Daniel Hernandez

I am a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student, specializing in Health Psychology at the University of Arizona. I primarily serve as a teaching assistant and instructor, supporting undergraduate psychology education. My research program investigates how biopsychosocial factors - such as stress, social vigilance, and other sociocultural influences - contribute to the development of adverse health outcomes, utilizing psychophysiological methodologies. 

I also serve as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Center for the Philosophy of Freedom, contributing to interdisciplinary scholarship. Clinically trained in evidence-based practice, I provide psychological services through the Banner University Medical Center Behavioral Health Pavilion, conducting assessments and delivering interventions to diverse populations.

Research Interests:

• Stress and Health Risk: Investigating the specific pathways through which stress influences health and immunity, especially among underrepresented populations.
• Sociocultural Resilience and Hispanic Health: Examining how interpersonal support, acculturation processes, and other related sociocultural resilience mechanisms influence stress and downstream physiology among Hispanic populations.

Selected Publications:

• Acevedo-Molina, M. C., Hernandez, D. A., Deffner, A. M., Andrews-Hanna, J. R., Ruiz, J. M., & Grilli, M. D. (2025). The perks of being bilingual: Autobiographical memory and aging among bilingual and monolingual Hispanic adults. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS, 31(3), 219–228. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617725000141
• Hernandez, D. A., Griffith, C. X., Deffner, A. M., Nkulu, H., Hovhannisyan, M., Ruiz, J. M., Andrews- Hanna, J.R., & Grilli, M. D. (2024). Retrieving autobiographical memories in autobiographical contexts: are age-related differences in narrated episodic specificity present outside of the laboratory? Psychological research, 10.1007/s00426-024-01938-9. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-024-01938-9

Selected Presentations:

• Hernandez, D.A., O’Neill, R.M., Morales Lozada, F., Marrero, D., Flores, M.A., & Ruiz, J.M. (2025) Sociocultural Resilience Amid Health Disparities: Evidence of Hispanic/Latino Health Advantages in Long COVID Prevalence Rates from a Southern Arizona Community Sample., Society for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine Annual Conference Meeting, Seatle, Washington, USA
• Hernandez, D.A., Ríos, G.A., Cockburn, A.T., O’Neill, R.M., Morales Lozada, F., Marrero, D., Flores, M.A., & Ruiz, J.M. (2024) The Psychological Effects of cognitive stress Appraisals and Coping with everyday stress Exposure “PEACE” During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Racial/Ethnic Infectious Disease Risk Differences, Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Health Preconference, San Diego, California, USA
• Hernandez, D.A. Griffith, C.X., Deffner, A.M., Hovhannisyan, M., Nkulu, H., Ruiz, J.M., Andrews-Hanna, J.R., & Grilli, M.D. (2024) Retrieving autobiographical memories in autobiographical contexts: Are age-related differences in narrated episodic specificity present outside of the laboratory, Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Conference, San Diego, California, USA

Master's Thesis:

• Evaluating Hispanic Health in Infectious Disease Contents: Stress, Interpersonal Support, and COVID-19/PASC Outcomes among a Community Sample in Southern Arizona. (2026)

Courses Taught:

• PSY 300 - Cognitive Neuroscience (2023)
• PSY 381 - Abnormal Psychology (2026)
• PSY 478 - Sleep & Sleep Disorders (2024)

TA for:

• PSY 290A - Research Methods (2025)
• PSY 360 - Forensic Psychology (2022)
• PSY 383 - Health Psychology (2024)
• PSY 386 - Caring for Aging Adults/Caregivers (2025)
• PSY 482 - Mental Health & Mental Wellness in Aging (2025)

*Year listed indicates when this individual last worked in the specified course.

Awards and Recognitions:

• Kathryn A. Governal Perseverance Award Recipient (2021)
• Dr. Peter W. Likins Graduate Fellowship Award (2024)
• Dr. Joel B. and Cathleen S. Winburn Fellowship Award (2025)

Updated: 05/26/26