As a student at Emory & Henry, Hiner has completed research on the impact of alcohol use on academic performance of first-year college students. Joined by another student, Elizabeth Scales, she also explores the alcohol use as it relates to socialization. Although their results did not reveal a relationship between academic performance and alcohol consumption, there was a significant correlation between a students need to belong and alcohol consumption.

Hiner is also conducting research on the relationship between weight perception and suicidal ideation in adolescents. Her findings have shown that compensatory eating behaviors, such as laxative use, vomiting and extreme calorie restriction, are better predictors of suicidal attempts than weight perception alone. The research will be presented at the 2015 annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association at Hilton Head, SC.

Hiner is currently completing an internship at Mount Rogers Community Service in Marion, Va. under the supervision of Dr. R. Christopher Qualls.

Ultimately Hiner hopes to help alter perceptions of mental illnesses through her research and internships.

There is no way I could thank Emory & Henry enough for how much it has done for me. I have been offered so many amazing opportunities, because E&H professors want the best for all of their students. I don’t believe I would have had a fighting chance off of this campus, professionally or in furthering my education, without this institution’s dedicated professors. – Amanda Hiner