Dr. Krista Nelson

Dr. Krista L. Nelson began working at Southern Arkansas University in 2017 as an Assistant Professor of Psychology. She was tenured and promoted to Associate Professor in Spring 2021. Dr. Nelson is also a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Arkansas. She is a 1993 graduate of Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She graduated from Southern Arkansas University with a Master’s in Education in Agency Counseling in 2001. Finally, she is a 2012 graduate of Louisiana Tech University, with a PhD in Counseling Psychology.

In 2004, Dr. Nelson was licensed with the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling as a LPC. Prior to SAU, she taught psychology courses at the Grambling State University and the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Additionally, Dr. Nelson was on staff at the Medical University of the Americas as a Medical Teaching Psychologist located in Nevis, West Indies, in the Caribbean. Dr. Nelson also has years of experience working in the mental health field as a counseling therapist.

Primary research interests include fear of failure, gender roles and gender equality, the imposter phenomenon, gender role conflict, self-efficacy beliefs, and body esteem. Her new research interest topic of late is beliefs about terrorism and their impact on everyday society.