Juan Del Toro

Him/his

jdeltoro@umn.edu

Psychology

S351 Elliott Hall

75 East River Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Curriculum Vitae

Collegiate Affiliation

Links

As an applied psychologist, I examine how ethnic-racial discrimination, identity, and socialization shape human development across the life course from childhood to adulthood. Specifically, I distinguish between multiple perpetrators of ethnic-racial discrimination (e.g., peers, school adults, and law enforcement) and ethnic-racial socialization (e.g., parents, school adults, and peers) to inform setting-specific policies and interventions working to improve the well-being of all youth.

In my research, I take multi-method, multidisciplinary, and collaborative approaches to investigate: (1) why distinguishing between perpetrators of ethnic-racial discrimination matters, (2) what are the direct and intergenerational consequences of involvement in the criminal justice system, and (3) what are opportunities (e.g., ethnic-racial identity, ethnic-racial socialization) that peers, educators, and families can leverage to reduce the harmful effects of ethnic-racial discrimination and unwarranted involvement in the criminal justice system on children’s wellbeing.

Educational Background & Specialties

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Educational Background

PhD: Developmental Psychology, New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, 2019
BA: Latin American Studies and Psychology (minor), Bowdoin College, 2013

Specialties

applied developmental science
the achievement gap
ethnic/racial disparities
the mental/physical health paradox
policing and the criminal justice system
longitudinal social survey methods
behavioral genetics

Publications

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Publications

Del Toro, J., Lloyd, T., Buchanan, K. S., Robins, S. J., Bencharit, L. Z., Smiedt, M. G., . . . Goff, P. A. (2019). The criminogenic and psychological effects of police stops on adolescent Black and Latino boys. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 201808976. doi:10.1073/pnas.1808976116
Del Toro, J., Hughes, D., & Way, N. (2020). Inter-relations between ethnic-racial discrimination and identity among early adolescents. Child Development. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13424
Del Toro, J., & Wang, M.-T. (2020). School cultural socialization and academic performance: Examining ethnic-racial identity development as a mediator among African American adolescents. Child Development. doi:10.1111/cdev.13467.
Del Toro, J., Fine, A., Wang, M.-T., Thomas, A., Schneper, L. M., Mitchell, C. Mincy, R., McLanahan, S., & Notterman, D. A. (2021). The longitudinal associations between paternal incarceration and family well-being: Implications for ethnic-racial disparities in health. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.08.005
Del Toro, J., & Wang, M.-T. (2021). The roles of suspensions for minor infractions and school climate in predicting academic performance among adolescents. American Psychologist. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000854
Del Toro, J., Jackson, D. B., & Wang, M.-T. (2022). The policing paradox: Police stops predict youth’s school disengagement via elevated psychological distress. Developmental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001361
Del Toro, J., & Wang, M.-T. (2022). Online racism and mental health among Black American adolescents in 2020. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2022.07.004
Del Toro, J., & Wang, M.-T. (conditionally accepted). Police stops and school engagement: Examining cultural socialization from parents and schools as protective factors among African American adolescents. American Educational Research Journal.

Courses

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