TITLE
To be or not to be: Life-threatening thought patterns during adolescence
ABSTRACT
Adolescence is a time of dramatic physical and psychological growth. It is therefore especially alarming when teenagers engage in self-destructive thoughts and actions. Many adolescents consider or take actions to hurt themselves with the intent to die (i.e., suicidal ideation, suicide attempt), while others do so in the absence of suicidal intent. One approach to explaining these clinical outcomes is to identify maladaptive thought patterns. Cognition shapes much of our reality, and may help explain why adolescents hurt themselves. In this talk, I discuss several maladaptive thought patterns among youth that may help us understand and ultimately reduce suicide and self-injury. I will present a series of studies that feature thought patterns ranging from those that are thematically distal (e.g., episodic future thinking), to those that are proximal to suicide and self-injury (e.g., attitudes toward death and cutting).
ABOUT
Scholarly Interests: I apply principles from cognitive and social psychology to answer questions about suicide and self-injury among youth. How can we more objectively assess suicide risk? Do certain patterns of thought place individuals at greater risk of self-harm? How do cognitive and other types of risk factors vary between adolescents and adults? To answer these questions, I conduct research through laboratory experiments, hospital-based data collection, and meta-analyses.
Educational Background:
- Harvard University, Ph.D.
- Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Predoctoral Clinical Psychology Internship (Child Track)
- Harvard University, M.A.
- Wellesley College, B.A.
