Meet the Team
Meet Researchers in Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology
Our researchers include clinical, developmental and quantitative psychologists, as well as neuroscientists. We collaborate with numerous clinical divisions and other national and international academic and medical institutions to inform care, improve outcomes and advance collaborative research.
Director
Research Interests
Treatment adherence; health-related quality of life; patient-reported outcomes; executive functioning, adherence barriers, randomized controlled...
Faculty
Claire M. Aarnio-Peterson, PhD
Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Robert T. Ammerman, PhD, ABPP
Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Early childhood prevention programs and interventions to optimize the development of young children; enhancements of home visiting programs that...
Jillian E. Austin, PhD
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Curriculum development and delivery of professional training on evidenced-based treatment; integrated behavioral healthcare; adherence; community...
Research Interests
Developmental psychology; general pediatrics research fellowship
Julia F. Beattie, PhD
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); cognitive disengagement syndrome; sluggish cognitive tempo; sleep; comorbidity
Research Interests
Research impact of childhood sleep pathology on neuropsychological functioning; experimental sleep manipulation in adolescents; impact of shortened...
Carolina M. Bejarano, PhD
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Adolescent eating behavior; impacts of food insecurity as a social determinant of health; intraindividual and intergenerational processes
Shannon Brothers, PhD
Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Improving quality of life; illness coping; behavioral health concerns (e.g., anxiety, depression) of patients with epilepsy
Research Interests
Behavioral health interventions; pediatric epilepsy
Research Interests
Chronic pain; acute pain; brain imaging; sensory testing
Research Interests
School mental health; behavioral interventions in the school context; pediatric-school collaboration; parent training; educator professional...
Kristina Decker, PhD
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Pediatric sleep; pediatric obesity; health equity
Research Interests
Quality improvement; clinical effectiveness; pain management; differences of sexual development
Research Interests
Integrated systems of service delivery; organizational wellbeing; implementation science; culturally-responsive intervention delivery; caregiver...
Research Interests
Early intervention; adherence to treatment in chronic illness (CF and obesity); development and testing of brief behavioral interventions; quality...
Andrew J. Flannery, PhD
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Use of technology to promote self-management in chronic conditions; adherence and self-management assessment methodology; behavioral treatment of...
Susmita Kashikar-Zuck, PhD
Associate Director, Pediatric Pain Research Center
Research Interests
Psychological factors in pediatric chronic pain; evidence-based interventions for the treatment of pediatric chronic pain; cognitive-behavior...
Nadine A. Kasparian, PhD, MAPS
Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Emotional and mental healthcare of those affected by heart disease; mental health; neurodevelopment; neurobiological responses to stress;...
Kimberly L. Klages, PhD
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Pediatric oncology; pain; fatigue; health-related quality of life
Research Interests
Effectiveness of eating disorder treatment (FBT); yoga and various protective factors against eating disorder pathology; impact of eating disorders...
Research Interests
Pediatric obesity
Research Interests
School mental health; behavioral interventions in the school context; pediatric-school collaboration; parent training; educator professional...
Research Interests
Psychosocial factors associated with pediatric chronic pain; child pain behaviors; parenting behaviors
Constance A. Mara, PhD
Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Innovative application of advanced quantitative methods to research in pediatric psychology; pediatric patient-reported outcomes; longitudinal data...
Meghan E. McGrady, PhD
Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Treatment adherence; adolescents and young adults; oncology
Research Interests
Developmental outcomes of NICU graduates; prevention and early intervention
Research Interests
The development of child and parent self-report measures of experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion related to IBD
Research Interests
Treatment adherence; health-related quality of life; patient-reported outcomes; executive functioning, adherence barriers, randomized controlled...
Research Interests
Etiology of attention and behavioral disorders, particularly after pediatric brain injury, and improving the lives and functioning of children and...
Alex C. Nyquist, PhD
Staff Psychologist, Integrated Behavioral Health Program, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology
Research Interests
Emotion development; adolescence; depression; anxiety
Scott W. Powers, PhD, ABPP, FAHS
Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Clinical trials; migraine/headache; pediatric pain; adherence medicine; nutrition and behavior; cystic fibrosis
Rachelle R. Ramsey, PhD
Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Treatment adherence; adolescents; pediatric asthma
Research Interests
Biopsychosocial factors affecting pediatric chronic pain, namely continuous headache and migraine
Kristin Loiselle Rich, PhD
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Adherence to medical regimens; dissemination and implementation of evidence-based behavioral interventions; quality of life
Research Interests
Health promotion; physical activity; obesity; anxiety
Shivali Sarawgi, PhD
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Translational science particularly for the treatment of OCD and anxiety; ASD and emotion regulation; program implementation and utilization
Danielle Simmons, PhD, DBSM
Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Family adjustment to chronic illness; child adjustment to chronic pain
Elizabeth G. Smith, PhD
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
How brain development, a child's environment, and individual variability interact to drive phenotypic variability/outcomes for children with...
Research Interests
Developmental disabilities; mental health equity
Lauren Szulczewski, PsyD
Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Family adjustment to pediatric oncology, interdisciplinary care, communication in medical settings, and adherence
Lauren Tadevich, PhD
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring mental health concerns; adolescents; parenting; anxiety
Research Interests
ADHD; ADHD subtypes; non-medication interventions; early intervention and prevention; treatment outcomes; brain-behavior relationships;...
Desireé N. Williford, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Research Interests
Pediatric endocrinology; diabetes mellitus; treatment adherence, self-management, and intersectionality with social determinants of health; design,...
Research Interests
Barriers to weight management.
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