This postdoctoral program trained four postdoctoral fellows in the development and evaluation of educational interventions and assessments for students with emotional disturbance (ED). The training program centered around the partnership between the university and Boys Town, a national provider of intervention services to children with or at risk for disabilities.

The program focused on the fellows' acquisition of advanced statistical and methodological skills necessary to conduct large-scale research projects using a variety of designs, including quasi-experimental design studies and randomized controlled trials. The program also focused on knowledge and competence in special education for children with ED and skills related to writing and submitting competitive grant proposals. Research opportunities for the fellows included: (a) the development and feasibility testing of an after-school program for improving the educational and social-emotional outcomes of youth with ED; (b) the development and testing of measures to assess the implementation of a treatment approach for youth in residential care for disruptive behavior disorders; (c) the assessment of the academic and language skills of children and youth as they enter Boys Town and the development of interventions to improve their functioning; and (d) a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of a family-focused intervention for improving the transition to high school among students at risk for academic problems.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Gross, Thomas (ORCID)
Hoffman, Steven
January, Stacy-Ann (ORCID)
Lambert, Matthew

As of 2020, Dr. Gross was an assistant professor at Western Kentucky University, Dr. Hoffman was an assistant professor at Brigham Young University, Dr. January was an assistant professor at the University of South Florida, and Dr. Lambert was an associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Products and Publications

Journal article, monograph, or newsletter

Ayers, S., Marsiglia, F.F., Hoffman, S., and Urbaeva, Z. (2012). Understanding the Gendered Patterns of Substance Use Initiation Among Adolescents Living in Rural, Central Mexico. International Journal of Drug Policy, 23(3): 251-254. doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2012.01.005

Ayers, S., Marsiglia, F.F., Hoffman, S., Urbaeva, J., and Booth, J. (2012). Mexican Adolescents' Risky Sexual Behavior and Migration Intentions. International Journal of Migration, Health, and Social Care, 8(2): 56-71. doi:10.1108/17479891211249997

Duppong Hurley, K., Hoffman, S., Barnes, B., and Oats, R. (2015). Perspectives on Engagement Barriers and Alternative Delivery Formats from Non-completers of a Community-Run Parenting Program. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25(2): 545-552. doi:10.1007/s10826-015-0253-0

Duppong Hurley, K., January, S.-A.A., and Lambert, M.C. (2017). Using Caregiver Strain to Predict Participation in a Peer-Support Intervention for Parents of Children With Emotional or Behavioral Needs. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 25(3): 170-177. doi:10.1177/1063426616649163

Duppong Hurley, K., Lambert, M., January, S.-A. A., and Huscroft, J. (2017). Confirmatory Factor Analyses Comparing Parental Involvement Frameworks with Secondary Students. Psychology in the Schools, 54(9): 947-964. doi:10.1002/pits.22039

Duppong Hurley, K., Lambert, M.C., Epstein, M.H., and Stevens, A. (2015). Convergent Validity of the Strength-Based Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale With Youth in a Residential Setting. Journal of Behavioral Health Services Review, 42(3): 346-354. doi:10.1007/s11414-013-9389-0

Duppong Hurley, K., Lambert, M.C., Van Ryzin, M., Sullivan, J., and Stevens, A. (2013). Therapeutic Alliance Between Youth and Staff in Residential Group Care: Psychometrics of the Therapeutic Alliance Quality Scale . Children and Youth Services Review, 35(1): 56-64. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.10.009

Duppong-Hurley, K., Lambert, M.C., and Stevens, A. (2015). Psychometrics of the Symptoms and Functioning Severity Scale for High-Risk Youth. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 23(4): 206-214. doi:10.1177/1063426614535809

Duppong-Hurley, K., Van Rzyn, M., and Lambert, M.C. (2015). The Role of Therapeutic Alliance in Residential Care. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 23(2): 90-100. doi:10.1177/1063426614541700

Fleming, C., Mason, W.A., Thompson, R., Haggerty, K., and Gross, T. (2016). Child and Parent Report of Parenting as Predictors of Substance Use and Suspensions From School. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 36(5): 625-645. doi:10.1177/0272431615574886?

Gross, T., Duhon, G., Schutte, G., and Rowland, J. (2016). A Comparison of Group-Oriented Contingencies for Addition Fluency. Contemporary School Psychology, 20(2): 130-141. doi:10.1007/s40688-015-0054-x

Gross, T., Duppong Hurley, K., Lambert, M., and Epstein, M. (2015). Psychometric Evaluation of the Symptoms and Functioning Severity Scale (SFSS) Short Forms With Out-of-Home Care Youth. Child and Youth Care Forum, 44(2): 239-249. doi:10.1007/s10566-014-9280-z

Gross, T., Duppong Hurley, K., Ross, J., and Thompson, R. (2016). Comparing Self-Report and Observations to Assess the Implementation of an In-Home Program Serving At-Risk Families. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 10(1): 96-116. doi:10.1080/15548732.2015.1114061

Gross, T., Duppong Hurley, K., Sullivan, J., Lambert, M., Van Ryzin, M., and Thompson, R. (2015). Program Records as a Source for Program Implementation Assessment and Youth Outcomes Predictors during Residential Care. Children and Youth Services Review, 58: 153-162. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.09.016

Gross, T., Fleming, C., Mason, W.A., and Haggerty, K. (2017). Alabama Parenting Questionnaire-9 Longitudinal Measurement Invariance Across Parents and Youth During the Transition to High School. Assessment, 25(5): 646-659. doi:10.1177/1073191115620839

Gross, T., Mason, W.A., Parra, G., Ringle, J., Oates, R., and Haggerty, K. (2015). Adherence and Dosage Contributions to Parenting Program Quality. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 6(4): 467-489. doi:10.1086/684108

Hamman, D., Coward, F., Johnson, L., Lambert, M. C., Zhou, L., and Indiatsi, J. (2013). Teacher Possible Selves: How Thinking about the Future Contributes to the Formation of Professional Identity. Self and Identity, 13(3): 307-336. doi:10.1080/15298868.2012.671955

Hoffman, S., Lambert, M., Nelson, T. D., Trout, A. L., Sullivan, J., Epstein, M. H., and Pick, R. (2013). Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the PedsQL Among Youth in a Residential Treatment Setting. Quality of Life Research, 22(8): 2151-2157. doi:10.1007/s11136-012-0327-z

Hoffman, S., Trout, A.L., Nelson, T.D., Huscroft D'Angelo, J., Sullivan, J., Epstein, M.H., and Gibbons, C. (2013). A Psychometric Assessment of Health Literacy Measures Among Youth in a Residential Treatment Setting. Journal of Studies in Social Sciences, 5(2): 288-300. Retrieved from http://infinitypress.info/index.php/jsss/article/view/517/228.

January, S.-A. A., Duppong Hurley, K., Stevens, A. L., Kutash, K., Duchnowski, A. J., and Pereda, N. (2016). Evaluation of a Community-Based Peer-to-Peer Support Program for Parents of At-Risk Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25(3): 836-844. doi:10.1007/s10826-015-0271-y

January, S.-A. A., Lambert, M. C., Epstein, M. H., Spooner, M., and Gebreselassie, T. (2018). Students at Enrollment Into Community-Based Systems of Care: Characteristics and Predictors of Functioning in School. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 26(2): 67-78. doi:10.1177/1063426616664327

January, S.-A. A., Mason, W. A., Savolainen, J., Solomon, S., Chmelka, M. B., Miettunen, J., Veijola, J., Moilanen, I., Taanila, A., and Järvelin, M.-R. (2016). Longitudinal Pathways from Cumulative Contextual Risk at Birth to School Functioning in Adolescence: Analysis of Mediation Effects and Gender Moderation. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 46(1): 180-196. doi:10.1007/s10964-016-0560-9

January, S.A.A., Lambert, M.C., Epstein, M.H., Walrath, C.M., and Gebreselassie, T. (2015). Cross-Informant Agreement of the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale for Youth in Community Mental Health Settings. Children and Youth Services Review, 53: 34-38. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.03.015

Lambert, M. C., January, S.-A. A., and Pierce, C. D. (2018). Latent Structure of Scores From the Emotional and Behavioral Screener. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 36(3): 249-260. doi:10.1177/0734282916676130

Lambert, M., Duppong Hurley, K., Gross, T., Epstein, M., and Stevens, A. (2015). Validation of the Symptoms and Functioning Severity Scale in Residential Group Care. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(3): 356-362. doi:10.1007/s10488-014-0575-z

Lambert, M.C., Duppong-Hurley, K., Gross, T.J., Epstein, M.H., and Stevens, A. (2015). Validation of the Symptoms and Functioning Severity Scale in Residential Group Care. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 43(3), 356-362.

Lambert, M.C., Epstein, M., Ingram, S., Simpson, A., and Bernstein, S. (2014). Psychometrics and Measurement Invariance of the Emotional and Behavioral Screener. Behavioral Disorders, 39(2): 89-101.

Lambert, M.C., Epstein, M.H., and Cullinan, D. (2014). The Diagnostic Quality of the Emotional and Behavioral Screener. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 32(1): 51-61. doi:10.1177/0734282913485541

Lambert, M.C., Hurley, D.K., Thomlinson, A.M., and Stevens, A. (2013). Measurement Properties of the Motivation for Youth Treatment Scale With a Residential Group Home Population. Child Youth Care Forum, 42(6): 555-570. doi:10.1007/s10566-013-9217-y

Lambert, M.C., January, S.A.A., Epstein, M.H., Spooner, M., Gebreselassie, T., and Stephens, R.L. (2015). Convergent Validity of the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale for Youth in Community Mental Health Settings. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(12): 3827-3832. doi:10.1007/s10826-015-0191-x

Lambert, M.C., Rudd, L.C., and Burley, H. (2012). The Jumpstart Model: The Contours of a New Force in Early Literacy. Educational Forum, 76(2): 234-247. doi:10.1080/00131725.2011.653091

Marsiglia, F.F., Ayers, S., and Hoffman, S. (2012). Religiosity and Adolescent Substance Use in Central Mexico: Exploring the Influence of Internal and External Religiosity on Cigarette and Alcohol Use. American Journal of Community Psychology, 49(1): 87-97. doi:10.1007/s10464-011-9439-9

Mason, W. A., January, S.-A. A., Chmelka, M. B., Parra, G. R., Savolainen, J., Miettunen, J., Järvelin, M.-R., Taanila, A., and Moilanen, I. (2016). Cumulative Contextual Risk at Birth in Relation to Adolescent Substance Use, Conduct Problems and Risky Sex: General and Specific Predictive Associations in a Finnish Birth Cohort. Addictive Behaviors, 58: 161-166. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.02.031

Mason, W. A., January, S.-A. A., Fleming, C. B., Thompson, R. W., Parra, G. R., Haggerty, K. P., and Snyder, J. J. (2016). Parent Training to Reduce Problem Behaviors over the Transition to High School: Tests of Indirect Effects through Improved Emotion Regulation Skills. Children and Youth Services Review, 61: 176-183. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.12.022

Mason, W.A., Fleming, C., Gross, T., Thompson, R., Parra, G., Haggerty, K., and Snyder, J. (2016). Randomized Trial of Parent Training to Prevent Adolescent Problem Behaviors during the High School Transition . Journal of Family Psychology, 30(8): 944-954. doi:10.1037/fam0000204

Mason, W.A., Fleming, C.B., Ringle, J.L., Hanson, K., Gross, T.J., and Haggerty, K.P. (2016). Prevalence of Marijuana and Other Substance Use Before and After Washington State's Change From Legal Medical Marijuana to Legal Medical and Non-Medical Marijuana: Cohort Comparisons in a Sample of Adolescents. Substance Abuse, 37(2): 330-335. doi:10.1080/08897077.2015.1071723

Nelson, T.D., Kidwell, K.M., Hoffman, S., Trout, A.L., Epstein, M. H., and Thompson, R.W. (2014). Health-Related Quality of Life Among Adolescents in Residential Care: Description and Correlates. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 84(3): 226-233. doi:10.1037/h0099812

Nelson, T.D., Kidwell, K.M., Hoffman, S., Trout, A.L., Epstein, M. H., and Thompson, R.W. (2014). Health Literacy in High-Risk Youth: A Descriptive Study of Children in Residential Care. Child and Youth Services, 35(1): 35-45. doi:10.1080/0145935X.2014.893744

Nieri, T., Hoffman, S., Marsiglia, F.F., and Kulis, S. (2012). Interpersonal Violence and its Association With US Migration Desires and Plans Among Youths in Guanajuato, Mexico. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 12(3): 365-381. doi:10.1007/s12134-011-0216-2

Sointu, E.T., Savolainen, H., Lambert, M.C., Lappalainen, K., and Epstein, M.H. (2014). Behavioral and Emotional Strength-Based Assessment of Finnish Elementary Students: Psychometrics of the BERS-2. European Journal of Psychology in Education, 29(1): 1-19. doi:10.1007/s10212-013-0184-3

Trout, A.L., Hoffman, S., Epstein, M., and Thompson, R. (2014). Family, Teacher, and Parent Perceptions of Youth Needs and Preparedness for Transition Upon Discharge From Residential Care. Journal of Social Work, 14(6): 594-604. doi:10.1177/1468017313506134

Trout, A.L., Hoffman, S., Epstein, M.H., Nelson, T.D., and Thompson, R.W. (2014). Health Literacy in High-Risk Youth: A Descriptive Study of Children in Residential Care. Child and Youth Services, 35(1): 35-45. doi:10.1080/0145935X.2014.893744

Trout, A.L., Hoffman, S., Huscroft-D'Angelo, J., Epstein, M., Duppong-Hurley, K., and Stevens, A. (2014). Youth and Parent Perceptions of Aftercare Supports at Discharge From Residential Care. Child and Family Social Work, 19(3): 304-311. doi:10.1111/cfs.12003

Trout, A.L., Lambert, M., Epstein, M., Tyler, P., Stewart, M., Thompson, R.W., and Daly, D. (2013). Comparison of on the Way Home Aftercare Supports to Traditional Care Following Discharge From a Residential Setting: A Pilot Randomized Control Trial. Child Welfare Journal, 92(3): 27-45.

Trout, A.L., Lambert, M.C., Nelson, T.D., Epstein, M.H., and Thompson, R.W. (2014). Prevalence of Weight Problems Among Youth With High-Incidence Disabilities in Residential Care. Behavioral Disorders, 39(3): 165-174.

Trout, A.L., Lambert, M.C., Nelson, T.D., Epstein, M.H., and Thompson, R.W. (2015). Prevalence of Physical Health Issues of Youth With School Identified Disabilities in Residential Settings. Disability and Health Journal, 8(1): 118-122. doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2014.06.006

Wang. E., Lambert, M., Johnson, L., Boudreau, B., Baumann, D., and Breidenbach, B. (2012). Expediting Permanent Placement From Foster Care Systems: The Role of Family Group Decision-Making. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(4): 845-850. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.01.015