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Williamson, Hannah
No

Hannah Williamson

Associate Professor, Research Lab Director (Academic)
Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, Population Research Center


Dr. Williamson will be accepting applications for PhD students for the 2025/2026 academic year.

hwilliamson@utexas.edu

Phone: 512-232-1967

Office Location
SEA 2.434

Postal Address
108 E DEAN KEETON ST
AUSTIN, TX 78712

My program of research focuses on strengthening families, particularly among under-served groups, including low-income and ethnic minority couples. I conduct basic and applied studies that examine relationship processes and test various theoretically-derived intervention strategies for disadvantaged couples.

I received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Rochester in 2008 and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from UCLA in 2017. My work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Administration for Children and Families, and the Russell Sage Foundation, and recognized by research awards from various organizations, including the American Psychological Association, Association for Psychological Science, Psi Chi, APA Division 1 (General Psychology), APA Division 12 (Society of Clinical Psychology), and the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology.

Much of my research focuses on low-income couples, a population that has been under-represented in relationship science, despite having disproportionately higher levels of relationship distress and dissolution. Existing research on close relationships provides a reasonably strong account of relationship functioning in the middle-class, yet by focusing almost exclusively on interpersonal processes among economically stable couples this approach overlooks the possibility that chronic stress and socioeconomic disadvantage undermine processes that promote close and enduring family bonds. I confront this problem by conducting research on low-SES couples, as well as conducting comparative studies between low-SES and more affluent couples. The cycle of poverty in the U.S. is intrinsically linked to family processes and family demography, which is why I have focused my career on addressing the challenges faced by families living in poverty.

 

See my lab website for the most up to date list of publications.

 

2022                Association for Psychological Science Rising Star

2019                Journal of Family Psychology Consulting Editory of the Year

2017                UCLA Michael J. Goldstein Distinguished Dissertation Award

2016                APA Division 12 (Society of Clinical Psychology) Distinguished Student Research in Clinical Psychology Award

2015-2016       U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, Family Strengthening Scholars Grant

2015-2016       UCLA Dissertation Year Fellowship

2015                Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology - Outstanding SSCP Student Researcher Award

2014                APA Anne Anastasi General Psychology Graduate Student Research Award – Finalist

2014                UCLA Dept. of Psychology Senior Clinician-Scientist Award

2013                Psi Chi/APA Edwin B. Newman Graduate Research Award

2012-2015       National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship

2012                UCLA Graduate Summer Research Mentorship

2012                IARR Conference Student Travel Award

2011                UCLA Graduate Summer Research Mentorship

2010-2011       UCLA University Fellowship

2008                University of Rochester Dept. of Psychology Zimmer Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Research

2007                University of Rochester Barth-Crapsey Undergraduate Research Award 

If you are interested in applying to my lab for graduate school, please see my lab website for more information about the research we conduct.

If you are interested in working in my lab as a research assistant, please see my lab website for instructions on how to apply.