Alisha Pollastri, Ph.D.

PUBLICATIONS: SELECT CHAPTERS

Raftery-Helmer JN, Pollastri AR. (2018). Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder. In EB Braaten, ed. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Intellectual and Developmental Disorders.

Pollastri AR, Rosenbaum, CH, Ablon, JS. (2018) Disruptive behavior disorders.  In: HK Wilson, EB Braaten, eds. The MGH Guide to Learning Disabilities, 1st ed.

Pollastri AR, Wang L. (2019). Research and Evaluation of CPS Outcomes. In: AR Pollastri, JS Ablon, MJG Hone, eds. Collaborative Problem Solving: An Evidence-Based Approach to Implementation and Practice, 1st ed.

Pollastri AR, Wezdenko A.  (2019). Implementing and Practicing Collaborative Problem Solving with Integrity. In: AR Pollastri, JS Ablon, MJG Hone, eds. Collaborative Problem Solving: An Evidence-Based Approach to Implementation and Practice, 1st ed.

PUBLICATIONS: SELECT ARTICLES

Pollastri AR, Pokrywa ML, Kranzler HR, Gelernter J. Incentive program decreases no-shows in non-treatment substance abuse research.  Exp Clin Psychopharm. 2005; 13: 376-380.

O’Donnell EH, Moreau M, Cardemil EV, Pollastri AR. Interparental conflict, parenting, and childhood depression in a diverse urban population: The role of general cognitive style. J Youth Adolesc. 2010; 39: 12-22.

Pollastri AR, Cardemil EV, O’Donnell EH. Self-esteem in pure bullies and bully/victims:  A longitudinal analysis.  J Interpers Viol. 2010; 25: 1489-1502.

Pollastri AR, Epstein LD, Heath GH, Ablon JS. The Collaborative Problem Solving approach: Outcomes across settings. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2013; 21: 188-199.

Duncan LE, Pollastri AR,  Smoller JW. Mind the gap: Why many geneticists and psychological scientists have discrepant views about gene-environment interaction (GxE) research. Am Psychol. 2014; 69: 249-268.

Reigeluth C, Pollastri AR, Cardemil EV, & Addis ME. "Mad scared" versus "I was sad”: Emotional expression and response in urban adolescent males. J Adolesc. 2016; 49: 232-43.

Pollastri AR, Lieberman RE, Boldt S, Ablon JS. Minimizing seclusion and restraint in youth residential and day treatment through site-wide implementation of Collaborative Problem Solving. Resid Treat Child Youth. 2016; 33: 186-205.

Pollastri AR, Raftery-Helmer JN, Cardemil EV, Addis ME. Social context, emotional expressivity, and social adjustment in adolescent males. Psychol Men Masc. 2018; 19:69-77.

Wang L, Pollastri AR, Vuijk PJ, Hill EN, Lee BA, Samkavitz A, Braaten EB, Ablon JS, Doyle, AE. Reliability and validity of the Thinking Skills Inventory, a screening tool for cross-diagnostic skill deficits underlying youth behavioral challenges. J Psychopath Beh Assess. 2019; 41:144-59.

Heath G, Fife-Schaw C, Wang L, Eddy C, Hone M, Pollastri AR. Collaborative Problem Solving reduces children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties and parenting stress: Two key mechanisms. J Clin Psychol. 2020; 76(7), 1226-1240.

Pollastri AR, Wang L, Youn SJ, Ablon JS, Marques L. The value of implementation frameworks: Using the Active Implementation Frameworks to guide system-wide implementation of Collaborative Problem Solving. J Commun Psychol. 2020; 48(4), 1114-1131.

Pollastri AR, Wang L, Eddy CJ, Ablon JS. An open trial of Collaborative Problem Solving in a naturalistic outpatient setting. Clin Child Psychol Psychiat. 2023; 28(2), 512-524.

Wang, L., Stoll, S. J., Eddy, C. J., Hurley, S., Sisson, J., Thompson, N., ... & Pollastri, A. R. Pragmatic fidelity measurement in youth service settings. Implementation Research and Practice. 2023; 4, 1-13.

Wang, L., Gulish, K. D., & Pollastri, A. R. Understanding Teachers' Attributions and Responses to Student Misbehavior: The Roles of Explanatory Rationale and Personal Beliefs. School Mental Health, 2024; 1-13.

Stoll, S. J., Hartman, J. D., Paxton, D., Wang, L., Ablon, J. S., Perry, B. D., & Pollastri, A. R. De-Implementing a Point and Level System in Youth Residential Care without Increased Safety Risk: A Case Study. Residential Treatment for Children & Youth. 2024; 41(2), 233-253.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

Presentation Topics:

Skill not Will: Rethinking School Discipline

Collaborative Problem Solving: Effective Treatment for Disruptive Behavior Disorders

Evaluating Treatment Outcomes in Residential Treatment

Evaluating the Success of an Evidence-Based Treatment

Disruptive Behavior Disorders: Bio-Psycho-Social Etiologies and Treatments

Using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques to Maintain Staff Wellbeing

Research Careers in Psychology

Select Organizations:

Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Judge Baker Children’s Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

South Shore Mental Health/Aspire Health Alliance, Quincy, MA

Clark University, Worcester, MA

Camp Starfish, Rindge, NH

Association for Children’s Residential Centers, Milwaulkee, WI (HQ)

American University, Washington, DC

KIPP Charter School Network, San Francisco, CA (HQ)

Youth Villages, Inc., Memphis TN

Guam System of Care, Guam

Berry Street Youth Services, Victoria, Australia

SELECT CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Pollastri AR, Smoller JW, Kranzler H, Sherva R, Koesterer R, Farrell J, Farrer L, Gelernter J. A Genome-wide Association Study of Human Aggressive Behavior. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the World Congress in Psychiatric Genetics; Oct 2013; Boston MA.

Ablon JS, Pollastri AR. Implementing and Evaluating the Collaborative Problem Solving Approach.  An Intensive Workshop conducted at the annual Children’s Mental Health Research and Policy Conference; Mar 2014; Tampa, FL.

Pollastri AR, Epstein LE,  Ablon JS.  Collaborative Problem Solving as an Intervention for the Reduction of Challenging Behavior: Introduction and Evidence.  In AR Pollastri (Chair), The Collaborative Problem Solving Approach: Implementation and Evidence Across Settings and Systems. Symposium conducted at the annual Children’s Mental Health Research and Policy Conference; Mar 2014; Tampa, FL.

Pollastri AR, Lieberman RE, Boldt SL, Ablon JS. Collaborative Problem Solving Reduces Restraint and Seclusion in Youth Residential and Day Treatment. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research on Child Development; Mar 2015; Philadelphia, PA.

Pollastri AR, Ablon JS.  Evaluating Fidelity and Outcomes of Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS). Paper presented at the annual Association for Children’s Residential Centers (ACRC) Conference;  March 2017; Portland, Oregon.

Pollastri AR, Ablon JS.  Site-wide Implementation of Collaborative Problem Solving: The Role of Implementation Science.  In M Hone (Chair), Collaborative Problem Solving: Site-wide and System-wide Implementation.  Symposium conducted at the annual Children’s Mental Health Research and Policy Conference; Mar 2017; Tampa, FL.

Pollastri AR, Ablon JS, Tatartcheff-Quesnel N, Hone M. Collaborative Problem Solving: An innovative and evidence-based approach to understanding and treating children’s behavioral challenges.  Poster presented at the annual conference of the World Psychiatric Association; Feb 2018; Melbourne, Australia.

Welty M, Pollastri AR, Ablon JS. Problem Sexual Behavior: Skill not Will? Applying Collaborative Problem Solving to PSB. Poster presented at the annual conference of the Association for Children’s Residential Centers (ACRC); Mar 2018; Boston, MA.

Ablon JS, Kling N, Pollastri AR. Rethinking Challenging Kids. Presentation conducted at the annual conference of the National Council for Behavioral Health (NatCon); Apr 2018; Washington DC.

Pollastri AR, Wang L, Hurley S, Ablon JS. Measuring Integrity without Breaking the Bank… or Your Back. Paper presented at the annual Children’s Mental Health Research and Policy Conference; Mar 2019; Tampa, FL.

Pollastri AR, Ablon JS. Using Rapid-Cycle Iteration and Evaluation to Assess and Improve your Intervention. Paper presented at the annual Children’s Mental Health Research and Policy Conference; Mar 2019; Tampa, FL.

Pollastri AR, Ablon JS. The Secrets of Implementing and Sustaining an Evidence-Based Practice. Poster presented at the annual conference of the Association for Children’s Residential Centers (ACRC); Mar 2019; New Orleans, LA.

Ablon JS, Kling N, Pollastri AR. Using Collaborative Problem Solving with Children in the Real World. Presentation conducted at the annual conference of the National Council for Behavioral Health (NatCon); Apr 2019; Nashville, TN.

Pollastri AR, Wang L, Eddy CJ, Kling N, Hill EN, Hepburn S, Dorfman M, Ablon JS.  Development and application of a readiness process for an evidence-based practice in clinical and educational settings.  Poster presented at the Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health; Dec 2020; Virtual.

Wang L, Hurley S, Sisson J, Stoll S, Dorfman M, Pollastri AR.  Development of two low-cost measures for assessing providers’ fidelity to an evidence-based practice in youth service settings. Poster presented at the Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health; Dec 2020; Virtual.

Pollastri A, Forchelli G, Vujik P, Stoll S, Capawana M, Bellitti J, Braaten E, & Doyle A. Convergence of behavior ratings of executive functions with psychometric tests and psychopathology in child psychiatric outpatients. Poster presented at the International Neurological Society Annual Meeting; Feb 2021; Virtual.

Cutillo J, Pollastri A. Collaborative Problem Solving with transition-aged youth: Helping youth become part of the solution. Presentation conducted at Pathways for Children’s Annual Youth-at-Risk Conference; May 2021; Virtual.

Dorfman M, Pollastri AR, Ablon JS. Evaluating implementation and youth outcomes when a residential agency adopts a system-wide practice: A case study. Poster presented at the annual conference of the Association for Children’s Residential Centers (ACRC); July 2021; Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Pollastri AR, Stoll S, Wang L, Dorfman M, Kesher N, Hepburn S, & Ablon JS. Quantitative outcomes of readiness assessment for an evidence-based practice in educational and clinical settings. Poster presented at the 14th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation; Dec 2021; Virtual.

SELECT CONSULTATION & ADVISORY ROLES

Clients: 

Camp Starfish, Rindge, NH

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Portland, OR

Youth Villages, Memphis, TN

Association of Children's Residential Centers (ACRC)

Three Squeeze Technology, Portland, OR