Discover the team
Meet the members of the Lil lab team!
Scientific direction
University of Sherbrooke
Gabrielle Garon-Carrier
Right from the start of my university studies, I wondered about the factors that lead some children to succeed academically, to be surrounded by friends, while others - sometimes from the same family background - may have learning difficulties or behavioral problems. What are the mechanisms that explain these differences from childhood onwards? Driven by these questions, I undertook doctoral studies in developmental psychology, and further investigated the cognitive, familial, genetic and environmental determinants of school prerequisites, performance and motivation. After working as a researcher at Employment and Social Development Canada, I became interested in researching services as agents of change to reduce childhood inequities, promote social adaptation, and support social policy decision-making.
Postdoctoral fellows
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University of Sherbrooke
Catherine Julien
I am a speech-language pathologist and postdoctorate fellow  at the Early Learning and Social Adjustment research lab at University of Sherbrooke under the supervision of Pre Gabrielle Garon-Carrier. I hold  a master's degree in speech-language pathology (2014) as well as a PhD in clinical and biomedical sciences (2019) from Laval University. My current research interests as a part of the Lil Lab focus on understanding how users' profiles of Québec Parental Insurance Plan can promote children's wellness and developement and parents' mental health. I am also a member of the Early Longitudinal Language and Neglect team where I conduct research aimed at informing clinical practice on adult-child interaction and its impact on the trajectories of language development.
Students
Master's student, University of Sherbrooke
Florence Grenier
I completed my bachelor's degree with honors in psychology at the Université du Québec à Montréal in May 2025. My honors project focused on the role of constructive communication in the link between emotional control and parental alliance among fathers of young children. I am currently enrolled in the master's program in psychoeducation, under the supervision of Gabrielle Garon-Carrier. I am particularly interested in parenting practices, the transition to parenthood, and the development of preschool-aged children. My research thesis will examine the associations between technference, separation anxiety, parental stress, and co-parenting.
Master's student, University of Sherbrooke
Flavie Vézina
I completed a certificate in psychology in 2022 at the Université de Sherbrooke and then obtained my bachelor's degree in psychoeducation in 2025. I am now a master's student in psychoeducation at the Université de Sherbrooke. In the summer of 2024, I did an introductory research internship under the supervision of Pre Gabrielle Garon-Carrier. During this internship, I was interested in the effects of maternal depression and co-parenting on infant sleep. In my master's project, I'm continuing my interest in family factors, parental characteristics and child characteristics that can have an impact on babies' sleep quality.
Master's student, University of Sherbrooke
Gabrielle Cloutier
I graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychoeducation in May 2024. I am pursuing a master's degree in educational psychology, research profile, under the supervision of Pre Gabrielle Garon-Carrier. I am also a research assistant for the Groupe de recherche et d'intervention sur les adaptations sociales de l'enfance (GRISE). My research interests lie in the social factors within the school environment, teachers' educational practices, interprofessional collaboration, inclusive education, and the social and academic adjustment of students. In my dissertation, I will be examining the influence of educational and social factors within the classroom on the self-determination of students with special needs.
Master's student, University of Sherbrooke
Brillele Verdie Jogo Guedia
Before joining the Université de Sherbrooke's Faculty of Education, I obtained a Certificat d'aptitude pédagogique d'instituteurs de l'enseignement maternel et primaire (CAPIEMP) at the école nationale de Nkongsamba in Cameroon (2009), followed by a Bachelor's degree in psychology at the Université de Yaoundé I, a Master's degree in social psychology, then a Master's degree in Special Education - option handicaps physiques, instrumentaux et conseil. I am currently a doctoral student in special education at the University of Yaoundé I. My research interests are based on the care of children with language difficulties.
Master's student, University of Sherbrooke
Daphnée Leroux-Maurais
I obtained my bachelor's degree with honours in psychoeducation from the University of Montreal in 2023. My project focused on the association between participation in extracurricular sports activities in childhood and academic adjustment in young adolescents. I am now pursuing a master's degree in psychoeducation at the University of Sherbrooke under the supervision of Gabrielle Garon-Carrier and Caroline Fitzpatrick. My research interests include children's adaptation and the influence of personal and environmental factors, such as sports and outdoor activities, and the use of screens. My research project will look at childhood screen use and school adjustment.
Master's student, University of Sherbrooke
Nicolas Gilbert
I obtained two undergraduate certificates in environmental sciences and sustainable energy resources (UQAM). I then pursued a career in manufacturing management and strategic planning before returning to school at Laval University, where I obtained a bachelor's degree in psychology. During my bachelor's degree, I did the research-intervention concentration and took part in every stage of a research project on mindfulness. I'm now doing a master's degree in educational psychology (research profile) at the Université de Sherbrooke. My research interests are normative and pathological child development, healthy and problematic screen use, personality disorders, neuroscience, addictions, intrinsic motivation and grief. I am currently working as a research assistant for the QPMUS project. My own research project will focus on screen use and its effect on child development.
Master's student, University of Sherbrooke
Alicia Francoeur
I obtained my bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Montreal in may 2024. I am currently pursuing my studies at the University of Sherbrooke in the master's program in psycho-education, research profile, under the supervision of Gabrielle Garon-Carrier. My research interests lie mainly in the school environment and include learning difficulties, the student-teacher relationship, school dropout prevention and special education for students with difficulties. My thesis will examine the association between learning difficulties and school engagement (cognitive, affective and behavioural) among students with disabilities or learning difficulties.
PhD student University of Sherbrooke
Laurie-Anne Kosak
After completing a bachelor's degree in cognitive neuroscience at Université de Montréal, I decided to reorient myself towards psychoeducation. I obtained a master's degree in psychoeducation at the Université de Montréal, where I completed an internship in child psychiatry. My dissertation focuses on protective factors in childhood, and more specifically on the effects of extracurricular activities in childhood on later school engagement and success. I will begin my doctorate in psychoeducation at the Université de Sherbrooke in September 2024 under the supervision of Pre Gabrielle Garon-Carrier. My thesis will focus on parental well-being in the transition to parenthood, and its impact on child development.
PhD student, University of Sherbrooke
Maggie Roy
I obtained my bachelor's degree in psychology from the Université du Québec à Montréal in the fall of 2021. In the winter of 2022, I began a master's degree in gerontology at the Université de Sherbrooke. In the meantime, I began working as a research assistant for a professor in the Faculty of Education, and in the fall of 2022, I began a Master's in Education under his supervision. Now, I am pursuing a doctorate in education in the fall of 2024 under the supervision of Professor Gabrielle Garon-Carrier. My research interests span both developmental and educational psychology, and focus on dropout prevention and student well-being in the school environment. In my thesis, I will focus on the school context and the satisfaction of the self-determination needs of students with special needs.
PhD student, University of Sherbrooke
Clémence Rebmann
After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Québec in Montréal in 2021, I wanted to increase my knowledge of child development by completing a Certificate in Early Childhood and Family: Education and Early Intervention at the University of Montréal in 2022. Afterward, my professional interests became more defined, and I had the opportunity to continue my studies in a Master’s degree in Clinical Orthopedagogy at the University of Mons in Belgium. My thesis focused on emotional development and problematic behaviors in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. After working with adolescents for an academic year in the French National Education system, I had the opportunity to observe the academic and social challenges faced by vulnerable students. In the fall 2025 session, I will begin my Ph.D. in Psychoeducation at the University of Sherbrooke. My research interests focus on the inclusion and the academic and social adaptation of vulnerable children and adolescents, particularly those with disabilities, learning, adjustment, or behavioral difficulties. I am especially interested in psychosocial, emotional dimensions and self-determination. My research project will examine various strategies to reduce isolation and emotional distress among vulnerable students.
Research interns
Research intern, Bishop's University
Anne Minaki
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Research professionals
Research Coordinator
Samantha Bedard
I obtained a bachelor's degree in psychoeducation in 2019 and completed a master's degree in psychoeducation, research profile in early 2022, both at the Université de Sherbrooke. I also hold two certificates, one in psychology and one in history (Université de Sherbrooke). I was a scholarship holder for my first two years of my Master's degree (the first year via an institutional scholarship and SSHRC the second year). I was also first author of an article published in the journal of psychoeducation in May 2022. My interests lie in the adaptation of preschool-aged children, and more specifically in the factors that promote school readiness. My role in the team is mainly to support Gabrielle Garon-Carrier in the research projects she leads. I ensure that the data collection process runs smoothly, and supervise the research assistants involved in these projects.
Statistician
Annie Lemieux
I have been working in the field of statistical analysis in the social sciences for over 15 years. My fields of expertise are multivariate statistical analysis, prediction models, clustering models and longitudinal analysis. I also have statistical expertise in structural equation modeling. I hold a Master's degree in Statistics (2006) from the Université du Québec à Montréal. Develop statistical models, perform statistical analyses and write reports. Participate in grant applications, create seminars on statistical innovations, keep abreast of new developments in statistics and contribute to the writing of scientific articles. And finally, provide statistical support to students.
Alumni
Master's student, University of Sherbrooke
Soukaina El Adaoui
I obtained my bachelor's degree in psychology and psycho-education from the Université de Montréal. This course of study was rich in knowledge of both disciplines, as well as experiences gained through internships in the field. I'm currently doing my master's degree in psycho-education at the Université de Sherbrooke. My future goal is to deepen my knowledge in the field of psychoeducation through doctoral studies. My interest lies in the role of personal and environmental factors on the adaptation of children who present difficulties in the school context. My current research focuses on understanding the effect of educational services received in primary school on the association between victimization and subsequent internalizing problems in girls and boys with externalizing behavior problems. My role within the team is to contribute to the development of new knowledge in the field of psycho-educational intervention.
Master's student, University of Sherbrooke
William Gaudreau
My research journey began in the summer of 2020, when I was able to take part in the Université de Sherbrooke's summer internship in humanities and social sciences. Since then, I've been able to take part in a few communications at scientific conferences and collaborate on a few research projects. I'm starting my master's degree in psychoeducation in the fall of 2021, in which I'll have the opportunity to hone my research skills. In my dissertation, supervised by Pre Gabrielle Garon-Carrier and Pre Katherine Pascuzzo, I'm interested in the relative, additive and interactive contribution of parenting practices, temperament and the student-teacher relationship to the development of externalizing behavior disorders in school-aged children. My work will contribute to a better understanding of what leads children to adopt problematic behaviours in childhood, and support practitioners in their clinical work with them.
Master's student, University of Sherbrooke
Corinne Mavungu-Blouin
From 2018 to 2021, I completed my bachelor's degree at the Université de Sherbrooke in psychoeducation. It was during these years that I took my first steps in research, notably by doing a summer internship in research initiation, during which I was able to carry out all the stages of a research project. This project got me hooked on research, and I began my master's degree in psycho-education, research profile, under the supervision of Marie-Josée Letarte and Gabrielle Garon-Carrier. Overall, I'm very interested in early childhood. In fact, my first research project focused on the role of the teacher during playtime in 4-year-old kindergarten. My dissertation focuses on school readiness profiles and their predictive validity on school performance. I'm also interested in children's development and well-being throughout their school years.
Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Sherbrooke
Eda Cinar
I'm a researcher and clinician (school physiotherapist). I completed my doctoral studies at McGill University in the field of rehabilitation sciences, and then began my postdoctoral studies at the Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS) in 2020, under the supervision of Chantal Camden at the School of Rehabilitation. I am co-supervised by Gabrielle-Garon Carrier in the Department of Psychology at the Université de Sherbrooke. My work focuses on the delivery of physiotherapy services in the school environment and the role of motor skills in academic success and classroom engagement.
Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Sao Paulo
Gabriel Arantes Tiraboschi
I recently completed my doctorate in psychobiology at the University of São Paulo (Brazil), where I also obtained my master's degree in psychobiology and my honor's degree in psychology. As a graduate student, I mainly studied the effects of video games on the brain, behavior and development, conducting experiments and analyzing longitudinal data. I was also a visiting professor at the State University of São Paulo, where I taught psychology to undergraduates. My current project in Dr. Garon-Carrier's laboratory aims to study how breastfeeding is associated with children's mental health later in life using a prospective longitudinal model.
Research intern, University of Quebec in Montreal
Natacha Bérubé-Deschênes
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in elementary education in 2020, I completed my master's studies in the didactics program at UQAM and joined the UQ network's doctoral program in education in fall 2022. I am a research coordinator in Professor Isabelle Plante's Groupe de recherche sur l'éducation et l'adaptation psychosociale (UQAM). I'm also a student member of the Canada Chair on Gender Differences in Schooling held by Prof. Plante. My research interests concern the adaptation of gifted students to school. More specifically, my thesis project looks at the school boredom experienced by gifted students in regular primary classes in Quebec, with regard to the students' gender. As part of my doctorate, I am doing a research internship with Pre Garon-Carrier, which has led me to take part in the activities of her research team as a guest.
Research intern, University of Sherbrooke
Jasmine Gobeil-Bourdeau
With a bachelor's degree in psychoeducation and psychology and a master's degree in psychoeducation from the Université de Montréal, I worked as a psychoeducator in several schools in the Rimouski region. I then pursued a doctorate in psychoeducation at the Université de Sherbrooke, a program I completed in 2021. I did my first postdoctoral internship at Université de Montréal before joining GRISE for a second postdoctoral internship. My research focuses on school readiness, i.e. children's skills in different areas that enable them to take full advantage of the learning opportunities offered at school. I'm particularly interested in the role played by adults (parents, educators, teachers, etc.) in fostering young children's academic and social adaptation during the transition to school. My current project focuses on school-family collaboration and its role in the school adjustment of the most vulnerable children.
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Research intern, University of Montreal
Sophie Chaput-Langlois
I completed a bachelor's degree in psychology and psychoeducation (2014), then a master's degree (2017) and a doctorate (2022), research profile, in psychoeducation at Université de Montréal. During my career, I completed several clinical intervention internships with adults living with intellectual disabilities and children with severe attachment difficulties. I also worked for several years with adults with severe and persistent mental health disorders. I have also completed research internships on advanced statistical methods, notably at Texas Tech University. I have always been interested in the formation and role of social relationships in the lives of children and adolescents, and the consequences that can be associated with relationships of varying quality. During my doctorate, the school period particularly caught my attention, and I focused on victimization and relationships with peers and the teacher. As a postdoctoral fellow, I will be working on school readiness profiles and their consequences for mental and physical health in early adulthood, as well as on the elements of primary and secondary school experience that may explain these relationships (e.g. victimization, teacher-student relationship, school engagement).
Would you like to join our team?