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Clinical Research Coordinators
We encourage you to learn more about the training and accomplishments of current and past lab CRCs!
We have post-baccalaureate clinical research coordinator (CRC) positions available each year to support the running of our studies and the day-to-day functions of the lab. These positions are most suited for individuals interested in gaining relevant research and clinical training experiences before pursuing advanced degrees in clinical psychology and related fields. They are designed to provide a unique training environment that integrates some of the opportunities and experiences more typical for junior graduate students with those of a standard research assistant position, thereby optimally positioning our CRCs for the next stage of their career. These positions also provide an open environment in which CRCs can explore and refine their interests, both in content area (e.g., trauma versus depression in youth) and career path (e.g., a PhD in clinical psychology versus neuroscience). Although a primary interest in suicide or depression has positive value, such interests are not required of CRCs. Rather, we look for applicants who demonstrate character and potential to excel in our lab and beyond, regardless of their specific interests. In fact, we have supported CRCs who have gone on to graduate careers focused, for example, on eating disorders and childhood trauma.
CRCs receive regular one-on-one meetings with our Principal Investigators to guide their professional development (e.g., with the graduate school application process). Those who excel in our lab are able to take advantage of unique training opportunities in producing posters for presentation at professional conferences, peer-reviewed publications, and grant-writing (e.g., National Science Foundation [NSF] Graduate Research Fellowships). CRCs from underrepresented backgrounds in science, as specified by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), may be eligible to apply for an NIMH-funded Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research. These CRCs will receive mentorship in the application for this grant, which, if awarded, will provide specific training and research opportunities.
Most of our prior CRCs have chosen to enroll in research-oriented doctoral programs in clinical psychology. From their time in our lab, many have produced 1st author papers in such journals as Psychological Medicine, Translational Psychiatry, and Journal of Adolescent Health, and several have successfully obtained NSF grants to help launch their graduate careers. Those who have chosen to pursue research-oriented careers often continue to collaborate with us on 1st author and co-author papers after graduating from our lab.
A full list of our former CRC-level mentees and their placement after graduation is available on our team page. Details regarding their first-author papers and NSF grants are provided below.
First-author papers by Clinical Research Coordinators
Levin, R. Y., & Liu, R. T. (2024). Post-traumatic stress disorder in a national sample of preadolescent children 9 to 10 years old: Prevalence, correlates, clinical sequelae, and treatment utilization. Translational Psychiatry,14, 152. doi:10.1038/s41398-024-02868-1 [PDF]
Sheehan, A., Walsh, R., & Liu, R. (2024). Racial and ethnic trends in mental health service utilization and perceived unmet need in the United States. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 78,, 228-234. doi:10.1136/jech-2023-220683 [PDF]
Cheek, S. M., Kudinova, A. Y., Kuzyk, E. G., Goldston, D. B., & Liu, R. T. (2023). Cognitive inflexibility and suicidal ideation among adolescents following hospitalization: The moderating role of life stress. Journal of Affective Disorders, 339, 698-705. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.075. [PDF]
Sanzari, C. M., Levin R. Y., & Liu, R. T. (2023). Prevalence, predictors, and treatment of eating disorders in children: A national study. Psychological Medicine, 53, 2974-2981. doi:10.1017/S0033291721004992 [PDF]
Turnamian, M. R., & Liu, R. T. (2023). Gender identity and expression in relation to depression and anxiety in racial and ethnic minority youth: Evaluations of intersectionality in a population-based study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 339, 219-226. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.023 [PDF]
Levin, R. Y., & Liu, R. T. (2021). Life stress, early maltreatment, and prospective associations with depression and anxiety in preadolescent children: A six-year, multi-wave study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 278, 276–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.09.072 [PDF]
Walsh, R. F. L., Sheehan, A. E., & Liu, R. T. (2021). Suicidal thoughts and behaviors in preadolescents: Findings and replication in two population-based samples. Depression and Anxiety, 38, 48–56. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.23087 [PDF]
Cheek, S. M., Goldston, D. B., Erkanli, A., Massing-Schaffer, M., & Liu, R. T. (2020). Social rejection and suicidal ideation and attempts among adolescents following hospitalization: A prospective study. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 48, 123–133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-019-00580-z [PDF]
Sanzari, C. M., & Liu, R. T. (2019). Temporal trends in treatment utilization for disordered eating in U.S. adolescents from 2004 through 2017: A nationally representative study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65, 564–566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.05.005 [PDF]
Sheehan, A. E., Walsh, R. F. L., & Liu, R. T. (2018). Racial and ethnic differences in mental health service utilization in suicidal adults: A nationally representative study. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 107, 114–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.10.019 [PDF]
Walsh, R. F. L., Sheehan, A. E., & Liu, R. T. (2018). Prospective prediction of first lifetime onset of suicidal ideation in a national study of substance users. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 107, 28–33.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.09.019 [PDF]
Trout, Z. M., Hernandez, E. M., Kleiman, E. M., & Liu, R. T. (2017). Prospective prediction of first lifetime suicide attempts in a multi-site study of substance users. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 84, 35–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.09.020 [PDF]
Cheek, S. M., Nestor, B. A., & Liu, R. T. (2016). Substance use and suicidality: Specificity of substance use by injection to suicide attempts in a nationally representative sample of adults with major depression. Depression and Anxiety, 33, 541–548. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22407 [PDF]
Hernandez, E. M., Trout, Z. M., & Liu, R. T. (2016). Vulnerability-specific stress generation: Childhood emotional abuse and the mediating role of depressogenic interpersonal processes. Child Abuse & Neglect, 62, 132–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.10.019 [PDF]
Nestor, B. A., Cheek, S. M., & Liu, R. T. (2016). Ethnic and racial differences in mental health service utilization for suicidal ideation and behavior in a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Journal of Affective Disorders, 202, 197–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.05.021 [PDF]
Massing-Schaffer, M., Liu, R. T., Kraines, M. A., Choi, J. Y., & Alloy, L. B. (2015). Elucidating the relation between childhood emotional abuse and depressive symptoms in adulthood: The mediating role of maladaptive interpersonal processes. Personality and Individual Differences, 74, 106–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.09.045 [PDF]
National Science Foundation (NSF) grants awarded to lab alumni
Evaluating psychosocial and physiological stress reactivity as indices of risk for negative academic and behavioral outcomes in gender minority adolescents: The impact of gender minority stress
PI: Margarid Turnamian
Identifying physiological and behavioral indices of risk for negative outcomes in preadolescents following trauma exposure
PI: Rachel Levin
Using tDCS to clarify the neural underpinnings of binge-eating behaviors in obese teens
PI: Christina Sanzari
Temporal dynamics of acute stress and impulsivity as prospective predictors of risky behaviors in adults
PI: Ana Sheehan
Leveraging mobile health (mHealth) technologies to predict adolescent risky behavior
PI: Rachel Walsh