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Research

Melanie Stearns

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The FACCTS Lab focuses on understanding the intricate interplay between children and their caregivers, with a particular emphasis on sleep patterns, parenting behaviors, psychopathology, and health disparities.

Our research adopts a developmental perspective, aiming to investigate how these factors shape children and their caregivers’ emotional and physical development over time.

Specific objectives include investigating the influence of parent-child interactions on children's psychological development, identifying disparities in health outcomes among children and caregivers from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, and evaluating interventions to promote positive parent-child emotional and physical health and mitigate health disparities.

Methodologies include:

1. Longitudinal Studies: Tracking children and caregivers over time to observe developmental trajectories and identify critical periods for intervention.

2. Observational Studies: Utilizing naturalistic observation to capture real-life parent-child interactions and sleep patterns.

3. Experimental Designs: Implementing controlled experiments to test the efficacy of interventions aimed at improving parent-child mental health and sleep.

4. Surveys and Interviews: Gathering qualitative and quantitative data on caregiver attitudes, family dynamics, and socio-economic factors influencing child development.

Staff Recruitment 

Undergraduate Students: If you would like to join our lab, send a cover letter outlining experience and research interests as well as a CV to Dr. Stearns at mstearns@usf.edu. Please note that undergraduate students are expected to volunteer 6-10 hours per week in the lab. For all other inquiries please email Dr. Stearns.

Melanie Stearns

Melanie A. Stearns, PhD -- Lab Director/Principal Investigator

Melanie received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology (with a specialization in Clinical Child Psychology) from Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS and completed her APA approved internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center with a concentration in Clinical Child Psychology. Her dissertation examined regional parenting differences and their impact on the relationship between parent and emerging adult child psychopathology. She completed Postdoctoral Research Fellowships with Christina McCrae, PhD, in the Mizzou Sleep Research Lab in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri and the McCrae Sleep Research Lab in the College of Nursing at the University of South Florida with a focus on Behavioral Sleep Medicine. 

She is currently an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing and Director/Principal Investigator of the Family, Adolescent, Child, and Caregiver Translational Sleep Lab (FACCTS Lab). Dr. Stearns’s research focuses on caregiver influences on child behavior (e.g., parental psychopathology, parenting behaviors, religiosity, harsh discipline/maltreatment), child behaviors (e.g., externalizing problems), and sleep problems in the context of parent-child gender differences. She also examines demographic (e.g., race, ethnicity) and cultural factors (e.g., region, rurality) that alter sleep, parenting behaviors, and the caregiver-child environment. Current research involves examining sleep and tailoring behavioral sleep treatments for specialized child-caregiver populations (children with ODD, grandparents raising grandchildren).  

Adarsh Karthik -- Undergraduate Research Assistant

Adarsh is majoring in Biomedical Sciences as a first-year Judy Genshaft Honors College student. His goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon.

Anjalee Parbhoo -- Undergraduate Research Assistant

Anjalee is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Children's Behavioral Healthcare. She hopes to attend graduate school and is interested in developmental studies.

  • SLEEP-COPE: Sleep Enhancement and Effective Parenting for Children with Oppositional and Problematic Expressions

    This pilot study involves a mixed-methods approach to iteratively optimize and evaluate a dyadic telehealth behavioral sleep intervention tailored for children 8-12 years old with ODD and insomnia and their parents. We are recruiting children aged 8-12 with ODD and insomnia to participate in an in-person study. Parents/children will complete computer and in-lab assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. Participants will be compensated for their participation. If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact us at CON-facctslab@usf.edu.

    Funding provided by the College of Nursing Dean’s Grant

    Sleep in Noncompliant Children (SINC)

    This study aims to examine sleep and physiological arousal in children with ODD and their parents. We are recruiting children aged 8-12 with ODD and their parents.  Participants will be compensated for their participation.  If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact us at CON-facctslab@usf.edu.

    Funding provided by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation

    Under Completed Projects Under Analysis Tab:

    Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and Grandchild Sleep and Parenting (GRASP)

    We investigated the relationship between sleep and parenting behaviors in grandparents raising grandchildren and their grandchildren. We collected surveys and daily sleep diaries from grandparents raising grandchildren.

    Funding provided by the Sleep Research Society Foundation

  • CBT-I-GRANdfamilies Dyadic Sleep (GRANDS)

    This pilot study involves a mixed-methods approach to iteratively optimize and evaluate a dyadic telehealth behavioral sleep intervention tailored for grandparents with insomnia raising their grandchildren 8-12 years old. Grandparents/grandchildren will complete computer and in-lab assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up.

  • (Selected; for full list, see CV) 

    *current or former mentee

    Stearns, M. A, McCrae, C. S., Curtis, A., Nair, N., Hayse, B., Nadorff, D., & Wilkerson, A. (in press). Adolescent sleep mediates maternal depression and parenting behaviors. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

    McCrae, C. S., Curtis, A. F., Stearns, M. A., & Craggs, J. G. (2023). Fibromyalgia and the brain: What’s sleep got to do with it? Current Sleep Medicine Reports. 9, 235-246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40675-023-00268-3

    McCrae, C. S., Curtis, A. F., Stearns, M. A., Nair, N., Golzy, M., Shenker, J., Beversdorf, D. Q., Cottle, A., & Rowe, M. (2023). Development and initial evaluation of web-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia “NiteCAPP” in rural family dementia caregivers: A mixed-methods study. Journal of Medical Internet Research: Aging. 6, e45859. doi: 10.2196/45859.

    Szkody, E., Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2023). Dysregulation and parenting of emerging adults. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma. DOI: 10.1080/10926771.2023.2174466

    Hughes, A., Gunn, H., Siengsukon, C., Stearns, M. A., James, E., Donly, T., Williams, N. Eliminating sleep health disparities: Seven areas for action in the SBSM Community. (2023). Behavioral Sleep Medicine. doi: 10.1080/15402002.2022.2149523

    Gissandaner, T. D., Stearns, M. A., Sarver, D. E., Walker, B., & Ford, H. (2023). Understanding the impact of child behavior problems and sleep on caregiver stress: Results from a U.S. National Survey. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591045231156342

    McKinney, C., Rogers, M. M., Stearns, M., & Steele, E. H. (2022). Family functioning profiles in emerging adults: Associations with personal and parental psychological problems. Child Psychiatry and Human Development. doi: 10.1007/s10578-022-01459-9.

    McCrae, C. S., Curtis, A. F., Cottle, A., Beversdorf, D. Q., Shenker, J., Mooney, B., Popescu, M., Rantz, M., Groer, M., Stein, P., Golzy, M., Stearns, M. A., Simenson, A., Nair, N., & Rowe, M. A. (2022). Impact of web-based CBT for Insomnia on stress, health, mood, cognitive, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative outcomes in rural dementia caregivers: Protocol for the NiteCAPPSM CARES & SHARES Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Research Protocols. Jun 14;11(6):e37874. doi: 10.2196/37874.

    Szkody, E., Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2022). Interpersonal competence: A mediator between ODD problems and parent-child relationship discord. Child Psychiatry & Human Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-022-01356-1

    Lantz, E., Stearns, M., McKay, I., & Nadorff, D. K. (2022). The mediating effect of gratitude on the relation between religiosity and well-being in samples of undergraduate students and adults formerly raised by grandparent caregivers. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23, 969-984. 10.1007/s10902-021-00435-9.

    Stearns, M A., Ievers-Landis, C. E., McCrae, C. S., & Simon, S. L. (2022). Sleep across childhood during the COVID-19 pandemic: A narrative review of the literature and clinical case examples. Children’s Health Care, 51(4),409-430. DOI: 10.1080/02739615.2021.2016407

    Stearns, M., Szkody, E., & McKinney, C. (2021). Perceived mother-father dyad parenting typologies across for regions in the United States. Journal of Family Issues, 0(0), 1-28.

    McCrae, C. S., Mazurek, M. O., Curtis, A. F., Beversdorf, D. Q., Deroche, C. B., Sohl, K. A., Ner, Z. H., Davis, B. E., Stearns, M. A., & Nair, N. (2021). Protocol for targeting Insomnia in school aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. BMJ: Open, 11(8), e045944. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045944.

    Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2021). Parent-child anxiety in emerging adults: Moderated mediation by gender and religiosity. Journal of Family Issues, 42(11), 2691-2710.

    Szkody, E., Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2021). Stress-buffering role of social support for college students during COVID-19. Family Process, 60(3), 1002-1015. doi: 10.1111/famp.12618.

    McKinney, C., & Stearns, M. (2021). Parental psychopathology and oppositional defiant problems in emerging adults: Moderated mediation by temperament and gender. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 52(3), 439-449.

    *Provenzano, A., Stearns, M., & Nadorff, D. (2021). The influence of marital status on psychological health of custodial grandparents. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 92(4), 411-430.

    McKinney, C., Stearns, M., & Szkody, E. (2021). Maltreatment and affective and behavioral problems in emerging adults with and without oppositional defiant disorder symptoms: Mediation by parent-child relationship quality. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(5-6), 2612-2632. doi: 10.1177/0886260518760014.

    Walker, C., Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2021). Effect of parental corporal punishment on endorsement of its use: Moderated mediation by parent gender and attitudes toward corporal punishment. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(12-14), 6745-6768.doi: 10.1177/0886260518819878.

    Szkody, E., Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2020). Correlates of the dysregulation profile in emerging adults. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Analysis, 42, 343-354. doi: 10.1007/s10862-020-09807-6.

    Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2020). Connection between parent-child religiosity: Moderated mediation by perceived maternal and paternal warmth and overprotection and emerging adult gender. Review of Religious Research, 62(1), 153-171. doi: 10.1007/s13644-020-00404-3.

    McKinney, C., Stearns, M., & Szkody, E. (2020). Temperament and affective and behavioral ODD problems in emerging adults: Moderation by gender and perceived parental psychopathology. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 51(6), 900-912. doi: 10.1007/s10578-020-00969-8.

    McKinney, C., Stearns, M., & Rogers, M. M. (2020). Concordance between parents in offspring maltreatment as perceived by emerging adult college students. Child Abuse and Neglect. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104258.

    Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2020). Conflict associated with stronger parent-child religiosity in emerging adults, especially for sons. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 12(2), 149-156. doi: 10.1037/rel0000220.

    Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2020). Perceived parental anxiety and depressive problems and emerging adult oppositional defiant problems: Moderated mediation by psychological and physical maltreatment and gender. Family Process, 59, 651-665.

    Stearns, M., & Nadorff, D. K. (2019). The moderation of raising one’s grandchildren on the relation between sleep and depressive symptoms. Nature of Science and Sleep: Innovation in Aging, 3(Suppl 1), S678.

    Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2019). Connection between parent and child religiosity: A meta-analysis examining parent and child gender. Journal of Family Psychology, 33, 704-710.

    Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2019). Perceived parent-child religiosity: Moderation by perceived maternal and paternal warmth and autonomy granting and emerging adult gender. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 11, 177-187.

    McKinney, C., Stearns, M., & Rogers, M. M. (2018). Perceptions of differential parenting between Southern United States mothers and fathers. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27, 3742-3752.

    Nadorff, D. K. & Stearns, M. A. (2018). Hidden no longer: Black, Groce, & Harmon’s new book provides a fascinating glimpse into a vulnerable and understudied group of caregivers. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 0, 1-3.

    Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2018). Parent and child antisocial problems: Moderation by emerging adult religiosity and gender. Personality and Individual Differences, 134, 182-189.

    Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2018). The relationship between parent and child religiosity: Moderation by perceived parental antisocial problems. International Journal for Psychology of Religion, 28(4), 225-239.doi: 10.1080/10508619.2018.1493663

    Stearns, M., & McKinney, C.(2018). Transmission of religiosity from parent to child: Moderation by perceived parental depression and anxiety. Journal of Family Issues, 39, 3127-3152.

    Stearns, M., Nadorff, D. K., Lantz, E. D., & McKay, I. T. (2018). Religiosity and depressive symptoms in older adults compared to younger adults: Moderation by age. Journal of Affective Disorders, 238, 522-525.

    Adams-Price, C., Nadorff, D. K., Morse, L. W., Davis, K. T., & Stearns, M. (2017). The Adams-Price Creative Benefits Scale: Connecting generativity to life satisfaction. Journal of Aging and Human Development, 0, 1-24.

    Stearns, M., & McKinney, C. (2017). Perceived parental religiosity and emerging adult psychological adjustment: Moderated mediation by gender and personal religiosity. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 9 (Supplemental) S60-S69.

    • The FACCTS Lab, CASH Lab, and McCrae Sleep Research Lab collaborative review article is now published online! “Fibromyalgia and the Brain: What’s Sleep got to do with it?” can be found in Current Sleep Medicine Reports. Read it here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40675-023-00268-3
    • Congratulations to Dr. Stearns for receiving the College of Nursing Dean’s grant! This project “SLEEP COPE” will iteratively tailor and evaluate a dyadic behavioral sleep treatment for children with ODD and their parents.