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Sarah Francis

Education and Training

I completed my Masters and PhD degrees in Psychology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  As such, my research and clinical training were consistent with the goals of the Clinical Science Model of clinical psychology.  Specifically, I identify strongly with the cognitive behavioural tradition in my approach to studying and understanding psychopathology.

Please view my current CV here.

Research Interests

My research interests focus on examining mechanisms of risk in child and adolescent mental health. The specific aims of my research program are threefold: (1) identifying parent, child, and family factors that play a role in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders among youth, (2) developing psychometrically sound assessment instruments to validly measure these factors, and (3) using these assessment instruments to expand existing theories of the nature of anxiety among children and adolescents.

The research project in which I am primarily involved at present draws upon the developmental and parenting literatures. This work seeks to expand existing models of the development of child anxiety by identifying parental beliefs and behaviors uniquely associated with childhood anxiety. Specifically, I have developed a parent-report paper-and-pencil instrument designed to assess parental behaviours and cognitions uniquely associated with child anxiety (the Parental Behaviors and Beliefs about Anxiety Questionnaire; PBBA-Q; Francis, 2006). Previous pilot work among a clinical population has provided initial psychometric support for the PBBA-Q while also suggesting that it is not parental anxiety per se that predicts child anxiety, but rather the parent’s beliefs about the extent to which anxiety is harmful for their child. This finding is significant in that it lends support to the notion that identifiable and measurable parental beliefs and cognitions create a specific vulnerability with respect to childhood anxiety. The next step in this research program is to build upon the initial development of the PBBA-Q. It is hoped that this work will augment current theoretical models of anxiety and identify specific and measurable parent characteristics that play an active role in the transmission and maintenance of anxiety.

Publications

Chorpita, B. F. & Francis, S. E. (2005). Schedules of reinforcement. In M. Hersen (Series Ed.) & A. M. Gross & R. S. Drabman (Vol. Eds.), Encyclopedia of behavior modification and cognitive behavior therapy, Vol. 2: Child clinical applications (pp 1013 - 1017). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Chorpita, B. F., Taylor, A. A., Francis, S. E., Moffitt, C., & Austin, A. A. (2004). Efficacy of Modular Cognitive Behavior Therapy for childhood anxiety disorders. Behavior Therapy, 35, 263-287.

Feldman, L. B., Soltano, E. G., Pastizzo, M. J., & Francis, S. E. (2004). What do graded effects of semantic transparency reveal about morphological processing? Brain Language. Special Third International Conference on the Mental Lexicon, 90, 17-30.

Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2003). Behavioral assessment of children in outpatient settings. In M. Hersen (Series Ed.) & S. N. Haynes & E. M. Heiby (Vol. Eds.), The comprehensive handbook of psychological assessment, Vol. 3: Behavioral assessment (pp. 291-319). New York: Wiley.

Chorpita, B. F., Yim, L., Moffitt, C., Umemoto, L. A., & Francis, S. E. (2000). Assessment of symptoms of DSM-IV anxiety and depression in children: A Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38, 835-855.

Professional Presentations

Francis, S. E., Nakamura, B. J., Lam, C. W., & Chorpita, B. F. (2005, November). Measuring parental mediators of child anxiety: Implications for treatment delivery and outcome. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Washington, D.C.

Francis, S. E., Fulford, D. C., & Weisz, J. R. (2004, November). Correspondence of parent and child reports on the parent and child versions of the Children’s Depression Inventory. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, New Orleans, LA.

Fulford, D. C., Francis, S. E., & Weisz, J. R. (2004, November). Psychometric properties of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children among a school-based sample. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, New Orleans, LA

Kimhan, C. B., Noyes, M., Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2004, November). Familial relationships and child psychopathology. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, New Orleans, LA.

Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2003, November). An investigation of Dimensional Ratings of Clinical Severity and Clinical Severity Ratings in a child clinical population. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, MA.

Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2004, May). Initial Scale Development of the Parental Behaviors and Beliefs About Anxiety Questionnaire. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Society, Chicago, IL.

Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2003, November). An examination of clinical decision making strategies: Preliminary findings. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Child and Adolescent Anxiety Special Interest Group, Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, MA.

Gray, J. A., Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2003, November). Rationally derived scales of the Child Behavior Checklist: A comparison of two approaches. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, MA.

Greene, F. N., Chorpita, B. F., Francis, S. E., & Cordeiro, E. (2003, November). Anxiety, depression, and suicidality: Is it all just negative affect?  Poster presented at the 37^th annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, MA.

Taylor, A. A., Francis S. E., Chorpita, B. F., & Southam-Gerow, M. A. (2003, November). Examining differences between publicly and privately referred youth at a university-based clinic. Poster presented at the 37^th annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, MA.

Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2003, August). An investigation of social fears among a child clinical population. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology, American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.

Chorpita, B. F., Taylor, A. A., Francis, S. E., Moffitt, C. E., & Austin, A. A. (2002, November). Efficacy of Modular Cognitive Behavior Therapy for childhood anxiety disorders. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Reno, NV.

Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2002, November). Sensitivity and specificity of two self-report measures of child depression. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Reno, NV.

Francis, S. E., Watanabe, K., & Chorpita, B. F. (2002, November). Interrater and test-retest reliability of the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Reno, NV.

Gray, J. A., Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2002, November). Examination of rationally derived dimensions of the Child Behavior Checklist. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Reno, NV.

Kimhan, C. B. K., Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2002, November). Relations of temperament and symptoms of anxiety and depression within and across generations in a child clinical sample. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Reno, NV.

Watanabe, K., Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2002, November). Factor structure and convergent validity of the School Motivation and Distress Scale for Children. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Reno, NV.

Taylor, A. A., Chorpita, B. F., Francis, S. E., & Greene, F. N. (2002, November). Parameters of intervention use of a Modular CBT Manual: Individualization and flexibility in manualized treatment. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Reno, NV.

Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2002, August). Sensitivity and specificity of two self-report measures of child social anxiety. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology, American Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

Mezo, P. G., Heiby, E. M., Francis, S. E., Schirmer, T. N., & Talesfore, C. M. (2002, August). Self-report measures of self-control skills: Evaluating content validity. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology, American Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

Fernandez, S. N., Francis, S. E., Taylor, A. A., & Chorpita, B. F. (2001, November). Structure of social anxiety. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Philadelphia, PA.

Francis, S. E., Fernandez, S. N., & Chorpita, B. F. (2001, November). A brief measure of children’s anger. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Philadelphia, PA.

Francis, S. E., Mezo, P. G., Fernandez, S. N., & Chorpita, B. F. (2001, November). The structure of negative emotions: Negative affectivity as a mediator between locus of control and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Philadelphia, PA.

Gray, J. A., Francis, S. E., & Chorpita, B. F. (2001, November). Measurement of dimensions of child psychopathology: The reliability and validity of clinical severity ratings. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Philadelphia, PA.

Chorpita, B. F., Francis, S. E., Taylor, A., & Daleiden, E. L. (2000, November). Towards expert systems for child diagnosis: Diagnostic inference strategies and properties of a new computer interview. In N. B. Schmidt (Chair), Advances in computer technology for the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, New Orleans, LA.

Francis, S. E., Gray, J. A., & Chorpita, B. F. (2000, November). Measurement of functional impairment in children with internalizing and externalizing disorders. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, New Orleans, LA.

Francis, S. E., Chorpita, B. F., & Moffitt, C. E. (1999, November). Assessment of symptoms of DSM-IV anxiety and depression in children: Reliability and validity data for the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Toronto, Canada.

Higa, C. K., Chorpita, B. F., Yim, L. K., Francis, S. E., Santos, J., Huyhn, A., & Umemoto, L. (1999, November). Behavioral treatment of self-choking in a developmentally normal girl. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Toronto, Canada.

Francis, S. E. (1998, February). Coping flexibility and adjustment in young adults from divorced and intact families. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, MA.

 Copyright © 2006.  Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland.