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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 emotional regulation.

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 and evaluating interventions to promote positive parent-child emotional and physical health.

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 other environmental 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’ research focuses on caregiver influences on child behavior (e.g., parental psychopathology, parenting behaviors, religiosity, maltreatment), child behaviors (e.g., externalizing problems), and sleep problems in the context of parent-child gender differences. She also examines demographic 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.

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