Kathrine Sullivan
Associate Professor
PhD, MSW, BA
Areas of Expertise: The impact of trauma on the children and families of military service members
Biography
Kathrine Sullivan is an Associate Professor at NYU Silver. Dr. Sullivan's primary research interest is the impact of trauma and other risk factors on family processes, particularly amongst the families of military service members and veterans. She is currently principal investigator on a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) funded study entitled “Military Parents’ Stress Exposure Associated with Mental and Behavioral Health Outcomes among Their Young Children.” Her work has been published in leading journals including Child Maltreatment, Family Process, Journal of Family Psychology, JAMA Pediatrics, Children and Youth Services Review, Social Work Research, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Journal of Military Veteran and Family Health, and Military Behavioral Health.
Prior to pursuing her PhD, Dr. Sullivan spent six years as a community mental health clinician working with children and families who had experienced trauma, and on building a partnership between the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Children and Family Services in Los Angeles. These experiences in community mental health inform her teaching and current research agenda.
She earned her PhD from the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. She received her MSW from the University of North Carolina School of Social Work and her BA in psychology from Williams College.
Publications
Reducing risk factors for child maltreatment: The Parenting-STAIR open pilot study
Wortham, W., Sullivan, K. S., Ancharski, K., Okosi, M., Kaplan, D., Timmer, S., Cloitre, M., Chemtob, C. & Lindsey, M. A., Aug 2024,
In : Child Abuse and Neglect. 154, 106942.
The role of problem solving appraisal and support in the relationship between stress exposure and posttraumatic stress symptoms of military spouses and service member partners
Sullivan, K. S., Park, Y., Richardson, S., Stander, V. & Jaccard, J., Aug 2024,
In : Stress and Health. 40, 4, e3371.
Exploring the Social Determinants of Mental Health by Race and Ethnicity in Army Wives
Dodge, J., Sullivan, K., Miech, E., Clomax, A., Riviere, L. & Castro, C., Apr 2024,
In : Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. 11, 2, p. 669-684
16 p.
Positive and negative family communication and mental distress: Married service members during a non-combat deployment
Sullivan, K., Park, Y., Kale, C. N., Adler, A., Sipos, M. L. & Riviere, L. A., Mar 2024,
In : Family Process. 63, 1, p. 299-314
16 p.
Importance of Military Identity in Understanding the Relationship Between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Adverse Family Functioning for Post-9/11 Veterans
Dodge, J., Kintzle, S., Sullivan, K. & Castro, C., 2024,
In : Military Behavioral Health..
Retention in Individual Trauma-Focused Treatment Following Family-Based Treatment among US Veterans
Dodge, J., Sullivan, K., Grau, P. P., Chen, C., Sripada, R. & Pfeiffer, P. N., Dec 21 2023,
In : JAMA network open. 6, 12, p. E2349098
Development and Validation of the AMSM for Military-Connected Adolescents
Gilreath, T. D., Sullivan, K., Montiel-Ishino, F. A. & Okoror, T., Oct 2023,
In : Journal of Child and Family Studies. 32, 10, p. 2931-2943
13 p.
Early and recent military and nonmilitary stressors associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms among military service members and their spouses
Sullivan, K. S., Park, Y., Richardson, S., Cederbaum, J., Stander, V. & Jaccard, J., Oct 2023,
In : Journal of Traumatic Stress. 36, 5, p. 943-954
12 p.
Maternal Influence on Tobacco Use among Black Adolescent Boys
Amutah-Onukagha, N., Omotola, A., Sullivan, K. S., Hutchinson, M. K., Jemmott, J. B., Jemmott, L. S. & Cederbaum, J. A., Oct 2023,
In : Journal of Child and Family Studies. 32, 10, p. 3167-3175
9 p.
Mapping Perceptions of Violence Across Asian Regions and Countries
Park, Y., Song, J., Sullivan, K. & Paik, S., Aug 2023,
In : Journal of Asian and African Studies. 58, 5, p. 681-696
16 p.
Pre- and Perinatal Risk Factors for Child Maltreatment in Military Families Across the First Two Years of Life
Sullivan, K. S., Richardson, S., Ross, A., Cederbaum, J. A., Pflieger, J., Abramovitz, L., Bukowinski, A. & Stander, V., May 2023,
In : Child Maltreatment. 28, 2, p. 209-220
12 p.
Risk and Protective Factors for Work-Family Conflict among Female Military Spouses
Park, Y., Shea, M., Sullivan, K., Merrill, J. C., Clarke-Walper, K. & Riviere, L. A., Apr 2023,
In : Journal of Child and Family Studies. 32, 4, p. 1078-1087
10 p.
Feasibility and Preliminary Impact of a Community-Based Intervention for Maternal PTSD and Parenting: Parenting-STAIR Pilot
Sullivan, K. S., Ancharski, K., Wortham, W., Okosi, M., Kaplan, D., Urquiza, A., Timmer, S., Cloitre, M., Chemtob, C. & Lindsey, M. A., Feb 2023,
In : Journal of Child and Family Studies. 32, 2, p. 481-497
17 p.
Effects of Deployment on Military-Connected Children, Spouses, and Families
Sullivan, K. S. & Dodge, J., Jan 1 2023,
Veteran and Military Mental Health: a Clinical Manual.
Springer International Publishing, p. 397-417
21 p.
Programs to Address Violence for Military Families: a Systematic Review
Dodge, J., Wortham, W., Kale, C., Williamson, V., Ross, A., Maher, S., Kononowech, J., Winters, J. & Sullivan, K., 2023,
In : Journal of Family Violence..
School climate and resilience promoting characteristics: exploring latent patterns of student perceptions in California
Capp, G. P., Sullivan, K. S. & Park, Y., 2023,
In : Oxford Review of Education. 49, 5, p. 664-680
17 p.
The Association of Parentification Indicators With Substance Use Patterns Among Military-Connected Adolescents
Sullivan, K. S., Capp, G. & Gilreath, T. D., 2023,
In : American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 93, 6, p. 1-10
9 p.
Maladaptive coping among military-connected adolescents: Examining combined risk using QCA
Gilreath, T. D., Montiel Ishino, F. A., Sullivan, K. S. & Okoror, T. A., Dec 19 2022,
In : Frontiers in Psychology. 13, 948474.
A randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of Parenting-STAIR in treating maternal PTSD to reduce maltreatment recidivism: protocol for the Safe Mothers, Safe Children study
Lindsey, M., Sullivan, K., Chemtob, C., Ancharski, K., Jaccard, J., Cloitre, M., Urquiza, A., Timmer, S., Okosi, M. & Kaplan, D., Dec 2022,
In : Trials. 23, 1, 432.
Predictors of reintegration adjustment among female U.S. Army spouses: A preliminary exploration
Sullivan, K. S., Dodge, J., Park, Y., Kale, C., Merrill, J. C., Clarke-Walper, K., Castro, C. A. & Riviere, L. A., Nov 2022,
In : Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health. 8, 3, p. 84-95
12 p.
Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Military Spouses
Park, Y., Sullivan, K., Riviere, L. A., Merrill, J. C. & Clarke-Walper, K., Aug 2022,
In : Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 37, 15-16, p. NP13497-NP13517
Preliminary Exploration of the Relationship between Veteran Family Membership, School Climate, and Adverse Outcomes among School-Aged Youth
Sullivan, K., Dodge, J., Williamson, V., Alves-Costa, F., Barr, N., Kintzle, S., Fear, N. T. & Castro, C., Jun 2022,
In : Education and Urban Society. 54, 5, p. 605-628
24 p.
Military and nonmilitary stressors associated with mental health outcomes among female military spouses
Sullivan, K. S., Park, Y. & Riviere, L. A., Feb 2022,
In : Family Relations. 71, 1, p. 371-388
18 p.
Families transition, too! Military families transition out of service: a scoping review of research from the Five Eyes nations
Dodge, J., Kale, C., Keeling, M., Gribble, R., Taylor-Beirne, S., Maher, S., Castro, C., Fear, N. T. & Sullivan, K., 2022,
In : Journal of Family Social Work. 25, 4-5, p. 128-152
25 p.
Perceptions of family acceptance into the military community among U.S. LGBT service members: A mixed-methods study
Sullivan, K. S., Dodge, J., McNamara, K. A., Gribble, R., Keeling, M., Taylor-Beirne, S., Kale, C., Goldbach, J. T., Fear, N. T. & Castro, C. A., Sep 2021,
In : Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health. 7, p. 90-101
12 p.
Mental Health Outcomes Associated with Risk and Resilience among Military-Connected Youth
Sullivan, K. S., Hawkins, S. A., Gilreath, T. D. & Castro, C. A., Jun 2021,
In : Family Process. 60, 2, p. 507-522
16 p.
Association Between Cumulative Risk and Protective Factors With Mental Distress Among Female Military Spouses
Sullivan, K. S., Park, Y., Cleland, C. M., Merrill, J. C., Clarke-Walper, K. & Riviere, L. A., 2021,
In : American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 91, 6, p. 789-799
11 p.
Are we family? A scoping review of how military families are defined in mental health and substance use research
Gribble, R., Mahar, A. L., Keeling, M., Sullivan, K., McKeown, S., Burchill, S., Fear, N. T. & Castro, C. A., Aug 2020,
In : Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health. 6, 2, p. 85-119
35 p.
Mental health outcomes associated with profiles of risk and resilience among U.S. Army spouses
Sullivan, K. S., Hawkins, S. A., Gilreath, T. D. & Castro, C., May 20 2020,
In : Journal of Family Psychology.,
11 p.
Youth offending in military-connected children
Williamson, V., Sullivan, K., Castro, C. & Fear, N. T., May 2020,
In : Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health. 6, 1, p. 108-111
4 p.
Does High School Mobility Negatively Influence Perceptions of School Climate?
Capp, G. & Sullivan, K., Mar 7 2020,
In : Social Work Research. 44, 1, p. 73-78
6 p.
Preliminary Psychometrics and Potential Big Data Uses of the U.S. Army Family Global Assessment Tool
Sullivan, K. S., Hawkins, S. A., Gilreath, T. D. & Castro, C. A., Jan 2 2020,
In : Military Behavioral Health. 8, 1, p. 74-85
12 p.
Veterans' social-emotional and physical functioning informs perceptions of family and child functioning
Sullivan, K., Kintzle, S., Barr, N., Gilreath, T. D. & Castro, C. A., 2020,
In : Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health. 4, 2, p. 37-47
11 p.
Welcoming Parents to Their Child’s School: Practices Supporting Students With Diverse Needs and Backgrounds
Siegel, A., Esqueda, M., Berkowitz, R., Sullivan, K., Astor, R. A. & Benbenishty, R., Jul 1 2019,
In : Education and Urban Society. 51, 6, p. 756-784
29 p.
Suicidality and nonsuicidal high-risk behavior in military veterans: How does PTSD symptom presentation relate to behavioral risk?
Barr, N., Kintzle, S., Sullivan, K. & Castro, C., Mar 2018,
In : Traumatology. 24, 1, p. 55-61
7 p.
Caring for Children and Meeting Mission Needs: Experiences of Parents in Dual-Military Families
Huffman, A. H., Dunbar, N., Van Puyvelde, V., Klinefelter, Z. P. & Sullivan, K. S., 2018,
In : Military Behavioral Health. 6, 3, p. 186-197
12 p.
Military families research: Department of Defense funding and the elements of a fundable proposal
Castro, C.A. & Sullivan, K. S., 2018.
A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families: Lessons for the Leaders of Tomorrow.
MacDermid-Wadsworth, S. (ed.).New York: Springer
Theories of military-connected families and resilience
Cederbaum, J.A., Sullivan, K. S. & Ross, A.M., 2018.
American Military Life in the 21st Century: Social, Cultural, Economic Issues and Trends.
Weiss, E. & Castro, C. A. (eds.).Santa Barbara: Praeger/ABC-CLIO
Veterans’ social/emotional and physical functioning informs perceptions of family and child functioning
Sullivan, K. S., Kintzle, S., Barr, N., Gilreath, T. & Castro, C.A., 2018,
In : Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health. 4, 2, p. 37-47
Attitudes, Norms, and the Effect of Social Connectedness on Adolescent Sexual Risk Intention
Cederbaum, J. A., Rodriguez, A. J., Sullivan, K. & Gray, K., Aug 2017,
In : Journal of School Health. 87, 8, p. 575-583
9 p.
Caregiver qualities, family closeness, and the well-being of adolescents engaged in the child welfare system
Cederbaum, J. A., He, A. S., Fulginiti, A., Sullivan, K., Krauss, M. D., Amutah, N. & Pohle, C., Feb 1 2017,
In : Children and Youth Services Review. 73, p. 113-120
8 p.
The influence of social support on dyadic functioning and mental health among military personnel during postdeployment reintegration
Cederbaum, J. A., Wilcox, S. L., Sullivan, K., Lucas, C. & Schuyler, A., Jan 1 2017,
In : Public Health Reports. 132, 1, p. 85-92
8 p.
Caring for children and meeting mission needs: Experiences of dual-military parents
Huffman, A.H., Dunbar, N., VanPuyvelde, V., Klinefelter, Z. & Sullivan, K. S., 2017,
In : Military Behavioral Health. 6, 3, p. 186-197
The Role of Service Member Mental Health and Marital Satisfaction in Postdeployment Family Reintegration
Cederbaum, J. A., Wilcox, S. L., Oh, H., Sullivan, K. S., Ell, K. & Hassan, A. M., 2017,
In : Military Behavioral Health. 5, 4, p. 364-373
10 p.
Thinking “Big” About Research on Military Families
Hawkins, S. A., Sullivan, K. S., Schuyler, A. C., Keeling, M., Kintzle, S., Lester, P. B. & Castro, C. A., 2017,
In : Military Behavioral Health. 5, 4, p. 335-345
11 p.
PTSD and Physical Health Symptoms Among Veterans: Association with Child and Relationship Functioning
Sullivan, K., Barr, N., Kintzle, S., Gilreath, T. & Castro, C. A., Oct 2 2016,
In : Marriage and Family Review. 52, 7, p. 689-705
17 p.
Adult Relationships in Multiple Contexts and Associations With Adolescent Mental Health
Capp, G., Berkowitz, R., Sullivan, K., Astor, R. A., De Pedro, K., Gilreath, T. D., Benbenishty, R. & Rice, E., Oct 1 2016,
In : Research on Social Work Practice. 26, 6, p. 622-629
8 p.
PTSD symptoms, suicidality and non-suicidal risk to life behavior in a mixed sample of pre- and post-9/11 veterans
Barr, N. U., Sullivan, K., Kintzle, S. & Castro, C. A., Sep 2 2016,
In : Social Work in Mental Health. 14, 5, p. 465-473
9 p.
Suicidality among military-connected adolescents in California schools
Gilreath, T. D., Wrabel, S. L., Sullivan, K. S., Capp, G. P., Roziner, I., Benbenishty, R. & Astor, R. A., Jan 1 2016,
In : European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 25, 1, p. 61-66
6 p.
STD and Abortion Prevalence in Adolescent Mothers WithHistories of Childhood Protection Involvement
Cederbaum, J. A., Putnam-Hornstein, E., Sullivan, K., Winetrobe, H. & Bird, M., Dec 1 2015,
In : Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. 47, 4, p. 187-193
7 p.
Substance abuse and other adverse outcomes for military-connected youth in California: Results from a large-scale normative population survey
Sullivan, K., Capp, G., Gilreath, T. D., Benbenishty, R., Roziner, I. & Astor, R. A., Oct 1 2015,
In : JAMA Pediatrics. 169, 10, p. 922-928
7 p.
The Impact of Maternal and Paternal Deployment on Depressive Symptoms and Well-Being Among Military-Connected Youth
Sullivan, K., Benbenishty, R., Astor, R. A., Capp, G., Gilreath, T. D. & Rice, E., 2015,
In : Military Behavioral Health. 3, 3, p. 182-189
8 p.
An Application of Family Stress Theory to Clinical Work with Military Families and Other Vulnerable Populations
Sullivan, K., Mar 2014,
In : Clinical Social Work Journal. 43, 1, p. 89-97
9 p.
Selected Presentations
Sullivan, K. S., Capp, G., & Gilreath, T. D. (Accepted 2018, January). The association of parentification indicators with substance use patterns among military-connected adolescents. Oral presentation at the 2018 Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, D.C.
Sullivan, K. S., Kintzle, S., Barr, N., Gilreath, T. D., & Castro, C. A. (2017, January). The association of military veterans’ social/emotional and physical functioning with child and family outcomes. Oral presentation at the 2017 Society for Social Work and Research Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Barr, N., Kintzle, S., Sullivan, K. S., & Castro, C. A. (2017, January). How do somatic symptoms and barriers to care affect mental health service use for veterans with PTSD? Oral presentation at the 2017 Society for Social Work and Research Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Capp, G. & Sullivan, K. S. (2017, January). Frequent school transitions and student experiences of school climate: A latent class analysis. Poster presentation at the 2017 Society for Social Work and Research Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Sullivan, K. S., Barr, N., Kintzle, S., & Castro, C. A. (2016, January). The impact of mental health, physical health and previous deployments on the family functioning of veterans. Oral presentation at the 2016 Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Barr, N., Sullivan, K. S., Kintzle, S., & Castro, C. A. (2016, January). What can specific PTSD symptom profiles tell us about suicidality and non-suicidal high risk behavior in military veterans? Oral presentation at the 2016 Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Capp, G. P., Sullivan, K. S., & Gilreath, T. D. (2016, January). School Climate and Resilience Among Secondary Students in California: A Latent Class Analysis. Oral presentation at the 2016 Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Cederbaum, J. A., Rodriguez, A., & Sullivan, K. S. (2016, January). Adolescents attitudes and norms, and the influence of parents and school-based adults on adolescent sexual risk intention. Oral presentation at the 2016 Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Sullivan, K. S., Capp, G. P., & Gilreath, T. D. (2016, January). Examining patterns of family reorganization indicators among military-connected youth: A latent class approach. Poster presentation at the 2016 Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Cederbaum, J. A., Wilcox, S. L., Sullivan, K. S., Lucas, C., & Schulyer, A. (2015, November). Influence of social support on dyadic functioning and mental health during post-deployment reintegration. Oral presentation at the 2015 American Public Health Association, Chicago, IL.
Cederbaum, J. A., Rodriguez, A., & Sullivan, K. S. (2015, November). Attitudes, norms, and the influence of parents and school-based adults on adolescent sexual risk intention. Oral presentation at the 2015 American Public Health Association, Chicago, IL.
Cederbaum, J. A., He, A., Fulginiti, A., & Sullivan, K. S. (2015, November). Caregiver qualities and family relationships impact on adolescent mental health among adolescents engaged in the child welfare system. Poster presentation at the 2015 American Public Health Association, Chicago, IL.
Sullivan, K. S., Astor, R. A., Benbenishty, R., Gilreath, T. & Rice, E. (2015, January). Maternal and paternal deployment: Differential impact on the functioning of military-connected youth. Oral presentation at the Society for Social Work Research Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Cederbaum, J. A., Rodriguez, A., & Sullivan, K. S. (2014, November). Parent sex communication, support from other adults, and adolescent sex intentions. Oral presentation at the National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD.