Areas of Expertise
Psychology, Developmental Psychology
Education
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Pediatric Psychology
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
July 2012
Ph.D. Developmental Psychology
University of Notre Dame
August 2006
M.A. Developmental Psychology
University of Notre Dame
August 2009
B.S. Human Development and Family Sciences
University of Texas at Austin
May 2003
Biography
My primary research interest focuses on parents’ capacity to reduce children’s exposure to environmental neurotoxins to optimize child development. In my previous research, I have focused on two specific neurotoxins: lead and second-hand smoke, but I am interested in packaging multiple environmental threats, such as mercury, radon, and PCBs, into a more comprehensive curriculum. My theoretical framework has been informed by my research with adolescent mothers and their children: prevention and intervention approaches must view individuals in context and take a system’s theory approach to effectively translate research into practice. Due to this perspective, I am committed to a community-based research orientation to inform public policy.
Secondary or former research interests, on which I have worked directly, include: adolescent mothers and their children, grandparents raising their grandchildren, fathering, health behavior promotion for children with cancer, and research methodology.
Awards
• University of North Florida Community Scholar, Fall, 2012
• Elizabeth Munsterberg Koppitz Fellow: American Psychological Foundation, 2008-2009
• Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional Research Award, NIH Predoctoral Training Grant, 2006-2008
• Lead Safe Indiana Award, 2007
• National Community-Based Research Networking Initiative Travel Award, Fall 2007
• University of Notre Dame Wakonse Teaching Fellow, Spring 2005
Publications & Presentations
Tyc, V. L., Huang, Q., Nicholson, J. S., Srivastava, K., Hovell, M. F., Lensing, S., …Schultz, B. (2012). Intervention to reduce secondhand smoke among children with cancer: A controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology, epub ahead of print. doi: 10.1002/pon.3117
Farris, J. R., Bert, S. C., Nicholson, J. S., Glass, K., & Borkowski, J. G. (2011). Effective intervention programming: Improving maternal adjustment through parent education. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research. epub ahead of print. doi: 10.1007/s10488-011-0397-1
Nicholson, J. S., Tyc, V. L, & Lensing, S. (2012). Parental psychosocial predictors of secondhand smoke exposure for children with cancer. Journal of Child Health Care. epub ahead of print. doi: 10.1177/1367493511426422
Nicholson, J. S., Deboeck, P., Farris, J. R., Boker, S. M., & Borkowski, J. G. (2011). Maternal depressive symptomatology and child behavior: Transactional relationship with simultaneous bidirectional coupling. Developmental Psychology, 47(5), 1312-1323. doi: 10.1037/a0023912
Farris, J. R., Nicholson, J. S., Borkowski, J. G., & Whitman, T. L. (2011). Onset and progression of disruptive behavior problems among community boys and girls: A prospective longitudinal analysis. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 19(4), 233-246. doi: 10.1177/1063426610370746
Nicholson, J. S., Howard, K. S., & Borkowski, J. G. (2008). Paternal childhood experiences, role models, and metaparenting knowledge. Fathering, 6, 29 – 61.
Burke-Lefever, J. E., Nicholson, J. S., & Noria, C. W. (2007). Children’s uncertain futures: Problems in school. In J. G. Borkowski, J. R. Farris, T. L. Whitman, S. S. Carothers, K. Weed, & D. A. Keogh (Eds.), Risk and resilience: Adolescent mothers and their children grow up (pp. 69 – 99). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Nicholson, J. S. & Farris, J. R. (2007). Children’s uncertain futures: Socioemotional delays and psychopathologies. In J. G. Borkowski, J. R. Farris, T. L. Whitman, S. S. Carothers, K. Weed, & D. A. Keogh (Eds.), Risk and resilience: Adolescent mothers and their children grow up (pp. 101 – 123). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Smith, L. E., Nicholson, J. S., & Schatz, J. N. (2006). Preventing early developmental delay. In J. G. Borkowski & C. M. Weaver (Eds.), Prevention: The science and art of promoting healthy child and adolescent development (pp. 55 – 81). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
Borkowski, J. G., Turner, L. S., & Nicholson, J. S. (2004). Executive functioning: Toward a research agenda for enhancing higher-level cognitive skills. Journal of Cognitive Education and Psychology, 4, 188-198.
Book Chapters and Encyclopedia Entry
