Biography
Education
Ph.D. 2007, UCLA. Dissertation: “Dimensionality and Invariance: Assessing differential item functioning using bifactor multiple indicator multiple cause models”
M.A., 2002. California State University, Northridge.
B.A., 1999. California State University, Northridge.
Specialty Areas: Measurement and Psychometrics, Quantitative Psychology, Psychological Aspects of Stuttering, Social Psychology
Courses Taught
Psy 150 – Introduction to Psychology
Psy 305 – Cultural Psychology
Psy 320/L – Statistical Methods in Psychological Research
Psy 420/485US/S - Advanced Inquiry in Univariate Statistics
Psy 427 – Introduction to Psychological Testing
Psy 524/L - Applied Multivariate Statistics
Psy 534/S – Latent Variable Analysis
Selected Publications and Presentations
Publications
Oliver, T., Lagana, L., Ainsworth, A. and Otten, M. (2012). A path analysis testing the relationship between sexual upbringing and sexual satisfaction in a U.S. sample of ethnically diverse women. In N. Peterson and W. Campbell (Eds.), Handbook on Sexuality: Perspectives, Issues and Role in Society. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.
Lagana, L., Oliver, T., Ainsworth, A. and Edwards, M. (2011). Enhancing Computer Self-Efficacy and Attitudes in Multiethnic Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Study. Journal of Aging and Society.
Plunkett, S. W., Ainsworth, A. T., Henry, C. S., and Behnke, A. O. (2011). The influence of survey format on reports about fathers and mothers: Instrumentation threat? Fathering.
Whitehead, K., Ainsworth, A. T., Wittig, M. A., and Gadino, B. (2009). Implications of ethnic identity strength and ethnic identity exploration for intergroup attitudes among adolescents. Journal of Research on Adolescence.
Wittig, M. A., Molina, L. E., Giang, M. T., & Ainsworth, A. (2007). Responding to racial/ethnic diversity: A mutual acculturation model of prejudice reduction. In R. Brown, D. Capozza, & O. Licciardello (Eds.), Proceedings of the Conference on the Contact Hypothesis and Immigrant Acculturation. Rome: Franco Angeli, Publishers.
Morizot, J., Ainsworth, A.T., & Reise, S.P. (2007). Toward modern psychometrics: Application of item response theory models in personality research. In R.W. Robins, R.C. Fraley, & R.F. Krueger (Eds.), Handbook of research methods in personality psychology (pp. 407-423). Guilford Press.
Reise, S. P., Meijer, R. R., Ainsworth, A. T., Morales, L. S., and Hays, R. D. (2006). Application of group-level item response models in the evaluation of health plan quality. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 41(1), 85-102.
Reise, S.P., Ainsworth, A.T. and Haviland, M.G. (2005). Item Response Theory: Fundamentals, applications, and promise in psychological research. Current Directions in Psychology, 14(2), 95-101.
Presentations
Ainsworth, A. T. (2012). Statistics Workshop: Introduction to Item Response Theory. Annual Western Psychological Association Conference, San Francisco, CA. Chair: Jodie Ullman, CSU San Bernardino
Stephens, R.A., Felt, J.M., Purpus, D.K. & Ainsworth, A. T. (2012). Social interaction anxiety and relationships: The moderating effect of stuttering. Poster presented the annual Western Psychological Association Conference, San Francisco, CA
Ainsworth, A. T. & Garcia, M. N. (2011). Three Minutes, a Date, and a Stutter: Using a “speed dating” environment to evaluate others’ perceptions of pws. Talk given as part of a Workshop at the Annual National Stuttering Association Conference, Fort Worth, TX.
Garcia, M. N. & Ainsworth, A. T. (2011). Stuttering and Relationships: Is the relationship between stuttering and relationship difficulties mediated or moderated by social anxiety? Talk given as part of a Workshop at the Annual National Stuttering Association Conference, Fort Worth, TX.
Ainsworth, A. T. & Garcia, M. N. (2011). Stuttering and First Impressions: Three Video Dating Studies. Talk given as part of a Workshop at the Annual National Stuttering Association Conference, Fort Worth, TX.
Garcia, M. N. & Ainsworth, A. T. (2011). Stuttering, Anxiety, Coping and Executive Function. Talk given as part of a Workshop at the Annual National Stuttering Association Conference, Fort Worth, TX.
Ainsworth, A. T. (2011). Chair of Conference Symposium: The Stigma of Stuttering: Finding a Voice Within Psychology. Annual Western Psychological Association Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
Arter, J. L. & Ainsworth, A. T. (2011). When Your Blind Date Stutters: Moderating First Impressions. Talk Given as Part of a Research Symposium at the Annual Western Psychological Association Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
Inchausti, N., & Ainsworth, A. T. (2011). Social Perceptions of People Who Stutter in a Speed Dating Environment. Talk Given as Part of a Research Symposium at the Annual Western Psychological Association Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
Garcia, M. N. & Ainsworth, A. T. (2011). The Interplay Between Stuttering, Cognition, Self-Efficacy, Ethnic Identity, & Quality of Life. Talk Given as Part of a Research Symposium at the Annual Western Psychological Association Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
Purpus, D., Ainsworth, A. T. & Shah, T. (2011). The Perils of Disfluency: Stuttering, Relationships and Well-being. Talk Given as Part of a Research Symposium at the Annual Western Psychological Association Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
Ainsworth, A.T. and Veprinsky, A. (2010, August). Social Experiment on Stuttering: Comparative Study. Poster Presented at the Annual American Psychological Association Conference in San Diego, CA.
Veprinsky, A., Kazemi, E., and Ainsworth, A.T. (2010, August). Mediating Factors Related to Stuttering. Poster Presented at the Annual American Psychological Association Conference in San Diego, CA.
Oliver, T., Lagana, L., and Ainsworth, A.T. (2010, August). Measuring Women's Sexual Comfort and Frequency of Sex Acts. Poster Presented at the Annual American Psychological Association Conference in San Diego, CA.
Garcia, M. N., Veprinsky, A., and Ainsworth, A. T. (2010, April). Stuttering and Deficits In Executive Function. Poster Presented at the Annual Western Psychological Association Conference in Cancun, Mexico.
Ainsworth, A. T., Veprinsky, A., and Russ, U. (2010, April). Projective Evaluations of Stuttering During Brief Initial Impression. Poster Presented at the Annual Western Psychological Association Conference in Cancun, Mexico.
Russ, U., Veprinsky, A., Buitrago, R., Mejia, Y. and Ainsworth, A. T. (2010, April). Utility of Communication Apprehension and Stuttering Scales With ESL Respondents. Poster Presented at the Annual Western Psychological Association Conference in Cancun, Mexico.
Veprinsky, A., Garcia, M. N., and Ainsworth, A. T. (2010, April). Stuttering and Anxiety: Relational Inconsistency or Lack of Adequate Controls? Poster Presented at the Annual Western Psychological Association Conference in Cancun, Mexico.
Buitrago, R., Mejia, Y., Inchausti, N.. Gomez, V., Veprinsky, A., and Ainsworth, A. T. (2010, April). Stuttering in Relation to Social, Personal and Academic Experience. Poster Presented at the Annual Western Psychological Association Conference in Cancun, Mexico.
Inchausti, N.. Mejia, Y., Buitrago, R., Veprinsky, A., and Ainsworth, A. T. (2010, April). Exploring Right Brain Dominance in People Who Stutter. Poster Presented at the Annual Western Psychological Association Conference in Cancun, Mexico.
Veprinsky, A., Kazemi, E. and Ainsworth, A. T. (2010, April). Mediating Factors Related to Stuttering. Poster Presented at the Annual Western Psychological Association Conference in Cancun, Mexico.
Research and Interests
Dr. Ainsworth is the director of the Applied Psychometrics Laboratory (APL) which currently has two primary research areas: 1) Applications of Advanced Statistical Methods and Psychological Measurement and 2) the study of the Social and Psychological Impact of Stuttering.
Advanced Statistical Methods As a quantitative psychologist I have the opportunity to consult and/or collaborate on a number of projects in a wide variety of sub-fields within psychology (e.g. neuropsych, psychopathology, personality, health, cognitive). Students working with me will receive extensive training in advanced research and statistical methods (e.g. multivariate analysis of variance, hierarchical regression, mediation analysis, factor analysis, structural equation modeling) that can either be applied to his/her area of interest or applied to multiple areas.
Social and Psychological Impact of Stuttering We seek to fully understand the impact that stuttering has on a person’s mental health in order to improve treatment outcomes for chronic stutterers. We are simultaneously investigating psychological impairments concomitant with the speech disorder as measured by a number of assessment inventories (e.g., depression, anxiety, executive functioning deficits) as well as investigating the impact that stuttering has on a perceiver’s evaluations (i.e., ratings of attractiveness, intelligence, friendship potential) of a target that stutters. Investigations into perceptions of people who stutter is necessary in order to understand the nature of the stigma attached to stuttering and discover the roots of psychological impairments suffered by people who stutter. Research assistants will work with Dr. Ainsworth in all aspects of the research process; 1) reviewing literature, 2) research design and implementation, 3) administering and scoring psychological inventories, 4) working directly with participants, 5) entering, coding and analyzing data using SPSS, Excel and other programs, and 6) poster and paper preparation for conferences and publication.