Amy Damashek
Amy Damashek
Professor
Office:
(269) 387-4920
Location:
3528 Wood Hall, Mail Stop 5439
Mailing address:
Department of Psychology
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5439 USA
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5439 USA
Education:
- Ph.D., University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 2009
Teaching Interests:
- Child psychology and abnormal child psychology
- Lifespan development
- Child behavior therapy
- Psychological assessment
Research Interests:
- Prevention of unintentional childhood injury among young children, child maltreatment, and infant sleep-related deaths
- Interventions to support low-income and underrepresented families and parenting interventions
- Health disparities
Bio:
Dr. Amy Damashek is a professor for the Department of Psychology at Western Michigan University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate-level psychology courses and mentors graduate students in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program. She also chairs her department’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
Her research focuses on the prevention of child maltreatment and unintentional childhood injuries, particularly among low-income and at-risk families. Dr. Damashek also researches health disparities in infant mortality, with a focus on sleep-related deaths. Dr. Damashek is the recipient of federal funding focused on preventing unintentional child injuries in low-income and Spanish speaking families. Dr. Damashek previously served as the President of APA Division 37 (Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice) and was recently elected as a Fellow of the American Psychological Association.
Dr. Damashek will be considering graduate applications for fall 2025.
Recent Publications:
1. Bethelhem Belachew, B., Damashek, A., Presberry, J., O’Rourke, B., Bautista, T., Kothari, C. (in press). A Qualitative Analysis of the Effects of COVID-19 on Home Visiting Service Provision. Child Maltreatment.
2. Gates, K., Chahin, S., Damashek, A., Dickson, C., Lubwama, G., Lenz, D., Bautista, T., & Kothari, C. (in press). The Relation of Maternal Psychosocial Risk Factors to Infant Safe Sleep Practices. Maternal and Child Health Journal.
3. Prokos, S., Damashek, A., Morrongiello, B., Arbour, E., Belachew, B., & Zafreen, F. (2023). Conducting a child injury prevention RCT in the wake of Covid-19: Lessons learned for virtual human subjects research. Frontiers Digital Health, 5, https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2023.1198314
4. Damashek, A., Berman, A., & Belachew, B., Kothari, C. (2023). Brief Report: Pilot test of a measure to assess clients’ perceptions of their home visitors. Infant Mental Health Journal, 44(1), 117-124.
5. Richardson, H., & Damashek, A. (2022). Examining the use of a brief online intervention in primary care for changing low-income caregivers’ attitudes toward spanking. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37 (21-21), NP20409–NP20427.
6. Damashek, A., Morrongiello, B., Diaz, F., Prokos, S., & Arbour, E. (2022). Tailoring a child injury prevention program for low-income U.S. families. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 10(3), 284–294.
7. Chahin, S., & Damashek, A. , Ospina, F., & Dickson, C. (2022). Evaluation of a safe sleep training for home visitors and their clients. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 29(3), 477-488.
8. Cosotille, M., & Damashek, A. (2022). Examining the effects of cell phone use on caregiver supervision and child injury risk. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 47(1), 86-93.
9. Gates, K. A., Damashek, A., Alderman, K., Babcock, B. E., & Skinner, B. (2022). Disparities in
access to mental health services for African and Arab American youth: An audit study. Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 7(2), 260-274.
10. Damashek, A., Ross, D., Corlis, M., Uwayo, M., & Westine, C. (2020). Treatment and prevention approaches for economically disadvantaged children: Challenges and opportunities. Early Childhood Development and Care, 192(5), 679-676. DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2020.1794859
11. Damashek, A., Kothari, C., Berman, A., Chahin, S., Lutzker, J., Guastaferro, K., Whitaker, D. J., Shanley, J., & Self-Brown, S. (2020). Engagement in home visiting services during the transition from pregnancy to postpartum: A prospective mixed methods pilot study. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29, 11-28.
12. Corlis, M., Damashek, A., Meister, K., Richardson, H., & Bonner, B. (2020). Sibling Child Protective Services Involvement Following a Child Maltreatment Fatality. Child Maltreatment, 25(1), 43-50.