Youth and Families in Court Systems
We study the risk and protective factors that influence how youth and families adjust after stressful events that involve contact with family, juvenile, or criminal court systems.
Current Studies
Project Brain Team uses online games for children aged 9-12 experiencing high conflict between their parents due to separation or divorce.
The aim is to test whether the games help children cope better with conflict, improving their cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses to conflict events. One game will be played by all participants and three games will be randomly assigned. The study is a randomized clinical trial to assess the effects of the online games. Visit NIMH and clinicaltrials.gov for more information.
Project PEACE
Project PEACE is a collection of online modules that teach parents ways to help their child cope with conflict events after separation or divorce.
The modules are currently being developed with support from the Institute for Mental Health Research. We will ensure the modules are acceptable and useful to parents and then design a clinical trial to assess their effects on parents and children.
Karey O'Hara, Ph.D.
Lab Director
Dr. O'Hara earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona in 2017. She completed a predoctoral internship at SUNY Upstate Medical University and a postdoctoral fellowship at ASU’s REACH Institute.
Marisela Torres, MC
YFaCS Lab Coordinator
Sydney Parker, B.S.
PhD Student in Psychology and Law
Trevor Morris, B.S.
PhD Student in Psychology and Law
Avani Maddipatla
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Royce Hill, B.S.
PhD Student in Psychology and Law
Justin Richardson, M.S.
PhD Student in Psychology and Law
Colleen Sullivan, M.S.
PhD Student in Psychology and Law
Michelle Yang, M.S.
Research Assistant
Child Mental Health
Family Conflict and Divorce
Parental Bereavement
Juvenile Justice
Family Law
Prevention Science
RESEARCH AREAS
Dr. O'Hara is planning to take graduate students for Fall 2024. Click here for information on our Law and Psychology PhD program.
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
MEDIA COVERAGE
Child and Family Blog: "Children caught between highly conflicted divorced parents at greater risk of mental health problems"
Schein On podcast “Karey O’Hara and the Science of Family”
Positively Dads podcast “Kids & Conflict: The Impact of Divorce or Separation on Children”
Healio Psychiatry: "Conflict between divorced, separated parents linked to children's mental health"
Psychology Today: "Why Some Children Live With a Persistent Fear of Abandonment"
ASU Now: "Study: Conflict between divorced parents can lead to mental health problems in children"
Podcast Interview: HealthLink On Air, Upstate Medical University: “Most Children Are Resilient Enough to Survive Divorce”
Child and Family Blog: “Joint Custody Decisions Should Be Based On Assessment Of Quality Of Parenting Of Mother And Father”
Child and Family Blog: “Specific Support With Coping Is Needed For Children Of Divorce, Particularly In High-Conflict Situations”
Child and Family Blog: “In High Conflict Divorce, More Attention Needed To Support Parenting Quality”
