Research

Current Projects

Publications

Presentations

Current Projects

  • women with face mask holding child

    Coronavirus Family Impact Project

    Dr. Zelechoski's anxiety about how she was going to manage her kids at home indefinitely and how social distancing was going to impact all of us prompted our lab to take action in the way we know best...to study the impact on parents and children before, during, and after the pandemic unfolds. This project surveyed parents about the impact of COVID-19 on their stress and the emotional and behavioral functioning of their children over a 3-month period before, during, and after many states' stay-at-home orders were lifted. Results are currently being analyzed - stay tuned!

  • blurred image of person in front of wired fence

    Project LISTEN

    As nationwide efforts continue toward trauma-informed child welfare and juvenile justice systems, we are working to identify more comprehensive trauma assessment methods for at-risk and juvenile justice-involved youth. The focus of this project is to figure out whether the right people are asking the right questions in the right ways in order to best understand the life experiences and circumstances that place youth at risk. In addition to exploring the effectiveness of a variety of quantitative and qualitative trauma assessment methods, we are also examining differences between urban and rural youth and discrepancy between youth and their parents/caregivers in reporting trauma history and impact.

  • Child Custody Evaluation

    In collaboration with Dr. David Weinstock and Dr. John Moran, this project incorporates the well-established structured professional judgment framework used in criminal forensic assessment contexts to develop a more comprehensive and empirically-based family assessment tool. Following an extensive review of the empirical literature and completion of expert focus groups, a pilot version of the family assessment tool is currently in development and will soon be piloted to determine feasibility, factor structure, and inter-rater reliability. Funded by the Wheatridge Ministries - O.P. Kretzmann Memorial Fund for the Healing Arts & Sciences, this project is intended to serve as a first step toward the long-term goal of validating and disseminating the tool to mental health professionals who work with court-involved families.

  • Book cover of Activities for Teaching Psychology and Law: A guide for intsructors

    Teaching Psychology & Law

    Over the last twenty years, there has been a substantial increase in the number of course offerings and training opportunities in psychology and law as part of undergraduate curricula, as well as at the high school and graduate school levels. As more courses, trainings, and seminars are offered to meet the increasing demand, it is important to incorporate effective methods of teaching psycho-legal course material. In collaboration with Dr. Christina L. Riggs Romaine and Dr. Melinda Wolbransky, we completed a two-year, multi-site empirical evaluation of the effectiveness of incorporating experiential activities into Psychology and Law courses. Given that the field of forensic psychology is relatively small when compared to other psychology subspecialties, many undergraduate psychology departments do not have a faculty member with specific psycho-legal or forensic training. To meet this need, and also provide the experienced psychologist with specialized materials, we wrote a teaching activities book for college and university instructors, which provides a wide variety of experiential and simulation activities covering all of the topics typically included in forensic psychology and psychology and law textbooks )with adaptations for online courses!). For additional information, check out this article on experiential learning in undergraduate psychology and law courses and this blog post on the importance of experiential learning activities.

Selected Lab Publications

  • Teaching Psychology and Law

    Zelechoski, A. D., Wolbransky, M., & Riggs Romaine, C. L. (2018). Activities for teaching psychology and law courses: A guide for instructors. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Zelechoski, A. D., Riggs Romaine, C. L., & Wolbransky, M. (2017). Teaching psychology and law: An empirical evaluation of experiential learning. Teaching of Psychology, 44, 222-231.

    Zelechoski, A. D., Cox, A. & Harper, M. (2016). Placing undergraduate researchers in juvenile detention. CUR Quarterly, 36(4).

    Zelechoski, A. D. (2016, Summer). Experiential learning in psychology and law. American Psychology-Law Society Newsletter: Teaching Tips (invited article).

    Zelechoski, A. D. (2015, November). Incorporating experiential learning into the classroom. Valparaiso Institute for Teaching and Learning (VITAL) Blog (invited guest blogger).

  • Assessment & Evaluation

    Guy, L. S. & Zelechoski, A. D. (2017). Civil forensic assessment. In R. Roesch & A. N. Cook (Eds.), Handbook of Forensic Mental Health Services. New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor & Francis.

    *Freedle, A. & Zelechoski, A. D. (2015). Parenting capacity evaluation in Poland: A descriptive analysis. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 14, 181-192.

    Zelechoski, A. D., Fuhrmann, G. S. W., Zibbell, R. A., & Cavallero, L. M. (2012). Evaluation for child custody: Using best practices in a worst-case scenario. Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, 12, 457-470.

  • Trauma & Offending

    Zelechoski, A. D. (2015). Trauma, adverse experience, and offending. In K. Heilbrun, D. DeMatteo, & N. S. Goldstein (Eds.), APA Handbook of Psychology and Juvenile Justice (pp. 325-342). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Heilbrun, K., Zelechoski, A. D., & Slobogin, C. (2015). Insanity and diminished capacity: Scientific status. In D. Faigman, J. Blumenthal, E. Cheng, J. Mnookin, E. Murphy, & J. Sanders (Eds.), Modern scientific evidence: The law and science of expert testimony (pp. 39-111). St. Paul, MN: The West Group.

    Zelechoski, A. D., Sharma, R., Baserra, K., Miguel, J., DeMarco, M., & Spinazzola, J. (2013). Traumatized youth in residential treatment settings: Prevalence, clinical presentation, treatment, and policy implications. Journal of Family Violence, 28, 639-652.

    Goldstein, N. E. S., Serico, J. M., Riggs Romaine, C. L., Zelechoski, A. D., Kalbeitzer, R., Kemp, K., & Lane, C. (2013). Development of the Juvenile Justice Anger Management (JJAM) Treatment for Girls. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 20, 171-188.

    Mayer Cox, J., Goldstein, N. E. S., Dolores, J., Zelechoski, A. D., & Messenheimer, S. (2012). The impact of juveniles’ ages and levels of psychosocial maturity on judges’ opinions about adjudicative competence. Law and Human Behavior, 36, 21-27.

    D’Andrea, W., Sharma, R., Zelechoski, A. D., & Spinazzola, J. (2011). Physical health problems after single trauma exposure: When trauma takes root in the body. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 17, 378-392.

 
 

Training Workshops

*indicates student presentation

Zelechoski, A. D. (2017, February). Understanding trauma (and talking about it). Invited workshop sponsored by the National Immigrant Justice Center, Chicago, IL.

Harris, E., Scroppo, J., Taube, D., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2016, August). Legal and ethical risks and risk management in professional psychological practice – Sequence VII: Working with couples and families, risk management with the suicidal patient, and legal and ethical issues presented by retirement. Workshop presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Denver, Colorado.

Zelechoski, A. D., Cox, A., Harper, M., Clapper, R., Harrison, K., Buckman, H., & Hayrynen, A. (2015, September). If you want to know the end, look at the beginning: Trauma and risk assessment in juvenile detention. Workshop presented at the National Symposium on Juvenile Services, Pittsburgh, PA.

Zelechoski, A. D. (2014, October). Cultural considerations in family law matters. Invited workshop sponsored by the Indiana Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Indianapolis, IN.

Zelechoski, A. D. (2014, September). Child Trauma 101. Invited workshop sponsored by Family Compass Foster Care Agency, St. John, IN.

Zelechoski, A. D. (2013, November). Keeping children safe when their parents are arrested. Training workshop presented for Philadelphia Police Department and Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual DisAbility Services, Philadelphia, PA.     Media Coverage     Feature Article

Zelechoski, A. D. (2013, October, November). Understanding Trauma. Training workshops presented for Valparaiso Police Department, Valparaiso, IN. 

Zelechoski, A. D. (2012, August). Recognizing and Responding to Crisis. Workshop presented for Valparaiso University Peer Ministry Program, Valparaiso University and St. Teresa of Avila, Valparaiso, IN.

Zelechoski, A. D. (2012, April). Working with traumatized clients. Workshop presented for Valparaiso University Counseling Center’s staff in-service, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN.

Zelechoski, A. D., Hirshberg, L., Spinazzola, J., & van der Kolk, B. (2011, November). Innovative approaches to the treatment of developmental trauma disorder: Utilizing EEG neurofeedback to reduce hyperarousal in a traumatized adolescent. Workshop presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Baltimore, MD.

Zelechoski, A. D. (2011, October). Recognizing and understanding trauma. Workshop presented for Valparaiso University Counseling Center’s staff in-service, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN.

Conference Presentations

Zelechoski, A. D. (2017, April). Help me help you: Navigating the tension between law and mental health. Invited panelist at a symposium sponsored by the Journal of Law, Ethics, & Public Policy, University of Notre Dame Law School, Notre Dame, IN. 

*Gorman, O., Schmidt, S., Leuhrs, R., McIntyre, C., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2017, March). An exploration of the relationship between trauma exposure and juvenile recidivism. Poster presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, Seattle, WA.

*Will, K., Clapper, R., Zelechoski, A. D., Moran, J., & Weinstock, D. (2016, April). An empirical review of child-related factors and considerations in child custody evaluations. Paper presented at the Valparaiso University Graduate Academic Symposium, Valparaiso, IN.

Tyner Grodrian, E. & Zelechoski, A. D. (2016, April). The impact of targeted instruction in music performance anxiety reduction techniques. Paper presented at the College Music Society: Great Lakes Chapter Regional Conference, South Bend, IN.

Tyner Grodrian, E. & Zelechoski, A. D. (2016, March). The impact of targeted instruction in music performance anxiety reduction techniques. Paper presented at the National Association for Music Education: Music Research and Teacher Education National Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Tyner Grodrian, E. & Zelechoski, A. D. (2016, February). The impact of targeted instruction in music performance anxiety reduction techniques. Paper presented at the College Music Society: Mid-Atlantic Chapter Regional Conference, Rock Hill, SC.

Kurtz, C. P. & Zelechoski, A. D. (2015, October). Collaboration with counseling students to enhance the Hearing Voices Simulation. Poster presented at the American Psychiatric Nurses Association 29th Annual Conference, Orlando, FL.

*Will, K., Clapper, R., Zelechoski, A. D., Moran, J., & Weinstock, D. (2015, October). An empirical review of child-related factors and considerations in child custody evaluations. Paper presented at the Indiana Academy of the Social Sciences, Evansville, IN.

*Clapper, R., Will, K., Zelechoski, A. D., Moran, J., & Weinstock, D. (2015, October). Parental attributes in child custody evaluations: A comprehensive review of the literature. Paper presented at the Indiana Academy of the Social Sciences, Evansville, IN.

*Schmidt, S., Clapper, R., Harrison, K., Buckman, H., Hayrynen, A., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2015, October). Taking a closer look at trauma in parents of incarcerated youth: Results of a pilot study. Poster presented at the Indiana Academy of the Social Sciences, Evansville, IN.

*Freedle, A., Clapper, R., Gorman, O., Katsahnias, A., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2015, August). When history repeats itself: Traumatic exposure among juvenile offenders and their parents. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.

*Cempel, L., Harrison, K., Hayrynen, A., Hostetler, E., Buckman, H., Schmidt, S., Freedle, A., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2015, August). The relative impact of early caregiver disruption in juvenile risk and recidivism. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.

*Clapper, R., Hrebic, L., Freedle, A., Schmidt, S., Garcia, J., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2015, August). Informant discrepancy in trauma reporting among juvenile offenders and their parents. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.

*Hostetler, E., Hayrynen, A., Harrison, K., Buckman, H., Severino, C., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2015, March). (In)Consistency between empirically-validated versus internally-created juvenile risk assessment tools. Poster presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, San Diego, CA.

Zelechoski, A.D., Riggs Romaine, C. L., & Wolbransky, M. (2015, March). The Teaching Psychology and Law Project: Overview. Paper presented as part of the AP-LS Teaching, Training, and Careers Committee sponsored symposium “Psychology and law in the classroom: Innovations in teaching and learning,” at the annual conference of the American 
Psychology-Law Society, San Diego, CA.

Wolbransky, M., Riggs Romaine, C. L., & Zelechoski, A.D. (2015, March). The Teaching Psychology and Law Project: Results and lessons learned. Paper presented as part of the AP-LS Teaching, Training, and Careers Committee sponsored symposium “Psychology and law in the classroom: Innovations in teaching and learning,” at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, San Diego, CA.

Zelechoski, A.D. & Jeglum Bartusch, D. (2015, March). Teaching psychology and law from the inside out: Prison exchange courses. Paper presented as part of the AP-LS Teaching, Training, and Careers Committee sponsored symposium “Psychology and law in the classroom: Innovations in teaching and learning,” at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, San Diego, CA. 

*Gorman, O., Buckman, H., Garcia, J., Hostetler, E., Hayrynen, A., Katsahnias, A., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2015, March). Learning through doing in psychology and law: The student perspective. Presented as part of the AP-LS Teaching, Training, and Careers Committee sponsored symposium “Psychology and law in the classroom: Innovations in teaching and learning,” at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, San Diego, CA.

Weinstock, D., Moran, J., & Zelechoski, A. D., (2014, November). Advances in the Parenting Competence-3 (PC-3): Research update and future directions. Paper presented at the 11th Annual Symposium on Child Custody Evaluations, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, San Antonio, TX.

Rogers, J., Hess, D., Myers, W., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2014, October). Juvenile insanity defense – should it be more available? Panel debate presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Zelechoski, A. D. & Jeglum Bartusch, D. (2014, August). Inside-out prison exchange program: The faculty perspective. Paper presented as part of a symposium, “Teaching psychology from the inside out: An introduction to prison exchange courses,” at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.

Zelechoski, A. D. (2014, March). Armed violence on campus: A search for solutions. Invited panelist at a symposium sponsored by the Journal of College and University Law, University of Notre Dame Law School, Notre Dame, IN.

*Buckman, H., Freedle, A., Tuohy, A., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2014, March). An international comparison of law enforcement stress and professional satisfaction. Poster presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, New Orleans, LA.

Kemp, K., Riggs Romaine, C., Giallella, C., Goldstein, N. E. S., Serico, J., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2014, March). Psychosocial maturity and emotion regulation in adolescent girls in residential juvenile justice placement. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, New Orleans, LA

Zelechoski, A. D., Freedle, A., & MacDonnell, P. (2013, November). Beyond the best interests of the child: Assessing trauma in child custody matters. Paper presented as part of a symposium, “Trauma Assessment in Forensic Contexts: Legal Implications of Evaluating Trauma-Related Risk and Resilience,” at the annual meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Philadelphia, PA.

*Stephen, R., Buczek, K., Kelleher, E., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2013, November) An exploratory neurofeedback pilot study with juvenile justice youth: The impact of trauma symptoms and attention problems on treatment effectiveness. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Philadelphia, PA.

*Freedle, A., Zelechoski, A. D., Ringenberg, M., Yogan, L., & Simpson, D. (2013, November) The impact of single versus multiple traumas on college students’ psychological functioning and college adjustment. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Philadelphia, PA.

*Freedle, A., Zelechoski, A. D. (2013, October) Psychological evaluations in child welfare contexts: A comparison between Poland and the United States. Invited paper presented at the annual conference of the Nobody’s Children Foundation, Warsaw, Poland.

*Tuohy, A., Eyman, L., Hanks, C., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2013, August). Misconceptions about trauma among law enforcement and correctional officers. Paper presented as part of a symposium, “The role of trauma in law enforcement and correctional settings” at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI.

*Freedle, A., Veitas, C., Scheer, J., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2013, August). Police officers’ perceptions of their role in reducing trauma exposure. Paper presented as part of a symposium, “The role of trauma in law enforcement and correctional settings” at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI.

*Hanks, C., Scheer, J., Tuohy, A., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2013, August). Law enforcement and correctional officers’ competence in responding to traumatic situations. Paper presented as part of a symposium, “The role of trauma in law enforcement and correctional settings” at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI.

*Veitas, C., Freedle, A., Eyman, L., & Zelechoski, A. D. (2013, August). The impact of personal trauma exposure on law enforcement and correctional officers. Paper presented as part of a symposium, “The role of trauma in law enforcement and correctional settings” at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI.

*Freedle, A. & Zelechoski, A. D. (2013, March). Evaluations of parenting capacity in child protection cases: A comparison between the U.S. and Poland. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, Portland, OR.

*Tuohy, A. & Zelechoski, A. D. (2013, March). The differential effectiveness of presenting trauma history evidence in criminal responsibility versus capital sentencing hearings. Poster presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, Portland, OR.

*Eyman, L. & Zelechoski, A. D. (2013, March). Criminal responsibility and dissociation: Clarity by continuum? Poster presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, Portland, OR.

*Peterson, L., Goldstein, N. E. S., Serico, J., Zelechoski, A. D., Kalbeitzer, R., Romaine, C. R., Kemp, K., & Giallella, C. L. (2013, March). Development, theoretical basis, and overview of JJAM. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, Portland, OR.

*Freedle, A. & Zelechoski, A. D. (2012, April). Childhood trauma: Diagnostic reformulation. Poster presented at the annual Valparaiso University Psychology Conference, Valparaiso, IN.

Zelechoski, A. D., Lander, T. D., Heilbrun, K., Goldstein, N. E. S., & DeMatteo, D. (2012, March). Adherence to Forensic Mental Health Assessment Principles: A Comparison between Criminal and Civil Evaluation Reports. Poster presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, San Juan, PR.

*Petrongolo, M., Zelechoski, A. D., Lane, C., Feehan, J. A., & Goldstein, N. E. S. (2012, March). Child preference and forensic evaluators’ presentation of ultimate issue testimony. Poster presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, San Juan, PR.

*Prelic, A., Zelechoski, A. D., Lane, C., & Goldstein, N. E. S. (2012, March). Does intelligence predict school bonding among delinquent youth? Poster presented at the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society, San Juan, PR.