Research
Research
My current research is centered around promoting well-being and educational outcomes in children and adolescents, with a focus on disadvantaged and underrepresented students. I am particularly interested in protective and preventive approaches in psychological practice from the perspective of positive psychology, the risk and resilience factors that influence students' well-being, and underrepresentation in gifted and talented education.
My experiences include qualitative and quantitative projects on academic and psychosocial outcomes among academically talented high school students in the U.S. and Turkey, as well as research on early childhood STEM instruction. I have also been involved in prior research on academic outcomes, perceived discrimination, substance use, and time perspective among adolescents.
Publications
9. Mahiri, J., Simmons, A., & Bayazitli, I. (in press). Implementing transitional kindergarten: What equity-conscious school leaders see and do. Teachers College Press.
8. Bayazitli, I., Mello, Z. R., Ihorn, S. M., & Worrell, F. C. (2026). More than traits? Time perspective and academic outcomes among adolescents. Behavioral Sciences, 16(8), Article 1310. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16081310
7. Munzer, A., Mahiri, J., & Bayazitli, I. (2026). Early learning with LEGO robotics. [Policy brief]. 21st Century California School Leadership Academy. https://21cslacenter.berkeley.edu/publications/early-learning-lego-robotics
6. Bayazitli, I., Pommer, M. B., Cohen, L. B., Recinos Bernabé, C. I., Vo, R. Q., Desai, H., Ejadi, G., Worrell, F. C., & Hacifazlioglu, O. (2026). A little hope goes a long way: Identifying profiles of hope among gifted and talented Turkish adolescents. Gifted Education International, 42(2), 330–351. https://doi.org/10.1177/02614294261439610
5. Mahiri, J., Munzer, A., & Bayazitli, I. (2026). STEM and SEL for four- and five-year-olds in a LEGO robotics afterschool program. Early Childhood Education Journal. Advance online publication.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-025-02095-3
4. Bayazitli, I., Mahiri, J., & Munzer, A. (2025). Multidimensional time perspective and social-emotional learning with two transitional kindergarten teachers. Journal of Research in Childhood Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2025.2566269
3. Worrell, F. C., Bayazitli, I., Subotnik, R. F., & Olszewski-Kubilius, P. (2025). Investigating the insider knowledge of STEM-talented adolescents. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 48(4), 364–381.https://doi.org/10.1177/01623532251371739
2. Centeno, B., Bayazitli, I., Purnell, S., Bravo, D. Y., & Mello, Z. R. (2023). Colorism unveiled: Examining how skin color discrimination is associated with academic achievement, mental health, and substance use among Latinx adolescents. Research in Human Development, 20(3–4), 123–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427609.2023.2271363
1. Moon, J., Lieber, R. J., Bayazitli, I., & Mello, Z. R. (2023). An examination of multidimensional time perspective and mental health outcomes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6), Article 4688. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064688
Publications in Progress
6. Hacifazlioglu, O., Demir, O. O., Sahlin, S., & Bayazitli, I. (2026). Navigating the interplay between psychosocial needs and entitlement: Voices of leadership from Türkiye and Sweden. In Tara Ratnam (Ed.), Entitlement and academic leadership [Book chapter under review]. Emerald Publishing.
5. Recinos Bernabé, C. I., Bayazitli, I., Chan, M., & Furlong, M. J. (2026). Validation of the California Student Well-Being Index in Chinese and Spanish. [Manuscript under review]. University of California, Berkeley, & University of California, Santa Barbara.
4. Scott, A., Mahiri, J., & Bayazitli, I. (2026). Measuring perceived racism in school contexts: Development of the Racism Awareness in Schools scale [Manuscript under review]. School of Education, University of California, Berkeley.
3. Scott, A., Mahiri, J., & Bayazitli, I. (2026). Voices of experience: African American adolescents’ perceptions of racism in schools [Manuscript under review]. School of Education, University of California, Berkeley.
2. Chan, M., Lim, J. H., Bayazitli, I., Izumi, J., & Renshaw, T. L. (2025). Validation of the Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire–Revised across diverse U.S. student populations. [Manuscript under review]. University of California, Berkeley, Chapman University, & Utah State University.
1. Munzer, A., Mahiri, J., & Bayazitli, I. (2025). Teacher noticing as a means to promote equity in a LEGO robotics after school program. [Manuscript under review]. University of California, Los Angeles, & University of California, Berkeley.