Dr. Lancaster is not yet certain whether they will be accepting new graduate students for Fall 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to check back for updates in September of 2025. Undergraduate students interested in research opportunities are welcome to reach out, as applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Dr. Lancaster via email.

Dr. Lancaster is an assistant professor at Mississippi State University, where she is affiliated with the APA-accredited Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Texas Tech University in 2022, following a predoctoral internship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Lancaster further honed her expertise during a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center. With a deep passion for teaching/mentorship and a focus on pediatric psychology research, she is dedicated to advancing the field and fostering a supportive learning environment.
Research Interests: Dr. Lancaster's research in pediatric psychology focuses on promoting health behaviors—such as sleep, nutrition, and physical activity—among children and families in rural communities. She is particularly interested in developing and implementing digital health interventions that support families with limited resources. By leveraging technology and innovative strategies, her work aims to enhance well-being and provide practical solutions to improve health outcomes in medically underserved populations. She is always eager to collaborate with motivated students who are passionate about this field and interested in contributing to impactful research.

Education:
BA Texas Tech University, 2015
MA Texas Tech University, 2018
PhD Texas Tech University, 2022

Representative Recent Publications:
Lancaster, B., Hefner, T., Leslie-Miller, C.J., Sexton, K., Bakula, D.M., Van Allen, J., Cushing, C.C., Lim, C.S., Janicke, D.M., Jelalian, E., Dayani, K., & Davis, A.M. (2024). Systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions to prevent or treat pediatric chronic disease in rural communities. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsae054

Davis, A., Lancaster, B., Fleming, K., Swinburne Romine, R., Forseth, B., Nelson, E., Dreyer Gillette, M., Faith, M., Sullivan, D.K., Pettee Gabriel, K., Dean, K., & Olalde, M. (2024). Effectiveness of a pediatric weight management intervention for rural youth (iAmHealthy): Primary outcomes of a cluster randomized control trial. Pediatric Obesity. 19(3), e13094. doi: 10.1111/ijpo.13094

Lancaster, B., Sweenie, R., Noser, A., Roberts, C., & Ramsey, R. (2023). Sleep mHealth applications and behavior change techniques evaluation. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 21(6), 1-17. doi: 10.1080/15402002.2022.2161548

Lancaster, B. & Van Allen, J. (2023). Hope and pediatric health. Current Opinions in Psychology, 49. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101500

Forseth, B., Lancaster, B., Olalde, M., Befort, C.A., Swinburn Romine, R.E., Dreyer Gillette, M.L., Dean, K.M., Nelson, E., & Davis, A.M. (2023). Recruitment and reach in a school-based pediatric obesity intervention trial in rural areas. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1181757

Davis, A., Befort, C., Lancaster, B., Tuck, C., Polivka, B., Carlson, J., Fleming, K., Swinburne Romine, R., Dean, K., & Murray, M. (2023). Rationale and design of integrating a parents first obesity intervention with a pediatric weight management intervention for rural families – Evaluating the ripple effect. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 128. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2023.107140

Lancaster, B., Hefner, T., & Van Allen, J. (2025). Co-Sleeping with a pet: Exploring the impact on youth sleep. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, jsaf016. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsaf016