Danyka Therriault

Bio

From my first semester as a psychoeducation student, my career path was mapped out for me: complete my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and then become a counsellor for adolescents with serious externalizing behaviour problems. For a long time, I said to myself: “Research? Not for me.” Through my experiences as a research assistant, I discovered that research could be close to people and I was fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes. I therefore opted for the research profile in my masters program and went on to pursue a doctorate! In this work, I was particularly interested in predictors of the quality of parent-child and peer relationships, and their impact on the adoption of risky sexual behaviours. Then, my time at the RBC University Centre for Mental Health Expertise led me to take a more specific interest in the issue of anxiety and innovative initiatives to prevent it. I was challenged by the multidimensional aspect of this complex and omnipresent problem in our society today, both in childhood and adolescence.

My research combines my various interests and aims to develop a better understanding of the role of the relationships that children and adolescents have with their loved ones (parents, peers, teachers, etc.) in the prevention of anxiety, and to evaluate the effects of mental health promotion and anxiety prevention initiatives. I am particularly interested in universal and targeted prevention programs that focus on developing social-emotional skills, because all children and youth deserve an equal opportunity to develop the tools they need to face life’s challenges! This work falls primarily within the scope of GRISE Axis 1, which aims to foster the coping skills of at-risk youth.

See the team