Biography

Dr. Cynthia Neal's interests have included a wide range of research questions, specifically: high-risk families, attachment theory (particularly as it relates to our relationship with God), emerging adults, and gender issues.

She enjoys her extended family which includes 5 grandchildren. Additionally, when she's not training for a marathon, you'll find her reading a wide variety of good books. She's involved in a small congregation which is very concerned with social justice issues, e.g., feeding the poor and advocating for the marginalized.

Education (3)

University of New Mexico: Ph.D., Developmental Psychology 1990

University of New Mexico: M.A., Developmental Psychology 1988

University of New Mexico: B.A., University Studies 1986

Areas of Expertise and Research Interests (4)

Psychology of Human Sexuality

Emerging Adult Identity

Emerging Adults

Psychology

Professional Affiliations (3)

• Research in Child Development
• American Psychological Association - Division 36, Psychology of Religion and Spirituality and Division 5, Qualitative Research
• Christian Association for Psychological Studies

Links (1)

• Emerging Adults Lab

Presentations and Event Appearances (7)

Emerging adults and the nature of their faith: A qualitative study

2013 Mid-Year Conference  Baltimore, MD, March 2013

Attachment, religiosity, and morality: Extending Kohlberg and Diessner

2012 American Psychological Association  Orlando, FL, August 2012

Everyday descriptions of religious and moral exemplars

2012 Conference of the Association for Moral Education  San Antonio, TX, November 2012

Moral exemplarity and moral behavior

2012 Mid-Year Research Conference on Religion and Spirituality of the American Psychological Association Division 36  Baltimore, MD

2012-03-31

Attachment to God: Emerging adults reflecting on their spiritual relationship

2012 APA Div. 36 Mid-year Conference  Baltimore, MD, March 2012

Emerging adults’ religious orientation and search for meaning in self-concept and faith turning points

2012 APA Div. 36 Mid-year Conference  Baltimore, MD, March 2012

Committed questers: understanding religious maturity in emerging adults

2012 APA Div. 36 Mid-year Conference  Baltimore, MD, March 2012

Academics and Published Research (3)

Courses Taught

- Personality (Undergraduate Senior Capstone) - Psychology of Human Sexuality - Psychology of the Family - Collaborative Research Teams - Internships

Research

My current research is focused on 'Emerging Adults' and their transitions from college and beyond. We are studying the effects of their attachments, identity, and religious worldviews on stress and coping. This is both a quantitative and qualitative three year study. Through interviews with our study participants we've been exploring their attachment to God, their faith coping strategies, level of connectedness to faith communities, changing view of self, and a myriad of other qualitative research questions. I also have a research team examining male and female stories of unwanted sexual experiences.

Research Lab

Dr. Neal Kimball has a qualitative research lab and provides research mentorship and qualitative research consultation to graduate students and faculty.

Select Articles, Chapters, Reviews, and Other Publications (5)

Attachment to God: A qualitative exploration of emerging adults' spiritual relationship with God

Journal of Psychology and Theology

Kimball, C. N., Boyatzis, C., Cook, K., Leonard, K., Flanagan, K. S.

2013

Meaning-making in emerging adults’ narratives: Role of identity, attachment, and religious orientation

Journal of Psychology and Christianity

Kimball, C. N., Cook, K., Boyatzis, C., Leonard, K.

2013

Parent-Child Dynamics and Emerging Adult Religiosity: Attachment, Parental Beliefs, and Faith Support

Psychology of Religion and Spirituality

Leonard, K., Cook, K., Boyatzis, C., Kimball, C.N.

2013

Attachment to God: A qualitative exploration of emerging adults' spiritual relationship with God

Journal of Psychology and Theology

Kimball, C. N., Boyatzis, C., Cook, K., Leonard, K., Flanagan, K. S.

2013

Parent-Child Dynamics and Emerging Adult Religiosity: Attachment, Parental Beliefs, and Faith Support

Psychology of Religion and Spirituality

Leonard, K., Cook, K., Boyatzis, C., Kimball, C.N.

2012