Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Family Social Science, 2012
M.A., University of Minnesota, Family Social Science, 2009
B.A., University of Minnesota, Psychology, 2006

• Adolescence and young adulthood
• Alcohol and substance use
• Externalizing and internalizing behaviors and disorders
• Parenting, peer, sibling, romantic relationships
• Personality and temperament
• Risk, protective, and resilience factors
• Transdiagnostic factors (emotion regulation, impulsivity, disinhibition, negative affect)

HDFS 2010     LIFESPAN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN FAMILY CONTEXT
HDFS 3030     ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT IN THE FAMILY
HDFS 3980     UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND STUDY
HDFS 4980     ADVANCED UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
HFDS 7010     CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT IN CONTEXT
HDFS 7900     DIRECTED STUDIES
HDFS 7990     RESEARCH AND THESIS
HDFS 8990     RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION

2024   Nominated for the Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, College of Human Sciences, Association of           Public and Land Grant Universities
2020   Awarded the SGA Faculty Member of the Year for the College of Human Sciences, Auburn University
2018   Nominated for SGA Outstanding Faculty Member from the College of Human Sciences
2017   Accepted to participate in the competitive Early Career Reward program for the
      Center of Scientific Review (NIH)
2016   Faculty Excellence Award, Department of Human Development and Family Science
2016   Outstanding Professional Paper/Publications Award by the Families and Health Section of the NCFR
2015   Outstanding New Professional Paper Award by the Families and Health Section of the NCFR

Identifying risk and protective factors for recurrent and potentially co-occurring mental health and problematic substance use at key developmental transitions: Addressing the unique needs of college students of color at a predominately white institution
Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station Seed Grant
Principal Investigator: Diana R. Samek

Description:The purpose of this study is to oversample first-year students of color via a cohort-sequential, longitudinal design (N = ~400, ~70% BIPOC, ~50% female, ~16% LGBTQ+) to evaluate psychosocial risk and protective factors for internalizing symptoms and potentially co-occurring problematic substance use among adolescents/emerging adults as they transition through college.

College Experiences Leading to Chronic Alcohol Use Disorder and Depression
Auburn University Intramural Grants Program
Principal Investigator: Diana R. Samek

The purpose this study is to follow-up on the 209 original first and second year AU students (data collected in the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 academic years) when they are estimated to be in first year post-graduation (2019-2020 academic year). The proposed study is comprehensive in measurement and covers the gamut of risk and protective factors for AUD and depression, including assessments of personality, stress, and social-relational context, including, parent support, antisocial peer affiliation, and romantic relationship experiences. Outcomes of the proposed study include identification of what risk factors in the first and second year of college that predict chronic and comorbid AUD and depression one-year post-college.

Persistence of Alcohol Use Disorders: Person and Environment Effects
National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Principal Investigator: Diana R. Samek

The purpose of this study was to identify complex processes of individual-social context interplay as it relates to substance use disorder onset and course from adolescence through late young adulthood. The six-wave Minnesota Twin Family Study (N = 2,769) is used to address this, with comprehensive assessments of personality, substance use, and social context at each time point. More information about the MTFS and the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research can be found here.

Samek, D.R., Crumly-Goodwin, B., Akua, B.A., Duke-Marks, A. & Hinnant, B. (2025). Negative emotions associated with recent national/international traumatic events, links to internalizing symptoms, and exacerbation by frequent/intense social media use. Emerging Adulthood, online first publication, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1177/21676968251344665

Samek, D.R., *Crumly, B., *Akua, B.A., Dawson, M., & Duke-Marks, A. (2024). Microaggressions, perceptions of campus climate, mental health, and alcohol use among first-year students of color. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 34, 96-113. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12897

Samek, D.R., *Akua, B.A., *Crumly, B., Duke-Marks, A. (2024). Increasing mental health issues in college students from 2016-2019: Assessing the intersections of race/ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. Journal of Affective Disorders, 354, 216-223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.03.068

Samek, D.R. & *Akua, B.A. (2022). Predictors of stable alcohol use disorder and potentially co-occurring depressive symptoms: Insights from the longitudinal College Experiences Study. Journal of Adolescence, 94(6), 844-854. https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12068

*Nichols, L.R., Samek, D.R., *McConnell, L. (2019). Key personality traits and alcohol use disorder symptoms in first and second year college students: Detangling antecedent from consequence. Addictive Behaviors, 89, 178-187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.10.004

*Goodman, R.J., Samek, D.R., Wilson, S., Iacono, W.G., & McGue, M. (2019). Features of interpersonal relationship context and major depressive disorder symptoms: Exploring antecedent vs. consequence using a developmental cascade approach. Development and Psychopathology, 31, 1451-1465. doi: 10.1017/S0954579418001037

Samek, D.R., Hicks, B., Durbin, E. Hinnant, J.B., McGue, M., & Iacono, W.G. (2018). Co-development between key personality traits and alcohol use disorder from adolescence through young adulthood. Journal of Personality, 86, 261-282. doi: 10.1111/jopy.12311

Samek, D.R., *Goodman, R., Erath, S. McGue, M., & Iacono, W.G. (2016). Antisocial peer affiliation and externalizing disorders in the transition from adolescent to young adulthood: Selection versus socialization effects. Developmental Psychology, 52, 813-823. doi: 10.1037/dev0000109

Samek, D.R., Rueter, M.A., Keyes, M.A., McGue, M., & Iacono, W.G. (2015). Parent involvement, sibling companionship, and adolescent substance use: A longitudinal, genetically-informed design. Journal of Family Psychology, 29(4), 614-623. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000097

*indicates graduate student