Sally Zengaro

Dr. Zengaro’s formal training is in educational psychology, with specializations in learning and development, self-regulation and motivation. She has taught courses in adolescent development, educational psychology, social psychology, sport psychology, positive psychology, gender psychology, psychology of learning, research, and cognitive psychology since 2012. At Walden University, she is a contributing faculty member in Developmental Psychology working predominantly with doctoral dissertation committees.

Dr. Zengaro’s research interests include sports participation and moral development, aggression in adolescents, motivation, self-regulation, the role of affect in learning and development, and improving performance through mindfulness. She has over 20 publications and 60 presentations at regional, national, and international conferences. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Mid-South Educational Research Association, and the Southeastern Psychological Association.

Courses Taught

PSYC 8185 - Build a Quality Prospectus

PSYC 9000 - Dissertation

Education

PhD, University of Alabama

MA, University of Alabama

BA, Harding University

Awards / Honors

University of Alabama Outstanding Dissertation Award , University of Alabama, 2012

College of Education M. Ray Loree Most Outstanding Dissertation Award, University of Alabama, 2012

Publications

Zengaro, F., Zengaro, S. A. (2022). Active Learning, Student Engagement, and Motivation: The Importance of Caring Behaviors in Teaching.

Zengaro, S. A., Warley, R. M. The Fallacy of Higher Education as the Great Social Equalizer: Racial Identity, Implicit Bias, & Academic Achievement.

Zengaro, S. A., Zengaro, F., Ali, M. (2021). Academic support for ELL and immigrant adolescents: Connecting home, school, and communities.

Zengaro, F., Zengaro, S. A. (2019). Sports as intuitive experiences: Biofunctional embodied sports performance. MAHPERD Journal

Zengaro, S. A., Iran-Nejad, A., Schumacker, R., Zengaro, F. (2017). Understanding adolescent attitudes toward sports aggression: An integrated perspective. Research in the Schools

Presentations

Zengaro, F., Zengaro, S. A., Song, Y. (2022). Sports and exercise choices of middle and high school adolescents: A cross-cultural study. . Alabama State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance

Zengaro, S. A., Zengaro, F. (2022). Using teacher caring behaviors to support active learning. Southeastern Psychological Association

Zengaro, S. A., Zengaro, F. (2021). Increasing motivation and perseverance in online classes. Mid-South Educational Research Association

Lloyd, M., Kelling, A., Quillen, C., Leder-Elder, S., Brady-Amoon, P., Dulabaum, N., Matthews, A., Zengaro, S. A., Kreiner, D. (2021). Making mid-career more magical than maddening: Revitalizing, resurrecting, and/or revamping roles. Society for the Teaching of Psychology

Zengaro, S. A., Zengaro, F., Alvarez, J. (2021). Using stroboscopic visual training to enhance sports performance. Southeastern Psychological Association

Zengaro, S. A., Goldman, J., Evans-Amalu, K. (2020). Using contemplative practice in psychology courses to promote mindfulness, mastery, and resilience. American Psychological Association

Zengaro, S. A., Zengaro, F. (2019). Assessing student learning: Using writing prompts as summative evaluations. International Society for Exploring Teaching and Learning

Zengaro, S. A., Zengaro, F. (2018). Moral development and sports participation in adolescents: A cross-sectional study. Mid-South Educational Research Association