Who We Are

Personal Statement

My program of research is broadly aimed at understanding processes involved in the etiology and treatment of self-injury, including nonsuicidal self-injury and suicide attempts, in adolescents. I utilize longitudinal cohort based datasets (Developmental Pathways Research Program; VanderStoep & McCauley), cross-sectional epidemiological data (Washington State Healthy Youth Survey), and adolescents recruited from inpatient psychiatry unit (PIs: Adrian & Sim) to examine genetic, environmental, and individual contributions to prediction of the spectrum of self-injurious behavior during adolescence.

In addition to employing a developmental psychopathology approach to the study of self-injury, I also work towards identifying core components of effective treatments for youth at risk for self-injury. In the context of NIMH-funded clinical trial to understand efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), I have provided leadership for the recruitment and assessment arms of a clinical trial for youth who repetitively self-injure and involved in the treatment team for DBT arm of intervention (Collaborative Adolescent Research on Emotions and Suicide; PIs Linehan, McCauley, Berk, Asarnow). I am also interested in improving suicide assessment by incorporating adolescents social media information in predictive machine learning algorithms and applying these methods in clinic and school settings.

Education

Clinical Psychology, University of Maine, Orono
Fellowship: Child Psychiatry, University of Washington, Seattle

Department Affiliations

Other Affiliations

Mood and Anxiety Program – Seattle Children’s Hospital

Crisis Care Clinic – Seattle Children’s Hospital