Clinical Psychology Faculty
Amy Bohnert, PhD
Professor
Dr. Bohnert is a Professor in Clinical and Developmental Psychology. Her work focuses on how various contexts may promote better outcomes among youth. Guiding themes of her research are emphasizing developmental transitions as points of reorganization, as well as conducting translatable work that can reduce health disparities among youth. Through collaborations across Chicago and the country, she utilizes principles of developmental science to examine health and well-being in children and adolescents, including several papers that characterize sleep and physical activity among girls during early adolescence. She also serves as a program evaluation consultant for the past 20 years designing and conducting multi-method evaluations to examine the effectiveness of after-school and summer programs, green schoolyards, as well as community-based initiatives to improve health and well-being among youth and families.
Colleen Conley, PhD
Professor
My research blends observational patterns, systematic/meta-analytic reviews, and intervention development and evaluation, through critical life experiences and developmental transition periods, especially adolescence and emerging adulthood. Recently, my research team has been reviewing, developing, and evaluating the impact of various interventions, both prevention and treatment, for adolescents and young adults (AYAs), including college students. Our research aims to improve the relevance, responsiveness, and accessibility of mental health care for AYAs, with the ultimate goal of improving wellbeing and equity (see descriptions on our IMPACT lab website).
Sungha Kang, PhD
Assistant Professor
My program of research broadly aims to address mental health disparities among children and families systemically oppressed by institutional racism. I am particularly interested in the processes by which children’s externalizing or disruptive behaviors (e.g., aggression, hyperactivity, defiance, delinquency) are identified, diagnosed, and treated in Black and Brown children. In doing so, I consider the interplay of contextual factors (e.g., parenting, families, schools and teachers, community violence) and systems-level factors (e.g., school districts, healthcare systems, juvenile justice systems) that contribute to the outcomes of children with externalizing behaviors. Through community-based participatory research methods, I aim to bolster community- and school-based mental health supports for children ultimately to dismantle the school-to-prison-pipeline that disproportionately affects Black and Brown youth. Through my research, I aspire to reduce disparities and increase access to adequate, culturally-sensitive, and trauma-informed mental healthcare for children and families of color in the United States.
Scott Leon, PhD
Associate Professor
The primary aim of my research is to evaluate programs and policies designed to promote positive outcomes for youth in the child welfare system. Youth in the child welfare system often come to care with a wide range of significant social, emotional, developmental, and educational needs. Policies that are initiated by state and federal agencies to address these needs must be properly evaluated to ensure they are having the intended effect.
Jared Ruchensky, PhD
Assistant Professor
My primary research interests focus on the assessment and conceptualization of personality pathology, particularly the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD). I also study commonly used psychological instruments, including the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Projects largely focus on how effectively instruments measure psychological constructs and the clinical consequences of both the measure and the construct. I am interested in examining these topics in diverse populations, particularly within sexual and gender minority individuals, and criminal-legal settings. My research agenda emphasizes multi-method assessment of personality. I am also interested in using ecological momentary assessment to examine dynamic processes associated with personality pathology. My overall goal is to help optimize commonly used personality instruments with a focus on improving assessment experiences of diverse (particularly LGBTQIA+) communities.
Amy Bohnert, PhD
Professor
Dr. Bohnert is a Professor in Clinical and Developmental Psychology. Her work focuses on how various contexts may promote better outcomes among youth. Guiding themes of her research are emphasizing developmental transitions as points of reorganization, as well as conducting translatable work that can reduce health disparities among youth. Through collaborations across Chicago and the country, she utilizes principles of developmental science to examine health and well-being in children and adolescents, including several papers that characterize sleep and physical activity among girls during early adolescence. She also serves as a program evaluation consultant for the past 20 years designing and conducting multi-method evaluations to examine the effectiveness of after-school and summer programs, green schoolyards, as well as community-based initiatives to improve health and well-being among youth and families.
Colleen Conley, PhD
Professor
My research blends observational patterns, systematic/meta-analytic reviews, and intervention development and evaluation, through critical life experiences and developmental transition periods, especially adolescence and emerging adulthood. Recently, my research team has been reviewing, developing, and evaluating the impact of various interventions, both prevention and treatment, for adolescents and young adults (AYAs), including college students. Our research aims to improve the relevance, responsiveness, and accessibility of mental health care for AYAs, with the ultimate goal of improving wellbeing and equity (see descriptions on our IMPACT lab website).
Sungha Kang, PhD
Assistant Professor
My program of research broadly aims to address mental health disparities among children and families systemically oppressed by institutional racism. I am particularly interested in the processes by which children’s externalizing or disruptive behaviors (e.g., aggression, hyperactivity, defiance, delinquency) are identified, diagnosed, and treated in Black and Brown children. In doing so, I consider the interplay of contextual factors (e.g., parenting, families, schools and teachers, community violence) and systems-level factors (e.g., school districts, healthcare systems, juvenile justice systems) that contribute to the outcomes of children with externalizing behaviors. Through community-based participatory research methods, I aim to bolster community- and school-based mental health supports for children ultimately to dismantle the school-to-prison-pipeline that disproportionately affects Black and Brown youth. Through my research, I aspire to reduce disparities and increase access to adequate, culturally-sensitive, and trauma-informed mental healthcare for children and families of color in the United States.
Scott Leon, PhD
Associate Professor
The primary aim of my research is to evaluate programs and policies designed to promote positive outcomes for youth in the child welfare system. Youth in the child welfare system often come to care with a wide range of significant social, emotional, developmental, and educational needs. Policies that are initiated by state and federal agencies to address these needs must be properly evaluated to ensure they are having the intended effect.
Jared Ruchensky, PhD
Assistant Professor
My primary research interests focus on the assessment and conceptualization of personality pathology, particularly the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD). I also study commonly used psychological instruments, including the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Projects largely focus on how effectively instruments measure psychological constructs and the clinical consequences of both the measure and the construct. I am interested in examining these topics in diverse populations, particularly within sexual and gender minority individuals, and criminal-legal settings. My research agenda emphasizes multi-method assessment of personality. I am also interested in using ecological momentary assessment to examine dynamic processes associated with personality pathology. My overall goal is to help optimize commonly used personality instruments with a focus on improving assessment experiences of diverse (particularly LGBTQIA+) communities.