerda, J. C., Elledge, L. C., Gregus, S. J., Pastrana Rivera, F. A.,  Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Cavell, T. A. (2026). The construct of lunchroom peer acceptance: Exploring its nomological net in an elementary school sample. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly. Advance online publication. 

  • Alvarez-Hernandez, L. R., Villalobos, B. T., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & *Ning, Y. (2026). “Insist on exploring queerness”: LGBTQ+ Latines advice on mental health services engagement. Journal of LGBTQ+ Mental Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/30678935.2026.2701773

  • Alvarez-Hernandez, L. R., Villalobos, B. T., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., Logan, C., Mena Teran, J., *Estrada Gonzalez, S. M. (2026). “It was basically don’t say gay with a therapist face”: LGBTQAP Latinx Individuals’ Experiences with Mental Health Services in South Texas.  Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000904  

  • Chen, N-T. N., Kee-Rose, K., Villalobos, B. T., *Ortiz, M., & Lee, H. (2025). An in-depth exploration into college students' information acquisition and evaluation behaviors during the COVID-19 infodemic. Frontiers in Communication, 10(1529161). https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1529161

  • Ramirez, A., Montenegro, M. C., Villalobos, B. T., Fresno Cañada, N., Gonzalez Nuñez, G., Calderon, R., Perez Kantor, S., Mares, M., *Ortiz, M., *Noel, G., & Montiel-Nava, C. (2025) Cultural and linguistic adaptation of an autism parent-mediated intervention for Spanish-speaking Latinos. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-06921-w

  • Alvarez-Hernandez, L. R., Villalobos, B. T., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., **Logan, C., **Mena Teran, J., & **Estrada Gonzalez, S. M. (2025). “It was basically don’t say gay with a therapist face”: LGBTQAP Latinx individuals’ experiences with mental health services in South Texas. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. Advance online publication.

  • Lozano, L., Villalobos, B. T., Castro, V., & Hernandez Rodriguez, J. (2024). What’s the right move? The relation between relocating and psychosocial outcomes among Latinx college students. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/153819272412284

Recent Oral Presentations

  • Estrada, I., Hernandez Rodriguez, J. (2026, August 7). Understanding the Mental Health Needs of Latinx Mixed-Status Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic. [Oral Presentation]. Office of Undergraduate Research, SUNRISE Symposium 2026, California State University, Northridge, CA, United States.

  • Gregus, S. J., Cooley, J. L., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Ricker, B. T. (2026, August 6–8). Parent perspectives on bullying and the need for an online workshop. In J. L. Cooley (chair), Novel prevention & intervention approaches for bullying/peer victimization [Symposium]. American Psychological Association Convention, Washington, DC, United States.

  • Chen, N.-T. N., Kee, K., Villalobos, B. T., & Lee, H. (2026, June 28–July 2). Integrating cognitive, emotional, and information-seeking models to predict COVID-19 vaccine uptake and intention [Flash talk]. Annual Conference of the International Association for Media and Communication Research, Galway, Ireland.

  • Alvarez-Hernandez, L., Ning, Y., Villalobos, B. T., & Hernandez Rodriguez, J. (2026, January 14–18, accepted). "Insist on Exploring Queerness": LGBTQ+ Latines Advice on Mental Health Services Engagement [Oral presentation]. Society for Social Work and Research 30th Annual Conference.  

  • Montiel-Nava, C., Villalobos, B. T., Montenegro, M., Ramirez, A., Noel, G., Ortiz, M., Calderon, R., Perez, S., & Mares, M. (2024, August 5-8). CST Rio Grande Valley: Cultural and linguistic adaptation for Latino Spanish-speaking caregivers of autistic children. In S, Dababnah (Chair), WHO Caregiver Skills Training: Emerging evidence from diverse communities [Symposium]. International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 17th World Conference, Chicago, IL, United States.

  • Chen, N.-T. N., Kee, K., Villalobos, B. T., Ortiz, M., & Lee, H. (2024, June 30–July 4). COVID-19 vaccination information scanning and seeking: What do digital natives use and trust? [Paper presentation]. Annual Conference of the International Association for Media and Communication Research, Christchurch, New Zealand.

  • Gonzalez Zapata, D., Briones, M., Callahan, J., Diaz-Batanero, C., De la Rosa-Caceres, A., Fresno Cañada, N., Kotov. R., Simms, L., Villalobos, B. T., & Ruggero, C. J. (2024, July 2-5). Spanish adaptation of the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology-Self Report (HiTOP-SR): towards a unified version across different cultural contexts. [Oral presentation]. International Test Commission Conference, Granada, Spain.

  • Alvarez-Hernandez, L., Villalobos, B. T., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., Logan, C., Mena Teran, J., & Estrada Gonzalez, S. M. (2024, June 14-16). “Don't say gay with a therapist face”: Texan LGBTQ+ Latinxs and therapy [Paper presentation]. Society for Qualitative Inquiry in Psychology Annual Conference, Boston, MA, United States.

  • Gonzalez Zapata, D., Briones, M., Callahan, J., Diaz-Batanero, C., Fresno Cañada, N., Kotov. R., Simms, L., Villalobos, B. T., Brewster, N., & Ruggero, C. J. (2024, March 16-17). Adapting HiTOP-SR for use in Spanish [Conference session]. Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) Conference, San Diego, CA, United States.

  • Auguste, E., Busby, D., Kawennison Fetter, A., Stanley, D. C., Jr., Kokokyi, S., Villalobos, B. T. (2024, January 18-19). Finding our way together toward liberation: A dynamic dialogue for transformation [Roundtable panelist]. National Multicultural Conference & Summit, Santa Fe, NM, United States.

  • Alvarez-Hernandez, L., Villalobos, B. T., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., Logan, C., Pena, M., & Estrada Gonzalez, S. M. (2024, January 12). LGBTQ+ Latinxs share their experiences with mental health services in South Texas [Paper presentation]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, D.C., United States.

Recent Poster Presentations

  • *Hsieh, M., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Villalobos, B. T. (2026, November 12–15). Social risk and social protection in Latinx mental health: The roles of ethnic discrimination and support during the COVID-19 pandemic [Poster presentation]. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Annual Convention, Baltimore, MD, United States.

  • Jimenez, K. A., Villalobos, B. T., & Hernandez Rodriguez, J. (2026, October 17). Closing the gap: Mentorship and support in Latinx psychology students’ graduate school preparation. [Poster presentation]. National Latinx Psychological Association Conference, Denver, CO, United States.

  • Estrada, I., Hernandez Rodriguez, J. (2026, August 7). Understanding the Mental Health Needs of Latinx Mixed-Status Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic. [Oral Presentation]. Office of Undergraduate Research, SUNRISE Symposium 2026, California State University, Northridge, CA, United States.

  • *McAdam, E., Villalobos, B. T, &Hernandez Rodriguez, J. (2026 August 6–8). Impacts of COVID-19 on Latinxs: PTSD, barriers to care, and service use. [Poster presentation]. American Psychological Association Convention, Washington D.C., United States.

  • Gonzalez, K., Mondragon, B., *Jimenez, K., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Villalobos, B. T. (2026, April 10). Mentorship access and intentions to pursue higher education among Latinx psychology undergraduates. [Poster presentation]. CSUNPosium Annual Research and Creative Works Symposium, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA, United States.

  • **Hernandez, A., *McAdam, E., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Villalobos, B. T. (2026, April 10). Fueling the drive: How ganas and resilience shape Latinx graduate school aspirations. [Poster presentation]. CSUNPosium Annual Research and Creative Works Symposium, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA, United States.

  • **Padilla, A. É., Jimenez, K., *Bradner, S., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Villalobos, B. T. (2026, April 10). Self- and public stigma as predictors of Latinx college students intentions to pursue graduate training in psychology [Poster presentation]. CSUNPosium Annual Research and Creative Works Symposium, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA, United States.

  • **Estrada, I., McAdam, E.,Vasquez Hernandez, J., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Villalobos, B. T. (2026, April 10). Barriers to postgraduate education in Latinxs: An exploration of financial distress and academic motivation to pursue a graduate degree in psychology. [Poster presentation]. CSUNPosium Annual Research and Creative Works Symposium, California State University, Northridge, CA, United States.

  • **Flores, B., Villalobos, B. T., &Hernandez Rodriguez, J. (2026, March 7th). Service utilization among the Latinx community before and during the COVID-19 pandemic [Poster presentation]. The Latino Medical Student Association – West Regional Conference, University of California, Davis, CA, United States.

  • **Hernandez, A., Jimenez, K., McAdams, E., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Villalobos, B. T. (2026, April 30–May 3). Did familism help or hurt Latinx adults during the COVID-19 pandemic? [Poster presentation]. Western Psychological Association, Tacoma, WA, United States.

  • **Estrada, I., McAdam, E., Jimenez, K., Faith, M., Gregus, S., &Hernandez Rodriguez, J. (2026, April 30–May 3). Predicting caregiver telemental health use during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of child internalizing symptoms. [Poster presentation]. Western Psychological Association, Tacoma, WA, United States.

  • Montiel-Nava, C., *Ortiz, M., *Ramirez, A. C., *Montenegro, M. C., Matheus, G., Villalobos, B. T., Calderon, R., Perez, S., & Mares, M. (2025, May 2). Transborder solutions: Empowering Latino caregivers of autistic children along the US-Mexico border [Poster presentation]. International Society for Autism Research, Seattle, WA, United States.

  • Garrido, A., *Montenegro, M., *Ramirez, A. C., *Ortiz, M., Matheus, G., Villarreal, V. L., Villalobos, B. T., Fresno Cañada, N., Gonzalez Nuñez, G., Calderon, R., Perez, S., Mares, M., & Montiel-Nava, C. (2025, May 1). Collaborating for change: Adapting an autism parent-mediated intervention for Spanish-speaking Latinos [Poster presentation]. International Society for Autism Research, Seattle, WA, United States.

  • Montiel-Nava, C., *Ortiz, M., *Ramirez, A. C., *Montenegro, M. C., *Noel, G., Villalobos, B. T., Calderon, R., Perez Kantor, S., & Mares, M. (2025, April 9). Culturally adapted WHO Caregiver Skills Training: Supporting Latino families of autistic children in the border region [Poster presentation]. 57th Annual Gatlinburg Conference, San Diego, CA, United States.

  • *Ramirez, V., Gregus, S., Faith, M., & Hernandez Rodriguez, J. (2024, October 17–19). Examining demographic differences in adults accessing medical and mental health service use during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Poster presentation]. National Latinx Psychological Association Conference, San Juan, PR, United States.

  • Lozano, L. A., Choi, J., Villalobos, B. T., & Hernandez Rodriguez, J. (2024, October 17-19). Moving for college and mental health: The mediating role of support from family and friends [Poster]. National Latinx Psychological Association 2024 Conference, San Juan, PR.

  • Gonzalez, A., Ramirez, V., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Villalobos, B. T. (2024, April 16-17). The relation between attachment styles and mental health in Latinx college-involved parents [Poster]. Annual UTRGV Engaged Scholar Symposium, Edinburg, TX, United States.

  • Velasco, E., Zapata, R. I., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Villalobos, B. T. (2024, April 16-17). Association between attachment styles and mental health service utilization among college-attending parents [Poster]. Annual UTRGV Engaged Scholar Symposium, Edinburg, TX, United States.

  • Hernandez, W., Logan, C., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Villalobos, B. T. (2024, April 16-17). College parents’ attachment styles and their impact on academic outcomes [Poster]. Annual UTRGV Engaged Scholar Symposium, Edinburg, TX, United States.

  • Mena Teran, J., Saenz, J., Reyes, R., Hernandez Rodriguez, J., & Villalobos, B. T. (2024, April 16-17). Latinx collegiate parenting styles: Observing the impact of respeto on child rearing [Poster]. Annual UTRGV Engaged Scholar Symposium, Edinburg, TX, United States.