PSY Research Spotlight with Amaya Elliott

March 12, 2025 - Shelly DeJong, Emily Johnson

Meet Amaya Elliott, a senior studying psychology with minors in Human Behavior Social Services and in Youth and Society. Amaya received a Provost's Undergraduate Research Initiative (PURI) Award to fund her research in the Prenatal Stress Study with Dr. Alytia Levendosky. 

We recently had the opportunity to speak with Amaya about her research, how it is impacting her future career, and who helped her along her research journey.

 

Tell us about your research with the Prenatal Stress Study! 

We are researching the effects of stress during pregnancy on white mothers compared to BIPOC mothers. During my time, I have participated in a few interviews, but most of my time has been spent transcribing interviews from both the MSU team and the University of Michigan team. Through these interviews, I've seen a range of experiences from mothers. Some have shared positive feedback, such as how their care was perfect or they loved all their healthcare providers, while others have shared negative experiences, like feeling their concerns weren't taken seriously enough or their pain being overlooked. I’ve learned about the experiences of mothers in Michigan, particularly in terms of their healthcare throughout pregnancy. 

 

What will you be presenting about at UURAF? 

I wanted to focus on a topic that I could explore further, so I chose preeclampsia in Black women. Before joining this study, I wasn’t familiar with preeclampsia. However, after reviewing transcripts and noticing that preeclampsia was often mentioned in relation to Black patients, I began asking my mom if she had encountered preeclampsia in her work as a nurse, or if she had experienced it with either me or my brother. This curiosity sparked my desire to learn more. Research shows that Black women are three times more likely to be diagnosed with preeclampsia than white women. I also observed that many of the mothers in the study did not receive optimal care. I plan to address the discrimination that Black women with preeclampsia may face in the healthcare system. They are already at higher risk due to preexisting conditions such as hypertension or pre-pregnancy diabetes, which increase the likelihood of being diagnosed with preeclampsia. I aim to examine how being labeled as a high-risk pregnancy affects the way these women are treated in the hospital and how it shapes their overall pregnancy experience. 

 

Has your research experience impacted your career plan? 

Yes. Hearing that the mothers’ concerns weren't taken seriously really stood out to me. Even though I won't be working in the hospital with them, this experience has further fueled my desire to become a therapist. I want to create a space where people, especially Black mothers, feel represented. It's rare to see Black therapists, particularly Black women, in the field, so I want to be that representation. I want to be someone they can talk to and ensure their concerns are taken seriously in the best way I can. I aim to support their mental well-being, letting them know they don't have to struggle alone and that there are resources available to help. 

 

Do you want to give a shoutout to anyone that helped you on your research journey?   

I want to give a shoutout to my mentor, Dr. Katherine Thakkar, through the Psychology Scholars Program. When I joined the program last year, I was matched with her as a mentor. She’s been incredibly helpful in guiding me on what I want to do in the future. She's been such a big help, not only with my research but also with my grad school applications. I honestly don’t think I could have accomplished much this past year in psychology without her. She’s been an amazing support.  

I also want to shout out Dr. Levendosky and Dr. Amy Nuttall, who I've been working with on this research project as they helped me secure the PURI award. I’m especially thankful to Dr. Levendosky for that, and to Dr. Nuttall for helping me develop my research idea.