Doctoral Projects & Colloquia Schedule

Below is the 2019 doctoral project colloquia schedule. Presentations are held at William James College and are open to the public. Check this space often as we continue to update the schedule, they are listed by date of presentation with the most recent first.

October 2019

The Impact of Social Thinking Training on Social and Self-Regulation Scores of School-age Children with Social and Behavioral Challenges: A Between-Subjects Design

Presented by: Katherine Grealish
Discussant: Rebecca Tubbs, PsyD
Date: October 19, 2019
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Room 228

September 2019

Treatment Providers' Awareness of Risk Factors for Unintentional Harm from Substance Use

Presented by: Faith Therrien
Discussant: Debika Paul, PhD
Date: September 12, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Room 334

Disruptive Disorders of Childhood as Defined by the DSMs: A Historical and Theoretical Exploration

Presented by: Sara Carabbio
Discussant: David M. Goodman, PhD
Date: September 5, 2019
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Room 333

Perceptions of Supervisor Development, Self-Efficacy, and Supervision Training Among Counselor Supervisors

Presented by: Megan Griffiths
Discussant: Suzanne Boucher, LMHC, EdD
Date: September 3, 2019
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Room 230

Predictors of Positive Outcomes During Acute Psychiatric Hospitalization in a Geriatric Veteran Population

Presented by: Lauren Baumann
Discussant: Malissa Kraft, PsyD, ABPP
Date: September 3, 2019
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Room 231

Examining Mental Illness Bias among Psychology, Social Work, and Mental Health Counseling Graduate Students

Presented by: Benjamin Trigani
Discussant: Sarah Frazer, PsyD
Date: September 3, 2019
Time: 8:30 am
Location: Room 228

August 2019

Neurocognitive Factors Associated with Recidivism Risk of Mentally Ill Criminal Offenders: Implications for the Use of Neuropsychology in Risk Assessment

Presented by: Jessenia Arias
Discussant: Kimberly Bistis, PsyD
Date: August 30, 2019
Time: 9:00 am
Location: Room 127

Who’s to Blame? The Effects of Victim and Perpetrator Gender on Blame Towards Victims of Sexual Assault

Presented by: Heather Yany
Discussant: Sharon Imperato, LMHC
Date: August 27, 2019
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Freedman Center Room 022

The Relationship Between Social Media Use and Anxiety Intensity In Adolescents Exhibiting Symptoms Of Autism

Presented by: Erich Schlesinger
Discussant: Michael Drury, PsyD
Date: August 27, 2019
Time: 8:00 am
Location: Room 228

Executive Control in Pediatric Intractable Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Assessing Change in Function Post Resection Surgery

Presented by: Meghan Lechuga
Discussant: Alcy Torres, MD
Date: August 26, 2019
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: Room 335

Clinicians’ Views of Sexual Orientation and the Effect on the Therapeutic Alliance when Working with Adolescent Clients

Presented by: Julienne Balestrier
Discussant: Cynthia Tavilla, PsyD
Date: August 26, 2019
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: Room 334

Impact of Licensed Psychologists' Attitudes Concerning Cannabis Use on Performance Predictions of Neurocognitive Measures Based Upon Clinical Case History

Presented by: Katelyn Yunes
Discussant: Donna Salusti, PsyD
Date: August 26, 2019
Time: 4:15 pm
Location: Room 336

Investigating Special Education Staff Members’ Understanding of the Relationship Between Reading Disorders and Language Impairments

Presented by: Zsofia Tengstrand
Discussant: John O. Willis, EdD
Date: August 23, 2019
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Room 126

Public Preferences for Rehabilitation Versus Incarceration of Sexual Offenders

Presented by: Kasey Mastrocola
Discussant: Tanya Snyder, MEd, LMHC
Date: August 22, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Room 128

Neuropsychological Correlates of False Memories in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease

Presented by: Emma Gosselin
Discussant: Andrew Budson, MD
Date: August 22, 2019
Time: 12:00 pm
Location: Room 126

Parental Mindset, Beliefs About Failure, and Parent's Learning-Related Behaviors

Presented by: David Jarsky
Discussant: Caitlin PIttel, PsyD
Date: August 22, 2019
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Room 230

A Summative Program Evaluation of a Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program

Presented by: Alexis DiGasso
Discussant: Richard Mollica, MD, MAR
Date: August 21, 2019
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Room 204

Psychology Trainees’ Knowledge and Perceptions of Psychopathy Compared to the General Public

Presented by: Amanda Connerton
Discussant: Ashley Murray, PhD
Date: August 20, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Room 128

Latino Caregivers and Mental Health: The Psychological Effects of Caring for Adult Family Members with Mental Illness

Presented by: Joselyn Rondón
Discussant: Jason Holland, PhD
Date: August 19, 2019
Time: 2:30 pm
Location: Room 128

Primary Care Physician Clinical Empathy and Cultural Intelligence: Bridging the Gaps in Medical Care of Ethnically Diverse Patient Populations

Presented by: Anita Tapia
Discussant: Beth Craft, LICSW
Date: August 15, 2019
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Room 128

Social Media and its Impact on the Reintegration Experience of Veterans

Presented by: Laurie Bryan
Discussant: Nicole Sawyer, PsyD
Date: August 14, 2019
Time: 9:00 am
Location: Room 128

Life Stressors and Overall Mental Well-Being in Black Men

Presented by: Damon A. Pryor
Discussant: Martin Pierre, PhD
Date: August 10, 2019
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Room 127

Relationship of Age, Personality Style, Prior Quality and Exposure to Media and AI, Educational Information about AI Therapy and Willingness to Participate in Artificial Intelligence Mediated Treatment

Presented by: Victoria Karkantis
Discussant: Diana Westerberg, PhD
Date: August 7, 2019
Time: 5:00 pm
Location: Room 127

The Relationship of Intensity of Exposure to Military Combat, Level of Physiological Arousal and Cognitive Flexibility in Firefighters

Presented by: Kelly Main
Discussant: John Rodolico, PhD
Date: August 7, 2019
Time: 3:00 pm
Location: Room 334

Vicarious Trauma in Clinicians Working with the Military Community

Presented by: Bethzaida Felix Bonilla
Discussant: Sharon L. Baker, PhD
Date: August 7, 2019
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Room 128

“Cycle-Therapy:” A Mind-Body Intervention Protocol for Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Presented by: Julia Hadden
Discussant: Louisa Sylvia, PhD
Date: August 7, 2019
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Room 126

Posttraumatic Growth and its Effect on Death Anxiety in Adult Cancer Survivors

Presented by: Kathryn Thibedeau
Discussant: Nancy Gaulin, PsyD
Date: August 6, 2019
Time: 11:30 am
Location: Room 128

A Qualitative Study of Massachusetts School Psychologists’ Practices Related to the Identification of Learning Disabilities for the Purposes of Determining Eligibility for Special Education

Presented by: Cynthia Estremera
Discussant: Joan Axelrod, MEd
Date: August 6, 2019
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Room 126

Psychological Factors Associated with Adherence to Colorectal Cancer Screening: An Exploratory Study

Presented by: Jennifer Sheets
Discussant: Nancy Gaulin, PsyD
Date: August 6, 2019
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Room 127

July 2019

Young Black Men’s Experiences of Aggressive Policing

Presented by: Sade Callwood
Discussant: Phillipe Copeland, PhD, LICSW
Date: July 24, 2019
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Room 332/333

Emerging Adults' Utilization of Mobile Dating Apps to Find Romantic Relationships

Presented by: Aubrey Morrissey
Discussant: Susan Meagher, PhD
Date: July 23, 2019
Time: 3:00 pm
Location: Room 126

Forensic Evaluators’ Assessment of Defendants’ Competence in Plea Bargaining Decisions

Presented by: Arialda Fejzic
Discussant: Adam Foss, JD
Date: July 22, 2019
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: Room 128

Associations Between Trauma, Mental Health, and Incarceration Patterns in a Jailed Sample

Presented by: Olivia Kolodziejczak
Discussant: Joanne Belknap, PhD
Date: July 22, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Room 126

Detecting Simulated Dementia: Combining Behavioral Measures with Event-Related Potentials

Presented by: August M. Price
Discussant: Andrew Budson, MD
Date: July 13, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Room 226

Culturally Sensitive Normative Data for the Color Trails Test in the Indian Population

Presented by: Kushnoo K. Indorewalla
Discussant: Margaret Lanca, PhD
Date: July 12, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Room 128

The Impact of the DROR Program on Self-Efficacy in Adolescent Israeli Girls

Presented by: Sima Menora
Discussant: Peter Sperber, LICSW
Date: July 10, 2019
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Room 128

Factors Associated with Increased Exercise in Veterans

Presented by: Katelyn Desrosiers
Discussant: Angela Taveira-Dick, PhD
Date: July 9, 2019
Time: 5:00 pm
Location: Room 128

June 2019

Creating a School-Based Intervention Aimed at Reducing Risk and Facilitating Social Connectedness and Help-seeking for Students Identified as Thinking about Suicide

Presented by: Maura Weir
Discussant: Barent Walsh, PhD
Date: June 28, 2019
Time: 12:00 pm
Location: Room 126

Factors that Influence Patients' Medication Adherence in the Integrated Primary Care Setting

Presented by: Ashley O'Hearn
Discussant: Katherine Larsson, RN, CS, PhD
Date: June 25, 2019
Time: 1:00 pm
Location: Room 333

The Process of Becoming a Caregiver for a Parent with Dementia

Presented by: Alison Weiner
Discussant: Kristen Dillon, PsyD, ABPP
Date: June 25, 2019
Time: 1:00 pm
Location: Room 231

Factors Influencing Military Mothers' Experience of Reintegration with Their Families Following Deployment

Presented by: Lindsey Sweitzer
Discussant: Shani Dowd, LHD(hc), LCSW
Date: June 25, 2019
Time: 12:15 pm
Location: Room 126

The Role of Partner Strengths and Commitment in Relationship Satisfaction

Presented by: Gabrielle Babai
Discussant: David Haddad, EdD
Date: June 24, 2019
Time: 5:00 pm
Location: Room 334

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Development of Professional Development Training Provided by an Internal School Psychologist

Presented by: Tari J. Selig
Discussant: Dr. Nathaniel Jones
Date: June 24, 2019
Time: 1:00 pm
Location: Room 127

Supervisees' Perspectives Regarding Ruptures in Clinical Supervision

Presented by: Melissa Morrison
Discussant: Lionel Joseph, PhD, PsyD
Date: June 19, 2019
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Room 127

An Analysis of the Impact of Clinicians’ Attitudes Toward Youth with Antisocial Tendencies and Callous-Unemotional Traits

Presented by: Ariel Ingber
Discussant: Christina Riggs Romaine, PhD
Date: June 17, 2019
Time: 3:30 pm
Location: Room 334

Public Perception Regarding Willingness to Provide Funds to Families with Incarcerated Parents

Presented by: Juliana Rezende
Discussant: Kate Erwin, MD
Date: June 6, 2019
Time: 5:50 pm
Location: Room 127

May 2019

Relationship Between Adjudicated Conference and Cognitive Functioning

Presented by: Jessica M. Fett
Discussant: Robert Mendoza, PsyD
Date: May 31, 2019
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Room 128

The Impact of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit on Survivors of Childhood and Adult Sexual Abuse and Sexual Assault: These are Their Stories

Presented by: Nathalie Alexis
Discussant: Sharon Imperato, LMHC
Date: May 21, 2019
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Room 127

Clinical and Counseling Psychology Doctoral Students’ Perceptions of Protective and Risk Factors for Vicarious Trauma

Presented by: Julia Braunstein
Discussant: Mari Dias, EdD
Date: May 16, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Room 128

Too Smart for the Couch: Therapist's Emotional Reactions to Claims of Intellectual Giftedness

Presented by: Laeth Al-Hamdouni
Discussant: Jane Hanenberg, EdD
Date: May 15, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Room 128

Factor Anlyses of the Five Factor Structure in the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT)

Presented by: Janelle Eloi
Discussant: Alcy Torres, MD
Date: May 13, 2019
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Room 126

An Evaluation of a Geriatric Psychiatric Unit for Older Adult Veterans

Presented by: Ashley M. Couto
Discussant: Malissa Kraft, PsyD, ABPP-CN
Date: May 13, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Room 335

Assessing Educators’ Knowledge of Lyme Disease

Presented by: Lori King
Discussant: Debra Newborg, PsyD
Date: May 13, 2019
Time: 1:30 pm
Location: Room 128

A Comparison of Inpatient Effectiveness for Police Officers and Firefighters

Presented by: Brendon McCue
Discussant: John Rodolico, PhD
Date: May 10, 2019
Time: 9:00 am
Location: Room 128

Relationships Among Caregiver Risk Factors, Access to Social Services, and Reported Child Maltreatment in a Nationally Representative Sample

Presented by: Nicole Hanlon
Discussant: Mary Miller, MEd, LSW
Date: May 9, 2019
Time: 4:30 pm
Location: Room 128

The Development of an Elderly Adult Prescription Opioid Misuse Screening Tool

Presented by: Andrew McRitchie
Discussant: Elizabeth Niedzwiecki, LICSW
Date: May 9, 2019
Time: 12:00 pm
Location: Room 128

Identifying the Needs of an Aging Population with Long-Term Incarceration

Presented by: Raia E. Neiman
Discussant: Peter LaCanfora, PsyD
Date: May 9, 2019
Time: 10:30 am
Location: Room 126

The Rorschach in the 21st Century: A Tablet-Based Administration Equivalence Study

Presented by: Joseph Whitehouse
Discussant: Daniel R. Lambert, PhD
Date: May 2, 2019
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Room 226

ELL Teachers’ Practices in Supporting Social Emotional Development of Immigrant Students

Presented by: Lisa King Chalukian
Discussant: Dr. Salvatore Terrasi
Date: May 1, 2019
Time: 9:00 am
Location: Room 126

April 2019

Nonacademic Competence as a Protective Factor for Self-Esteem in Individuals with Learning Disorders

Presented by: Austin Brooks
Discussant: Kathleen Herrman, PsyD
Date: April 22, 2019
Time: 1:00 pm
Location: Room 335

The Effect of Acute Bouts of Moderate Intensity Aerobic Exercise on Attentional Processes Among the Emerging Adult Population

Presented by: Haroon S. Malik
Discussant: Lisa Lewis, EdD
Date: April 19, 2019
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Room 126

The Relationship of Delivery Modes, Self and Social Stigma, Treatment History, Familiarity with Technology, Age, and Likelihood to Engage in Behavioral Health Interventions

Presented by: Samantha Cristol
Discussant: Kent Boynton, LICSW, PhD
Date: April 6, 2019
Time: 2:30 pm
Location: Room 333

Behavioral Health Providers' Use and Knowledge of Exposure and Response Prevention for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Presented by: Alexandra Volpacchio
Discussant: Kimberly Glazier Leonte, PhD
Date: April 6, 2019
Time: 1:00 pm
Location: Room 333

Tired and Wired: Training College Health Providers on Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions for Students with Insomnia Symptoms

Presented by: Susanna Barry
Discussant: Xiaolu Hsi, PhD
Date: April 6, 2019
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Room 333

January 2019

The Relationship Between Religious Motivation and a Sense of Sacred Space

Presented by: James Kuper
Discussant: H. John McDargh, PhD
Date: January 18, 2019
Time: 3:30 pm
Location: Room 128

Therapeutic Gaming: Group Treatment Manual for Social Isolation and Excessive Gaming in Adolescence

Presented by: Frank C. Sacco, Jr.
Discussant: Joshua Martin, PhD
Date: January 17, 2019
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Room 128

The Effect of Overall and Role-Related Stress on Correctional Officer Reported Attitudes Towards Inmates Showing Symptoms of Mental Illness

Presented by: Dana Pitts
Discussant: Tanya Snyder, MEd, LMHC
Date: January 17, 2019
Time: 12:00 pm
Location: Room 335

Educators' Experience of Student Disclosures of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Presented by: Meghan Deneen
Discussant: Jana Karp, MEd
Date: January 11, 2019
Time: 3:00 pm
Location: Room 128

The Company Imagination Keeps: Exploring the Phenomenon of Imaginary Companionship in Adulthood

Presented by: Laura Michaels
Discussant: Frances Lang, LICSW
Date: January 7, 2019
Time: 6:45 pm
Location: Room 336