Professor, Director of Training for Counseling Psychology

My commitment to training and research is driven by my overarching goal to promote well-being. I seek to address mental health inequities and understand how people of all backgrounds can thrive. My work is informed by a lens that values the intersection of multiculturalism and strengths. My research is in Latinx psychology, more specifically exploring perinatal mental health among Latinx mothers. I currently direct the Culture and Well-Being Research Lab and co-direct the Multicultural Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative. These collaborative groups conduct community-engaged and informed research related to the effects of stress during the prenatal and postpartum period. Our lab launched Proyecto Mamá, a grant-funded resource and needs assessment of perinatal mental health among Latinas in the Milwaukee area. I also co-direct the Latina/o Well-Being Research Initiative at Marquette University, an interdisciplinary group focused on developing community-academic partnerships for change.

Dr. Edwards will be taking a new counseling psychology doctoral student for Fall 2025.

Recent Publications and/or Presentations

• Edwards, L. M., Torres, L., Lewis, K. D., & Loyo, K. (2023). Hope as a Moderator of Intimate Partner Violence and Suicide Risk Behaviors Among Latinas. Violence Against Women, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012231200476
• Pachicano, J. B., Torres, L., Heredia, V. L., & Edwards, L. M. (2023). COVID-19 and Latinx alcohol use: The role of health insurance. Journal of Latinx Psychology, 11(1), 76–87.
• Edwards, L. M., & McConnell, K. (2023). Hope across cultural groups. Current opinion in psychology, 49, 101505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101505
• Torres, L., Pachicano, J. B., Bird, C. M., & Edwards, L. M. (2022). Ethnic discrimination, social cohesion, and mental health among Latinx adults. The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 92(1), 51–57.
• Edwards, L.M., Le, H., and Garnier-Villarreal, M. (2021). A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors for Perinatal Depression among Latinas. Journal of Maternal Child Health, 25, 554-564.
• Snyder, C.R., Lopez, S.J., Edwards, L.M., & Marques, S. (2021). Handbook of Positive Psychology (3rd edition). New York: Oxford.
• Edwards, L. M., Pedrotti, J. T., Faytol, A., Wynn, J., Snyder, C.R., & Lopez, S.J. (2019). Measuring and labeling the positive and negative. In M. Gallagher & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Positive psychological assessment: A handbook of models and measures (pp. 21-39). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Haglund, K., Belknap, R., Edwards, L.M., Tassara, M., Van Hoven, J., & Woda, A. (2018). The influence of gendered identity on perceptions for dating relationships and violence among Latino adolescents. Violence Against Women, 1-14.
• Cardemil, E.V., Edwards, L.M., Nelson, T., & Loyo, K. (2018). Cognitive Behavioral Models, Measures and Treatments for Stress in Latinos. In E. Chang, C. Downey, E. Hirsch, and E. Yu (Eds.), Cognitive-Behavioral Models, Measures, and Treatments for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Ethnic and Racial Minorities.
• Edwards, L.M., & McClintock, J. (2017). A cultural context lens of hope (pp. 95-104). In M. Gallagher & S.J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of Hope. New York: Oxford.
• Pedrotti, J.T., & Edwards, L.M. (2017). Cultural context in positive psychology: History, research and opportunities for growth. In M. Rao, & S. Donaldson (Eds.) Scientific Advances in Positive Psychology (pp. 257-288). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.
• Edwards, L.M., Tate, K., Cook, J., Toigo, M., & Yeomans, A. (2017). Counselors as advocates: Effects of a pilot project designed to develop advocacy knowledge and confidence. Journal of Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 9, 79-94.
• Edwards, L.M., Burkard, A.W., Adams, H.A., & Newcomb, S.A. (2017). A mixed-method study of psychologists’ use of multicultural assessment. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 48, 131-138.
• Singley, D., & Edwards, L.M. (2015). Men’s perinatal health in the transition to fatherhood. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 46, 3090-316.