Hailing from the sunny Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Lauryn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours, Psychology) from the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a minor in Sociology. During her undergraduate degree, Lauryn became interested in the field of forensic psychology and assisted with several research projects at the Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and Law (CAPSL) at UBC. She completed her honours degree under the supervision of Dr. Michael Woodworth, examining differences in successful deception in face-to-face and computer-mediated contexts. During her undergraduate degree Lauryn gained experience in both research and clinical work, including managing the UBC Faculty of Management consumer behaviour lab and working as a psychological assistant at an assessment clinical in Kelowna, BC. Lauryn is in her fourth year of the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at the Fredericton Campus of the University of New Brunswick (UNB). Under the supervision of Dr. Scott Ronis, her current research focuses on paraphilias. Specifically, Lauryn is interested in identifying the mechanisms that contribute to engaging in paraphilic behaviours, and associations with adverse early experiences (e.g., childhood sexual abuse) and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., sexual adjustment). Her other areas of interest include sexual violence and young offenders, and she recently completed an advanced clinical practicum with the IWK Youth Forensic Services Initiative for Sexually Aggressive Youth. In her free time, Lauryn is an avid soccer player and loving dog mom to her miniature aussiedoodle, Auswold.
Awards
UNB Associated Alumnae Travel Award – 2018 (For the Society for Sex Therapy and Research Annual Meeting)
Magee – Third Century Postgraduate Merit Award – 2017-2018
New Brunswick Innovation Foundation Scholarship – 2017-2018
Canadian Graduate Scholarships- Master’s (SSHRC) – 2017-2018
Arts Faculty Graduate Assistantship – 2017-2021
Snodgrass Student Travel Award – 2017 (For the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Annual Meeting)
New Brunswick Innovation Foundation Scholarship – 2016 (Social innovation)
School of Graduate Studies Travel Award – 2016 (For the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers 35th Annual Research and Treatment Conference)
Publications
Ronis, S., Knight, R., & Vander Molen, L. [submitted] The Covariation of Sexual Fantasies and Behaviors with Sexually Coercive Behavior in Offender and Non-Offender Samples. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment.
Selected Presentations
Vander Molen, L., & Ronis, S. (2018, April). Are paraphilic interests aberrant? Prevalence, early sexual experiences, and psychosexual adjustment in a community sample with paraphilic interests. Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Sex Therapy and Research, Philadelphia, PA.
Vander Molen, L., Ronis, S. T., McKie, R., & Humphreys, T. (2017, November). Associations between paraphilic interests and sexual experiences in childhood: The role of partners and perceptions. Poster presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Atlanta, GA.
Vander Molen, L., Ronis, S. T., McKie, R., & Humphreys, T. (2017, November). Paraphilic interests: Prevalence, sexual experiences, and psychosexual adjustment. Poster presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Atlanta, GA.
Vander Molen, L., Ronis, S. T., McKie, R., & Humphreys, T. (2017, October). Are some paraphilic interests healthier than others: Sexual functioning and relationship satisfaction among individuals with paraphilic interests in a community sample. Poster presentation at the Canadian Sex Research Forum, Fredericton, NB.
Vander Molen, L., Ronis, S. T., McKie, R., & Humphreys, T. (2016, November). Paraphilic Interests, Early Childhood Experiences, and Adjustment in Emerging Adulthood: Associations and Risk Factors for Problematic Sexual Behaviours. Data Blitz presentation at the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers 35th Annual Research and Treatment Conference. Orlando, FL.
Vander Molen, L., Ronis, S. T., McKie, R., & Humphreys, T. (2016, September). Paraphilic Interests, Early Childhood Experiences, and Adjustment in Emerging Adulthood: Associations and Risk Factors for Problematic Sexual Behaviours: Preliminary Results. Poster presentation at the Canadian Sex Research Forum. Quebec City, QC.
Vander Molen, L., Crossley, L., & Woodworth, M. (2016, May). Personality Differences in Manipulation: Face-to-Face versus Computer-Mediated Communication. Poster presentation at the International Academy for Investigative Psychology’s 17th annual conference, New York, United States