Youth VIEW Team

Seeking parents of blind, low vision, and visually impaired youth to participate in research with your child! The Well-being and Health Among Low vision and Blind Youth (WHALABY) study is a first-of-its kind project, led by disabled, blind, and low vision scientists, to better understand the experiences of children with visual impairments. To enroll, both your child (age 9-17) and yourself or another parent or guardian must be able to participate. The study takes place virtually and takes 3-4 hours of your time. Some children will be asked to wear an activity monitor for two weeks after the first virtual session; this is optional and the device would be mailed to your family and returned in a prepaid envelope. The study has been approved by the Texas Tech University Institutional Review Board (IRB2024-582). For more information and to complete the eligibility survey, go to tinyurl.com/whalaby. Questions? Contact the team at [email protected].

Happy Halloween! Our last national organization we're sharing this week is the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). NFB offers state chapters and myriad other affiliation groups, including the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC). You can learn more about their resources and programs on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NationalFederationoftheBlind and Instagram at

Winnie the Pooh and her friends are having a spooky adventure with the Youth VIEW team! In this photo we're happy to introduce these fantastic service and guide dogs, all of whom spend their days together on our campus. Dressed as Tigger (left) we have Cozy, a black lab medical service dog belonging to Aubri, a graduate student in Clinical Psychology and friend of the team! In the center is Snowy, Dr. Schmidt's guide dog, a yellow lab dressed as Winnie the Pooh. Last but not least, on the right is black lab Percy, Danni's guide dog, dressed as Piglet, and the newest addition to the service dog team. Happy Halloween!

As we inch closer to Halloween, we'd love to share some resources to help everyone make the festivities inclusive for blind and low vision youth.

Want guidance on making Halloween inclusive? Check out this blog post from Blind Beginnings: https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/activities-blog/tips-for-an-inclusive-halloween-for-children-with-blindness-or-low-vision

Another great blog post comes from Sandy Murillo, via the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind: https://chicagolighthouse.org/sandys-view/tips-for-making-an-accessible-and-inclusive-halloween-celebration/

Tips for parents and everyone offering trick-or-treats have also been provided by the University of Michigan Medicine: https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/tips-making-halloween-disability-friendly

Next in our roster of national organizations supporting blind people: the American Foundation for the Blind! AFB conducts research, provides policy guidance, offers resources to individuals and families, and supports advocacy for people who are blind. AFB describes its vision as "dedicated to changing how the world views blindness". In a few short weeks, they'll be hosting the AFB Leadership Conference (AFBLC), in Arlington, Virginia. For more information about their work, visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AmericanFoundationForTheBlind/ or on Instagram under

This week is Halloween, and we'd love to share some resources for supporting children with visual impairments in celebrating this holiday! Today we will share some resources for parents of children with visual impairments, and later this week, we'll share information for folks who want to make sure their decorations, treats, and activities are accessible to children with visual impairments.

Red Treehouse provides an excellent list of resources for parents of children with a range of disabilities, including visual impairments, to have a safe and fun Halloween! Find more information here: https://www.redtreehouse.org/parent-pro-picks/halloween-guide

Looking for accessible Halloween craft and other activity ideas? Check out this resource from VIAWNY: https://viawny.org/accessible-halloween-for-individuals-who-are-blind-or-visually-impaired/

Concerned about safety when navigating Halloween trick or treating? APH Connect Center provides some specific guidance here: https://aphconnectcenter.org/familyconnect/ideas-for-home-community/community-support/a-meaningful-and-accessible-halloween-for-children-with-blindness-or-low-vision/

This week we're sharing organizations that provide resources, community, and advocacy for people who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired. Today we're sharing information about the American Council of the Blind (ACB), which offers events, resources, and programs for people who are blind or have low vision. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram at , and you can access their media library at https://www.acbmedia.org.

Last but certainly not least, meet Chelsea Howd, a first year graduate student working primarily with Dr. Victor. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Microbiology with a minor in Psychology from Mississippi State University in 2015 and her master’s degree in Psychological Science from Western Kentucky University in 2025. Her research focuses on how social determinants of health shape su***de risk, with particular attention to LGBTQ+ populations, identity concealment, and the role of outness in risk processes. Outside of academics, Chelsea enjoys traveling, attending community events, playing board games, and spending time outdoors.

Our second (of three) graduate students to introduce today is Swanaya Gurjar! Swanaya is also in her second year of graduate training at Texas Tech University. She earned her bachelor's degree in Psychology, Journalism, and Women’s Studies from Bengaluru City University in 2021 and her master’s degree in Psychology from Cleveland State University in 2024. Swanaya’s research focuses on understanding when, for whom, and how emotion regulation deficits increase the risk for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, particularly among LGBTQ+ individuals.

Today's the day to introduce our graduate research assistants! First up, Courtney Goldenberg, who is primarily supervised by Dr. Schmidt. Courtney is a second-year graduate student at Texas Tech. She earned her BA in Psychology from Northwestern University in 2021. During her undergraduate studies, she worked in Dr. Sandra Waxman's Infant & Child Development Center and Dr. Renee Engeln's Body and Media Lab. Following graduation, she served as a clinical research assistant at Women and Infants Hospital and Brown University in Rhode Island, and later as a Project Coordinator under Dr. Erika Lawrence at the Family Institute. Courtney’s research interests focus on developmental psychopathology, child maltreatment and early stressors, attachment relationships, and pathways to resilience for underserved populations.