Curriculum
Vitae
Sarah K. Sifers, Ph.D.
Personal Information:
(507)
389-5755
E-mail Address: sarah.sifers@mnsu.edu
Ph.D.
Clinical
Child Psychology Program
Dissertation:
Family Typologies and Child Behavior: A Cluster Analysis
Dissertation Chair: Yo Jackson, Ph.D.
M.A.
Masters thesis: The Role of Primary Appraisal, Social Support, and Family Environment on Children Exposed to Stressful Life Events
Thesis Chair: Yo Jackson, Ph.D.
B.A.
Major:
Psychology and Human Development and Family Life, with honors in Psychology and
Honors
thesis: Sophistication of Adolescents’ Interpersonal Negotiation Strategies and
Friendship Formation After Relocation: A Replication
Study
Thesis Chair:
Eric Vernberg, Ph.D.
2004-present Assistant Professor,
Teaching
Child Care Psychology, Standards and Ethics in Psychology, Research in Clinical
Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Workshop: Positive Strategies for Difficult
Children, and Adolescent Psychology to undergraduate and graduate students.
2003-2004 Adjunct Instructor,
Taught Introductory Psychology, Human Development, Abnormal Psychology,
Health Psychology, Counseling Techniques, and Field Experience in Psychology to
undergraduate students in classes of 6 to 40 students.
Independently taught Developmental Psychopathology to a class of 20
students.
1997-1998
Graduate Teaching Assistant,
Supported a professor in teaching Child Psychology and Developmental
Psychopathology to classes of 70 students each. Responsibilities included
writing test items, writing quizzes, scoring tests and quizzes, managing grade
book, taking attendance, preparing materials for class, assisting students, and
guest lectures.
2004-present Resilience and Ethics Lab,
Conduct
research on resilience in children and ethics of clinical psychology. Guide
undergraduate and graduate students in research, including master’s theses and
undergraduate independent study projects.
1997-2003 Graduate Research Assistant,
Collected,
entered, and analyzed data, synthesized past research, and wrote manuscripts on
stress and resiliency in children, social support, family environment, cultural
competence of psychologist, and research methodology.
1998-1999
Research Consultant, Bert
Nash Community Mental
Designed and
conducted research on the functioning of the center including preparing and
presenting a report to the center administrators on the functioning of the
center in comparison to the history of the center and other Community Mental
Health Centers in the state. Designed a study to investigate
reasons for consumer termination of services after two or fewer sessions.
1996-1997 Undergraduate Research Assistant,
Assisted with research in human development, primarily on a study of preschoolers’ social skills. Responsibilities included transcribing videotapes, analyzing data, and assisting in developing a coding manual for preschoolers’ social interactions.
Supervisor: Marion O’Brien, Ph.D.
Adapted a
coding manual for adolescents’ interpersonal negotiation strategies, including
making the coding criteria more explicit, age relevant, and providing examples,
and used it to analyze and report on previously collected data.
Supervisor:
Eric Vernberg, Ph.D.
Collected data for a study of factors that protect junior high school
students against the negative effects of bullying. Included scheduling
appointments with families and gathering information from parents and children
in their homes on the children’s social interactions and bullying experiences.
Supervisor:
Eric Vernberg, Ph.D.
Warren, J. S., Jackson, Y., & Sifers, S. K. (in press). Social support provisions as
differential predictors of adaptive outcomes in young adolescents. Journal of Community
Psychology.
Sifers, S.
K. (2007, September). Another Parenting Book? [Review of the book Parenting your out-of-control
child: An effective, easy-to-use program for teaching self-
control]. PsycCritiques, 52
(37), article 12. Retrieved November 2, 2007, from http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=main.showContent&id=2007-11566-001&view=fulltext&format=html.
Cisler, J. M., Barnes, A. C., Farnsworth, D., &
Sifers, S. K. (2007). Reporting practices of
psychological research using a wait-list control: Current state and suggestions
for
improvement. International Journal of Methods in
Psychiatric Research, 16, 34-42.
Sifers, S. K., Costello, T. W., & Costello, J. T.
(2006). Abnormal Psychology.
New York: Harper Collins.
Sifers, S.
K. (2005, July 20). Attempting to
expand resilience to policies: A daunting task and a good start [Review of the
book Resilience in children, families, and
communities: Linking context to practice and policy]. PsycCritiques, 50 (29), article 13. Retrieved October 28, 2005 from
http://www.psycinfo.com/psyccritiques/display/?uid=2005-06878-001.
Sifers, S.
K. (2005, May 4). A brief primer on
filial therapy [Review of the book Filial Therapy: Strengthening relationships
through play]. PsycCritiques, 50 (18), article 6.
Retrieved October 28, 2005 from
http://www.psycinfo.com/psyccritiques/display/?uid=2005-03904-001.
Emotional and
Behavioral Disorders, 11, 103-111.
Sifers, S. K., Puddy, R. W., Warren, J.
S., & Roberts, M. C. (2002). Trends in Reporting Methodology
in Child Psychological Research. Journal
of Pediatric Psychology, 27, 19-
25.
Thomas, R. A. & Sifers, S. K. (2008, May) Factors Associated with Cultural Competence
in Adolescents. Poster will be presented to the annual convention of the
Midwestern
Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
Sifers, S. K. (2008, April). Resilience Across the Lifespan. Public education
presentation at Mankato Psychology Clinic, Mankato, MN.
Huber, R. S., Vaughan, J.
E., & Sifers, S. K. (2008,
March). Protective Factors Related to
Resilience after Relocation in Children and Adolescents. Paper presented at
the
Midwestern Conference on Professional
Psychology, Owatonna, MN.
Moran, M. L., & Sifers, S. K. (2008, March). The Effects of Positive Peer Pressure among
Adolescent Girls: Academic Achievement Motivation and School Engagement.
Paper
presented at the Midwestern
Conference on Professional Psychology, Owatonna, MN.
Sifers, S. K. (2008, February). Resilience and Protective Factors from Childhood to Emergent Adulthood.
Paper presented at Minnesota State University Counselors
Association Conference, Mankato, MN.
Sifers, S. K. (2007, October). Positive Discipline. Public education presentation at Little Stars, Mankato, MN.
Sifers, S. K.,
Bloomington, MN.
Thomas, R. & Sifers, S. K., (2007, March). Impact of Salience of Relationship with
Deceased Parent, Continued Relationship with the Deceased Parent, and Cognitive
Appraisal on Psychological
Adaptation of Parentally-Bereaved Late Adolescents. Paper presented at the
Midwestern Conference on Professional Psychology,
Witts, B. & Sifers, S. K., (2007, March). The Development and
Evaluation of the Witts Inventory of Sexual Experiences (WISE).
Paper presented at the Midwestern Conference
on Professional Psychology,
Bloomington, MN.
Filter, K., & Sifers, S. K. (May, 2006). Positive Discipline. Public education
presentation at Early Childhood and Family Education, Mankato, MN.
Gerber, T. A., Sifers, S. K. (2006, April). Emotional Dysregulation
and Response to Interpersonal Situations. Paper presented at the Midwestern Conference on Professional
Psychology, Mankato, MN.
Sifers, S. K. (2005, September). Children’s
Mental Health.
Sifers, S. K., Jackson, Y. (2005, May). Ethical Issues in Cultural Competence: The current Status and
Implications for the Future of Psychology. Poster presented at the annual
convention of the Midwestern
Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
Sifers, S. K., Jackson, Y. (2005, May). Family
Typologies and Child Behavior: A Cluster Analysis. Paper presented at the
annual convention of the Midwestern Psychological
Association, Chicago, IL.
Sifers, S. K., Warren, J. S.
and Education al Research in
Kansas, Wichita, KS.
Sifers, S. K., Jackson, Y., Ferguson, K. S., & Warren, J. S.
(1999, August). Primary
Appraisal, Social Support, and Family Environment in Children.
Poster presented at the
annual convention of the
American Psychological Association, Boston, MA.
convention of the American
Psychological, Boston, MA.
annual convention of the
American Psychological Association, Boston, MA.
Sifers, S. K., Puddy, R. W., Warren, J.
S., & Roberts, M. C. (1998, October). Trends in Reporting Methodology in Child Psychological Research.
Poster session presented at the
Kansas Conference in Clinical Child
Psychology, Lawrence, KS.
Sifers, S. K. (1998). Parenting the School
Aged Child. Community Education Presentation at Lawrence
Memorial Hospital, Lawrence, KS.
2003-2004 Post-doctoral Intern, Family Therapy
Institute
Conducted individual and family therapy with children, adolescents,
and adults with a wide variety of presenting concerns.
Supervisor:
Wes Crenshaw, Ph.D.
2002-2003 Pre-doctoral Psychology Intern,
Conducted individual,
family, and group therapy in a long-term, state children’s psychiatric
hospital, also participating in milieu therapy, behavior modification planning,
multi-disciplinary team treatment planning, and psychological evaluations. Conducted
individual, family, and group therapy with children and adults in
university-affiliated outpatient clinics. Clients ranged in age from 7
to 40 with diagnoses including mood and anxiety disorders and disruptive behavior
disorders and significant psychosocial stressors. Consulted
with childcare facilities for early childhood interventions.
Supervisor:
Joy Wolfe Ensor, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
2001-2002 Therapist,
Bert Nash Community Mental
Conducted individual and family therapy and assessments with children
and families from the community. Clients ranged in age from 5 to 17 years and the
clients’ diagnoses included internalizing, externalizing, and developmental
disabilities. Therapeutic modalities used included cognitive-behavioral,
behavioral, solution focused, family, in-home, and client-centered play
therapies. Consulted with ADHD Clinic including assessments
and guiding therapists in development of child group curriculum.
Developed and lead therapy group for multi-racial children focusing on positive
identity development.
Supervisor:
Kala Bhana, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
1999-2001 Clinic
Coordinator, KU Child and Family Services Clinic
Coordinated clinic
operations, including serving as a liaison with community agencies, billing and
account keeping, providing informal supervision to student therapists, ordering
clinic supplies, client screening, and developing clinic forms and manual.
Supervisor: Eric Vernberg, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
1999-2001 Therapist,
Elementary Therapeutic Classroom
Conducted
individual and group therapy with severely emotionally and behaviorally
disturbed children, collaborated with other professionals in the school
district and other agencies, and provided family support, including some family
therapy and case management. Clients ranged in age from 10 to 13 years and had
diagnoses including internalizing, externalizing, and developmental
disabilities. Therapeutic modalities utilized include cognitive-behavioral,
behavioral, solutions focused, psycho-educational, social skills training,
family, and client-centered play therapies.
Supervisor:
Eric Vernberg, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
1999-2000 Assessment
Consultant, Bert Nash Mental
Completed
psychological evaluations, lead therapy groups for children with
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder including designing curriculum, and
was a member of the Family Preservation team. Clients served ranged in age from
4 to 19 years and clients’ diagnoses included internalizing, externalizing, and
developmental disabilities.
Supervisor:
Doug Witt, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
1997-2000 Clinic
Associate, KU Child and Family Services Clinic
Conducted family and individual therapy and assessments of children and
adults.
Clients ranged in age from 3 to 32 years with diagnoses including
internalizing, externalizing, and developmental disabilities. Treatment
modalities included cognitive-behavioral, behavioral, solutions focused,
psycho-educational, family, and client-centered play therapies.
Supervisor:
Kathryn Pieper, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
1995-1997
Play Therapy Group
Facilitator, First Step House
Conducted play therapy with children of recovering alcoholics and addicts. Clients ranged in age from
3 to 13 years.
Supervisor:
Laura Templet, M.S.W.
1996-present Member of American Psychological Association
1997-2003 Member
of American Psychological Association for Graduate
Students
1997-2003 Member of APA Section 1, Division 12/
Division 53 (Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology)
1997-2003 Member of Society for a Scientific
Clinical Psychology
1998-2003 Member
of APA Division 36 (Psychology of Religion)
2004- present Member of Midwestern Psychological Association
2004
2006
Faculty Research Grant
2005
2005
Rosemary Krawczyk, Ph.D.
23 Armstrong Hall
507-389-5816
Rob Flaherty, Ph.D.
785-594-8454
Yo Jackson, Ph.D.
785-864-3581
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