People
Professor
- Amy E DuPont Chair of Child Development
- Director of Research, Early Learning Center
Ph.D., Duke University
Office
114 Wolf Hall
(302) 831-2286
(302) 831-3645 Fax
Lab
406 Wolf Hall
(302) 831-0308
(302) 831-6423 Fax
Opening(s) available for grad students. Please contact Mary Dozier at mdozier@psych.udel.edu
Mary Dozier
Intervening with young foster children and maltreated children; attachment; neuroendocrine regulation
In our lab, we study the adjustment of infants and young children who have experienced maltreatment and disruptions in their relationships with caregivers. Over the past 10 years, we have developed a training program that targets the needs of these young children. We are assessing the efficacy of this intervention in a randomized clinical trial. We are studying a range of outcomes, the attachments that children form with their caregivers, and their ability to regulate physiology, behavior, and emotions.
Grant Funding
National Institute of Mental Health R01 MH74374 award, “Specialized mental health services for birth parents.” Period of support: January 1, 2006-December 31, 2011. Total amount: $3,379,668. (Dozier: Principal investigator).
Recent Publications
Dozier, M., Lindehiem, O., Lewis, E., Bick, J., Bernard, K., & Peloso E. (2009). Effects of a foster parent training program on young children’s attachment behaviors: Preliminary evidence from a randomized clinical trial. Child Adolescent Social Work, 26, 321-332.
Fisher, P., Gunnar, M. R., Dozier, M. , Bruce, J., & Pears, K. (In press). Effects of therapeutic interventions for foster children on behavior problems, caregiver attachment, and stress regulatory neural systems. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.
Dozier, M. , & Lindhiem, O. (In press). This is my baby: Differences among foster parents’ commitment to their young children. Child Maltreatment.
Dozier, M., Peloso, E., Lewis, E., Laurenceau, J., & Levin, S (2008). Effects of an attachment-based intervention on the cortisol production of infants and toddlers in foster care. Development and Psychopathology, 20, 845-859.
Dozier, M. , Peloso, E., Lindhiem, O., Gordon, M. K., Manni, M., Sepulveda, S., Ackerman, J., Bernier, A. & Levine, S. (In press). Preliminary evidence from a randomized clinical trial: Intervention effects on foster children’s behavioral and biological regulation. Journal of Social Issues.
Dozier, M. , & Rutter, M. (In press). Attachment issues in foster care and adoption. In J. Cassidy & P.R. Shaver (Eds.), Handbook of attachment theory and research. New York: Guilford.
Dozier, M. (In press). Coping with early adversity: Young children’s behavioral and biological adaptations to changing caregivers. Pediatric Annals.
Dozier, M., & Bick, J. (2007). Changing Caregivers: Coping with early adversity. Pediatric Annals, 37, 411-415. (reprinted from Pediatric Annals.)
Dozier, M., & Bick, J. (2007). Coping with early adversity: Young children's behavioral and biological adaptations to changing caregivers. Pediatric Annals, 36, 205-208.
Lewis, E., & Dozier, M. (2007). The effect of caregiving instability on adopted children’s inhibitory control abilities and oppositional behavior. Developmental Psychology, 43, 1415-1427.
Lindhiem, O., & Dozier, M. (2007). Caregiver commitment to foster children: The role of child behavior. Child Abuse and Neglect, 31, 361-374.
Dozier, M., Peloso, E., Lindhiem, O., Gordon, M. K., Manni, M., Sepulveda, S., Ackerman, J., Bernier, A. & Levine, S. (2006). Preliminary evidence from a randomized clinical trial: Intervention effects on foster children’s behavioral and biological regulation. Journal of Social Issues, 62(4), 765 -783.
Dozier, M. , Manni, M., Gordon, M. K., Peloso, E., Gunnar, M. R., Stovall-McClough, K., Eldreth, D., & Levine, S. (2006). Foster children’s diurnal production of cortisol: An exploratory study. Child Maltreatment, 11, 189-197.
Dozier, M. (2005). Challenges of foster care. Attachment and Human Development, 7, 27-30
Ackerman, J. P., & Dozier, M. (2005). The influence of foster parent investment on children’s representations of self and attachment figures. Applied Developmental Psychology, 26, 507-520.
Gordon, M. K., Peloso, E., Auker, A., & Dozier, M . (2005). The effect of flavored beverage crystals on salivary cortisol enzyme-immunoreactive assay measurements. Developmental Psychobiology, 47(2), 189-195.
Dozier, M. , Manni, M., & Lindhiem, O. (2005). Lessons from the longitudinal studies of attachment. In K. Grossmann & K. Grossmann (Eds.). The longitudinal studies of attachment. New York: Guilford.
Ackerman, J.P., & Dozier M. (2005). The influence of foster parent investment on children’s representations of self and attachment figures. Applied Developmental Psychology, 26, 507-520.
Dozier, M ., Lindhiem, O., & Ackerman, J. (2005). Attachment and biobehavioral catch-up. In L. Berlin, Y. Ziv, L. Amaya-Jackson, & M. T. Greenberg (Eds.), Enhancing Early Attachments. New York: Guilford.
Dozier, M., & Sepulveda, S. (2004). Bridging the gap: The role of mothers’ state of mind. Infant Mental Health Journal. 25, 368-378.
Dozier, M., & Bates, B. (2004). Attachment state of mind and the treatment relationship. In L. Attkinson (Ed.), Attachment: Risk, psychopathology, and intervention. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Dozier M. The impact of attachment-based interventions on the quality of attachment among infants and young children. In: Tremblay RE, Barr RG, Peters RDeV, eds. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development [online]. Montreal, Quebec: Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development; 2004:1-5.
Dozier, M., & Sepulveda, S. (2004). Foster mother state of mind and treatment use: Different challenges for different people. Infant Mental Health Journal, 25(4), Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/imhj.20011 doi: 10.1002/imhj.20011
Stovall–McClough, K.C., & Dozier M. (2004). Forming attachments in foster care: Infant attachment behaviors during the first 2 months of placement. Development and Psychopathology, 16, 253-271.
Stovall-McClough, K. C., & Dozier, M . (2004). Forming attachments in foster care: Infant attachment behaviors during the first 2 months of placement. Development and Psychopathology, 16, 253-271.
Dozier, M. (2003). Attachment-based treatment for vulnerable children. Attachment and Human Development, 5, 253-257.
Bernier, A., & Dozier, M. (2003). Bridging the attachment transmission gap: The role of maternal mind-mindedness. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 27, 355-365.
Bates, B., & Dozier, M. (2002). The importance of maternal state of mind regarding attachment and infant age at placement to foster mothers’ representations of their foster infants. Infant Mental Health Journal, 23, 417-431.
Dozier, M., Higley, E., Albus, K.E., & Nutter, A. (2002). Intervenir aupres de parents d’accueil: Trois spheres essentielles. (French translation of: Intervening with foster infants’ caregivers: Targeting three critical needs). Prisme.
Dozier, M., Dozier, D. & Manni, M. (2002). Recognizing the special needs of infants’ and toddlers’ foster parents: Development of a relational intervention. Zero to Three Bulletin, 22, 7-13.
Bernier, A., & Dozier M. (2002). The client-counselor match and the corrective emotional experience: Evidence from interpersonal and attachment research. Psychotherapy: Theory/Research/Practice/Training, 39(1), 32-43.
Dozier, M., Dozier, D., & Manni, M. (2002, April/May). Attachment and biobehavioral catch-up: The abc's of helping infants in foster care cope with early adversity. Zero to Three, 22(5), 9-13.
Dozier, M., Lomax, L., Tyrell, C., & Lee, S. (2000). The challenge treatment for clients with dismissisng states of mind. Attachment and Human Development, 2(3), 347-361.
Dozier, M. (2000). Motivation for caregiving from an ethological perspective. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 97-100.
Dozier, M. (2000). Motivation for caregiving from an ethological perspective. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 97-100.
Tyrrell, C., & Dozier, M. (1999). Foster parents’ understanding of children’s problematic attachment strategies: The need for therapeutic responsiveness. Adoption Quarterly, 2, 49-64.
Tyrrell, C., & Dozier, M. (1999). Foster parents' understanding of children's problematic attachment strategies: The need for therapeutic responsiveness. Adoption Quarterly, 2(4), 49-64.
Albus, K., & Dozier M. (1999). Indiscriminate frendliness and terror of strangers in infancy: Contributions from the study of infants in foster care. Infant Mental Health Journal, 20(1), 30-41.
Stovall, K.C., & Dozier, M. (1998). Infants in foster care: An attachment theory perspective. Adoption Quarterly, 2, 55-88.
Dozier, M., & Tyrrell, C. (1997). The role of attachment in therapeutic relationships. In J.A. Simpson & W.S. Rholes (Eds.), Attachment theory and close relationships (221-248). New York: Guilford.
Dozier, M., & Lee S. W. (1995). Discrepancies between self- and other- report of psychiatric symptomatology: Effects of dissimissing attachment strategies. Development and Psychopathology, 7, 217-226.
Dozier, M., Cue, K. L., & Barnett, L. (1994). Clinicians as caregivers: Role of attachment organization in treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62(4), 793-800.
Dozier, M., Lee, S. W., Keir, S. S., Toprac, M., & Mason, M. (1993). A case management program in texas revisited. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 17, 183-188.
Dozier, M. (Ed.). (1993). Tailoring clinical case management: The role of attachment. Canada: Harwood Academic Publishers.
Dozier, M., & Kobak, R. R. (1992). Psychophysiology in attachment interviews: Converging evidence for deactivating strategies. Child Development, 63, 1473-1480.
Dozier, M. (1991). Functional measurement assessment of young children's ability to predict future behavior. Child Development, 62(5), 1091-1099.
Dozier, M., & Franklin J. L. (1988). Social disability in the young adult mentally ill. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 58, 613-617.
Dozier, M., & Butzin C. (1988). Cognitive requirements of ulterior motive usage: individual child analyses. Journal of Experimental and Child Psychology, 46, 88-99.
Dozier, M. (1988). Rejected children's processing of interpersonal information. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 16(2), 141-149.
Dozier, M., Harris, M., & Bergman, H. (1987). Social network density and rehospitalization among young adult patients. Hospital & Community Psychiatry, 38, 61-65.
Harris, M., Dozier, M., & Bergman, H.C. (1984). Measuring outcome. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 35, 1236-1237.
Wallach, L., Wallach, M. A., Dozier, M. G., & Kaplan, N. E. (1977). Poor children learning to read do not have trouble with auditory discrimination but do have trouble with phoneme recognition. Journal of Educational Psychology, 69, 36-39.
Representative Publications
Dozier, M. , Higley, E., Albus, K.E., & Nutter, A. (2002). Intervening with foster infants’ caregivers: Targeting three critical needs. Infant Mental Health Journal, 25, 541-554.
Dozier, M. , Albus, K., Fisher, P. R., & Sepulveda, S. (2002). Interventions for foster parents: Implications for developmental theory. Development and Psychopathology, 14, 843-860.
Dozier, M. , Stovall, K.C., Albus, K.E., Bates, B. (2001). Attachment for infants in foster care: The role of caregiver state of mind. Child Development, 72, 1467-1477.
Stovall, K.C., & Dozier M. (2000). The development of attachment in new relationships: Single subject analyses for ten foster infants. Development and Psychopathology, 12, 133-156.
Tyrrell, C., Dozier, M. , Teague, G.B., & Fallot, R.D. (1999). Effective treatment relationships for persons with serious psychiatric disorders: The importance of attachment states of mind. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67, 725-733.
