Perspectives on the Intersection of Multiculturalism and Positive Psychology

Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti, Ph.D. received her doctorate and masters degrees in counseling psychology at the University of Kansas. She is currently Professor in the Department of Psychology and Child Development at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo where she teaches courses in positive psychology, multicultural psychology, clinical and counseling psychology, intergroup dialogues, and research methods. Dr. Teramoto Pedrotti's current research includes projects measuring the effectiveness of multicultural psychology courses in increasing ethnocultural empathy in both undergraduate and graduate students. She is also working on research investigating factors affecting well-being in multiracial individuals. Dr. Teramoto Pedrotti spoke on the intersection of positive psychology and culture as a keynote speaker at the 2014 Asian Pacific Conference on Applied Positive Psychology in Hong Kong. Her work on this subject and others has appeared in many journals including the Journal of Counseling Psychology, the Journal of Positive Psychology, Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, Professional School Counseling, and Women & Therapy. She is an author of the textbook Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths (along with Shane J. Lopez and C. R. Snyder), the third edition of which will be in print in the summer of 2014.
Dr. Lisa M. Edwards is an Associate Professor in the department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology at Marquette University. She received her masters and doctoral degrees in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kansas, and was a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame. In her current position, Dr. Edwards is the Director of Counselor Education and teaches courses in multicultural counseling, group counseling, assessment, and supervision. She directs the Culture and Well-Being Research Lab and is a licensed psychologist in the state of Wisconsin. Dr. Edwards' research focuses on strengths and positive functioning among ethnic minority youth and adults. Specifically, she investigates how cultural variables such as familism, religiosity, and ethnic identity influence well-being among Latino/as and multiracial populations. Dr. Edwards' work has appeared in several journals, including the Journal of Counseling Psychology, the Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, and the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. She is also co-author of Preventing Adolescent Depression and Suicide among Latinas (2013, SpringerBriefs in Psychology).