Interventions

Research Focus

Parental Behavior
Motivational Therapy
Early Childhood Education
Prenatal Drug Exposures

Projects

Virtual Reality to Assess the Interpersonal Dynamics of Violence Exposure

Valerie Simon, PI. Adolescents exposed to interpersonal violence often experience negative consequences. This study uses virtual reality technology to measure the betrayal, stigmatization and powerlessness theorized to impact these consequences. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development granted $423,827 over two years.

Pediatric Motivational mHealth Parent Training for Child Disruptive Behaviors

Lucy McGoron, PI. A four-year, $533,151 K01 award from the National Institute of Mental Health to use internet-based technology to identify disruptive behavior in children and motivate parent engagement. The program provides evidence-based training tailored to each parent's needs.

Recognizing, Reflecting and Responding to Infant/Toddler Cues: A Parent-Teacher intervention to Support Social-Emotional Development through Caregiver Mindfulness and Sensitivity

Ann Stacks, PI. A $2.47 million grant to support a five-year program of professional development, coaching and interventions designed to improve the responsiveness and interactions between teachers, parents and young students, in partnerships with Michigan State and the University of Michigan.

Michigan Opioid State Targeted Response and Evaluation

Stella Resko, PI. Three one-year grants from the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, totaling, $1.5 million, to assist with Michigan's federally funded response to the opioid crisis and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

Michigan Opioid State Targeted Response and Evaluation

Accelerating Collaborative, Cumulative and Open Intervention Science with an e-Intervention Authoring Platform

Steve Ondersma, PI. The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging Bioengineering awarded $1.5 million over four years to significantly enhance existing research software so scientists can more easily collaborate to develop powerful interventions for mobile devices.

Optimizing SBI Implementation for High Risk Alcohol Use in Women of Childbearing Age

Steve Ondersma, PI. Two grants totaling $235,939 and covering two years from Henry Ford Health Systems to refine and optimize the delivery of computer-based interventions that reduce alcohol use.

Recognizing, Reflecting and Responding to Infant/Toddler Cues: Parent-Teacher Intervention to Support Social-Emotional Development through Caregiver Mindfulness and Sensitivity

Ann Stacks, PI. A $2.47 million grant to support a five-year program of professional development, coaching and interventions designed to improve the responsiveness and interactions between teachers, parents and young students. The Michigan team of WSU, Michigan State and the University of Michigan is one of four sites funded across the country.

Pediatric Motivational mHealth Parent Training for Child Disruptive Behaviors

Lucy McGoron, PI. A four-year, $533,000 K01 award from the National Institute of Mental Health to use internet-based technology to identify disruptive behavior in children and motivate parent engagement. The program provides evidence-based training tailored to each parent's needs.

Mixed Methods Evaluation of a Culturally Specific Latina Victim Service Program

Stella Resko, co-PI. This two-year study through the Community Health and Social Services Center provides $131,247 to collaborate with the LA VIDA Partnership in Southwest Detroit. Dr. Resko's team is determining the unique needs of Latinas to help create a safe, comfortable environment that encourages them to seek help in cases of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Strengthening Mental Health Service Utilization to Reduce Negative Consequences of Child Sexual Abuse

Valerie Simon leads an NIH-funded project to identify barriers to and increase utilization of no-cost mental health services among families with a newly discovered case of child sexual abuse. At present, few families take advantage of early intervention resources, putting children at greater risk of long-term trauma.

Coaching for Excellence in Early Childhood Education

Anna Miller, M.Ed., and Sharon Elliott (College of Education) lead this project assessing the feasibility and impact of on-site expert coaching/mentoring to assist early childhood educators bring high-quality teaching practices to their classrooms. This pilot project works with child care centers in the Woodward Corridor Early Childhood Education Consortium and is funded by the PNC Bank and will assess.

Wayne County Baby Court

Ann Stacks is the University Partner and Program Evaluator for this project that was initially funded by the Centers for Disease Control and now funded by the Flinn Foundation. Baby Court is a systems integration approach to child welfare where parent-infant dyads receive services from a collaborative team informed by the science of child development.

Period of PURPLE Crying

Ann Stacks is Principal Investigator of this project which aims to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome. The project is funded by the Jewish fund and administered by Children's Trust Fund (CTF) of Michigan. The CTF is working with DMC hospitals to implement the Period of PURPLE Crying, the only evidence-based prevention program. Dr. Stacks is evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of the program and with the assistance of Beverly Weathington, training community professionals to work more effectively in teaching parents about normal infant crying, consequences of shaking, and healthy ways to cope with and soothe crying.

Interventions for Teen Risk Behaviors

Stella Resko conducts community-based prevention and intervention research, motivational interviewing and brief interventions to address adolescent violence exposure and perpetration, substance abuse treatment and prevention, and sexual risk-taking behaviors among adolescents and adult women,