Lab Personnel

 
Dr. Fisher’s research focuses on childhood trauma and maltreatment, and foster and adopted children. He is particularly interested in the effects of early stressful experiences on children’s neurobiological and psychological development, and in designing and evaluating prevention and treatment programs for improving abused and neglected children’s functioning in areas such as attachment to caregivers, relationships with peers, and functioning in school. He is also interested in the brain’s plasticity in the context of therapeutic interventions. Particular areas of neurobiological functioning in Dr. Fisher’s research include the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the prefrontal cortex, and neural reward pathways. Dr. Fisher is a Professor of Psychology and Research Scientist at the Prevention Science Institute at the University of Oregon. His laboratory, the Stress Neurobiology and Prevention (SNAP) lab (http://www.uoregon.edu/~snaplab/SNAP), includes graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and other researchers with similar interests. Dr. Fisher is also Science Director for the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs, both based at Harvard University. He is Co-Principal Investigator, with Patti Chamberlain, on the NIDA-funded Translational Drug Abuse Prevention (TDAP) Center, working to increase understanding of the effects of early adversity and risk in decision-making and behavior on policy and practice in child welfare systems. Dr. Fisher is the recipient of the 2012 Society for Prevention Research Translational Science Award. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon in 1993. email: philf@uoregon.eduhttps://webmail2.oslc.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=275f816a251444c2ac25236094ad4791&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.uoregon.edu%2f%7esnaplab%2fSNAPmailto:philf@uoregon.edushapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1
Full CVPeople_files/paf_vita120514.pdf

Pears, K. C., Kim, H. K., & Fisher, P. A. (2008). Psychosocial and cognitive functioning of children with specific profiles of maltreatment. Child Abuse and Neglect, 32, 958-971.

Pears, K. C., Capaldi, D. M., & Owen, L. D. (2007).  Substance use risk across three generations: The roles of parent discipline practices and inhibitory control.  Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 21, 371-386.

Pears, K. C., Fisher, P. A., & Bronz, K. D. (2007). An intervention to promote social emotional school readiness in foster children:Preliminary outcomes from a pilot study.  School Psychology Review, 36(4), 665-673.

Pears, K. C., Fisher, P. A., Heywood, C. V., & Bronz, K. D. (2007).  Promoting school readiness in foster children. In O. N. Saracho & B. Spodek (Eds.), Contemporary perspectives on social learning in early childhood education (pp. 173-198). Charlotte, NC: Information Age.

Pears, K. C., & Fisher, P. A. (2005). Emotion understanding and theory of mind among maltreated children in foster care: Evidence of deficits. Development and Psychopathology, 17, 47-65.

Full CVhttp://pages.uoregon.edu/snaplab/SNAP/People_files/Pears_CV.pdf

Jackie Bruce, Ph.D. -  Scientist

emailmailto:jackieb@oslc.org?subject=email%20subjectmailto:jackieb@oslc.org?subject=email%20subjectshapeimage_4_link_0
Full CVhttp://pages.uoregon.edu/snaplab/SNAP/People_files/Bruce_CV.pdf

Hyoun Kim, Ph.D. -  Scientist

mailto:hyounk@oslc.org?subject=email%20subject
Paulina Nowicka's research interests center on the development of effective family-based interventions for childhood overweight and obesity. Prior to and during her doctoral training, she worked as a clinical dietician in a family-therapy based treatment team at a regional childhood obesity center in Malmö, Sweden. Her doctoral thesis evaluated family therapy as a model for treating childhood obesity (2009, Lund University, Sweden). During her first postdoctoral visit at the Yale School of Medicine, she participated in long-term evaluations of another successful pediatric obesity program “Bright Bodies” and assessed the effects of intervention on body composition and metabolic markers as well as its cost-effectiveness. Her second doctoral visit at UO has focused on the development of obesity treatment programs for preschoolers using the OSLC-developed Parent Management Training-Oregon Model (PMTO). She is also responsible for the psychosocial assessments of families participating in a long-term prevention study of early obesity in Sweden, Early Stop, conducted by Karolinska Institute.
Nowicka, P. Savoye, M. Fisher PA. Which psychological method is most effective for group treatment? International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, 2011; 6 (S1):70-73 Nowicka P. Flodmark CE. Family therapy as a model for treating childhood obesity. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 2011; 16 (1):129-145. Savoye M. Nowicka, P. Shaw, M. Yu, S, Dziura, J. Chavente, O’Malley, G. Serrecchia, BJ. Tamborlane, WV. Caprio, S. Long-term results of a weight management program in an ethnically-diverse population of obese children. Pediatrics. 2011; 127:402-410.  Nowicka, P. Santoro, N. Liu, H. Lartaud, D. Shaw, M. Goldberg, R. Guandalini, C. Savoye, M. Rose, P. Caprio, S. Utility of Hemoglobin A1C for diagnosing prediabetes and diabetes in obese youths. Diabetes Care, 2011, 34(6):1306-11. Nowicka, P. Höglund, P, Birgerstam, P. Lissau, I. Pietrobelli, A. Flodmark, CE. Self-esteem in a clinical sample of morbidly obese children and adolescents. Acta Paediatrica 2009; 98: 152-8

Martin, C. G., Kim, H. K., Bruce, J. M., & Fisher, P. A. (2014). Child diurnal cortisol rhythms, parenting quality, and externalizing behaviors in preadolescence. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 40, 170-180.

Martin, C. G., Cromer, L. D., DePrince, A. D., & Freyd, J. J. (2013). The role of cumulative trauma, betrayal, and appraisals in understanding trauma symptomatology. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 5, 110-118.

Martin, C. G., Bruce, J., & Fisher, P. A. (2012). Racial and ethnic differences in diurnal cortisol rhythms in preadolescents: The role of parental psychosocial risk and monitoring. Hormones and Behavior, 61, 661-668.

Martin, C. G., Fisher, P. A., & Kim, H. K. (2012). Risk for maternal harsh parenting in high-risk families from birth to age three: Does ethnicity matter? Prevention Science, 13, 64 – 74.

Martin, C. G., Cromer, L. D., & Freyd, J. J. (2010). Teachers’ beliefs about maltreatment effects on student learning and classroom behavior. Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, 3, 245–254.

Cynthia Healey, Ph.D. -  Research Associate

Full CVhttp://pages.uoregon.edu/snaplab/SNAP/People_files/Bryck_CV.pdf

Rick Bryck, Ph.D. -  Research Associate

Paulina Nowicka Ph.D. -  Research Associate

Full CVhttp://pages.uoregon.edu/snaplab/SNAP/People_files/Nowicka_CV.pdf

Christina Gamache Martin - Graduate Student

Amanda Van Scoyoc - Graduate Student

Kristen is the Research Coordinator for the SNAP Lab and works across projects for Drs. Fisher, Pears and Bruce at OSLC and Center for Research to Practice. She started working at the Oregon Social Learning Center in 1984 as a microsocial behavior coder, moving on to work on a multitude of projects with OSLC researchers in data management and analyses, research support services and grant administration until joining Dr. Fisher’s research group in 2000. Kristen has a degree in psychology from OSU and is particularly interested in child development, genetics, public policy and parenting. email: kdg@uoregon.edumailto:kdg@uoregon.edushapeimage_15_link_0

Kristen Greenley -  Project Coordinator

Kyndal received her bachelors degree from the University of Oregon in 2009 and has worked on various projects at OSLC since 2007. Since graduating Kyndal has worked as an assistant project coordinator and research assistant for the SNAP Lab and OSLC. In addition, Kyndal has worked with high risk families and children at OSLC Community Programs since 2008. She is interested in child development, the effects of early adversity, and family-based interventions. email: kyndalh@uoregon.edumailto:kyndalh@uoregon.edushapeimage_16_link_0

Kyndal Howell -  Coordinator

Kim, H. K., Pears, K. C., Fisher, P. A., Connelly, C., & Landsverk, J. L. (in press). Trajectories of harsh maternal parenting in the First 3 Years of Life. Child Abuse & Neglect. [PMC-In Process]

Pears, K., Fisher, P. A., Bruce, J., Kim, H., & Yoerger, K. (in press). Early elementary school adjustment of maltreated children in foster care: The roles of inhibitory control and caregiver involvement. Child Development. [NIHMSID: 119117]

Fisher, P. A., Kim, H. K., & Pears, K. C. (2009). Effects of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Preschoolers (MTFC-P) on reducing permanent placement failures among children with placement instability. Child and Youth Services Review, 31,  541–555. [PMC2678807]

Kim, H. K., Pears, K. C., Capaldi, D. M., & Owen, L. D. (2009). Emotion dysregulation in the intergenerational transmission of romantic relationship conflict. Journal of Family Psychology, 23, 585–595. [NIHMHSID111455]

Kim, H. K., Capaldi, D. M., Pears, K. C., Kerr, D. C. R., & Owen, L. D. (2009). Intergenerational transmission of internalizing and externalizing behaviours across three generations: Gender specific pathways. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 19,  125–141.[PMC2715275]

Pears, K. C., Kim, H. K., Healey, C. V., Yoerger, K., & Fisher, P. A. (2013) Improving child self-regulation and

        parenting in families of pre-kindergarten children with developmental disabilities and behavioral difficulties.

        Manuscript submitted for publication.

Pears, K. C., Fisher, P. A., Kim, H. K., Bruce, J., Healey, C. V., & Yoerger, K. (2013). Immediate effects of a

        school readiness intervention for children in foster care. Early Education and Development, 24, 771-791.

Healey, C. V., Fisher, P. A., Van Scoyoc, A., & Relling, A. M. (2013). Family-based interventions for children

        with prenatal substance exposure. In N. E. Suchman, M. Pajulo, & L. C. Mayes (Eds.) Parenting and

        substance abuse: Developmental approaches to intervention (pp. 487-513). New York: Oxford University

        Press. 

Healey, C. V., & Fisher, P. A. (2011). Young children in foster care and the development of favorable outcomes.

        Children and Youth Services Review, 33, 1822-1830

Gold, R., & Healey, C. V. (2011). Implementing Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC). In A. Ruben &

       D. Springer (Eds.) Programs and Interventions for Maltreated Children and Families at Risk (pp. 43-57)

        Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

 

* also published under Cynthia V. Heywood *

 

Heywood, C. V., Fisher, P. A., & Tang, Y. (2011). Mindfulness training: A promising approach for addressing the

        needs of child welfare system children and their families. In J. A. Jaworski (Ed.), Advances in Sociology

        Research: Vol. 8 (pp. 1-29). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.

Pears, K. C., Heywood, C. V., Kim, H. & Fisher, P. A. (2011). Prereading deficits in children in foster care. School

        Psychology Review, 40(1).

Full CVPeople_files/Healey%20vita%20rev.docxhttp://pages.uoregon.edu/snaplab/SNAP/People_files/Healy_CV.pdfshapeimage_17_link_0
Leslie E. Roos studies as doctoral student in the clinical psychology at the University of Oregon and collaborates with the Traumatic Stress Lab and the University of Manitoba, Canada. Her research interests include understanding how adverse childhood experiences alter feedback processing and reward pathways predicting maladaptive behaviors later in life. Specifically, she is investigating how behavioral and neurocognitive measures may serve as biomarkers for risky developmental trajectories and how interventions may target these processes. After completing her BSc at Brown University, Leslie worked at the University of Manitoba studying the psychiatric epidemiology of childhood adversity and traumatic stress in homeless populations. email: lroos@uoregon.edumailto:lroos@uoregon.edushapeimage_18_link_0

Leslie Roos - Graduate Student

Kate Gilliam is a graduate student in the clinical psychology program at the University of Oregon.  Her research interests center around using developmental neuroscience to inform the design of interventions targeting the behavioral, affective, and cognitive issues present in children exposed to early life stress.  She is currently investigating the effects of motor control training on other forms of self-control, such as affective control, in young adults.  In the future, she hopes to explore domain-general training of self-control as a means to ameliorate the effects of early life stress in younger, high-risk populations. email: kgilliam@uoregon.edu Gilliam, K.S., & Fisher, P.A. (in press). Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Preschoolers: A Program for Maltreated Children in the Child Welfare System. In S.G. Timmer & A.J. Urquiza (Eds.), Evidence-Based Approaches for the Treatment of Child Maltreatment. Springer. Fisher, P.A., & Gilliam, K.S. (2012). Research into Theory into Practice: An Overview of Family Based Interventions for Child Antisocial Behavior Developed at the Oregon Social Learning Center. Clínica y Salud, 23(3), 247-259.

Kate Gilliam - Graduate Student

Bruce, J., Fisher, P. A., Graham, A. M., Moore, W. E., Peake, S. J., & Mannering, A. M. Patterns of

        brain activation in foster children and nonmaltreated children during an inhibitory control task.

        Development and Psychopathology, 25, 931-941.

Bruce, J., Gunnar, M. R., Pears, K. C., & Fisher, P. A. (2013). Early adverse care, stress neurobiology, and

         prevention science: Lessons learned. Prevention Science, 14, 247–256.

Bruce, J., Fisher, P. A., Pears, K. C., & Levine, S. (2009). Morning cortisol levels in preschool-aged foster

         children: Differential effects of maltreatment type, Developmental Psychobiology, 51, 14-23.

Bruce, J., McDermott, J. M., Fisher, P. A., & Fox, N. A. (2009). Using behavioral and electrophysiological

         measures to assess the effects of a preventive intervention: A preliminary study with preschool-aged

         foster children, Prevention Science, 10, 129-140.

Bruce, J., Tarullo, A., R., & Gunnar, M. R. (2009). Disinhibited social behavior among internationally

         children, Development and Psychopathology, 21, 157-171.

 

Roos L.E., Kim, H., Neiderhiser, J., Shaw D.,Reiss, D., Natsuaki, M., Leve, L. Inherited and Environmental Influences on a Childhood Co-Occurring Symptom Phenotype: Evidence From an Adoption Study. Development and Psychopathology, in press.

Bhaskaran, J., Wang, Y, Roos, L., Sareen, J., Skakum, K. Bolton, J. (2014) Method of suicide Attempt and Reaction to Survival as Predictors of Repeat Suicide Attempts: A Longitudinal Analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, in press

Roos, L.E., Pears, K., Bruce, J, Kim, H., Fisher, P., (2014). Impulsivity and the Association between the Feedback-Related Negativity and Performance on an Inhibitory Control Task in Young At-Risk Children. Psychophysiology, in press.

Roos, L. E., Distasio, J., Bolton, S. L., Katz, L. Y., Afifi, T. O., Isaak, C., ... & Sareen, J. (2013). A history in-care predicts unique characteristics in a homeless population with mental illness. Child abuse & neglect, in press

Roos, L. E., Mota, N., Afifi, T. O., Katz, L. Y., Distasio, J., & Sareen, J. (2013). Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Homelessness and the Impact of Axis I and II Disorders. American journal of public health, 103(S2), S275-S281.

Roos, L., Sareen, J., & Bolton, J. M. (2013). Suicide risk assessment tools, predictive validity findings and utility today: time for a revamp? Neuropsychiatry, 3(5), 483-495.

Roos, L. E., Lebrecht, S., Tanaka, J. W., & Tarr, M. J. (2013). Can singular examples change implicit attitudes in the real-world?. Frontiers in psychology, 4.

Sciberras, Roos, & Efron. (2009) Review of prospective longitudinal studies of children with ADHD: Mental health, educational, and social outcomes. Current Attention Disorders Reports, 1(4).

Bryck, R. L., & Fisher, P. A. (2012). Training the brain: Practical applications of neural plasticity

        from the intersection of cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, and prevention

        intervention science. American Psychologist, 67(2), 87-100.

Jost, K., Bryck, R.L., Vogel, E.K., & Mayr, U. (2010). Are old adults just like low working memory young adults? Filtering efficiency and age differences in visual working memory. Cerebral Cortex: doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhq185

Bryck, R.L. & Mayr, U. (2008). Switch cost asymmetry without switching. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 15(1), 128-134.

Mayr, U. & Bryck, R. (2007). Outsourcing control to the environment: effects of stimulus/response locations on task selection. Psychological Research, 71, 107-116.

Bryck, R.L. & Mayr, U. (2005). On the role of verbalization during task-set selection: Switching or serial order control? Memory and Cognition, 33, 611-623. 

Former SNAP Lab Members
Dr. Mannering received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Oregon in 2006. Her interests broadly include early cognitive development, social cognition, and developmental psychopathology. Her dissertation research focused on the cognitive correlates of mental imagery and imaginative play in young children. Dr. Mannering’s current research interests center on the neurobiological systems underlying stress, how early stress influences the development of self-regulation, and how a greater understanding of neurobiological processes can be used to promote optimal developmental outcomes.

Anne Mannering, Ph.D. -  Research Associate

Mannering, A. M. & Taylor, M. (2009).  Cross modality correlations in the imagery of adults and 5-year-old children. Imagination, Cognition, and Personality, 28, 207-238. Mannering, A. M., Shelton, K. Hl, Leve, L. D., Harold, G. T., Ge, X., Shaw, D., & Reiss, D. (2011). Longitudinal associations between marital instability and child sleep problems across infancy and toddlerhood in adoptive families. Child Development, 82: 1252-1266.

Selected Recent Pubs:

Graham, A. M., Pfeifer, J. H., Fisher, P. A., Lin, W., Gao, W., & Fair, F. A. (2015). The potential of infant fMRI research   

     and the study of early life stress as a promising exemplar.  Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 12, 12-39.

Delker, B. C., Kim, H., Fisher, P. A. (2014). First time's a charm: Maternal problem drinking around the birth of a child in

    primiparous and multiparous women at risk for child maltreatment. J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 75, 973-981.

Delker, B. C., Noll, L. K., Kim, H. K., & Fisher, P. A. (2014). Maternal abuse history and self regulation difficulties in

    preadolescence.  Child Abuse & Neglect.

Roos, L. E., Pears, K., Bruce, J., Kim, H., Fisher, P. (2014). Impulsivity and the association between the feedback-related

    negativity and performance on an inhibitory control task in young at-risk children. Psychophysiology. doi: 10.1111

    psyp.12389

Fisher, P. A., Mannering, A. M., Van Scoyoc, A., & Graham, A. M. (2013). A translational neuroscience perspective on

    the importance of reducing placement instability among foster children. Child Welfare, 92, 9-36. (PubMed Central -

    in process)

Shonkoff, J. P. & Fisher, P.A. (in press). Rethinking evidence-based practice and two-generation programs to create the

        future of early childhood policy. Development and Psychopathology.

Weller, J. A., & Fisher, P. A. (2013). Decision-making deficits among maltreated children. Child Maltreatment, 18,

        184-194. 

Bruce, J., Gunnar, M. R., Pears, K. C., & Fisher, P. A. (2013). Early adverse care, stress neurobiology, and

        prevention science: Lessons learned. Prevention Science, 14, 247-256. 

Graham, A.M., Fisher, P.A., Pfeifer, J.H. (2013). What Sleeping Babies Hear: An fMRI Study of Interparental

        Conflict and Infants’ Emotion Processing. Psychological Science, 24, 782-789. 

Fisher, P. A., Kim, H. K., Bruce, J., & Pears, K. C. (2012). Cumulative effects of prenatal substance exposure and early

        adversity on foster children’s HPA-axis reactivity during a psychosocial stressor. International Journal of

        Behavioral Development, 36(1), 29-35.

Graham, A., Kim, H. K., & Fisher, P. (2012). Partner aggression in high-risk families from birth to age 3: Associations

        with harsh parenting and child maladjustment. Journal of Family Psychology, 26, 105-114.

Martin, C., Fisher. P., & Kim, H. K. (2012). Risk for maternal harsh parenting in high-risk families from birth to age

        three: Does ethnicity matter? Prevention Science, 13, 64-74.

Bryck, R. L., & Fisher, P. A. (2011). Training the brain: Practical applications of neural plasticity from the intersection of

        cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, and prevention/intervention science. American Psychologist.

Fisher, P. A., Lester, B. M., DeGarmo, D. S., LaGasse, L. L., Lin, H., Shankaran, S., Bada, H. S., Bauer, C. R., Hammond, J.,

        Whitaker, T., & Higgins, R. (2011). The combined effects of prenatal drug exposure and early adversity on

        neurobehavioral disinhibition in childhood and adolescence. Development and Psychopathology, 23(3), 777-788.

Fisher, P. A., & Pfeifer, J. H. (2011). Conceptual and methodological issues in neuroimaging studies of the effects of

        child maltreatment. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 165, 1133-1134.

Fisher, P. A., Stoolmiller, M., Mannering, A. M., & Chamberlain, P. (2011). RCT intervention effects on foster placement   

        disruptions associated with problem behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 79, 481-487.

Fisher, P. A., Van Ryzin, M. J., & Gunnar, M. R. (2011). Mitigating HPA axis dysregulation associated with placement

        changes in foster care. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 36, 531-539.

Fisher, P. A., & Gunnar, M. R. (2010). Early life stress as a risk factor for disease in adulthood. In R. A. Lanius, E.

        Vermetten, & C. Pain (Eds.), The impact of early life trauma on health and disease (pp. 133-141). Cambridge, UK:

        Cambridge University Press.

Pears, K., Bruce, J., Fisher, P., & Kim, H. (2010). Indiscriminate friendliness in maltreated foster children. Child

        Maltreatment, 15, 64-75.

Bruce, J., Fisher, P. A., Pears, K. C., & Levine, S. (2009). Morning cortisol levels in preschool-aged foster children:

        Differential effects of maltreatment type. Developmental Psychobiology, 51, 14-23.

Fisher, P. A., & Stoolmiller, M. (2008). Intervention effects on foster parent stress: Associations with child cortisol

        levels. Development and Psychopathology, 20, 1003-1021.

Fisher, P. A., & Kim, H. K. (2007). Intervention effects on foster preschoolers' attachment-related behaviors from a

        randomized trial. Prevention Science, 8, 161-170

Fisher, P. A., Stoolmiller, M., Gunnar, M. R., & Burraston, B. (2007). Effects of a therapeutic intervention for foster

        preschoolers on diurnal cortisol activity. Psychoneuroendocrinology.

Fisher, P. A., Gunnar, M., Dozier, M., Bruce, J., & Pears, K. C. (2006). Effects of a therapeutic intervention for foster

        children on behavior problems, caregiver attachment, and stress regulatory neural systems. Annals of the New

        York Academy of Sciences, 1094, 215-225.

Gunnar, M. R., Fisher, P. A., & The Early Experience, Stress, and Prevention Science Network. (2006). Bringing basic

        research on early experience and stress neurobiology to bear on preventive intervention research on neglected

        and maltreated children. Development and Psychopathology, 18, 651-677.

 

Amanda is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Oregon. Broadly her research interest is in the promotion child wellbeing for children at risk for maltreatment. More specifically she is interested in the design and implementation of early interventions that promote maternal sensitivity, the experiences of adolescent parents, and the use of substances during pregnancy. She is currently researching pregnant women’s experiences beginning substance abuse treatment to gain a stronger understanding of motivators that exist for substance use cessation, pathways to beginning treatment, and factors associated with lasting sobriety. Amanda has a documentary studies background and also has a strong interest in the dissemination of research findings beyond academia. Her clinical training includes cognitive-behavioral therapy for adults, attachment-based interventions for new parents, and a school-readiness program designed for at-risk preschoolers. email: avanscoy@uoregon.edumailto:avanscoy@uoregon.edushapeimage_30_link_0
Dr. Bryck received his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Oregon in 2008.  His work in graduate school centered on the study of executive processes using both behavioral and neuroscience methodologies (fMRI and ERP).  Specifically, he explored the interaction between long-term memory and top-down control processes. Dr. Bryck’s current interests lie in questions of how stressful early life events affect cognitive functioning, in particular, the development of executive control processes.  This includes the assessment of change in these systems before and after interventions designed to improve functioning in children with early adversity.  This line of research is intended to bolster the development of novel cognitive training and classroom based prevention/intervention methods. In collaboration with colleagues at the University of Maryland, he is also exploring the effectiveness of an attention training paradigm designed to reduce anxiety and stress vulnerability in children currently in foster care. email: rickb@oslc.orgmailto:rickb@oslc.orgshapeimage_31_link_0
Dr. Healey has been with OSLC since 2000. Prior to receiving her PhD in school psychology in 2009, she worked as a clinician and contributor on several OSLC intervention studies and community-based programs with a specialization in early childhood risk prevention and treatment. She currently works as a research associate with the Stress Neurobiology and Prevention (SNAP) team at OSLC. Her research interests include the development and implementation of child-directed and family-based interventions for high-risk populations. Specifically, she is interested in the development of self-regulation and stress reactivity in early childhood, attention and its role in development, mechanisms of resilience, parenting practices for caregivers of infants and children with intensive needs, and clinical applications of mindfulness practices. Dr. Healy’s clinical practice and research has included work with traumatized and maltreated populations, families involved in child welfare, children with developmental disabilities, infants and toddlers with prenatal substance exposure and their parents, and school-based systems change initiatives for at-risk students. email: cynthiah@oslc.orgmailto:cynthia@oslc.orgshapeimage_32_link_0
Dr. Bruce received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Rochester and her Ph.D. in Child Clinical Psychology from the University of Minnesota. She has been a Research Scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center since 2009. Her program of research focuses on the impact of early adverse experiences (e.g., child maltreatment and multiple caregiver disruptions) on the development of young children. She is particularly interested in the development of behavioral regulation (the ability to voluntarily regulate one’s behavior to meet the demands of the situation) and the underlying neural systems. For example, she has collected event-related potential (ERP) and event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data with maltreated foster children and nonmaltreated children during different inhibitory control tasks. Currently, Dr Bruce is the principal investigator on a study designed to investigate the effects of early adverse experiences and the cognitive processes underlying behavioral regulation on alcohol use in maltreated adolescents and a study designed to examine the behavioral and electrophysiological performance of children and adolescents on a decision-making task. She is also a co-investigator on a randomized efficacy trial of a school readiness intervention program with foster children and a multisite Center investigating the behavioral and neurobiological impacts of early adverse experiences in humans and nonhuman primates. email: jackieb@oslc.org mailto:jackieb@oslc.orgshapeimage_33_link_0
Dr. Kim's research interests center around the development of psychopathology in adolescents and young adults from at-risk backgrounds, including depression, delinquency, drug use, health risking sexual behavior, and intimate partner violence. Her work has focused on understanding the developmental trajectories and transmission of these health risking behaviors across generations, with a strong focus on mediating effects of self-regulatory systems and social influence processes (especially romantic partners’ influence) on the development of health risking behaviors during emerging adulthood. She has been serving as co-investigator on multiple longitudinal studies of at-risk adolescent populations, including two long-term longitudinal studies of at-risk young men and their romantic partners (Oregon Youth Study and OYS-Couples study) in which the etiology of and effects of romantic relationships on the developmental pathways of psychopathology have been examined. She is also serving as co-investigator on a preventive intervention research to examine the effects of the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) intervention on developmental trajectories of problem behaviors in delinquent females during adolescence on young adult outcomes. In addition, Dr. Kim is closely involved in two randomized control efficacy studies to test effects of the Kids in Transition to School (KITS) program which was designed to increase school readiness among at-risk populations including children in foster care. email: hyounk@oslc.orgmailto:katherinep@oslc.orgshapeimage_34_link_0
Katherine C. Pears is a Research Scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center. She received her BA in Sociology from Princeton University and her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Oregon. She studies a number of early childhood predictors of behavioral and social problems with the goal of developing preventive interventions. Specifically, Dr. Pears is interested in the effects of maltreatment and other early adverse circumstances on children’s social and academic development. She has examined theory of mind and emotion understanding abilities in high-risk and maltreated children and the association of these skills to early adverse experiences. She has also examined the school readiness skills and early school adjustment of high risk children including maltreated children in foster care. Currently, she is the principal investigator on two randomized efficacy trials of a school readiness intervention for two groups of high-risk children: maltreated children in foster care and children with developmental disabilities and co-occurring behavioral problems. Additionally, she is co-investigator on a 10-year longitudinal, three generation study examining intergenerational transmission of antisocial behavior and substance abuse in a group of high-risk men and their families, and has examined the intergenerational transmission of abusive behaviors in this population. email: katherinep@oslc.orgmailto:katherinep@oslc.orgshapeimage_35_link_0
Christina is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Oregon. She is interested in the development of psychopathology with an emphasis on early adversity, particularly child maltreatment, in the context of family relationships. Her overarching goal is to better understand the mechanisms, particularly stress reactivity and regulation, emotion regulation, and relational closeness to perpetrators and persons of support, that are associated with the development and maintenance of psychological distress over time resulting from childhood trauma. Her clinical work focuses on children and families, and her training includes child and family therapy, parent management training, cognitive and neuropsychological assessment training for children and adults, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. email: gamachem@uoregon.edumailto:gamachem@uoregon.edushapeimage_36_link_0

Katherine Pears, Ph.D. - Scientist

Phil Fisher, Ph.D. - Director

Melissa Yockelson is a doctoral student in clinical psychology at the University of Oregon. Her research interests include understanding the effects of early life experiences on development. Melissa is particularly interested in understanding the relationship between early adversity, social development, and neuroendocrine systems. In addition to understanding the effects of early experience, Melissa is interested in applying this knowledge to inform early childhood interventions. email: melissay@uoregon.edumailto:melissay@uoregon.edushapeimage_37_link_0

Melissa Yockelson - Graduate Student

Ida Moadab - Graduate Student

Ida Moadab is a doctoral student in clinical psychology. Her research interests are in the development of and interventions for self-regulation. She is currently working on a pilot study to investigate the neural mechanisms of risk-taking and inhibitory control in adolescents with prenatal poly-substance exposure. Her dissertation work explores the neural mechanisms by which meditation alters self-regulation. Specifically, she is investigating whether mindfulness practitioners and nonpractitioners differ in the way they evaluate errors and negative feedback.

Brianna Delker - Graduate Student

Brianna Delker (B.A. Columbia University, M.S. University of Oregon) is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Oregon. Her research focuses on maternal parenting and child development in the context of maternal addiction to alcohol or other drugs. She also examines how maternal exposure to cumulative adversity (particularly maltreatment within the family of origin, and subsequent revictimization within intimate relationships) informs maternal mental health, addiction, and parenting. In her work, she seeks to identify psychobiological and societal processes that may impact positively on both maternal recovery from addiction and increased orientation toward caregiving. The long-term goals of her research are to help prevent the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment, and to inform the development of interventions for mothers in alcohol/drug recovery, and their young children. email: bhailey@uoregon.edu Delker, B. C., Kim, H. K., & Fisher, P. A. (2014). First time’s a charm: Maternal problem drinking around the birth of a child in primiparous and multiparous women at risk for child maltreatment. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 75, 973-981. Delker, B. C., Noll, L. K., Kim, H. K., & Fisher, P. A. (in press). Maternal abuse history and self-regulation difficulties in preadolescence. Child Abuse & Neglect. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.10.014 Delker, B. C., & Freyd, J. J. (2014). From betrayal to the bottle: Investigating possible pathways from trauma to problematic substance use. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 27, 576-584. doi: 10.1002/jts.21959. mailto:bhailey@uoregon.edushapeimage_41_link_0

Laura Noll - Graduate Student

Laura is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Oregon. In her research she seeks 1) to better understand the mechanisms by which patterns of child maltreatment are transmitted across generations and 2) contribute to the development and implementation of interventions that interrupt these processes. Within this context, Laura is interested in exploring the complexity of bidirectional relationships that exist between diverse aspects of the human experience—from the epigenetic and neurobiological to the narrative and phenomenological. She holds a B.S. in Biochemistry and B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Austin and a M.Sc. in Psychodynamic Developmental Neuroscience from University College London and Yale. email: lkn@uoregon.edu mailto:lkn@uoregon.edushapeimage_42_link_0

Noll, L. K., Mayes, L. C., & Rutherford, H. J. (2012). Investigating the impact of

        parental status and individual differences in depression symptoms on early

        perceptual coding of infant faces: An event-related potential study. Social

        Neuroscience 7(5), 525-536.

Graham, A. M., Yockelson, M., Kim, H. K., Bruce, J.B., Pears, K.P., & Fisher, P.A    

        (2012). Effects of Maltreatment and Early Intervention on Diurnal Cortisol

        Across the Start of School: A Pilot Study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36, 666-670.

Prull, M. W., & Yockelson, M. B. (2013). Adult age‐related differences in the

        misinformation effect for context‐consistent and context‐inconsistent objects.

        Applied Cognitive Psychology.

Livia Carpenter is a Master’s student at the University of Oregon. She is interested in research and prevention concerning the effects of early life stress on child development and behavior. More specifically, she is interested in the effects of foster care on social/emotional development and self regulation. After completing her BS in 2008, she worked with children from maltreated & high risk populations through OSLC Community Programs and Oregon Social Learning Center.


email: liviac@oslc.org

Livia Carpenter - Graduate Student

Graham, A.M., Pfeifer, J.H., & Fisher, P.A. (2013). What Sleeping Babies Hear: An fMRI Study of Interparental

        Conflict and Infants’ Emotion Processing. Psychological Science, 24(5), 782-789.

Berkman, E.T., Graham, A.M., & Fisher, P.A. (2012). Training self-control: A domain-general translational

        neuroscience approach.Child Development Perspectives, 6(4), 374–384.

Bruce, J., Fisher, P.A., Graham, A.M., Moore, W.E., Peake, S. & Mannering, A.M. (in press) Patterns of Brain

        Activation in Foster Children and Nonmaltreated Children During an

        Inhibitory Control Task. Development and Psychopathology.

Berkman, E.T., Graham, A.M., & Fisher, P.A. (in press). Training self-control: A domain-general translational

        neuroscience approach. Child Development Perspectives.

Graham, A. M., Yockelson, M., Kim, H. K., Bruce, J.B., Pears, K.P., & Fisher, P.A (2012). Effects of Maltreatment

        and Early Intervention on Diurnal Cortisol Across the Start of School: A Pilot Study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36,

        666-670.

Graham, A. M., Kim, H. K., & Fisher, P.A (2012). Partner Aggression in High-Risk Families from Birth to Age 3:

        Associations with Harsh Parenting and Child Maladjustment. Journal of Family Psychology, 26(1), 105-114.

Graham, A.M., Ablow, J.C., & Measelle, J. R. (2010). Interparental Relationship Dynamics and Cardiac Vagal

        Functioning in Infancy. Infant Behavior and Development, 33, 530–544.

Alice Graham - Graduate Student

My research interests center on early emotional development in the context of various sources of early adversity. I am particularly interested in the potential impact of stressors during early, vulnerable periods of nervous system development. My current work focuses on the use of neuroimaging during infancy to examine key neural systems that may mediate between early environmental stress and subsequent risk for emotion related difficulties and psychopathology. I have also utilized longitudinal modeling to pursue questions about the impact of early adversity on symptomatology and hormonal indices of the stress response system. I hope to use multiple methodologies to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how sources of early adversity, ranging from more common (e.g. family conflict) to severe (e.g. caregiver transitions), lead to altered development of key systems underlying emotional development. The ultimate goal of this work is to inform prevention and intervention efforts by identifying potent stressors and highlighting the nature of potential difficulties. As a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program I have had the opportunity to work with children and families in a variety of settings.  My clinical training is in cognitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, family management, parent training, and school readiness programs for at risk pre-schoolers.  I am currently on my clinical internship at Oregon Health and Science University and doing a research placement with Dr. Damien Fair.

Jessica Flannery - Graduate Student

Jessica Flannery is a graduate student in the clinical psychology program at the University of Oregon. Her research interests broadly focus on how early adverse experiences affect neuroendocrine pathways and function as well their impact on the development of brain structures and connectivity between brain regions specifically associated with social and emotional development. After completing her BS in 2010, she worked as the lab manager of the Developmental Affective Neuroscience Lab at UCLA.


email: jflanner@uoregon.edu

Ursula is a research assistant and coordinator at the SNAP lab working on the Frontiers of Innovation project with the Harvard Center for the Developing Child. She received her B.S. in 2014 from the University of Arizona, and is interested in executive functioning and developmental neuroscience, particularly in the context of educational policies and interventions.  email: utooley@gmail.commailto:utooley@gmail.com?subject=shapeimage_48_link_0

Ursula Tooley-  Research Assistant & Coordinator