For the last fifteen years, Dr. Alisha Pollastri has sought to better understand individuals who engage in challenging behaviors despite serious social consequences. She has studied the causes and correlates of drug abuse, aggression, and oppositional behavior.
As the Principal Investigator of the Laboratory for Youth Behavior at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Pollastri was responsible for evaluating how the Collaborative Problem Solving approach works to reduce challenging behaviors in children. Through analysis of data collected in partner schools and clinical agencies, Dr. Pollastri sought to promote a clearer understanding of challenging youth, and to improve child outcomes.
As the current Director of Research at Youth Villages, Dr. Pollastri partners with academic research groups to solve some of the largest problems facing the child welfare system: unnecessary placement of children into foster care, delays in identifying permanent homes for children in need of one, and young people who are aging out of foster care without permanent adult supports.
