Hi everyone! My name is Ariana David and I’m an upcoming senior at the University of Southern California majoring in Psychology with a double minor in Dance and Occupational Science. I am seeking to raise funds to participate in a USC research course aboard this summer. This faculty-led program focuses on health and mental health research programs in Mauritius, where students such as myself will have the opportunity to learn about existing studies on mental health and conduct our research. We will learn about research design and the ethical challenges of using human subjects and view the effects of different cultural contexts. Through working with the Joint Child Health Project (JCHP) in Quatre Bornes and studying research at the University of Mauritius (UoM) in Reduit, we will be able to connect with international scholars and develop our understanding of the topics at hand. The experiences within the classroom combined with excursions outside will allow us to be immersed in the culture and redefine our preexisting views on psychological processes and outcomes.

I hope to explore how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) affect mental and physical health outcomes later in life, specifically within the cultural and social context of Mauritius. I will investigate how factors such as family structure, socio-economic conditions, and cultural perceptions of trauma influence the developmental trajectories of individuals exposed to early adversity. ACEs—such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction—have been widely studied in Western contexts, where they are known to significantly increase the risk of various mental and physical health challenges in adulthood. However, there is a gap in cross-cultural research that examines how these experiences manifest and impact individuals in non-Western societies like Mauritius. Therefore, I aim to examine the prevalence and types of ACEs among children and adolescents in Mauritius, assess the long-term mental and physical health outcomes of ACEs, and explore protective factors and community-based interventions that may alleviate said outcomes.

This research will enhance my ability to conduct culturally informed studies, develop leadership and collaboration skills, and ultimately support my goal of pursuing a career in children’s mental health.