Psychological Sciences Faculty
Dr. Clarissa Thompson - Investigates ways children learn, develop strategies to solve problems, generalize knowledge to novel contexts, and remember information.
Clinical Child Faculty
Dr. Sarah Black - Developmental psychopathology, with particular interest in risk for mood disorders during childhood and adolescence. Currently, investigating how parenting behaviors and parental psychopathology may influence the development of emotional regulation abilities during middle childhood and adolescence. Research also considers how the normative hormonal, social, and environmental events of childhood and adolescence can be disrupted and lead to increased risk for emotional dysregulation.
Teaching
Students are encouraged to become involved in undergraduate teaching. During the beginning of the 3rd year, students are enrolled in a teaching seminar and, with the supervision of a faculty member, teach one or several undergraduate courses (e.g. child psychology, social and personality development, cognitive development, adolescent psychology)
Clinical Training
Through Years 2 to 5 in the program, students gain experience in evidence-based treatment (e.g. Coping CAT/CAT Project, Habit Reversal Training, Exposure with Response Prevention, Behavioral Parent Training) and participate in a number of clinical practica, both within the department and in the community. A brief overview of these experiences is provided below:
Research Training
Research training is designed to develop students into highly skilled clinical child/adolescent scientists. Graduate students are actively involved in research throughout their training. Across faculty members there is a strong track-record of extramural funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Coursework
Coursework in the Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology Specialty is designed to provide students with foundational knowledge in the field of clinical psychology as well as in the areas of child development and clinical child/pediatric psychology. Consequently, students complete the course requirements for the clinical training program including a year-long sequence in Intellectual and Achievement testing taken through the University’s School Psychology Program.
Kent State University has a strong history of student activism. The university wants to ensure students can exercise their right to protest, demonstrate and march about issues that matter to them. And to do it safely.The Center for Student Involvement (CSI) is responsible for all student organizations on campus and provides numerous training courses for student organizations and their advisors. The dedication of the center and student organization advisors help create a culture of respect and support for Kent State’s global community.The center recently provided the "Advisor 101: Marches &...
Psychological Sciences Faculty
Dr. Judith Gere - Studies personality and romantic relationship processes that influence people's self-growth and subjective well-being (i.e., happiness).
Dr. John Updegraff studies cognitive and emotional processes that underlie health, well-being, and adaptation to stress.
Adult Clinical Faculty
Dr. Yossef S. Ben-Porath - Objective personality assessment with emphasis on the MMPI instruments, including applications in a variety of settings (clinical, correctional, forensic, and pre-employment screening) and computerized adaptive testing.
Dr. Jeffrey Ciesla - The processes and course of depressive disorders.