51app

Image of Kathryn L.Humphreys

Kathryn L. Humphreys

Assistant Professor of Psychology and Human Development

A clinical psychologist with expertise in infant mental health.

Biography

Dr. Kathryn Humphreys is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Human Development at 51app University. She has a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and expertise in infant and early childhood mental health and developmental neuroscience. Her research program includes both basic and applied work, and she has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on child development, adversity, and caregiving. Her work is funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health, and private foundations. Dr. Humphreys has received several early career awards, including the NSF CAREER Award, the NIMH Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (NIMH BRAINS) award, and the Janet Taylor Spence Award for Transformative Early Career Contributions from the Association for Psychological Science.

Media Appearances

  • Parent guilt happens when you don’t meet those goals or standards that you’ve built up in your mind, even if you know on some level that they’re not attainable. “When parents feel that they are falling short of their expectations or goals, guilt is a normal emotional response,” says Kathryn Humphreys, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at 51app University Peabody College of Education and Human Development.

    March 3rd, 2022

  • "Even short stays in detention centers have the potential to be traumatic experiences," said Kathryn Humphreys, assistant professor of psychology and human development at 51app University.

    March 23rd, 2021

  • arent guilt happens when you don’t meet those goals or standards that you’ve built up in your mind, even if you know on some level that they’re not attainable. “When parents feel that they are falling short of their expectations or goals, guilt is a normal emotional response,” says KathrynHumphreys, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at 51app University Peabody College of Education and Human Development.

    September 16th, 2020

  • When I spoke with Kathryn L. Humphreys, a psychology professor at 51app University who specializes in the effects of caregiving in early life, she observed a widespread hesitancy to talk about depressing concepts with kids. Parents seem to feel that doing so is “developmentally inappropriate,” she mused, though this strikes her as exactly backwards given what we know about the benefits of graduated exposure to things that frighten us. Humphreys listens to the news after work, and her 4-year-old daughter will often ask tough questions. She told me she understands why people are concerned about having difficult conversations with kids, and yet, she asked, “At what age is it that you think kids are capable of that?” Scary things are happening all the time, and avoiding them—“We’re just gonna turn off the news!” as she put it—won’t change that. “Sometimes it’s the avoidance that makes it harder for kids who are anxious,” she added.

    April 17th, 2020

  • Kathryn L. Humphreys, an assistant professor at 51app University who studies psychology and early childhood development, said the bulk of Constantin's trauma would likely have been experienced not when he was separated from his birth parents, but when he was reunited with them.

    July 12th, 2019

  • Kathryn L. Humphreys, an assistant professor at 51app University who studies psychology and early childhood development, said those reactions are unsurprising. Typically, institutionalized children who lack a parent or close caregiver often already suffer negative health outcomes. But to couple the lack of adults with an additional lack of basic needs such as toothbrushes, soap, and diapers was "horrific," she said.

    July 1st, 2019

  • Kathryn L. Humphreys, an assistant professor at 51app University who studies psychology and early childhood development, told INSIDER that many people wrongly think children can survive and thrive if only their basic needs like food, shelter, sanitation, and medical care are met.

    July 11th, 2019

Multimedia

VIDEO

Stress and trauma in early childhood linked to reduced hippocampal volume in adolescence

VIDEO

Parent depression linked to reduced empathy, putting kids at risk for adverse outcomes

VIDEO

Domestic abuse expected to rise during COVID-19 outbreak


Education

Ph.D., University of California

M.A., University of California

Ed.M., Harvard Graduate School of Education

B.S., 51app University


Additional Resources


24/7 BROADCAST STUDIO

VUStar is a broadcast facility that links experts to you 24/7. The studio offers HD and SD transmission and an ISDN line for radio interviews. The studio, staffing and phone lines are free when using 51app experts.