My research program is dedicated to understanding and advancing sleep health equity in children and adolescents. I utilize a socio-ecological model to examine how sleep outcomes emerge from interactions across individual, family, community, and healthcare system contexts. This framework allows me to move beyond viewing sleep problems as isolated issues, recognizing them as products of broader structural conditions.
Developing a social ecological model that positions the medical system as a key factor influencing pediatric sleep health.
Examining how environmental exposures (e.g., air pollution, noise, and proximity to hazardous waste sites) affect sleep at the population level.
Clarifying how aspects of sleep health contribute functioning in at-risk youth. I enjoy applying the RDoC framework to studies examining prodromal psychosis and sleep.
Utilizing large, nationally representative datasets to assess sleep parameters as both a predictor and an outcome to inform program and policy.
What started as an interest in nightmares (i.e., how caregiver responses and cultural beliefs influence nightmares across the lifespan) has evolved to incorporate the addition of dreaming as an explicit domain of sleep health within the RU-SATED framework.
Exploring the validity of existing sleep/research tools, with a specific focus on implications for children and underrepresented groups. I developed a novel sleep health literacy measure and am interested in refining the scale for practical use.
My long-term goal is to establish a research program that moves beyond documenting sleep health disparities. I aim to actively dismantle the systems that create them, translating findings into more equitable and accessible care for underserved youth. This involves not only identifying problems but also developing and implementing innovative, context-specific solutions.