Amori Yee Mikami

Assistant Professor

Department of Psychology, University of Virginia

102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400

Charlottesville, VA 29904-4400

434-243-2321 (office phone)

434-243-2327 (lab phone)

434-982-4766 (fax)

Mikami@virginia.edu

Licensed Clinical Psychologist - Virginia, PSY0810003681

 

My research investigates peer relationships in both typically-developing children and the clinical population of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) who tend to have significant friendship problems.  I study the factors within the child, family, peer group, and teacher/classroom environment that contribute to peer acceptance versus rejection.  I am interested in the outcomes and implications of childhood social status, interacting with ADHD diagnosis, on adolescent development.  Finally, I am committed to developing and evaluating interventions to help peer-rejected children, particularly those with ADHD.  

 

badtz-studying color 2   Education

2005-present                   Assistant Professor, University of Virginia

2004-2005             Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of California, San Francisco

2003-2004             Clinical Internship, University of California, San Francisco

1998-2004             Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of California, Berkeley

                                      Minor: Statistics and Research Methods

                                      Concentration: Child Clinical and Community Psychology

1994-1998             M.A. and B.A., Psychology, Stanford University          

 

feathers   Current Projects

FOR PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS: I am sorry, but I will NOT be accepting students for graduate work in psychology to begin in fall 2010. Note however that at Virginia, although students are admitted to a primary advisor, many students work in more than one lab while they are here and this is in fact encouraged. We have actually instituted a program where 1st year students select formal “secondary advisors” once they have matriculated. If you think that your work best matches another faculty member (and not me), but you would also be potentially interested in having me as your secondary advisor, that is still possible. However, I am not accepting students as a primary mentor in this application cycle so applicants would need to apply to somebody else as their primary mentor.

 

The Friendship Study is an intervention for parents of elementary school-aged children with ADHD to help them facilitate their children's social skills and peer relationships. 

 

The Classroom Study is a longitudinal, observational study in elementary school classrooms to determine teacher practices that foster positive academic and social adjustment for children, particularly those with ADHD symptoms and other disruptive behavior problems. 

 

Families and teachers who potentially might like to participate in either of these two projects should contact me.  I utilize a large team of undergraduate research assistants for both projects.  RAs interview parents and children, and conduct behavior observations in classrooms, in addition to coding videotapes and entering data.  I am full for RA positions for the fall semester 2010.

 

In addition to these two primary projects, I am also involved in several other investigations. For example, in collaboration with Joseph Allen (Professor, Department of Psychology) and graduate student Dave Szwedo, we are examining on-line, internet social relationships in a young adult sample that has been followed since adolescence. Also in collaboration with Joseph Allen, Robert Pianta (Professor and Dean, Curry School of Education), and Anne Gregory, we are evaluating an intervention with secondary school teachers that aims to improve students’ social/emotional and academic outcomes.

 

afrodog  Lab Members

I am fortunate to have the following dynamic students:

 

Allison Jack is a fourth year Developmental student who is studying parents’ directions to their children with ADHD during the children’s play with peers, and how these instructions might affect children’s friendship development with those peers. Allison also has research experience and interests in the social behaviors of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

 

Matt Lerner is a third year Clinical student who is studying the alliance between parents and therapists, and how this alliance might predict treatment results for the children. Matt also has research interests and background in social skills interventions for adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

 

Christina Emeh is a second year Clinical student who is studying children’s self-perceptions of their social and behavioral competence, and ways in which parenting influences these self-perceptions. Previous to UVA, she worked as counselor at a community agency assisting adolescents who are not attending school in finding jobs and completing their GEDs. 

 

Marissa Griggs is a second year Clinical student who is interested in parental ADHD symptoms and their effects on the social behaviors of children with ADHD. Before coming to start the Virginia program, she completed her degree to practice as a North Carolina school psychologist.

 

Meg Reuland is a first year Clinical student who is coming from New York City. Prior to UVA, she was a middle school teacher, and completed her M.A. from Teacher’s College/Columbia University.

 

In addition, I am blessed with a tireless team of undergraduate research assistants who collect the data and conduct the interviews and observations. Although I am so new at Virginia that none of my PhD students have graduated (yet), many undergraduates and project coordinators who worked in lab are off to exciting new pursuits. Here is a partial list (and please email me if you are not on this list and would like to be added).

 

Kristin Austin- project coordinator, VaTech

Casey Calhoun- clinical psych PhD program, University of South Florida

Kristine Carandang- occupational therapy school, Washington University in St. Louis

Elizabeth Chatillion- clinical psych PhD program, San Diego State/UCSD

Maggie Davis- project coordinator, UVA

Heather Daniels- Medical school, West Virginia

Kira DeMartino- Teach for America

Sally Jackson- College Boards

Jill Lorenzi- clinical psych PhD program, Virginia Tech

Alison McGrath- clinical PsyD program, Mass. School of Professional Psychology

Megan Greear- project coordinator, UVA

Libby Sauer- Teach for America

Haley Stephens – clinical psych PhD program, Florida State University

Sara Stromeyer- clinical psych PhD program, University of Alabama

Krystal Studivant- Teach for America

Eva Waller- Medical school, UVA

 

 

icebat   Publications

 

Click on the link to access article reprints, or email me for a copy. Publications are listed in chronological order beginning with the most recent.

 

Mikami, A.Y., Calhoun, C.D., & Abikoff, H.B. (in press). The positive illusory bias and response to behavioral treatment among children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.

 

Lerner, M.D., Mikami, A.Y., & Levine, K. (in press). Socio-Dramatic Affective Relational Intervention for adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism: Pilot study. Autism.

 

Mikami, A.Y., Szwedo, D.E., Allen, J.P., Evans, M.A., & Hare, A.L. (in press). Adolescent peer relationships and behavior problems predict young adults’ communication on social networking websites. Developmental Psychology.

 

Mikami, A.Y., Lerner, M.D., & Lun, J. (in press). Social context influences on children’s rejection by their peers. Child Development Perspectives.

 

Mikami, A. Y., Jack, A. & Lerner, M. D. (in press). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. In J. L. Maston (Ed.), Practitioners Guide to Social Behavior and Skills in Children. New York: Springer.

 

Mikami, A.Y., Hinshaw, S.P., Arnold, L.E., Hoza, B., Hechtman, L., & Newcorn, J.H. et al. (in press). Bulimia Nervosa symptoms in the multimodal treatment study of children with ADHD. International Journal of Eating Disorders.

 

Mikami, A.Y., Cox, D.J., Davis, M.T., Wilson, H.K., Merkel, R.L., Burket, R. (2009). Sex differences in effectiveness of extended-release stimulant medication among adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 16, 223-242.

 

Huang-Pollock, C.L., Mikami, A.Y., Pfiffner, L.J., & McBurnett, K. (2009). Do executive functions mediate the relationship between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and social adjustment? Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37, 679-691.

 

Cox, D. J., Mikami, A. Y., Cox, B. S., Coleman, M. T., Mahmood, A., Sood, A. et al. (2008). Impact of long-acting methylphenidate on routine driving of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) drivers: Two case reports. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 162, 793-794.

 

Cox, D. J., Moore, M., Burket, R., Merkel, R. L., Mikami, A. Y., & Kovatchev, B. (2008). Rebound effects with long-acting amphetamine or methylphenidate stimulant medication preparations among adolescent male drivers with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 18, 1-10.

 

Mikami, A. Y., & Hinshaw, S. P. (2008). Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in girls. In K. McBurnett & L. J. Pfiffner (Eds.), Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Concepts, Controversies, New Directions. New York: Informa Healthcare, pp. 259-272.

 

Mikami, A. Y., Hinshaw, S. P., Patterson, K. A., & Lee, J. C. (2008). Eating pathology among adolescent girls with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 117, 225-235.

 

Mikami, A. Y., Lee, S. S., Hinshaw, S. P. & Mullin, B. C. (2008). Social information processing biases and aggression among adolescent girls with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 37, 761-771.

 

Mikami, A. Y., & Pfiffner, L. J. (2008). Sibling relationships among children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Attention Disorders, 11, 482-492.

 

Cox, D.J., Burket, R., Mikami, A.Y., Moore, M., & Merkel, R.L. (2007) ADHD and the adolescent driver. Consultation for Pediatricians.

 

Huang-Pollock, C. L., & Mikami, A. Y. (2007). The academic job search: timeline, tips, and tactics. The Behavior Therapist, 30, 104-108.

 

Huang-Pollock, C. L., Mikami, A. Y., Pfiffner, L. J., & McBurnett, K. (2007). ADHD subtype differences in motivational responsivity but not inhibitory control: Evidence from a reward-based variation of the stop signal paradigm.  Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. 36, 127-136.

 

Mikami, A. Y., Huang-Pollock, C. L., Pfiffner, L. J., McBurnett, K., & Hangai, D. (2007). Social skills differences among Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder subtypes in a chat room assessment task. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35, 509-521.

 

Pfiffner, L.J., Mikami, A.Y., Huang-Pollock, C.L., Easterlin, B., Zalecki, C., & McBurnett, K. (2007).  A randomized controlled trial of integrated home-school behavioral treatment for ADHD, Predominantly Inattentive Type. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 46, 1041-1050.

 

Mikami, A. Y., & Hinshaw, S. P. (2006). Resilient adolescent adjustment among girls: Buffers of childhood peer rejection and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 34, 823-837.

 

Mikami, A. Y., & Pfiffner, L. J. (2006). Social skills training for youth with disruptive behavior disorders: A review of best practices. Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Youth, 6, 3-23.

 

Mikami, A. Y., Boucher, M. A., & Humphreys, K. (2005). Prevention of peer rejection through a classroom-level intervention in middle school. Journal of Primary Prevention, 26, 5-23.

 

Mikami, A. Y., Chi, T. C., & Hinshaw, S. P. (2004). Behavior ratings and observations of externalizing symptoms in girls: The role of child popularity with adults. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 26, 151-164.

 

Mikami, A. Y., & Hinshaw, S. P. (2003). Buffers of peer rejection among girls with and without ADHD: The role of popularity with adults and goal-directed solitary play. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 31, 381-397.

 

Persons, J. B., & Mikami, A. Y. (2002). Strategies for handling treatment failure successfully. Psychotherapy, 39, 139-151.

 

toystoryalien  Teaching

 

At University of Virginia, I alternate teaching a graduate and upper-level undergraduate Seminar in Child Psychopathology, the undergraduate Introduction to Psychology lecture course, the undergraduate Statistics and Research Methods course, and supervision of Ph.D. students in their clinical practicum.  In addition to supervising second year graduate students seeing clients through the psychology department Ainsworth Clinic, I coordinate a school consultation practicum where graduate students assist elementary school teachers in developing behavior management strategies.  Schools or teachers interested in participating may contact me. 

 

 

charmander         Grants and Fellowships

 

2007-2009    National Institutes of Mental Health, 1R03MH079019

                   “Parental Influences on Peer Socialization of Children with ADHD”

                   Role: PI; ($151,500)

2007-2009    National Academy of Education/ Spencer Foundation Fellowship

                   “Teacher Practices that Promote Children’s Academic Success through Reducing Peer Rejection”

                   Role: PI; ($55,000)                   

2007-2008    University of Virginia Lilly Teaching Fellowship

                   Role: PI; ($7000)

2007-2008    Shire Pharmaceuticals

              Promoting Driving Safety among Adolescents with ADHD”

                   Role: Co-PI (PI: Daniel Cox, PhD); ($226,750)

2006-2010    William T. Grant Foundation

                      “Recasting the Secondary School Classroom as a Context for Positive Youth Development”

              Role: Co-PI/Junior Faculty Collaborator (PI: Joe Allen, PhD); ($1,099,214)

2006-2008    Society for Study of School Psychology

                   “Building Teacher Capacity and Lowering Special Education Referrals”

                   Role: Consultant (PI: Anne Gregory, PhD); ($8000)

2005-2006    University of Virginia Excellence in Diversity Fellowship

                   Role: PI; ($1000)

2001-2004    National Institutes of Mental Health, Individual National Research Service Award, 1F31MH012838

                   “Predicting Positive Outcomes among Peer Rejected Girls with ADHD”

                   Role: PI ($68,376)

 

s-smorkm-2  Honors and Awards

 

2009            Mead Honored Professors Program, University of Virginia

2009            Finalist, William T. Grant Scholars Award

2008            ADHD and Family Issues Award from CHADD for Mikami & Pfiffner (2008) publication

2006            CHADD (Children and Adults with ADD/ADHD) Young Scientist Research Award ($5000)

2005            Junior Faculty Mentoring Award, American Psychological Association Div 53 ($1000)

2005            Robert E. Harris Postdoctoral Research Award, University of California San Francisco ($250)

2003            Sheldon J. Korchin Dissertation Award, University of California Berkeley ($2500)

2003            Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor, University of California Berkeley

1998            Phi Beta Kappa, Stanford University

1998            Firestone Medal for Undergraduate Honors Thesis, Stanford University ($500)

1997            Harry S Truman Scholar ($30,000)

1994            President’s Scholar, Stanford University ($2500)

1994            National Merit Scholar ($1000)

 

 

tarepanda   Personal

 

I grew up in Los Angeles County, and then completed all my undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral training in the San Francisco Bay Area. However, I am enchanted by Charlottesville, and more so every year I stay. My favorite things in Charlottesville are barbeque on the back deck of the house, local apple orchards, the 60-some vineyards in the area, the cherry blossoms, and the free parking at the airport. I have a terrific husband, and a cat who thinks he is a dog. I am also very much into food so don’t ask me what a “good place to eat” is unless you have 45 minutes to spare. I do have two addictions, however, which are just not available in Charlottesville: boba and takoyaki. Let’s just put it this way, it would be worth a lot to me to procure some.