Bio
Christine Pajunar Li-Grining is an expert on the study of low-income children’s self-regulation, school readiness, and academic achievement, in the contexts of early childhood education, early intervention, child care, and policy. She approaches her research with a risk and resilience framework, and is expanding her expertise into the study of the well-being of immigrant children and families. She has published her research in the top peer-reviewed journals in developmental psychology, and her work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals in applied developmental science, as well as in edited books and via policy outlets. Li-Grining’s research involves analysis of archival data, primary data collection, and randomized intervention. She is Co-Principal Investigator of the Chicago School Readiness Project (with Principal Investigator C. Cybele Raver), which is a multi-component mental health intervention program designed to improve low-income children’s school readiness by enhancing their self-regulatory skills. Li-Grining was a Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellow, and an American Psychological Association Post-Doctoral Fellow through the Minority Fellowship Program. She is also the recipient of the Spencer Foundation Exemplary Dissertation Award and the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Outstanding Dissertation Award in Early Education and Child Development. She earned a Ph.D. in Human Development and Social Policy from the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University, an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Development from the Erikson Institute, and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Chicago.
Education & Training
Dr. Christine P. Li-Grining
- Ph.D., Human Development and Social Policy, Northwestern University
- M.A., Human Development and Social Policy, Northwestern University
- M.Ed., Early Childhood Development, Loyola University Chicago and Erikson Institute
- B.A. Sociology, University of Chicago
- Dr. Li-Grining's Loyola University website
Research Interests
- Self-Regulation, School Readiness, and Academic Achievement
- Early and Middle Childhood Development
- Child Care, Early Childhood Education, and Early Childhood Intervention
- Poverty-Related Risk and Resilience
- Education and Social Policy
- Children of Immigrants
Courses Taught
Undergraduate Level:
Prerequisite: none
Description: Globalization from a psychological perspective. Applying core psychological concepts, research and theory to cross-cultural issues of behavior and development. Topics may include human rights of children, human trafficking, immigration, moral issues of international trade, parenting across cultures.
Outcomes: Students will learn basic concepts and theories and apply them to real-world globalization problems. Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Description: Survey of theory and research relevant to human growth and development with emphasis on physical, cognitive, and social
development from infancy through adolescence.
Outcomes: Students will demonstrate understanding of basic theory and research in human development, and will develop skills in critical examination of psychological research as applied to current issues in human development. Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Description: This course is an introduction to fundamentals of statistical analysis in psychology.
Outcomes: Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze data, interpret the results of research using basic statistical methods, and understand
the conceptual foundation, appropriate use, and limitations of these statistical methods. Prerequisites: Membership in the psychology honors award program or in the college honors program and approval of the department honors advisor.
Description: Directed readings and development of a formal research proposal on a topic of interest to the student and the faculty member with whom he/she has chosen to work.
Outcomes: Students will write a literature review and research proposal for the honors thesis. Prerequisite: PSYC 369
Description: Students carry out the research proposed in PSYC 369 and prepare a formal report constituting the honors thesis. Approval of the thesis by the honors committee earns the psychology honors award. PSYC 370 is a capstone course.
Outcomes: Students will conduct research, analyze and interpret data, and write a thesis. Prerequisites: PSYC 306 and approval of internship coordinator. Limited to psychology majors with senior standing.
Description: Capstone opportunity to conduct research under the guidance of a psychology faculty member. Only one of PSYC 397 and 399 may count toward the psychology major.
Outcomes: Students will gain experience in all aspects of psychological research, including literature review, formulating hypotheses, designing and
conducting research, analyzing data and interpreting results, communicating the results of research in written reports. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and department.
Description: Opportunity for individual reading or research in a specialized area not otherwise covered by the department's course offerings. Only one of PSYC 397 and 399 may count toward the psychology major.
Outcomes: Students will gain experience (e.g., integrating research results from various sources, conducting research) working directly with a faculty member on a current topic in psychology.
Description: Globalization from a psychological perspective. Applying core psychological concepts, research and theory to cross-cultural issues of behavior and development. Topics may include human rights of children, human trafficking, immigration, moral issues of international trade, parenting across cultures.
Outcomes: Students will learn basic concepts and theories and apply them to real-world globalization problems. Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Description: Survey of theory and research relevant to human growth and development with emphasis on physical, cognitive, and social
development from infancy through adolescence.
Outcomes: Students will demonstrate understanding of basic theory and research in human development, and will develop skills in critical examination of psychological research as applied to current issues in human development. Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Description: This course is an introduction to fundamentals of statistical analysis in psychology.
Outcomes: Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze data, interpret the results of research using basic statistical methods, and understand
the conceptual foundation, appropriate use, and limitations of these statistical methods. Prerequisites: Membership in the psychology honors award program or in the college honors program and approval of the department honors advisor.
Description: Directed readings and development of a formal research proposal on a topic of interest to the student and the faculty member with whom he/she has chosen to work.
Outcomes: Students will write a literature review and research proposal for the honors thesis. Prerequisite: PSYC 369
Description: Students carry out the research proposed in PSYC 369 and prepare a formal report constituting the honors thesis. Approval of the thesis by the honors committee earns the psychology honors award. PSYC 370 is a capstone course.
Outcomes: Students will conduct research, analyze and interpret data, and write a thesis. Prerequisites: PSYC 306 and approval of internship coordinator. Limited to psychology majors with senior standing.
Description: Capstone opportunity to conduct research under the guidance of a psychology faculty member. Only one of PSYC 397 and 399 may count toward the psychology major.
Outcomes: Students will gain experience in all aspects of psychological research, including literature review, formulating hypotheses, designing and
conducting research, analyzing data and interpreting results, communicating the results of research in written reports. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and department.
Description: Opportunity for individual reading or research in a specialized area not otherwise covered by the department's course offerings. Only one of PSYC 397 and 399 may count toward the psychology major.
Outcomes: Students will gain experience (e.g., integrating research results from various sources, conducting research) working directly with a faculty member on a current topic in psychology.
Graduate Level:
- PSYC 545 - Child Development and Social Policy
