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Welcome!

My name is Meghan, I am an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the School Concentration at the University of South Carolina, where I direct The Peer Lab. In my research and program development work, I specialize in helping youth build meaningful, supportive connections with others that support their flourishing. Generally, I am guided by this cheesey saying that I came up with a while ago -- I am driven by "supporting teens supporting teens." By that I mean that I aim to equip youth with the skills, autonomy, and empowerment to enact meaningful change and develop rewarding relationships.

 

In my clinical work, I take an evidence-based generalist approach, and I prioritize partnership with patients to support each individual in figuring out what works best for them. In teaching, I tailor my curriculum and style based on the needs of each individual learner. Across all parts of my work, I am anchored the importance of connection with another person. 

 

I intend for my work to provide experiences of supportive connection young people across time and contexts.

Education

2024 - 2026

Postdoctoral Clinical Research Fellowship

Massachusetts General Hospital/

Harvard Medical School

I completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for Addiction Medicine and the Center for School Behavioral Health at MGH/HMS, where my work focused on developing and evaluating mental health systems and supports in middle and high schools.

2018 - 2024

Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, 

Quantitative Psychology
University of Virginia

Dissertation: Tell Me Something I Don't Know: Self Disclosure, Relationship Quality, Mental Health, and Contextual Factors from Adolescence to Adulthood

2023 - 2024

Predoctoral Internship

Massachusetts General Hospital/

Harvard Medical School

On the Cognitive Behavioral Scientist Track, I received training in general CBT, DBT, and ACT, with a concentration in Addiction Medicine. 

2022 - 2024

Fellow

International Max Planck Research School on Life Course Development (IMPRS LIFE)

I completed an international multidisciplinary fellowship involving coursework, training, collaboration, and research presentation at four international sites.

2018 - 2020

M.A., Psychology
University of Virginia

Master's Thesis: Emotional Support Development in Adolescent Friendships: An Iterative, Dyadic Process with Implications for Functioning in Adult Romantic Relationships

2013 - 2016

B.A., Psychology
University of Virginia

Honor's Thesis: Birds of a Feather: Intensification Effects of Teen Best Friendships on Psychopathology

Dr. Meghan Costello

Department of Psychology

McCausland College of Arts & Scienes

University of South Carolina

Columbia, SC

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