Child Mental Health Research
Gregory Fritz, M.D., Director
Mary Carskadon, Ph.D., Co-Director
Ronald Seifer, Ph.D., Co-Director
Anthony Spirito, Ph.D., ABPP, Co-Director
The Research Training Program in Child Mental Health (pending funding) prepares post-residency psychiatrists, post-doctoral psychologists, and behavioral scientists to conduct independent research in the area of child mental health as full-time University faculty members. The Program is a two-year fellowship in which five research fellows train under the guidance of experienced mentors. It includes didactic work, participation in ongoing funded projects, and independent research. A central characteristic of the Program is its diversity. Participating faculty have expertise in normal development, psychophathology, psychophysiology and public health. This allows for three broad areas of research training: 1) developmental psychopathology (emphasis on infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in risk contexts); 2) pediatric psychology/psychiatry including depression/suicidality, anxiety disorders, HIV, obesity, asthma, smoking; and 3) sleep and chronobiology.
The Mentors
Research trainees select an established mentor whose area of research matches well with their own.
For research and clinical interests for faculty mentors listed below please click HERE.
The primary mentors are:
Larry K. Brown, M.D., Christopher Houck, Ph.D.
Health Behavior/AIDS Prevention
Mary A. Carskadon, Ph.D.
Chronobiology and Sleep
Gregory K. Fritz, M.D.
Psychosomatic Interactions & Asthma
Elissa Jelalian, Ph.D.
Pediatric Weight Control
Jennifer Freeman, Ph.D. and Abbe Garcia, Ph.D.
Pediatric OCD/Anxiety Disorders
Valerie Knopik, Ph.D.
Genetics, Environment and Behavioral Disorders
Barry Lester, Ph.D.
Perinatal Risk Factors
Debra Lobato, Ph.D. and Wendy Plante, Ph.D.
Effects of Illness on Siblings
Elizabeth McQuaid, Ph.D. and Daphne Koinis-Mitchell, Ph.D.
Asthma & Families
Eric Morrow, M.D., Ph.D.
Genetics of Developmental Disorders
Ronald Seifer, Ph.D. and Susan Dickstein, Ph.D.
Developmental Psychopathology, Early Childhood Intervention
Anthony Spirito, Ph.D., ABPP
Adolescent Suicidality/Substance Abuse