Professor, Director of the Experimental Psychology Graduate Program
Ph.D. & M.A., Psychology, Fordham University
B.S., Psychology and Spanish, Fordham University
Post-Doctoral Training at the National Institutes of Health (NICHD) as a National
Research Council Associate.
Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs
Social and Emotional Development
Attachment Theory
Parent-Child Relationships
Cultural Diversity
Statistics and Research Methods
Dr. Fracasso is a developmental psychologist whose work focuses on child, adolescent, and young adult development. She completed postdoctoral fellowships at the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs.
Dr. Fracasso teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in developmental psychology, infant and child development, adolescent psychology, research methods, and advanced experimental design. Her research explores how social, emotional, and contextual factors interact to shape development from childhood through early adulthood. In particular, she examines how influences such as parenting, attachment security, and context support social and emotional growth during this transition, with special attention to culturally diverse populations.
Fracasso, M.P. (2017). The concurrent paths of parental identity and child development. In J. Sinnott (Ed.), Identity Flexibility During Adulthood: Perspectives in Adult Development.
Busch-Rossnagel, N.A. and Fracasso, M.P. (2005). Latino families in America. In C.B. Fisher and R.
Lerner (Eds.) Encyclopedia of Applied Developmental Psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Fracasso, M.P. (2023). Perception of parenting and subjective well-being of culturally diverse young adults. Poster presented at the Annual Conference for the Association for Psychological Science. Washington, DC.
Fracasso, M.P. (2021). Self-esteem as a mediator of responsive parenting and subjective well-being. Presented at the Annual Conference for the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood.
Fracasso, M.P. (2021). Responsive parenting, psychological well-being, and depression in African
American college students. Presented at the Annual Conference for the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood.