Brandy Piña-Watson, Ph.D.

Research Interests

Dr. Piña-Watson’s research focuses on identifying individual, familial, cultural, and societal factors that promote resilience against the negative impact of stress on Latinx adolescent and emerging adult depression, suicidal ideation and behaviors, well-being, and academic outcomes. Her work primarily focuses on the Mexican descent population living within the United States.  Dr. Piña-Watson’s research agenda takes a holistic and resilience approach that acknowledges the complexity and intersection of various identities and contexts as they pertain to Latinx well-being and mental health disparities. 

Selected Research:

• *Bonilla, G. S., & Piña-Watson, B. (2025). Conflictos con papá y mamá: Exploring traditional gender roles, intergenerational conflict, and depressive symptom associations among Mexican descent college students. Journal of Child and Family Studies, (34), 1211–1224.
• Meza, J. I., Piña-Watson, B., *Garcia, A., *Manzo, G., & *Gonzalez, I. M. (2024). Caregiver-youth intergeneration acculturation conflict moderates the relationship between depression severity and suicidality among female Mexican-Descent college students. Journal of American College Health, 72(7), 2295-2305.
• **Jimenez, A., Piña-Watson, B., & *Manzo, G. (2022) Resilience through family: Family support as an academic and psychological protective resource for Mexican descent first generation college students. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 2, 352-363.
• *Manzo, G., Piña-Watson, B., *Gonzalez, I.M., Meza, J.I., & *Garcia, A. (2022) Disentangling acculturation and enculturation intergenerational gaps: Examining mother-youth value discrepancies & mental health among Mexican-descent college students. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 78(2), 298-320.
• Piña-Watson, B., *Cruz, A., & *Neduvelil, A. (2021). Caregiver-child relationship quality as a gateway for suicide risk resilience: Don’t discount the men in Mexican descent youths’ lives. Archives of Suicide Research, 24, 391-402.
• Piña-Watson, B., Romero, A. J., Navarro, R., Ojeda, L. (2019). Bicultural stress, coping, and psychological functioning among Mexican-descent and White college students. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75, 1249-1266.
• Piña-Watson, B., Llamas, J., **Garcia, A., & *Cruz, A. (2019). A multidimensional developmental approach to understanding intragroup marginalization and mental health among adolescents and emerging adults of Mexican descent. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 41, 42-62.
• Piña-Watson, B., *Martinez, A.J., **Cruz, L.N., Llamas, J.D., & López, B.G. (2018). Ethnic Identity Affirmation and Ambition for Academic Training among Mexican Descent Adolescents: Examining Depressive Symptoms, Life Satisfaction, and Academic Attitudes as Mediating Mechanisms. Psychology in the Schools, 55, 1155-170. doi:1002/pits.22188
• Piña-Watson, B., Das, M., Molleda, L., & Camacho, C. (2017). Ethnic Identity, Life Satisfaction, and Depressive Symptoms of Mexican Descent Adolescents: Self-Esteem as a Mediating Mechanism. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 39, 283-296.
• Piña-Watson, B., & Abraído-Lanza, A (2016). The intersection of fatalismo and pessimism on depressive symptoms and suicidality of Mexican American adolescents: An attribution perspective. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 23, 91-101.
• Piña-Watson, B., Lorenzo-Blanco, E.I.,*Dornhecker, M., *Martinez, A.J., & Nagoshi, J.L. (2016). Moving away from a cultural deficit to a holistic perspective: Traditional gender role values, academic attitudes, and educational goals for Mexican descent adolescents. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63, 307-318.
• Piña-Watson, B., Llamas, J., & *Stevens, A. K. (2015). Attempting to successfully straddle the cultural divide: Hopelessness model of bicultural stress, mental health, and caregiver connection for Mexican descent adolescents. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 62, 670.
• Piña-Watson, B., *Dornhecker, M., & *Salinas, S. R. (2015). The impact of bicultural stress on Mexican American adolescents’ depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation: Gender matters. Hispanic Journal of Behavior Sciences, 37, 342-364. 
• Piña-Watson, B., Castillo, L.G., Jung, E., & Ojeda, L., Castillo-Reyes, R. (2014). The Marianismo Beliefs Scale: Validation with Mexican American adolescent girls and boys. Journal of Latina/o Psychology, 2, 113-130. 
• Piña-Watson, B., Castillo, L. G., Rodriguez, K. M., & Ray, S. (2014). Brief report: Familial factors related to suicidal ideation Latina adolescents in the United States. Archives of Suicide Research. 18, 213-220. 
• Piña-Watson, B., Ojeda, L., Castellon, N., & Dornhecker, M. (2013). Familismo, ethnic identity, and bicultural stress as predictors of Mexican American adolescents’ positive psychological functioning. Journal of Latina/o Psychology, 1, 204-217.

 

* graduate student co-author; ** undergraduate student co-author

Clinical Interests:

Dr. Piña-Watson takes and integrative approach to therapy that draws heavily from interpersonal, humanistic-existential, and multicultural perspectives.  Her primary clinical interests include crisis intervention, and treatment of adolescent and adult populations with concerns such as depression, suicidal ideation and behaviors, anxiety, trauma, gender and sexuality issues, identity development, as well as familial and relational difficulties.

Teaching:

Graduate Level:

• PSY 5002– Counseling Practicum
• PSY 5396– Multicultural Counseling
• PSY 5105– Supervision and Consultation
• PSY 5205– Supervision Practicum
• PSY 5306 – Seminar in Professional Ethics
• PSY 5496 – Qualitative Research Methods

 

Graduate Students:
Aundrea Garcia
Hannah Yoo
Crys Mylls
M. Nina Hernandez De La Cerda Clinton
Daniela Navarro Verdugo
Bryce Robinson
Elizabeth Grado
Erica Martinez

                                

Ph.D. Alumni:
Alexis Arevalo (2019)
Ashley Martinez (2020)
Elizabeth Ortiz-Gonzalez (2020)
Abigail Cruz (2021)
Parker Donner (2021)
Daisy Aceves (2022)                                                 
Gabriela Manzo (2023)
Kymmalett Ross (2023)
Maria Sanchez (2024)
Gisel Suarez Bonilla (2024)
McCown Leggett (2025)

                                               

Dr. Piña-Watson will be accepting a graduate student in this upcoming application cycle (admission date Fall 2026)