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Sharlene Wolchik

Psychology
Professor, Co-Director REACH Institute
Faculty, TEMPE Campus, Mailcode 1104
Biography: 

Sharlene is a professor in the Department of Psychology and co-director of the REACH Institute at Arizona State University. Wolchik completed her bachelor's at Vassar College and her master's and doctorate at Rutgers University.

Wolchik focuses on understanding the variablity in children's adjustment to the family transitions of parental divorce or parental death. She identifies malleable risk factors and protective resources for these children and develops preventive interventions for their parents. Randomized experimental trials of these programs have shown a wide array of mental health, physcial health and social benefits, many of which last up to 15 years after participation. Wolchik is currently focusing on making these programs available as a community-based services.

Professor Wolchik is interested in understanding the variability in children's response to two types of at-risk situations: parental divorce and parental death. She conducts research that identifies moderators and mediators of children's adjustment to these situations and designs and experimentally evaluates theory-based preventive interventions for children and parents who experience these stressors. She also conducts longitudinal studies of the long-term effects of preventive interventions for children of divorce.

Fax: 
480 964-5430
CV
Binary Data Curriculum Vitae
Education: 
  • Ph.D. Rutgers University 1981
  • M.S. Rutgers University
  • B.A. Vassar College

 

Publications: 
  • Sandler, I., *Schoenfelder, E., Wolchik, S.A., & McKinnon, D.P. Long-term impact of prevention programs to promote effective parenting: Lasting effects but uncertain processes. Annual Review of Psychology (2011).
  • *Hagan, M., *Roubinov, D., *Gress-Smith, J., Luecken, L. J., Sandler, I. N., & Wolchik, S. A. Positive parenting during childhood moderates the impact of recent negative events on cortisol activity in parentally bereaved youth. Psychophamacology. Retrieved at http://www.springerlink.com/content/m78p07u321g320j127/fulltext.pdf (2010).
  • Bonds McClain, D., Wolchik, S. A., Winslow, E. B., Tein, J.-Y., Sandler, I. N., & Millsap, R. E. Developmental cascade effects of the New Beginnings Program on adolescent adaptation outcomes. Development and Psychopathology (2010).
  • Sandler, I. N., Ayers, T. S., Tein, J. Y., Wolchik, S. A., Millsap, R., Khoo, S. T., Kaplan, D., Ma, Y., Luecken, L. J., Schoenfelder, E., & Coxe, S. Six-year follow-up of a preventive intervention for parentally-bereaved youth: A randomized controlled trial. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (2010).
  • *Schenck, C., Braver, S. L., Wolchik, S. A., Fabricius, W. V., Saenz, D., Parke, R. D., & Cookston, J. T. The relation between perceived mattering to biological and step fathers and adolescent mental health problems. Fathering (2009).
  • *Zhou, Q., Wang, Y., Deng, X., Eisenberg, N., Wolchik, S. A., & Tein, J.-Y. Relations of parenting and temperament to Chinese children's experience of negative life events, coping efficacy, and externalizing problems. Child Development (2008).
  • *Zhou, Q., Sandler, I. N., Millsap, R. E., Wolchik, S. A., & Dawson-McClure, S. R. Mediation of six-year effects of the New Beginnings Program for children of divorce. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (2008).
  • Sandler, I. N., Wolchik, S. A., & Ayers, T. S. Resilience rather than recovery: A contextual framework on adaptation following bereavement. Death Studies (2008).
  • Smith-Daniels, V., Sandler, I., & Wolchik, S. Use of quality management methods in the transition from efficacious prevention programs to effective prevention services. American Journal of Community Psychology,) (2008).
  • Wolchik, S. A., *Ma, Y., Tein, J. Y., Sandler, I. N., & Ayers, T. S. Parentally bereaved children's grief: Self-systems beliefs as mediators of the relations between grief and stressors and caregiver-child relationship quality. Death Studies (2008).
  • Haine, R., Sandler, I.N., Ayers, T.S., & Wolchik, S.A. When a parent dies: Helping grieving children and adolescents. Living with Grief: Children and adolescents (2008).
  • A Brown, Sharlene Wolchik, J Tein, Irwin Sandler. Maternal acceptance as a moderator of the relation between threat to self appraisals and mental health problems in adolescents from divorce families. Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2006).
  • I Sandler, J Tein, T Ayers, Sharlene Wolchik. Self-system beliefs as mediators of the relations between positive parenting and children's adjustment problems after parental death. Journal of Abnormal Psychology (2006).
  • I Sandler, J Tein, T Ayers, Sharlene Wolchik. Stressors, quality of the child-caregiver relationship and children's adjustment problems after parental death: The mediating role of self-system beliefs. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology (2006).
  • J Tein, Irwin Sandler, T Ayers, Sharlene Wolchik. Mediation of the effects of the Family Bereavement Program on mental health problems of bereaved children and adolescents. Prevention Science (2006).
  • R Haine, Sharlene Wolchik, I Sandler, R Millsap, T Ayers. Positive parenting as a protective resource for parentally bereaved children. Death Studies (2006).
  • S Schmiege, S Khoo, I Sandler, T Ayers, Sharlene Wolchik. Symptoms of internalizing and externalizing problems: Modeling recovery curves following parental bereavement. American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2006).
  • . . DSM-IV TR Casebook and Treatment Guide for Child Mental Health (2006).
  • . . Handbook of Bereavement Research: Consequences, Coping, and Care (2006).
  • . . Handbook of parent training: Helping parents prevent and solve problem behaviors (2006).
  • . . Prevention of mental disorders: An overview on evidence-based strategies and programs (2006).
  • Hipke, K, Wolchik, Sharlene, Sandler, I N. Children of divorce. Encyclopedia of stress (2005).
  • I Sandler, J Tein, O Kwok, R Haine, T Ayers, Sharlene Wolchik. Positive parenting as mediator of the relations between parental psychological distress and mental health problems of parentally bereaved children. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (2005).
  • Irwin Sandler, A Ostrom, M Bitner, T Ayers, Sharlene Wolchik. Developing effective prevention services for the real world: A prevention service development model. American Journal of Community Psychology (2005).
  • J Pedro-Carroll, Irwin Sandler, Sharlene Wolchik. Forging interdisciplinary partnerships in the courts to promote prevention initiatives for children and families. Family Court Review (2005).
  • R Haine, Sharlene Wolchik, I Sandler, R Millsap, T Ayers. Positive parenting as a protective resource for parentally bereaved children. Death Studies (2005).
  • Sharlene Wolchik, Irwin Sandler, E Winslow, V Smith-Daniels. Programs for promoting parenting of residential parents: Moving from efficacy to effectiveness. Family Court Review (2005).
  • . . Relational Processes and DSM-V: Neuroscience, Assessment, Prevention and Intervention (2005).
  • Winslow, E B (student author) ,Sandler, I N,Wolchik, Sharlene. Building resilience in all children: Resilience as a process. Handbook of resilience in children (2005).
  • D Bonds, Sharlene Wolchik, Irwin Sandler. The effects of divorce on children's mental health. International Journal of Pediatrics (2004).
  • D MacKinnon, J Tein, Sharlene Wolchik, Irwin Sandler. How did it work? Who did it work for? Mediation and mediated moderation of a preventive intervention for children of divorce. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (2004).
  • E Winslow, Sharlene Wolchik, I Sandler. Preventive interventions for children of divorce. Psychiatric Times (2004).
  • K Lin, I Sandler, T Ayers, Sharlene Wolchik, L Leucken. Resilience in parentally bereaved children and adolescents seeking preventive services. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (2004).
  • O Kwok, R Haine, I Sandler, T Ayers, Sharlene Wolchik, J Tein. Positive Parenting as a Mediator of the Relations between Parental Psychological Distress and Mental Health Problems of Parentally Bereaved Children. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (2004).
  • S Dawson-McClure, I Sandler, Sharlene Wolchik, R Millsap. Risk as a moderator of the effects of prevention programs for child of divorce: A six-year longitudinal study. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology (2004).
  • S Dawson-McClure, Irwin Sandler, Sharlene Wolchik, R Millsap. Prediction and reduction of risk for children of divorce: A six-year longitudinal study. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology (2004).
  • Sharlene Wolchik, J Tien, I Sandler, T Ayers. Self-system Beliefs as Mediators of the Relations Between Stressors and Caregiver-child Relationship Quality and Children's Adjustment Problems after Parental Death. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology (2004).
  • . . Handbook of resilience in children (2004).
  • . Prevention Efforts in the Domestic Relations Courts. (2004).
  • Dawson-McClure, S R, Sandler, I N, Wolchik, Sharlene. Divorce, Adolescents. The encyclopedia of primary prevention and health promotion (2003).
  • E Cole, R Haine, S Padgett-Jones, T Ayers, W Griffin, Sharlene Wolchik, G Kriege, I Sandler, J Suter, J Tein, J Twohey, J Weyer, K Lin, O Kwok. The Family Bereavement Program: Efficacy evaluation of a theory-based prevention program for parentally-bereaved children and adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (2003).
  • J Tein, R Haine, S Dawson-McClure, Sharlene Wolchik, Irwin Sandler. Changing the legacy of divorce: Evidence from prevention programs and future directions. Family Relations (2003).
  • K Doyle, Sharlene Wolchik, S Dawson-McCLure, I Sandler. Positive events as a stress buffer for children and adolescents in families in transition. Journal of Clinical and Child Pscyhology (2003).
  • R Haine, T Ayers, I Sandler, Sharlene Wolchik, J Weyer. Locus of control and self-esteem as stress-moderators or stress-mediators in parentally bereaved children. Death Studies (2003).
  • Sandler, I N,Wolchik, Sharlene,Davis, C (student author) ,Haine, R (student author) ,Ayers, T. . Resilience and vulnerability. Adaptation in the context of childhood adversities (2003).
  • Wolchik, Sharlene (Author) ,Sandler, I N (Author) ,Davis, C H (Student Author) ,Haine, R A (Student Author) ,Ayers, T (Author) . Correlational and experimental study of of resilience for children of divorce and parentally-bereaved children. Resilience and vulnerability: Adaptation in the context of childhood adversities (2003).
  • J Tein, K Doyle, Sharlene Wolchik, Irwin Sandler. Fear of abandonment as a mediator of the relations between divorce stressors and mother-child relationship quality and children's adjustment problems. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology (2002).
  • K Doyle, Sharlene Wolchik, S Dawson-McClure. Development of the Step-family Events Profile. Journal of Family Psychology (2002).
  • K Hipke, Sharlene Wolchik, I Sandler, Sanford Braver. Predictors of children's intervention-induced resilience in a parenting program for divorced mothers. Family Relations (2002).
  • Sharlene Wolchik, Irwin Sandler, R Millsap, B Plummer, S Greene, E Anderson. Six-year follow-up of a randomized, controlled trial of preventive interventions for children of divorce. Journal of the American Medical Association (2002).
  • Anderson, E R, Wolchik, Sharlene. Divorce and children's social development. International encyclopedia of the social and behavioral sciences (2001).
  • Hipke, K N, Sandler, Irwin Noah, Wolchik, Sharlene. Children of divorce. Encyclopedia of stress (2000).
  • D Coatsworth, J Tein, L Lengua, S West, Sharlene Wolchik, Irwin Sandler. The New Beginnings Program for divorced families: An experimental evaluation of theory-based single-component and dual-component programs. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (2000).
  • I Sandler, J Tein, K Wilcox, Sharlene Wolchik. Maternal acceptance and consistency of discipline as buffers of divorce stressors on children's psychological adjustment problems. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology (2000).
  • J Tein, P Mehta, T Ayers, Sharlene Wolchik, Irwin Sandler. Coping efficacy and psychological problems of children of divorce. Child Development (2000).
  • L Lengua, Sharlene Wolchik, Irwin Sandler, S West. The interaction of parenting and temperament in predicting children's post-divorce adjustment. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology (2000).
  • Wyman, P,Sandler, I N,Wolchik, Sharlene,Nelson, K (student author) . Resilience as cumulative competence promotion and stress protection: Theory and intervention. The promotion of wellness in children and adolescents (2000).
  • Wolchik, S.A., *Coxe, S., Tein, J., Sandler, I.N. & Ayers, T. A longitudinal study of predictors and outcomes of growth through grief in parentally bereaved children. Omega: The Journal of Death and Dying (0).
Research Activity: 
Fall 2020
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 599Thesis
PSY 790Reading and Conference
PSY 792Research
Spring 2020
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 592Research
PSY 598Special Topics
Fall 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 592Research
Summer 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 592Research
Spring 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 591Seminar
Spring 2018
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 598Special Topics
Spring 2017
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 598Special Topics
Spring 2016
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 598Special Topics
Presentations: 
  • Sigal, A., Tein, J., Wolchik, S., Schoenfelder, E., & Sandler, I. Six-year effects of the New Beginnings Program on educational outcomes: Mediation through GPA and perceived competence. Society for Prevention Research, Denver, CO (Jun 2011).
  • *Boeninger, D. K., Xu, S., Sandler, I. N., Wolchik, S. Parenting skills training and offspring suicide ideation: Evaluation of the New Beginnings Program for divorced families. Society for Prevention Research conference, Denver, CO (Jun 2010).
  • Berkel, C. *Hagan, M., Wolchik, S., Gonzales, N., Sandler, I., *Schenck, C., & Winslow, E. What do facilitators and participants bring to the table? Collaborative adaptations process in the New Beginnings Program. Annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research (May 2009).
  • Jones, S., Sandler, I. & Wolchik, S. Redesigning the New Beginning Parenting Program for dissemination. Annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, Washington, DC (May 2009).
  • *Berkel, C., *Hagan, M., Wolchik, S. A., Gonzales, N., Sandler, I. N., *Schenck, C. & Winslow, E. Achieving multicultural competence in a parenting preventive intervention: Participant challenges and facilitator adaptations. Annual national Prevention Network Prevention Research Conference (Apr 2009).
  • Jones, S., Sandler, I. & Wolchik, S. QFD:A tool to adapt a program for divorcing families for dissemination. 2nd Annual NIH Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation (Jan 2009).
  • Berkel, C., Jones, S., Hagan, M., Sandler, I., & Wolchik, S. Does Quality Matter Too?: Evaluating a tool to assess quality of implementation in a parenting-based program to improve children's post-divorce mental health. Annual Meeting for the American Evaluation Association (Nov 2008).
  • Jones, S., Sandler, I. & Wolchik, S. Quality Function Deployment Methodology as a Tool for Adapting the New Beginnings Program for Divorcing Families. Annual Meeting for the Society for Prevention Research, (May 2008).
  • *Soper, A.C., Wolchik, S.A., Tein, J.-Y, Sandler, I.N. *Soper, A.C., Wolchik, S.A., Tein, J.-Y, Sandler, I.N. Paper presented at the 2008 , Chicago, IL. Childhood negative cognitions and adolescent substance use in youth from divorced families. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence (Mar 2008).
  • *Schenck, C.E., Wolchik, S.A., Tein, J-Y., & Sandler, I.N. The Effects of High Quality Parenting on Adolescent Coping and Coping Efficacy: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Adolescence (Mar 2008).
  • Sandler, I, Wolchik, Sharlene, Ayers, T, Tien, J-Y. Evaluation of the Family Bereavement Program at six-year follow-up. Presentation at the Conference of the World Federation for Mental Health (Oct 2006).
  • Sandler, I, Wolchik, Sharlene, Gonzales, N, Ayers, T, Smith-Daniels, V, Ostrom, A, Bitner, M. Transition from efficacy to effectiveness: New Beginnings Program as a court-based prevention program for children of divorce. Annual meeting of the American Psychological Association (Aug 2006).
  • Brown, A, Wolchik, Sharlene, Sandler, I. Ethnicity as a predictor of children's coping in divorced families. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research (May 2006).
  • Gonzales, N, Wolchik, Sharlene, Sandler, I, Winslow, E, Martinez, C, Cooley, M. Integrating cultural knowledge with quality management methods to adapt interventions for cultural diversity. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research (May 2006).
  • Winslow, E, Bonds, D, Wolchik, Sharlene, Sandler, I, Braver, S. Predictors of participation in a preventive parenting intervention for divorced families. Annual Meeting of Society for Prevention Research (May 2005).
  • Winslow, E, Bonds, D, Wolchik, Sharlene, Sandler, I, Braver, S. Predictors of participation in a preventive parenting intervention for divorced families. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research (May 2005).
  • Bonds, D, Tein, J, Winslow, E, Snaedler, I, Wolchik, Sharlene. Contact with fathers, father-child relationship quality and children's depressive symptoms. Society for Research in Child Development (Apr 2005).
  • Sandler, I, Ayers, T, Wolchik, Sharlene, Tein, J. Effects of the Family Beraevement Program on Bereaved Girls. NIMH Sponsored Conference on Prevention of Depression in Girls (Apr 2005).
  • Sandler, I, Wolchik, Sharlene, Tein, J, Millsap, R, Winslow, E, Bonds, D. Prevention of Mental Disorder by the Promotion of Family Relationship Process Following Family Disruption. Invited Conference on Relational Processes and Mental Disorder (Mar 2005).
  • Sandler, I, Wolchik, Sharlene, Millsap, R, Plummer, B, Dawson-McClure, S, Haine, R, Reider, E. Six-year follow-up effects of preventive interventions for children of divorce. Long-term impact of preventive interventions. Symposium conducted at the Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research (Jun 2003).
  • Sandler, I, Haine, R, Ayers, T, Wolchik, Sharlene. Child survivors of parental suicide. Paper presented at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and National Institute of Mental Health Research Workshop for Survivors of Suicide (May 2003).
  • Dawson-McClure, S, Sandler, I, Wolchik, Sharlene, Millsap, R. Risk as a moderator of six-year effects of an intervention to promote resilience for children of divorce; Prevention science efforts to promote resilience in at-risk youth. Symposium conducted at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development (Apr 2003).
  • Haine, R, Wolchik, Sharlene, Sandler, I, Millsap, R. Caregiver acceptance and consistency of discipline as resilience resources for parentally bereaved youth. Prevention science efforts to promote resilience in at-risk youth. Symposium conducted at the Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development (Apr 2003).
  • Sandler, I, Wolchik, Sharlene, Haine, R, Millsap, R, Plummer, B, Dawson-McClure, S, Braver, S. Changing the legacy of divorce: Evidence from experimental programs. The legacy of divorce: Controversies, clarifications and consequences. 39th Annual Conference of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (Jun 2002).
  • Sandler, I, Wolchik, Sharlene, Millsap, R, Plummer, B, Dawson-McClure, S, Green, S, Anderson, E. Six-year follow-up of a randomized trial of an intervention for children of divorce. Paper presented at the 9th Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research (May 2001).
  • Dawson-McClure, S, Sandler, I, Wolchik, Sharlene, Millsap, R. Six-year individual and family level predictors of adolescent mental health problems for children of divorce. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Prevention Research (May 2001).
  • Dawson-McClure, S, Sandler, I, Wolchik, Sharlene, Millsap, R. Six-year onto genetic and microsystem predictors of adolescent mental health problems for children of divorce. Paper presented at the 9th Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research (May 2001).
  • Haine, R, Wolchik, Sharlene. Predictors of parentally bereaved children's hiding of negative emotions. Poster presented at the Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development (Apr 2001).
  • Dawson, S, Wolchik, Sharlene. The prospective relations of cognitive biases to competence and pathology in children of divorce. Poster presented at the meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development (Apr 2001).
  • Sandler, I, Dawson, S, Wolchik, Sharlene, Prost, J. Prediction and prevention of substance use in children of divorce: A six year longitudinal study. Paper presented at Addictions 2000 (Sep 2000).
  • Sandler, I, Dawson-McClure, S, Millsap, R, Wolchik, Sharlene, Prost, J. Prediction and prevention of substance use in children of divorce: A six-year longitudinal study. Poster presented at the conference on Addictions 2000: Prevention of substance use problems: Directions for the next millennium (Sep 2000).
  • Ayers, T, Sandler, I, Wolchik, Sharlene, Haine, R. Emotional expression and mental health problems of bereaved children. Presented at the Society for Prevention Research (Jun 2000).
  • Cohen, J, Taborga, M, Dawson, S, Wolchik, Sharlene. Do family routines buffer the effects of stressful divorce events on children's symptomatology?. Presented at the Society for Prevention Research (Jun 2000).
  • Sandler, I, Ayers, T, Wolchik, Sharlene. Evaluation of a theory-based preventive intervention for bereaved children. Presented at the Society for Prevention Research (Jun 2000).
  • Wolchik, Sharlene. Specialty Workshop: Parenting Program for Bereaved Parents. Association of Death Education and Counseling Annual Meeting
  • Brown, A, Wolchik, Sharlene, Sandler, I. Child and family predictors of threat to self appraisals for adolescents from divorced homes: A six-year longitudinal study. Poster accepted for presentation in the proceedings of the 2007 Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting
  • Brown, A, Wolchik, Sharlene, Sandler, I. Does a cognitive errors ratio predict or reflect internalizing problems in youth from divorced homes?. Poster accepted for presentation in the proceedings of the 2007 Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting
Expertise Areas: 
Psychology
Coping with Stressful Events in Children and Adults
Prevention and Intervention Science
Clinical Psychology