REU Site: Treatment-Related Research for Children with Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Problems

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This project is funded by the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites Program in the SBE Directorate. There are scientific and societal benefits to our program and this program provides students (i.e., scholars) with intellectually enriching research, academic, and professional activities. The cost of children’s social, emotional, and behavioral problems (SEB) to society is profound (i.e., with annual costs estimated at $247 billion across youth with various SEB), so training young scholars intent on improving care for these youth benefits both individuals and society. There are 4 broad impacts of this program. First, this program significantly enhances the trajectory of some of the country’s brightest scholars. Second, this program enriches the work of faculty and graduate student mentors by improving their ability to shape scholars from diverse backgrounds and by integrating these diverse perspectives into their research. Third, through collaborations among junior scientists and faculty with diverse perspectives, participating scholars and mentors breathe new life into traditional ways of thinking, impact the field via presentations and publications, and grow the field of treatment-related research. Fourth, this program increases the visibility of participating scholars and scholars’ valuable research. Previous REU scholars have mentioned that participating in this REU has been the single most important experience that they have had in determining their career. This REU site is a well-structured program for a cohort of nine students each year who are interested in treatment-related research for children with social, emotional, and behavioral problems (SEB). There are 5 aims: (1) Conduct individual, mentored-research projects; (2) Build foundational knowledge on treatment-related research for youth with SEBs; (3) Gain professional development skills; (4) Obtain opportunities to bridge science and practice; and (5) Enhance diverse perspectives. The site offers a 1-week online orientation as well as independent research training, mentoring, and coursework experiences during a 7-week intensive summer institute. This unique experience is led by highly qualified, productive faculty in clinical psychology, sociology, health psychology, integrative primary care, and school mental health fields who have a track record of involving undergraduates in treatment-related research. Additionally, a network of mentors from a variety of disciplines and underrepresented backgrounds enhance and deepen mentoring related to important topics in academia and research. This program increases students' ability to conduct independent research studies and learn other foundational research skills to increase their chances of admission into graduate school and a career in research. Additionally, many of the projects led by undergraduate scholars have been or will be published, informing and innovating the fields of treatment-related research for children with SEB.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.