Laura Nagy

Courses Taught

• Introduction to Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Counseling and Psychotherapy
• Psychological Testing
• Personality Psychopathology
• Undergraduate Research

Research Interests

My research seeks to understand why people engage in nonsuicidal self-injuring behaviors. Specifically, I am interested in how negative self-perceptions (e.g., self-criticism) are a risk factor for these behaviors.

Click here for a copy of the Self-Critical Rumination Scale. Scoring information is provided in the document.

Selected Publications

Nagy, L. M., *Polk, K., & *Muckerheide, E. (2023). Self-criticism in Anger, Aggression, and Violence. In Preedy, V. (Eds), Anger, Aggression, and Violence: Causes, Pathology and Treatments.

Nagy, L. M., Shanahan, M. L., & *Seaford, S. P. (2022). Examining the relationship between rumination and non-suicidal self-injury: A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 79(1), 7-27.

Nagy, L. M., Shanahan, M. L. & Baer, R. A. (2021). An experimental investigation of the effects of self-criticism and self-compassion on implicit associations with non-suicidal self-injury. Behavior Research and Therapy, 139.

Nagy, L. M. & Baer, R. A. (2017). Mindfulness: What should teachers of psychology know? Teaching of Psychology, 44(4), 353-359.

Smart, L. M., Peters, J. R., & Baer, R. A. (2016). Development and validation of a measure of self-critical rumination. Assessment, 23(3), 321-332.

Peters, J. R., Smart, L. M., Eisenlohr-Moul, T. A., Geiger, P. J., Smith, G.T., & Baer, R. A. (2015). Anger rumination as a mediator of the relationship between mindfulness and aggression: The utility of a multidimensional mindfulness model. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 71(9), 871-884.

Peters, J. R., Smart, L. M., & Baer, R. A. (2015). Difficulties in emotion regulation mediate the cross-sectional relationship between rejection sensitivity and borderline personality features. Journal of Personality Disorders, 29(2), 231-240.

Peters, J. R., Geiger, P. J., Smart, L. M., & Baer, R. A. (2014). Shame and borderline personality features: The potential mediating roles of anger and anger rumination. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 5(1), 1-9.

Selected Presentations
(*Denotes undergraduate mentee)

*Polk, K., *Muckerheide, E. & Nagy, L. M. (2023, April). Self-Criticism in Anger, Aggression and Violence: A Review. Oral presentation at High Point University’s 11th annual Research and Creativity Symposium, High Point, NC. *Awarded best oral presentation

Nagy, L. M. & Shanahan, M. L. (2022, May). When self-criticism won’t stop: Associations between self-critical rumination and nonsuicidal self-injury in J. Veilleux (chair), How Do I Hate Myself? Let Me Count the Ways: Novel Approaches to Understanding the Negative Consequences of Self-Criticism. Association for Psychological Science’s 34th Annual Convention, Chicago, IL.

*Cobb, L. B. & Nagy, L. M. (2023, April). Does having a personal history of NSSI impact ratings of therapists with or without a history of NSSI? Poster presented at the Southeastern Psychological Association annual convention, New Orleans, LA.

*Gessouroun, A. R., *Cobb, L. B., *Joel, E., & Nagy, L. M. (2023, April). Cheating, skipping, and psychopathy: How psychopathic personality traits affect outcomes in school. Poster presented at the Southeastern Psychological Association annual convention, New Orleans, LA. *Awarded a Regional Research Award (Best Poster)

*Colangelo, B., *Scheidel, K., & Nagy, L. M. (2022, April). Borderline Personality Disorder and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: Investigating the Role of Pain Catastrophizing as a Possible Protective Factor. Poster presented at the 35th National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Virtual Conference.

*Scheidel, K., * Colangelo, B., & Nagy, L. M. (2022, April). How Has Exposure to Non-Suicidal Self Injury Changed During COVID-19?: An Analysis of the Frequency and Source of Exposure to NSSI Pre and Post-Pandemic. Poster presented at the 35th National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Virtual Conference.

Selected Awards & Recognitions

HPU School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences Research Award

University of Kentucky Provost’s Outstanding Teaching Award

University of Kentucky Arts & Sciences Certificate for Outstanding Teaching

Kentucky Psychological Foundation Outstanding Undergraduate Mentor Nominee

Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools Excellence in Teaching Award Institutional Nominee

University of Kentucky Award for Exceptional Clinical Performance

Jesse G. Harris Scientist-Practitioner Award

Grant Funding

George T. Barthalmus Undergraduate Research Grant, State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium

Undergraduate Research Grant, Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology