The efforts of faculty, students, and staff annually produces 25-30 publications in professional journals. Our faculty have a broad range of research interests that are continuously evolving. You can review each faculty’s areas of research interests.
Common behavior problems of childhood frequently evolve into more serious disorders at later stages in development if left untreated. With young children, the most effective and evidence-based interventions involve teaching parents as intermediate treatment agents. Research studies in this area examine methods to educate parents in techniques and procedures for managing non-compliance and related disruptive behaviors in at-risk children and adolescents.
Since nearly one quarter of all pediatric visits involve behavioral health issues, applied research is conducted by MMI faculty into the most common concerns being raised by parents and schools during pediatric visits. Reasons for referral, diagnoses, use of medications, medical compliance, and patient outcomes are studied as related to effectiveness of integrated behavioral health services and the dissemination potential of the model program developed at MMI. Research is also conducted into procedures for integrating behavioral health services into primary health care practices. Research studies have addressed physician reimbursement rates comparing integrated vs. non-integrated practices across a series of dimensions including accessibility, frequency of usage, and the economics of having behavioral health professionals as part of the primary care practice.
Faculty are conducting a series of investigations to explore the
- application of virtual reality simulations both as a training tool (for conducting preference assessments) and as a clinical tool (for conducting exposure training during anxiety treatment) and
- the use of innovative interactive electronic apps for developmental screening in primary care and the prompting of parents in managing disruptive behavior.
Children and adolescents with sleep disorders present significant problems for parents and families. Sleep terrors, insomnia, nightmares, distorted sleep cycles, sleeping with parents and inability to fall asleep on one’s own all present behavioral difficulties and can evolve into more severe disorders. Research on sleep problems is conducted jointly with the faculty of the Department of Pediatrics and the Sleep Laboratory at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center.