Claire Waller is a fourth-year Psychology major and Applied Developmental Psychology minor completing an honors thesis under Dr. Jennifer Silvers in the Social Affective Neuroscience and Development lab. In her independent study of UCLA undergraduates, Claire leverages thus-far neglected attraction-based measures of orientation to dissect how social support and identity development may predict heightened rates of depression and anxiety in sexual minorities. Her previous work with Dr. Silvers has explored neurodevelopmental resilience and risk factors for depression and anxiety in youth adopted from caregiving institutions abroad as compared to youth raised by their birth families. Under Dr. Katie Karlsgodt, Claire investigated the potentially differential impact of social rejection on cognitive control in LGBT+ versus cisgender heterosexual undergraduates. Claire’s research interests center on the adaptive nature of individual developmental responses to adversity, especially in early life. Claire hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology to develop evidence-based systemic reforms promoting mental health in youth with experiences of abuse, neglect, and oppression.