Dr. Sarah Martin is a clinical psychologist with research and practice interests in early childhood mental health. Specifically, she is interested in the development and treatment of mood and disruptive behavior problems in young children, with particular attention to the role of emotion processes (e.g., emotion understanding, emotion regulation). She teaches courses on a range of topics in developmental and abnormal psychology, with emphasis on the links between psychological science and clinical practice. She also coordinates the Psychology Department's fieldwork program, through which students can gain applied experience in a variety of different professional settings (e.g., clinics, hospitals, schools, research labs).
Education
- Post-doctoral fellowship, Brown University Medical School
- Clinical internship, University of Rochester Medical School
- PhD and MS, The Pennsylvania State University
- BS, Duke University
License/Certifications
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Area of Expertise
Martin's research focuses on the role of emotions in early childhood development and mental health. She is particularly interested in examining the processes by which young children and their parents experience, express, regulate, and understand their emotions, as well as the ways in which early difficulties in these emotion processes may lead to the development of child mental health problems. Her recent work has included studies of irritability and temper loss in preschoolers, suicidal ideation and behavior in young children, and links between maternal depression and emotion understanding in early childhood.
Courses
- PSYC 231 Abnormal Psychology
- PSYC 235 Developmental Psychology
- PSYC 305 Research in Child Development (with lab)
- PSYC 336 Child Psychopathology
- PSYC 380 Fieldwork in Psychology
Research/Special Projects
She has worked with Simmons student researchers on a study of child, parent, and family stress and emotional wellbeing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also is collaborating with researchers at Brown University on a NIMH funded study on suicidal thoughts and behaviors in 4- to 7-year-old children.
Publications/Presentations
Selected Publications
Huffhines, L., Parade, S. H., Martin, S. E., Gottipaty, A., Kavanaugh, B., Spirito, A., & Boekamp, J. R. (2024). Early childhood trauma exposure and neurocognitive and emotional processes: Associations in young children in a partial hospital program. Development and Psychopathology, 1–17. doi:10.1017/S0954579424000956
Martin, S.E., Kavanaugh, B.C., Paszek, C., DeMarco, M., Mernick, L. R., & Boekamp, J. R. (2023). Executive dysfunction, psychiatric symptoms, and behavioral dysregulation in preschoolers: Preliminary findings in a clinical sample. Evidence-Based Practice in Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 8, 1 – 9.
Feldman, G., Martin, S., & Donovan, E. (2023). Psychological flexibility as a predictor of mental health outcomes in parents of pre-school children during the COVID-19 pandemic: A two-year longitudinal study. Journal of Contextual and Behavioral Science, 27, 116 – 199.
Martin, S. E., Kavanaugh, B. C., Paszek, C., DeMarco, M., Mernick, L. R., & Boekamp, J. R. (2022) Executive dysfunction, psychiatric symptoms, and behavioral dysregulation in preschoolers: Preliminary findings in a clinical sample. Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. DOI: 10.1080/23794925.2021.1996299.
Boekamp, J. R., Liu, R. T., Martin, S. E., Mernick, L. R., DeMarco, M., & Spirito, A. (2018). Predictors of partial hospital readmission for young children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 49, 505 – 511.
Martin, S. E., Hunt, J. I., Mernick, L. R., DeMarco, M., Hunter, H. L., Coutinho, M.T., & Boekamp, J. R. (2017). Temper loss and persistent irritability in preschoolers: Implications for diagnosing Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder in early childhood. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 48, 498 - 508.
Martin, S. E., Liu, R. T., Mernick, L. R., DeMarco, M., Cheek, S. M., Spirito, A., & Boekamp, J. R. (2016). Suicidal thoughts and behaviors in psychiatrically referred young children. Psychiatry Research, 246, 308 – 313.
Martin, S.E., Williamson, L.R., Kurtz-Nelson, E.C., & Boekamp, J.R. (2015). Emotion understanding (and misunderstanding) in clinically referred preschoolers: The role of child language and maternal depressive symptoms. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24, 24-37.
Martin, S.E., McConville, D.W., Williamson, L.R., Feldman, G.C., & Boekamp, J.R. (2013). Partial hospitalization treatment for preschoolers with severe behavior problems: Child age and maternal functioning as predictors of outcome. Child and Adolescent mental Health, 18, 24-32.
Martin, S.E., Boekamp, J.R., McConville, D.W., & Wheeler, E.E. (2010). Anger and sadness perception in clinically referred preschoolers: Emotion processes and externalizing behavior symptoms. Child Psychology and Human Development, 41, 30-46.
Cole, P.M., Martin, S.E., & Dennis, T.A. (2004). Emotion regulation as a scientific construct: Methodological challenges and directions for child development research. Child Development, 75, 1-17.
Martin, S.E., Clements, M.L., & Crnic, K.A. (2002). Maternal emotions during mother-toddler interaction: Parenting in affective context. Parenting: Science and Practice, 2, 105-126.
For a complete list of her publications, please visit her Google Scholar page.
Awards
- Dean's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Simmons College (2012)
- Phi Beta Kappa, Duke University (1994)