Three researchers from the USF College of Behavioral and Community Sciences (CBCS) have received prestigious awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supporting research that addresses complex health and behavioral health challenges and could improve outcomes for children and underserved communities.
The awards include two R01 research project grants and a K01 career development award for projects focus on reducing childhood obesity, improving early identification of developmental disorders and expanding access to culturally responsive mental health support.
Promoting Healthy Behaviors in Youth with Obesity
Marilyn Stern, PhD, professor in the Department of Child and Family Studies, received an R01 award from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities for a project aimed at reducing obesity among children in rural communities, particularly for Latino youth, who face disproportionately high rates of obesity and elevated risks for cancer, cardiovascular disease and other obesity-related complications later in life.
To address this need, Stern tailored her evidence-informed, multi-family behavioral intervention for overweight and obese youth and their parents living in rural agricultural communities and will now evaluate its efficacy in improving eating and physical activity behaviors through the integration of mindfulness and behavioral strategies that enhance parental stress management.
Language and Dyslexia Screening
M. Adelaida Restrepo, PhD, CCC-SLP, professor and chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Shelley Gray, PhD, professor emeritus at Arizona State University, received an R01 award from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders for a project that will improve early screening for dyslexia and developmental language disorders in children in primary care settings.
The team, working with Rightpath and USF Health, will test a screening questionnaire and provide gold standard assessments to ensure it accurately identifies children with these disorders across both monolingual and bilingual populations.
Digital intervention to address unique mental health needs
Ji-Young Lee, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Behavioral Health Science and Practice, received a K01 award from the National Institute of Mental Health to improve access to culturally responsive, evidence-based digital mental health support for Asian American LGBT individuals.
The project will adapt an existing evidence-based digital mental health intervention to better meet the needs of a population that experiences significant mental health disparities. Lee also will develop approaches that can inform future digital mental health interventions for other underserved communities.
Together, these awards highlight the strength of CBCS鈥 research community and its continued commitment to identifying emerging opportunities, building partnerships and pursuing bold ideas.
鈥淥ver the past several years, we have worked intentionally to position the college for growth, innovation and impact,鈥 said Dean Julie Serovich, PhD. 鈥淲e have a vibrant and dynamic community, consisting of nationally recognized academic programs, a strong research enterprise and deep partnerships across our region and beyond.鈥