BLESSED Research Group
About Us
The Black Early Stages of Social & Emotional Development (BLESSED) Research Group collaborates with Black families with young children living in socioeconomically disadvantaged contexts in DC to gain an understanding of the numerous culturally specific protective factors that families use to support their children’s development. The BLESSED Research Group focuses on culturally sensitive mental health care for Black families. We also have international collaborations to address mental health stigma in Ghana.
Our Team
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Director
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Undergraduate Scholars

Brooke Smith
Undergraduate Senior
Major: Psychology, English
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Racial mental health disparities, Racial identity and socialization, Adolescent BIPOC health and educational disparities
Career Aspirations: Become a practicing clinical psychologist and utilize mental health care to fuel my social activism
Self-Care Interests: Photography, Writing, Dancing, re-watching old shows, going on walks

Gianna Dantoumda
Undergraduate Junior
Major: Neurobiology and Psychology
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Food/Nutritional Equity, Pediatric/Maternal Mental Health, Preventative Health Care
Career Aspirations: I am committed to advancing research and treatments for eating, weight, and body image disorders, while promoting equity in perinatal and maternal healthcare by expanding access to resources such as WIC, lactation support, postpartum care programs, doula services, and community-based nutrition initiatives.
Self-Care Interests: Yoga, Weight Training, Hiking, Crocheting

Faith R. Donaldson
Undergraduate Junior
Major: Biology of Global Health, Pre-Med
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Intersection of Environmental factors & Medicine, Child Development, Food Security, and Climate Justice.
Career Aspirations: Pursuing an integrated pathway that combines advanced training in environmental health through a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, followed by medical school and specialization in surgery. This will allow me to address health challenges through both clinical intervention and population-level environmental health strategies.
Self-Care Interests: Rugby, Exploring nature, Praying, and Traveling abroad

Nandi Patel
Undergraduate Sophomore
Major: Healthcare Management and Policy
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Preventative Healthcare, Pediatric Chronic Illnesses, Child/Adolescent Mental Health, Parenting.
Career Aspirations: I hope to become a physician with a focus in public health, integrating clinical care with research to improve community health outcomes in underserved areas. My goal is to combine medical expertise with policy and data-driven strategies to create sustainable, equitable healthcare solutions.
Self-Care Interests: Going on long nature walks, driving around to explore new dessert places, and painting canvases to decorate my room with!
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Graduate & Professional Scholars

Anna Peña-Gómez
Research Assistant
Specialization: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Cultural and ethnic identity development, Ethnic-racial socialization, and Mitigating health disparities faced by historically marginalized communities, including Latino and Caribbean-Latino populations
Career Aspirations: Becoming a licensed clinical psychologist, serving diverse families and bridging the gap between research and practice.
Self-Care Interests: Listening to and playing music, going to the beach, and to “pasear.”

Dylan Hughes
Medical Student
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: My research interests span multiple fields, including mental health, preventative medicine, and health services research
Career Aspirations: A physician focused on ensuring underserved communities receive equitable, culturally competent care, while driving innovative approaches to increase access to care and health education.
Self-Care Interests: Podcasts, Chess, and Exercise

Nandi Dube
Alum of Georgetown University
Major: Psychology, Pre-Med
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Maternal and women’s health, child development, LGBTQ+ health, psychological disorders, racial health disparities
Career Aspirations: Attain an MD and work as a psychiatrist
Self-Care Interests: playing bass guitar, reading, journaling, yoga

Alison McLeod
Alum of Georgetown University
Major: Psychology, Government
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Early childhood development, racial and ethnic health disparities, mental health awareness and education
Career Aspirations: To be a practicing clinical psychologist and provide mental health care for vulnerable and traditionally underserved communities
Self-Care Interests: Reading, running, spending time with my family, and going out in nature!

Sierra Coffey
Alum of Georgetown University
Major: Psychology
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Health Equity and Psychological Disorders
Career Aspirations: Attain an MD and work as a psychiatrist
Self-Care Interests: Reading and playing the ukulele

Shirley Omari-Kwarteng
Alum of Georgetown University
Major: Government
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Youth and Political Engagement and Efficacy, Investigating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in American Healthcare, Criminal Justice, Access, and Education.
Career Aspirations: To Attain my J.D. and work as a civil rights and social justice lawyer.
Self-Care Interests: Going to the gym and the beach, spending time with my family, and listening to new music.

Nailah Gallego Clemmons, MD
Pediatrician
Specialization: Pediatrics
Research Interests: Health disparities, mental healthCareer Aspirations: Primary care pediatrician, advocateSelf-Care Interests: Traveling, trying new foods, spending time with family and friends

Ar’Reon Watson
Ph.D. Student
Specialization: School Psychology
Institutional Affiliation: Louisiana State University
Research Interests: Black Children and Family Mental Health, School Mental Health; Racial and Gender Identity; Racial and Gender Socialization; Resilience (Individual & Systemic); Culturally Responsive Practices; Intersectionality; Mixed Methods
Self-Care Interests: Running, Skincare, Brunch, Black Queer Shows and Books

Latisha Curtis, MS, LCPC
Research Associate
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Early Childhood and School-Based Mental Health, Black Children and Family Mental Health, Provider and Teacher Wellness and Mental Health Education
Career Aspirations: contribute to awareness, access, and de-stigmatization of mental health services across the lifespan for underserved communities.
Self-Care Interests: Running, traveling, and exploring new restaurants and cuisines with friends!

Lauren Edwards, MS
Medical Student
Intended Specialization: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Institutional Affiliation: Howard University
Research Interests: Holistic development of Black children by evaluating Black parenting practices, the social identity of Black children, and the preservation of Black children’s well-being
Career Aspirations: Community-based physician scientist, Non-profit executive
Self-Care Interests: Reading, dancing, writing, and sweets!

Christina Asare
Medical Student
Specialization: Undecided
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University School of Medicine
Research Interests: Health disparities, Global Health, Mental health and wellness, Integrative Medicine and Maternal health
Career Aspirations: Healthcare provider for populations in the United States and internationally. Collaborator of a multi-service wellness center.
Self-Care Interests: Traveling, trying new foods, spending time with family and friends.

Katherine Hayes, MS
Research Assistant
Specialization: Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Risk and Resilience, Early Childhood Development, Family systems, Implementation science
Career Aspirations: Research policies and programs that promote healthy development during early childhood in contexts of early childhood stress
Self-Care Interests: Playing the piano, cooking and baking, spending time with family and friends.

Jasmine Tall, MPH, M.A.
PsyD Student
Specialization: Clinical Psychology
Institutional Affiliation: The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Research Interests: Mental Health Disparities, Protective/Resilience Factors, Maternal Health, Lifespan Development
Career Aspirations: Clinical psychologist serving diverse children, adolescents, and families.
Self-Care Interests: Reading (especially mystery books!), baking, creating DIY crafts, and quality time with friends & family.

Eyram Agbeli
Master’s Student
Specialization: Physiology and Biophysics
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health, Psychological Disorders, Mental Health Care Disparities
Career Aspirations: Attain an MD and work with children and families to give them access to adequate mental health care. Collaborate with organizations globally to eradicate mental health stigmas.
Self-Care Interests: Traveling, binge watching netflix shows, baking, eating food from different cultures, and spending quality time with friends and family!

Kaela Farrise, MA, LMFT
Ph.D Student
Specialization: Clinical Psychology
Institutional Affiliation: University of California, Santa Barbara
Research Interests: Implementation and dissemination Science, Black child and familial wellbeing, Parent and caregiver practices, Culturally responsive adaptations of psychological interventions, Treating psychological trauma
Self care interests: Reading, Walking on the beach, Dancing, Ice Skating

Calyn Brumley
Master’s Student
Specialization: Biomedical Sciences
Institutional Affiliation: Tufts University Medical Center
Research Interests: Health Equity, preventative health care, child and adolescent healthCareer Aspirations: Attain an MD and work as a pediatrician Self-Care Interests: Walking, meditating, and binge watching a good television show

Rebecca de Heer
Post-Bacc Student
Specialization: Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Health Program
Research Interests: Health equity, early childhood developmentCareer Aspirations: Attain an MD/DDS and work to provide accessible healthcare to vulnerable communitiesSelf-Care Interests: working out consistently, making music playlists, retail therapy

Christina Florendo
Master’s Student
Specialization: Systems Medicine
Research interests: socioeconomic health disparities, reproductive health, child health
Career Aspirations: Obtain an MD to become a pediatrician to bridge the gap in care for children of low-income and underrepresented families
Self-Care Interests: baking, trying new workout classes, aromatherapy, yoga
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Scholar Alumni

Arielle Prudhomme
Alum of Georgetown University
Major: Biology of Global Health
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Interested in research on health equity and accessibility.
Career Aspirations: Attain a Master’s in Public Health and work on global initiatives in Emerging Markets
Self-Care Interests: I love to exercise for self-care and I try to make time for it everyday so I can prioritize my health.

Carrington Moore
Alum of Georgetown University
Major: Human Science, Pre-Med
Institutional Affiliation: Georgetown University
Research Interests: Racial and ethnic health disparities, maternal and child health, mental health and wellness
Career Aspirations: Attain an MD/MPH and work as an OB/GYN
Self-Care Interests: In my free time, I love to prioritize self-care by reading, working out, and playing the piano

Martekuor Dodoo, MD
C-L Psychiatry Fellow, PGY5
Specialization: Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
Institutional Affiliation: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
Research Interests: Global Mental Health, Immigrant mental health
Career Aspirations: Consultation- Liaison psychiatry, Academics
Self-Care Interests: Gardening, yoga, baking, and brunch with friends
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BLESSED Scholars

Current Projects
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Pandemic-Related Projects

Preschooler’s Adjustment to In-Person Learning Following COVID-19-Related School Closures in Black Families: A Mixed Methods Approach.
Within the early childhood education sector, children of color from low-income backgrounds have been the most negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is emerging evidence that Black children experienced larger drops in preschool enrollment, a higher percentage of remote learning, and greater academic setbacks compared to white children during the pandemic—widening racial opportunity gaps and exacerbating parental stress levels. Guided by the integrative model for the study of stress within Black American families, we will conduct a mixed methods, multilevel study with 200 Black families with young children attending early childhood education programs, and their children’s teachers. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of cultural assets, the study will use a convergent mixed methods approach to assess: (1) children’s adjustment to returning to in-person learning during the 2021-2022 school year and (2) the protective factors that buffer the deleterious impact of parent and teachers’ exposure to racism on preschooler’s social emotional development.

Pandemic-Related Stressors and Mental Health of Black Mothers from Under-Resourced Communities: A Mixed Methods Approach.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately negatively affected Black mothers, especially those from low-income communities, both personally and professionally. Guided by intersectionality, this project seeks to elucidate how interconnected systems of oppression – racism, sexism, classism – impact Black mother’s mental health, parenting, and parent-child relationships. Using a mixed methods approach, we aim to acquire a unique collective of mothers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, examine the effects of stressors associated with systemic racism on Black mothers, and determine the influence of protective mechanisms of social support and racial identity. We expect that mothers’ social support and positive racial identity will buffer the harmful effects of pandemic-related stressors on parenting and parent-child relationships transmitted through better maternal mental health. Focus group data will be used to contextualize our findings and identify additional protective factors.
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Black Therapy Related Projects

Addressing Attrition And Mental Healthcare Disparities: A Pilot Study of PCIT
The study will provide new insight into the disparate attrition rates of Black families in PCIT and will lead to improved methods for addressing racial disparities in mental health treatment. The project will inform culturally tailored approaches to effectively engage Black families in a well-established evidence-based treatment for families with young children. This work supports the efforts of the Department of Psychiatry’s mission to provide high-quality mental health care and service to the community and translate clinical research into community practice to address the effects of systemic racism on minoritized communities. This research aims to 1) evaluate the acceptability and cultural relevance of typical PCIT assessment instruments and processes with Black families with young children and 2) gather parents’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators of PCIT assessment interviewers.

Understanding the Benefits of Child-Parent Psychotherapy delivered via Telehealth during the COVID-19 Pandemic for Black Families
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a sudden change in families’ environments, limiting access to basic services usually provided through the community, and restrictions for extended family to help with the care of children. For families who isolated away from their support systems, the pandemic may have posed traumatic risks, particularly for African American families who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Child-parent psychotherapy (CPP) was developed as a dyadic, attachment-based, in-person intervention for parents with young children who have experienced trauma related to violence, death, abuse, neglect, caregiver separation, and caregiver substance abuse that promotes secure attachment between the caregiver and child. This case series study evaluates the acceptability of telehealth delivery of child-parent psychotherapy provided to African American families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Ghanaian Mental Health Projects

Africa’s Mental Health Matters – Ghana Workshop
This project is a collaboration between MedStar Georgetown University Hospital faculty and Africa’s Mental Health Matters (AMHM) – Ghana. We will engage in a collaborative process to (a) conduct semi-structured individual interviews, with 15 Ghanaians experiencing mental health difficulties, to inform the development of a workshop designed to address mental health stigma in Ghana; (b) co-create a grant-seeking plan to sustain our collaboration; and (c) host a workshop in Accra, Ghana designed to de-stigmatize mental health services utilization. We will interview 15 community members experiencing mental illness during Part 1 to inform the structure and specific content of the workshop sessions that participants may find most useful. We will identify and plan grant-writing activities to sustain our work in Part 2. During the workshop (Part 3), Ghanaian psychiatrists, psychologists, researchers, and Safe Circle members will lead sessions focused on normalizing psychological distress and coping with depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance use. A brief knowledge and satisfaction questionnaire will also be administered to participants at the workshop to assess pre/post mental health knowledge, perceptions, beliefs, and stigma, future support group content, and whether the workshop was successful in meeting the participants’ expectations. Results of this work will be used to apply for future funding to support stigma reduction programming in Ghana.

Youth Mental Health Matters: A Community-Based Exploration of Mental Health in Ghana
Youth mental health continues to be a global issue that warrants attention. In Ghana, there’s a level of complexity to the problem, as it has been documented that not only is there a rather large mental health treatment gap among the total population, the “prevalence of mental illness and its burden among adolescents is unknown on a national level.” A combination of the unknown prevalence, treatment gap, and interest in exploring youth mental health in Ghana, led to the development of the proposal. The grant award enables us to bring together Georgetown University faculty and key partners from Accra, Ghana who all have youth mental health expertise, in an effort to begin to develop a community-based, culturally-appropriate exploration of youth mental health needs and assets in Accra, Ghana. This award complements existing work that was recently funded to explore adult mental health issues in Ghana. We will build upon our existing partnership and expand our work to also focus on youth mental health. This will enable a more comprehensive exploration of mental health in Ghana. Our goals are to (a) build a youth-focused community-academic partnership that will guide the exploration; (b) host a seminar designed to explore youth mental health among key community and academic stakeholders; (c) complete community site visits and host a youth-focused community forum that will provide additional knowledge and insight about youth mental health needs and assets; and (d) collaboratively develop a Research and Outreach Plan that will enable the transition of our work from the exploration and planning phase to a research and outreach phase.
Research Funding
CURRENT
- Racial Socialization and Racial Identity as Moderators in the Relationship Between Parents’ and Children’s Exposure to Racism and Children’s Mental Health. Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science (GHUCCTS) KL2 Scholars Program. PI: Erica E. Coates, Ph.D.
- Improving Mental Health Care Access and Outcomes for Black Families with Young Children by Integrating Peer-Led Parenting Groups into Early Learning Settings. Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation. PI: Erica E. Coates, Ph.D.
- Addressing Attrition and Mental Health Care Disparities: A Pilot Study of PCIT. Department of Psychiatry Pilot Research Grant Program. Co-PIs: Erica E. Coates, Ph.D. & Emily Aron, MD.
PREVIOUS
- Understanding the Role of Racial Socialization in Mitigating the Influence of Parents’ Exposure to Racism on Young Children’s Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Approach. Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science (GHUCCTS). PI: Erica E. Coates, Ph.D.
- Preschooler’s Adjustment to In-Person Learning Following COVID-19 Related School Closures in Black Families: A Mixed Methods Approach. MedStar Health Research Institute. PI: Erica E. Coates, Ph.D.
- Pandemic-Related Stressors and Mental Health of Black Mothers from Marginalized Communities: A Mixed Methods Approach. Georgetown Gender+Justice Initiative. PI: Erica E. Coates, Ph.D.
- Early Childhood Innovation Network (ECIN). A. James and Alice B. Clark Foundation. PI: Matt Biel, M.D. Investigator: Erica E. Coates, Ph.D.
- Early Childhood Innovation Network (ECIN). The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation. PI: Matt Biel, M.D. Investigator: Erica E. Coates, Ph.D.
- Randomized controlled trial of prenatal co-parenting intervention for African American fragile families. National Institutes of Child and Human Development. PI: McHale. Consultant: Erica E. Coates, Ph.D.
- Africa’s Mental Health Matters – Ghana. Agency: Office of the Vice President of Global Engagement. PI: Erica E. Coates, Ph.D.
- Youth Mental Health Matters: A Community-Based Exploration of Mental Health in Ghana. Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues. PI: Dionne Coker-Appiah, Ph.D. Co-Investigator: Erica E. Coates, Ph.D.
Publications
Publications: *denotes senior author; +denotes mentee
i. Original Papers in Refereed Journals (35 total; 15 first author; 3 senior author)
1. Chavez F, +Farrise Beauvoir K, +Agbeli A, +Coffey S, Aron E, *Coates EE. Bridging the gap: A cross-cultural examination of PCIT training experiences across Black, White, Asian, and Multiracial clinicians. Front Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2025 Sept. In Press.
2. Philipp DA, Mazzoni S, Hedenbro M, Tissot H, Darwiche J, Keren M, Collins R, Salman-Engin S, Coates EE, Marchesi M, Corboz-Warnery A, Fivaz-Depeursinge E, McHale J. Enhancing coparenting using video feedback: Consensus guidelines for preschool families. Family Relations. 2025 July. In Press.
3. Coates EE, +de Heer R, Porter SC, +Watson A, +Curtis L, +McLeod A, Dunbar A. Pandemic-related stressors and Black mothers’ mental health. J Black Psych. 2025 June;51(3): 316-358. https://doi.org/10.1177/00957984241311773
4. Tissot H, Darwiche J, McHale JP, Coates EE, Corboz-Warnery A, Fivaz-Depeursinge E, Collins R, Mazzoni S, Hedenbro M, Keren M, Mensi M, Marchesi M, Salman Engin S, & Philipp DA. Beyond the mother-child dyad: An example of integrating co-parenting into psychological care for young children. Psychothérapies. 2025 Jan;44(4): 264‑281. doi: 10.3917/psys.244.0264
5. Coates EE, +Brumley C, +McLeod A, Barclay Hoffman S, +Tall JN, Charlot-Swilley D, +Farrise Beauvoir K. “My anxiety has been heightened”: Black mothers’ concerns regarding children’s return to in-person learning following COVID-19 related remote learning. J Black Stud. 2024 Nov;0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00219347241293799
6. Coates EE, +Coffey S, +Farrise Beauvoir K, Aron E, +Hayes KR, Chavez FT. Black clinicians’ perceptions of the cultural relevance of parent-child interaction therapy for Black families. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Oct;21(10):1327. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21101327
7. Coates EE, +Moore C, +de Heer R, +Brumley C, +Prudhomme A, +Edwards L, +Curtis L. Black mothers’ ethnic-racial socialization one year after highly publicized anti-Black murders during the pandemic. J Res Adolesc. 2024 Sep;34(3):831-844. doi: 10.1111/jora.12948. Epub 2024 Apr 24. PMID: 38655815; PMCID: PMC11349461.
8. Coates EE, +de Heer R, +McLeod A., +Farrise Beauvoir K. Black parents’ rationales for using specific ethnic-racial socialization strategies with young children. J Black Psychology. 2024 Aug;0(0) https://doi.org/10.1177/00957984241273304
9. Coates EE, +McLeod A, +de Heer R. Black Americans’ racism-based traumatic stress reactions following the January 6 capitol insurrection. J Black Psychology. 2024 Aug;0(0) https://doi.org/10.1177/00957984241269986
10. Coates EE, +Watson A, +McLeod A, +de Heer R, +Edwards L, +Smith B. Preparation for bias decisions and conversations with young children following the murder of George Floyd. J Child Fam Stud. 2024 Jun;33(6):1726-1740. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-024-02849-4
11. +Moore C, *Coates EE, +Watson A, +de Heer R, +McLeod A, +Prudhomme A. “It’s important to work with people that look like me”: Black patients’ preferences for patient-provider race concordance. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2023 Oct;10(5):2552-2564. doi: 10.1007/s40615-022-01435-y. Epub 2022 Nov 7. PMID: 36344747; PMCID: PMC9640880.
12. McHale J, Tissot H, Mazzoni S, Hedenbro M, Salman-Engin S, Philipp DA, Dawrwiche J, Keren M, Collins R, Coates EE, Mensi M, Corboz-Warnery A, Fivaz-Depeursinge E. Framing the work: A coparenting model for guiding infant mental health engagement with families. Infant Ment Health J. 2023 Sep;44(5):638-650. doi: 10.1002/imhj.22083. Epub 2023 Aug 22. PMID: 37608513.
13. Murry VM, Gonzalez CM, Debreaux ML, Coates EE, Berkel C. Implications of built and social environments on academic success among African American youth: Testing Strong African American Families intervention effects on parental academic racial socialization. Front Psychol. 2023 Aug;14(0):956804. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.956804. PMID: 37655195; PMCID: PMC10467428.
14. Coates EE, +Hayes KR, +de Heer R, +McLeod A, +Curtis L, Domitrovich CE, Biel MG. “It was just good to have an outlet for other parents to talk to”: Feasibility and acceptability of integrating mental health and wellness services into predominantly Black early childhood education centers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2023 Jul 3. doi: 10.1007/s10578-023-01563-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37395925.
15. Robertson HA, Biel MG, Hayes KR, Snowden S, Curtis L, Charlot-Swilley D, Clauson ES, Gavins A, Sisk CM, Bravo N, Coates EE, Domitrovich CE. Leveraging the expertise of the community: A case for expansion of a peer workforce in child, adolescent, and family mental health. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 May 23;20(11):5921. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20115921. PMID: 37297524; PMCID: PMC10252488.
16. Coates EE, +de Heer R, +McLeod A, Porter SC, Barclay Hoffman S. “Shouldn’t nobody make a woman do what they don’t want to do with their body”: Black women’s reactions to the Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe v. Wade. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024 Apr;11(2):968-979. doi: 10.1007/s40615-023-01577-7. Epub 2023 Mar 28. PMID: 36976512.
17. +Gallego Clemmons N, *Coates EE, McLeod A. Understanding the benefits of child-parent psychotherapy delivered via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Child Health Care. 2024;53(1):41-59. Feb 23:1-19. doi: 10.1080/02739615.2023.2179489. Epub 2023 Feb 23.
18. Long M, Coates EE, Price OA, Barclay Hoffman S. Mitigating the impact of coronavirus disease-2019 on child and family behavioral health: Suggested policy approaches. J Pediatr. 2022 Jun;245:15-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.02.009. Epub 2022 Feb 10. PMID: 35151683; PMCID: PMC8828438.
19. Murry VM, Gonzalez CM, Hanebutt RA, Bulgin D, Coates EE, Inniss-Thompson MN, Debreaux ML, Wilson WE, Abel D, Cortez MB. Longitudinal study of the cascading effects of racial discrimination on parenting and adjustment among African American youth. Attach Hum Dev. 2022 Jun;24(3):322-338. doi: 10.1080/14616734.2021.1976926. Epub 2021 Oct 26. PMID: 34697999.
20. Lane A Jr, Gavins A, Watson A, Domitrovich CE, Oruh CM, Morris C, Boogaard C, Sherwood C, Sharp DN, Charlot-Swilley D, Coates EE, Mathis E, Avent G, Robertson H, Le HN, Williams JC, Hawkins J, Patterson J, Ouyang JX, Hartz KA, Beers LS, Cole L, Biel MG, Bodrick NI, Bravo N, Baylor RS, Arbit R, Zuskov SF, Hoffman SB, McPherson SKL, Singh S, Greer SE, Banks-Mackey SN, Caleb S, Thomas S, Brent T, Spencer T. Advancing antiracism in community-based research practices in early childhood and family mental health. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2022 Jan;61(1):15-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.06.018. Epub 2021 Jul 22. PMID: 34303784.
21. Dunbar AS, Ahn LH, Coates EE, Smith-Bynum MA. Observed dyadic racial socialization disrupts the association between frequent discriminatory experiences and emotional reactivity among Black adolescents. Child Dev. 2022 Jan;93(1):39-57. doi: 10.1111/cdev.13680. Epub 2021 Sep 29. PMID: 34585381; PMCID: PMC8865630.
22. Ahn LH, Dunbar AS, Coates EE, Smith-Bynum MA. Cultural and universal parenting, ethnic identity, and internalizing symptoms among African American adolescents. J Black Psychology. 2021 July;47(8):695-717. doi:10.1177/00957984211034290
23. Hart JR, Coates EE, Smith-Bynum MA. Parenting style and parent-adolescent relationship quality in African American mother-adolescent dyads. Parenting. 2019 Oct; 19(4): 318-340. doi: 10.1080/15295192.2019.1642085
24. Coates EE, +Tran Q, Le Y, Phares V. Parenting, coparenting, and adolescent adjustment in African American single-mother families: An actor-partner interdependence mediation model. J Fam Psychol. 2019 Sep;33(6):649-660. doi: 10.1037/fam0000552. Epub 2019 Jul 8. PMID: 31282693.
25. Coates EE, Phares V. Pathways linking nonresident father involvement and child outcomes. J Child Fam Stud. 2019 Mar;28(6):1681-1694. doi: 10.1007/s10826-019-01389-6. PubMed PMID: 2019-16580-001.
26. Coates EE, McHale JP. Triangular interactions of unmarried African American mothers and fathers with their 3-month-old infants. J Child Fam Stud. 2018 Oct;27(10):3096-3106. doi: 10.1007/s10826-018-1082-8. PubMed PMID: 2018-13798-001.
27. Tan SY, Steding LH, Coates EE, Agazzi H. Parent-child interaction therapy and ADHD: A case study with a hearing child of a deaf father and a hearing mother. Child Fam Behav Ther. 2018 Jan;40(1):65-83. doi: 10.1080/07317107.2018.1428071. PubMed PMID: 2018-09786-004.
28. Clay D, Coates EE, Tran Q, Phares V. Fathers’ and mothers’ emotional accessibility and youth’s developmental outcomes. Am J Fam Ther. 2017 Mar;45(2):111-22. doi: 10.1080/01926187.2017.1303651. PubMed PMID: 2017-17298-003.
29. Stover CS, Coates EE. The relationship of reflective functioning to parent child interactions in a sample of fathers with concurrent intimate partner violence perpetration and substance abuse problems. J Fam Violence. 2016 May;31(4):433-42. doi: 10.1007/s10896-015-9775-x. PubMed PMID: 2015-42037-001.
30. Thurston IB, Phares V, Coates EE, Bogart LM. Child problem recognition and help-seeking intentions among Black and White parents. J Clin Child and Adolesc Psychol. 2015 Jul;44(4):604-15. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2014.883929. PubMed PMID: 2015-21362-008.
31. Landers MD, Mitchell O, Coates EE. Teenage fatherhood as a potential turning point in the lives of delinquent youth. J Child Fam Stud. 2015 Jun;24(6):1685-96. doi: 10.1007/s10826-014-9971-y. PubMed PMID: 2014-19644-001.
32. McHale JP, Coates EE. Observed coparenting and triadic dynamics in African American fragile families at 3 months’ postpartum. Infant Ment Health J. 2014 Sep;35(5):435-51. doi: 10.1002/imhj.21473. PubMed PMID: 2014-35373-001.
33. Coates EE, Phares V. Predictors of paternal involvement among nonresidential, Black fathers from low-income neighborhoods. Psychol Men Masculinity. 2014 Apr;15(2):138-51. doi: 10.1037/a0032790. PubMed PMID: 2013-24384-001.
34. Coates EE, Phares V, Dedrick RF. Psychometric properties of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 10 among low-income, African American men. Psychol Assess. 2013 Dec;25(4):1349-54. doi: 10.1037/a0033434. PubMed PMID: 2013-23398-001.
35. Coates EE, Dinger T, +Donovan M, Phares V. Adult psychological distress and self-worth following child verbal abuse. J Aggression Maltreat Trauma. 2013 Apr;22(4):394-407. doi: 10.1080/10926771.2013.775981. PubMed PMID: 2013-15279-005.
ii. Reviews or Editorials in Refereed Journals
1. Williams JC., Andreou A, Lemelle T, Coates EE, Bostic, J. Editorial: Racial battle fatigue: The toll of policing Black students. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2022 Aug;61(8):977-979. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2022.04.006. Epub 2022 Apr 27. PMID: 35534316.
2. Biel MG, Coates EE. Editorial: Sharpening our focus on early adversity, development, and resilience through cross-national research. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2021 Feb;60(2):219-221. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.08.013. Epub 2020 Sep 2. PMID: 32890668.
3. Coates EE, Chen JI, Storch EA. A case of schizencephaly associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 2013 May;25(2):151-2. PMID: 23638447.
iii. Refereed Chapters in Books
1. Chavez F, Onovbiona H, Coates EE, Farrise Beauvoir K, Aron E, (2025). Seeking new inroads for PCIT adaptation in supporting African American families: Unpacking and decentering PCIT’s Eurocentric origins as a call to arms for a collaborative social justice model of empowerment and racial trauma healing. In Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (Issues in Clinical Child Psychology) 3rd ed. 2024 Edition by Scudder, A.T., McNeil, C.B, Hembree-Kigin, T.L. Springer: New York.
2. Chavez F, Aron E, Onovbiona H, Coates EE, Schewitz S, Stypa NJ, Travis R, Farrise Beauvoir K. (2025). “Takin it to the streets … because if Mohamed won’t go to the PCIT mountain, then the PCIT mountain will have to go to Mohammed”: Community based initiatives in working with AA families in PCIT and TCIT. In Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (Issues in Clinical Child Psychology) 3rd ed. 2024 Edition by Scudder, A.T., McNeil, C.B, Hembree-Kigin, T.L. Springer: New York.
3. McHale JP, Coates EE, Collins R, Phares V. (2024). Coparenting Theory, Research, and Practice: Toward a Universal Infant–Family Mental Health Paradigm. In: Osofsky, J.D., Fitzgerald, H.E., Keren, M., Puura, K. (eds) WAIMH Handbook of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48627-2_20
4. Coates EE, Ahn LH, Greene D, Dunbar A, Porter S, Small K, & Smith-Bynum MA. (2020). Risk and resilience in poor African American families: A process-oriented approach. In A. James (Ed.), Black Families: A Systems Approach. San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Press.
iv. Other Publications
1. Coates EE, Dorris CS, +McLeod A, +Farrise Beauvoir K. Ethnic-racial socialization in early childhood: Scoping review protocol. Protocols.io. October 2023. dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.q26g7pmq8gwz/v1
Highlights
