Faculty Bio
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Assistant Professor
Phone: (904) 620-1967
Office: Building 51, Room 3114
Email: d.witherspoon@unf.edu
Research Interests
Clinical Psychology
Pediatric Psychology
Health Psychology
Child and Adolescent Development
Health Disparities
Eating Disorders
Areas of Expertise
I frequently teach: Psychology of Abnormal Behavior, Health Psychology, Child and Adolescent Development, Child and Adolescent Psychopathology.
Selected Publications
Wang, Y., Lynne, S. D., Witherspoon, D., & Black, M. M. (2020). Longitudinal
bidirectional relations between body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms among Black adolescents: A cross-lagged panel analysis. Plos one, 15(1), e0228585.
Buckingham-Howes, S., Hager, E., Pejsa, M., Wang, Y., Witherspoon, D. & Black, M. (2018) Disordered Eating in Urban, African American, Adolescent Girls: The role of Weight Status and Body Image Satisfaction. Eating Behaviors, 29, 59-63.
Witherspoon, D., Latta, L., Wang, Y. & Black, M. (2013). Do depression, self-esteem, body esteem and eating attitudes vary by BMI? Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 38, 1112-1120.
Hager, E., Witherspoon D., Latta, L. Gormly, C., Pepper, R., & Black, M. (2013). The perceived and built environment surrounding urban schools and physical activity among adolescent girls. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 45, S68-75.
Short Biography
As an African American female, I have a vested interest in the health of minority youth. To ensure that research informs clinical practice, I have developed a strong foundation of research skills through both independent and collaborative research projects. Many of my research experiences have involved pediatric interventions with minority populations in urban communities. I plan to use my varied experience to further my career as an educator and researcher in the field of clinical psychology. Future goals include continuing to evaluate the effects of an obesogenic environment on children and adolescents’ physical and mental health by conducting qualitative and quantitative studies in low SES neighborhoods. Graduate and undergraduate student research assistants can help facilitate my research goals while gaining valuable experience.
Education
Post Doctoral Training
2009- 2012 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
University of Maryland, School of Medicine
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Growth & Nutrition
Education
2007-2008 Predoctoral Internship, Pediatric Psychology Track
Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
2005 – 2009 Ph.D., Clinical Psychology
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Dissertation: Prediction of Outcomes of an Eating Disorders Treatment Program Using
Structural Equation Modeling
2002-2004 M.A., Clinical Psychology
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Thesis: Correlates of Adherence to Prophylactic Penicillin in Children with Sickle
Cell Disease
1994-1999 B.A., Psychology
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Honors Thesis: Parent Vocalizations and Infant Affect During Parent-Infant Play
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