Riley O'Neill

Graduate Student, Clinical Psychology
Faculty Advisor: John Ruiz
O'Neill Headshot

Psychology 405

rmoneill@arizona.edu
Pronouns:
She, Her, Hers

I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology and Spanish at the University of Alabama, where I worked in the Health Relationships & Disparities Lab of Dr. Jenny Cundiff and Capstone Sleep Lab of Dr. Matthew Cribbet. 

Research Interests: 

  • Primarily - examining the pathways linking various psychosocial factors to increased risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
  • Broadly - pathways through which stress leads to adverse cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. 

Selected Publications: 

  • Ruiz, J. M., O'Neill, R. M., Juster, R.-P., & Irgens, M. S. (2025). Dimensions of diversity and influences on health disparities. In N. Schneiderman, T. W. Smith, N. B. Anderson, M. H. Antoni, F. J. Penedo, T. A. Revenson, & A. F. Abraído-Lanza (Eds.), APA handbook of health psychology, Vol. 1. Foundations and context of health psychology (pp. 51–70). American Psychological Association. https://doi-org.ezproxy1.library.arizona.edu/10.1037/0000394-003 
  • Flores, M. A., O'Neill, R. M., Boyd, S. M., Uchino, B. N., & Ruiz, J. M. (2023). Examining between group differences in social network density and hs-CRP in older adults: Implications for the Hispanic Mortality Paradox. Psychosomatic Medicine, 85(2), 165-174. DOI: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000001157
  • O'Neill, R. M., Cundiff, J. M., Wendel, C. J., Schmidt, A. T., & Cribbet, M. R. (2022). An Examination of Sleep as a Mediator of the Relationship between Childhood Adversity and Depression in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Young Adults. Behavioral Medicine, 0(0), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.2022.2131707 

Dissertation Title: 

  • An Integrated Model of Contextual Safety, Social Safety, and Social Vigilance as Psychosocial Contributors to Cardiovascular Disease

Courses Taught: 

  • PSY 380 - Child Abuse & Neglect (2021)
  • PSY 480 - Forensic Psychology (2023)

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

Awards and Recognitions:

  • Arizona Psychological Foundation Dissertation Award (2024) 
  • Galileo Circle Scholar (2024)
  • Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Scholarship Recipient (2024)
  • NIH National Research Service Award Fellow (2023; https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10749134) 
    APA Society for Health Psychology Dissertation Award (2023)

Updated: 02/07/25

Degrees

  • B.S. Psychology, University of Alabama
  • M.A. Psychology, University of Arizona