FOCUS AREAS
Social-emotional competence plays a critical role in a child or teen’s development.
Being able to identify and understand one’s own and another’s feelings, as well as regulate one’s positive and negative emotions, are related to positive peer interactions and school achievement. However, not all children possess social-emotional skills; thus, assessment tools are needed to help educators, mental health professionals, and researchers better assess social-emotional abilities in youth. Also, preventive interventions are needed to build new skills or modify potentially maladaptive skills to improve social, emotional, and behavioral functioning.
Given that social-emotional skills are essential to the development of healthy social behavior, iRT has created several manualized, evidenced-based intervention programs that focus on improving social-emotional abilities in children and adolescents and can be implemented in elementary, middle, high, or after-school settings.
For example, learning how to be aware or mindful of one’s feelings and thoughts is a central part of the mindfulness education programs developed by iRT for typically developing youth, as well as for youth with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Learning about friendship, emotions, and social skills in naturalistic settings and during extracurricular activities is also a focus of iRT’s research in exploring novel methods of teaching social and emotional skills. iRT is also dedicated to conducting research on strategies for strengthening the impact of mentoring on social and emotional outcomes, given the replicated impact of mentoring on improving social relationships.
Dr. Alison Parker conducts research on school-based and online mindfulness programs that aim to improve children and adolescents’ social-emotional and self-regulatory abilities. In addition, Dr. Parker conducts research on assessments related to emotion recognition in young children and social information processing in children and adolescents.
Dr. Rebecca Stelter conducts research on the assessment of social information processing skills in children and adolescents, youth mentoring, and the custom development and delivery of social-emotional learning interventions implemented in afterschool settings.
Dr. Janis Kupersmidt conducts research on the assessment of social information processing skills in children and adolescents, mindfulness education, youth mentoring, and the custom development and delivery of social-emotional learning interventions implemented in afterschool settings.
Dr. Katie Stump conducts research on youth mentoring and the custom development and delivery of social-emotional learning interventions implemented in afterschool settings.
RELATED PROJECTS
RELATED PRODUCTS
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RELATED PRESENTATIONS
Kupersmidt, J. B., Stump, K., & Stelter, R. L. (2019, April). The Buddy Builder Program: Integrating social-emotional learning into enrichment activities in elementary afterschool programs. Workshop presented at the Synergy Conference, Greensboro, NC.
Kupersmidt, J. B., Stump, K., & Stelter, R. L. (2019, March). Evaluation of the Buddy Builder afterschool program for promoting social-emotional skills in elementary school-aged children. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, MD.
Parker, A. E., Smith, R. K., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Reeder, L C. (2019, March). Emotional self-efficacy beliefs in late elementary school-aged children. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, MD.
Kupersmidt, J. (2018, April). The role of social cognitive strengths in buffering the effects of risk exposure on children of incarcerated parents. Paper presented at the 2018 National Conference on Children on Incarcerated Parents, Phoenix, AZ.
Parker, A. E., Kupersmidt, J. B., Hiatt, C., & Carmichael Olson, H. (2018). Social information processing and intentions to use substances in adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. In M. Van Rest (Chair), Individual and Contextual Social Factors Affect Social Decision-Making and Risk Behaviors such as Substance use and Aggression. Paper symposium presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence in Minneapolis, MN, April 2018.
Stelter, R. L., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Parker, A. E. (2017). Social Cognitive Skills Rating Scale: A new measure assessing teachers’ perceptions of boys’ social information processing. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Child Development, Austin, TX, April 2017.
Dunsmore, J. C., Miller-Slough, R., Halberstadt, A. G., & Parker, A. E. (2017). Social contexts of emotion expression: Children’s emotion-related beliefs and judgments with parents and peers. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Child Development, Austin, TX, April 2017.
Kupersmidt, J. B., Stelter, R. L., & Parker, A. E. (2016, October). SIP-AP: Web-based assessment of social information processing skills in children and adolescents. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development Special Topics Meeting: Technology and Media in Children’s Development, Irvine, CA.
Kupersmidt, J. B., Stelter, R. L., & Parker, A. E. (2016, March). Social information processing, aggression, and executive functioning in adolescent boys. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence, Baltimore, MD.
Parker, A. E., Kupersmidt, J. B., Upton, S., Alter, M., & Olson, H. (2016, March). Online mindfulness program for adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder for healthy coping and decision-making skills. Poster presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence, Baltimore, MD.
Parker, A. E., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Willoughby, M. T. (2015, May). Mindfulness education and self-regulation in middle school. Poster presented at the Society for Prevention Research, Washington, DC.
Parker, A. E., Upton, S., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2014, September). Mindfulness training and substance abuse prevention for youth. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Prevention Network, Hartford, CT.
Parker, A. E., Kupersmidt, J. B., Carmichael Olson, H., Grant, T., (2014, April). Online mindfulness training for adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Oral presentation at the 6th National Biennial Conference on Adolescents and Adults with FASD, Vancouver, BC.
Upton, S., Stump, K., Parker, A. E., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2013, October). The Aware Program: Online mindfulness training for adolescents with FASD. Invited presentation at the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Cutting Edge Interventions Conference, Charlotte, NC.
Droutman, V., Parker, A. E., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Read, S. J. (2013, February). A pilot study of a mindfulness education program: The Moment Program. Poster presented at the Bridging Hearts and Minds of Youth, San Diego, CA.
Kupersmidt, J. B., Rhodes, J. E., & Stelter, R. L. (2013, January). Mentor training: Cutting edge training tools and resources and innovations in collaborative partnerships. Paper presented at the 2013 National Mentoring Summit: Washington DC.
Parker, A. E., Kupersmidt, J. B., Mathis, E. T., Scull, T. M., & Sims, C. (2012, April). Preliminary investigation of a mindfulness education, substance abuse prevention program for elementary school children. Poster presented at the International Symposia for Contemplative Studies, Denver, CO.
Kupersmidt, J. B., and Parker, A. E. (2012, February). Social information processing assessment with aggressive children and adolescents. Mini-skills workshop presented at the National Association of School Psychologists, Philadelphia, PA.
Parker, A. E., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2012, February). Mindfulness in education: Tools and strategies for the classroom. Mini-skills workshop presented at the National Association of School Psychologists, Philadelphia, PA.
Warren-Khot, H. K., Parker, A. E., Mathis, E. T., McKown, C. A., Allen, A., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2012, February). Preliminary validity of a web-based measure of preschoolers’ emotion identification. Poster presented at the National Association of School Psychologists, Philadelphia, PA.
Kupersmidt, J. B., Rhodes, J. E., & Stelter, R. L. (2012, January). MentoringCentral.net: Research-based mentor training and support. Paper presented at the 2012 National Mentoring Summit: Invest in the Future: Mentor a Child, Washington, DC.
Parker, A. E., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2011, May). School-based mindfulness improves early adolescents’ self-regulatory abilities. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Science convention, Washington, DC.
Stelter, R., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Dodge, K. A. (2011, March). Development of the SIP-AP: A web-based measure of social information processing patterns in elementary school-aged boys. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development, Montreal, CA.
Parker, A. E., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (2010, June). The Moment Program: Mindfulness-based, middle school academic achievement program. Poster presented at the Mind and Life Summer Research Institute, Garrison, NY.
Kupersmidt, J. B., & Parker, A. E. (2010, June). Master Mind: Mindfulness program for substance abuse prevention for elementary school students. Poster presented at the Mind and Life Summer Research Institute, Garrison, NY.
Voegler-Lee, M. E., Kupersmidt, J. B., Willoughby, M. T., Bryant, D., Arnold, D., & Peisner-Feinberg, E. (2010, June). The Building Bridges Program: Promoting children’s self-regulation and social competence. In J. A. Griffin (Chair), Promoting Research on Integrated Approaches to Improving Early Childhood Education: The Interagency School Readiness Consortium. Paper presented at Head Start’s Tenth National Research Conference, Research on Young Children and Families: Launching the Next Decade for Policy and Practice, Washington, DC.
Kupersmidt, J. B., Stelter, R. S., Parker, A. E., Parker, K. M., & Dodge, K. A. (2009, March). Elementary school age boys’ social information processing cognitions in ambiguous situations. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development, Denver, CO.
Kupersmidt, J. B., Voegler-Lee, M. E., Bryant, D. M., Arnold, D. H., Peisner-Feinberg, E. S., Willoughby M. T. (2007, March). Initial Findings from the Building Bridges Kindergarten Readiness Program. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Boston MA.
Kupersmidt, J. B. (March, 2006). Antisocial and conventional adolescents’ cognitions about challenges in friendships. In A. J. Rose & M. J. Prinstein, Maladaptive friendships in adolescence. Paper presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence, San Francisco, CA.
Kupersmidt, J. B., & Brewster, A. B. (2005, May). The social contexts of adolescent substance use. In K. A. Dodge, (Chair). Findings from the Duke Transdisciplinary Prevention Research Center. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, Washington, DC.
Kupersmidt, J. B., Bryant, D., & Voegler-Lee, M. E. (2005, May). The Preschool Behavior Program: Effectiveness of a universal preventive intervention for use with Head Start children. In C. A. Boyce, (Chair), Prevalence and prevention for emotional and behavioral disorders among diverse preschoolers. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, Washington, DC.
Kupersmidt, J. B., & Bryant, D. (2003, April). The Preschool Behavior Project: Effectiveness of classroom and parenting interventions for aggressive preschoolers. In C. A. Boyce & M. Lopez (Chairs), Strengthening children’s mental health within Head Start: The Head Start Mental Health Research Consortium. Paper presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Tampa, FLA.
Kupersmidt, J. B., Floyd, F. J., & Asher, S. R. (2003, March). Social tasks analysis of children with mental retardation, Down’s Syndrome and learning disabilities. Poster presented at the Gatlinburg Conference on Research and Theory in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, Annapolis, MD.