Aryn Benoit

From Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Aryn Benoit holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree (first class honors, Psychology) from St. Francis Xavier University. During her undergraduate degree, Aryn completed a longitudinal quantitative study investigating the impact of a singing training intervention on language development in four-year-old children under the supervision of Dr. Petra Hauf. This study served as her introduction to research conduct and solidified her interest in conducting clinical research with the goal of developing and delivering empirically-based psychological interventions. Following the completion of her undergraduate degree, Aryn completed a Master of Arts in Experimental Psychology at the University of New Brunswick (Saint John) under the supervision of Dr. Enrico DiTommaso. During her time in this program, Aryn completed two major research projects. Her Master’s thesis examined individual differences among social media users to better understand when social media use may result in positive or negative psychosocial outcomes. Aryn was also principle investigator on a study funded by a Horizon Health Network MindCare research grant examining the relationship between self-compassion and female sexual pain, with the main goal of identifying accessible psychological treatment approaches for reducing sexual pain and improving relationship satisfaction. Aryn’s primary academic aim is to conduct empirical research that focuses on understanding individual differences that influence relationship development and maintenance with the goal of improving the psychological well-being of individuals within the context of relationships. Now entering the PhD program in Clinical Psychology at the University of New Brunswick (Frederiction) under the supervision of Dr. Scott Ronis, Aryn hopes to continue examining ways to improve the psychological well-being of individuals by focusing on interpersonal relationships as potential barriers and facilitators to accessing mental health care.

 

Selected Awards:

  • CGS-Masters Award Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC; 2017-2018)
  • Horizon Health Network – MindCare Research Grant (2017-2019)
  • Magee – Third Century Postgraduate Merit Award University of New Brunswick (2017-2018)
  • New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) School of Graduate Studies, University of New Brunswick (2017-2018)
  • Certificate of Teaching Excellence – Teaching Assistantship Award Council of Canadian Departments of Psychology (2017)
  • Graduate Research and Teaching Assistantship - University of New Brunswick (2016-2017)
  • Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC; 2015)

 

Publications:

  • Smith, M. M., Sherry, S. B., Saklofske, D. H., Vidovic, V., Stoeber, J., & Benoit, A. (2018). Perfectionism and the five-factor model of personality: A meta-analytic review. Personality and Social Psychology Review.

 

Selected Presentations:

  • Benoit, A. (2018). Predicting sexual pain: An initial examination of the role of attachment and self-compassion. Talk given at the Mindfulness and Health Workshop, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. 
  • Benoit, A. (2017). A preliminary examination of the relationship between attachment, self-compassion, and sexual pain. Poster presented at the Canadian Psychological Association – National Convention, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
  • Benoit, A. (2016). Investigating the relationship between musical abilities and language skills in four-year old children. Talk given at The Symposium on Singing and Song, St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada.