Mary Kathryn Cancilliere
Mary Kathryn Cancilliere
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (Research)
Overview
Dr. Cancilliere is a clinically trained pediatric psychologist, with special interests in injury prevention by way of:
- pragmatic intervention development (i.e., treatment and prevention);
- adaptive interventions (e.g., SMARTs);
- youth psychiatric risk (i.e., suicidal and non-suicidal self-injurious thoughts and behaviors);
- caregiver support and education;
- at-risk youth behaviors;
- youth and family barriers to care;
- access/linkage to community-based mental health care; and
- pediatric anxiety disorders.
Brown Affiliations
Research Areas
Publications
| Brown KA, Donise KR, Cancilliere MK, Aluthge DP, Chen ES. "Characterizing Autism Spectrum Disorder and Predicting Suicide Risk for Pediatric Psychiatric Emergency Services Encounters." AMIA ... Annual Symposium proceedings. AMIA Symposium, vol. 2023, 2024, pp. 864-873. |
| Moitra, E., Brick, L.A., Cancilliere, M.K., Elwy, A.R., Erbe, A.M., Fenn, N., Nunn, A.S., Salhaney, P., & Chan, P.A. "A randomized trial of acceptance-based behavioral therapy to improve mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ persons: study protocol." Contemporary Clinical Trials, 2023. |
| Brown, K., Donise, K., Cancilliere, M.K., Aluthge, D. & Chen, E. "Characterizing autism spectrum disorder and predicting suicide risk for pediatric psychiatric emergency services encounters." Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 2023. |
| Cancilliere MK, Donise K. "A Comparison of Acute Mental Health Presentations to Emergency Services Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic." Rhode Island medical journal (2013), vol. 105, no. 4, 2022, pp. 9-15. |
| Cancilliere, Mary Kathryn, Fryc, Aleksandra, Flannery-Schroeder, Ellen. "A Self-Efficacy Measure for Use During Exposure in CBT Therapy for Childhood Anxiety Disorders." Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 2022, pp. 1-17. |
| Cancilliere MK, Ramanathan A, Hoffman P, Jencks J, Spirito A, Donise K. "Characteristics of a Pediatric Emergency Psychiatric Telephone Triage Service." Pediatric Emergency Care , vol. 38, no. 10, 2022, pp. 494-501. |
| Morgan A, Cancilliere MK, Ramanathan A, Wolff J, Donise K. "Reducing access to means for suicidal youth presenting to emergency services: A test of medication lock bag distribution." General Hospital Psychiatry, vol. 79, 2022, pp. 183-184. |
| Gervasio, M.,* Beatty, A.*, Kavanaugh, B., Cancilliere, M.K., & Holler, K. "The association between neurocognition and sexual abuse within a children’s psychiatric inpatient program." The Clinical Neuropsychologist,, vol. 36, no. 1, 2022, pp. 189-206. |
| Cancilliere, Mary Kathryn, Kavanaugh, Brian, Bodzy, Mary, Holler, Karen. "Psychiatric Outcomes of Childhood Maltreatment: A Retrospective Chart Review from a Children’s Psychiatric Inpatient Program." Child Psychiatry & Human Development, vol. 53, no. 6, 2021, pp. 1281-1292. |
| Hernandez, L., Cancilliere, M.K., Graves, H., & Spirito, A. "A randomized pilot study comparing the efficacy of a therapist-delivered motivational interview to a brief computer-delivered intervention." International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, vol. 8, no. 1, 2020, pp. 29-36. |
| Weber Ku, E., Studeny, J., McCurdy, K., Cook, N., Kavanaugh, B., Cancilliere, M.K., & Holler, K. "Assessing performance validity with the TOMM and Automatized Sequences Tasks in a pediatric psychiatric inpatient setting." Child Neuropsychology, vol. 26, 2020, pp. 801-816. |
| Kavanaugh, B., Cancilliere, M.K., Fryc, A.,* Tirrell, E., Oliveira, J., Oberman, L., Wexler, B., Carpenter, L., & Spirito, A. "Measurement of executive functioning with the National Institute of Health Toolbox and the association to anxiety/depressive symptomatology in childhood/adolescence." Child Neuropsychology, vol. 26, no. 6, 2020, pp. 754-769. |
| Cancilliere, M.K., Spirito, A., Monti, P., & Barnett, N.P. "Brief alcohol interventions for youth in the emergency department: Exploring proximal and distal outcomes." Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, vol. 18, 2019, pp. 1-13. |
| Kavanaugh, B., Cancilliere, M.K., & Spirito, A. "Neurocognitive heterogeneity across the spectrum of psychopathology: Need for improved approaches to deficit detection and intervention." CNS Spectrums, vol. 25, no. 3, 2019, pp. 436-444. |
| Kavanaugh, B., Studeny, J., Cancilliere, M.K., & Holler, K. "Neurocognitive predictors of length of stay within a children’s psychiatric inpatient program." Child Neuropsychology, vol. 26, no. 1, 2019, pp. 129-136. |
| Cancilliere, M.K., Freeman, J., Garcia, A., Benito, K., Sapyta, J., & Franklin, M. "Assessing treatment outcomes of comorbidity in early-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder." Child Psychiatry and Human Development, vol. 49, no. 5, 2018, pp. 718-729. |
| Cancilliere MK, Yusufov M, Weyandt L. "Effects of Co-occurring marijuana use and anxiety on brain structure and functioning: A systematic review of adolescent studies." Journal of Adolescence, vol. 65, 2018, pp. 177-188. |
| Spirito, A., Hernandez, L., Marceau, K., Cancilliere, M.K., Graves, H., Rodriguez, M., & Knopik, V. "Effects of a brief, parent-focused intervention on substance using adolescents and a sibling." Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, vol. 77, 2017, pp. 156-165. |
| Spirito A, Hernandez L, Cancilliere MK, Graves HR, Rodriguez AM, Operario D, Jones R, Barnett NP. "Parent and Adolescent Motivational Enhancement Intervention for Substance-Using, Truant Adolescents: A Pilot Randomized Trial." Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, vol. 47, no. sup1, 2017, pp. 1-13. |
| Stewart E, Cancilliere MK, Freeman J, Wellen B, Garcia A, Sapyta J, Franklin M. "Elevated Autism Spectrum Disorder Traits in Young Children with OCD." Child Psychiatry & Human Development, vol. 47, no. 6, 2016, pp. 993-1001. |
| Hernandez, L., Cancilliere, M.K., Graves, H., Chun, T., Lewander, W., & Spirito, A. "Substance use and depressive symptoms among adolescents treated in a pediatric emergency department." Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, vol. 25, no. 2, 2016, pp. 1-10. |
| Martin, R.M., Stein, L.A.R., Clair, M., Cancilliere, M.K., Hurlbut, W., & Rohsenow, D.J. "Adolescent substance treatment engagement questionnaire for incarcerated teens." Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, vol. 57, 2015, pp. 49-56. |
| Spirito A, Hernandez L, Cancilliere MK, Graves H, Knopik VS, Barnett N. "Improving Parenting and Parent-Adolescent Communication to Delay or Prevent the Onset of Alcohol and Drug Use in Young Adolescents with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: A Pilot Trial." Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, vol. 24, no. 5, 2015, pp. 308-322. |
| Hernandez, L., Salas-Wright, C., Graves, H., Cancilliere, M.K., & Spirito, A. "A confirmatory approach to understanding the four-factor structure of the adolescent drinking index: Evidence for a brief version." Journal of Substance Use Treatment, vol. 47, no. 3, 2014, pp. 239-244. |
| Spirito, A., Simon, V., Cancilliere, M.K., Stein, R., Norcott, C., Loranger, K., & Prinstein, M. "Outpatient psychotherapy practice with adolescents following psychiatric hospitalization for suicide ideation or a suicide attempt." Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, vol. 16, no. 1, 2011, pp. 53-64. |
| Ievers-Landis CE, Hoff AL, Brez C, Cancilliere MK, McConnell J, Kerr D. "Situational analysis of dietary challenges of the treatment regimen for children and adolescents with phenylketonuria and their primary caregivers." Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, vol. 26, no. 3, 2005, pp. 186-93. |
Research
Research Overview
Funded Research
Pediatric Emergency Department Family Navigation, ED_REaCH, for Youth with Suicide and Self-Injurious Behavior: Increasing Support, Education, and Linkage to Mental Health Care.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) R01MH145444 8/2026-6/2031
Role: Primary Investigator
TAG-MI: A Mobile Intervention to Improve Mental Health and Adherence to HIV Care among Youth in Ghana.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) R01MH140379 9/2029-8/2031
Role: Co-Investigator (MPI: Moitra, Tarantino & Enimil)
An Emergency Department Family Navigator Intervention Protocol to Reduce Youth Risk of Suicide and Self-injurious Behavior: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
American Psychological Foundation, Visionary Grant 10/2024-9/2025 NCE
Role: Primary Investigator
Digital Intervention Delivered Via Street Medicine to Increase HIV And Substance Use Care Among Survivors of Sexual Trafficking.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) R34DA063037-01 8/2025-7/2027
Role: Co-Investigator (MPI: Orchowski & Hardy)
Improving Mental Health Among the LGBTQ+ Community Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) RF1MH132348 7/2022-6/2026 NCE
Role: Site PI (PI: Moitra)
Adolescent Injury: Intervening to Prevent Posttraumatic Stress and Substance Use Outcomes.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) R21DA062071 8/1/2025-7/31/27
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Mello)
An Adaptive Intervention to Increase Engagement to Community-based Care After an ED Admission: For Youth Aged 10 to 14 at Risk for Suicide and Self-injurious Behavior.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) K23MH136332 6/2024-5/2029
Role: Primary Investigator
Characteristics and Outcomes of Suicidal Youth Who are Boarding to Await Inpatient Psychiatry Care
American Psychological Foundation (APF) John and Polly Sparks Early Career Grant for Psychologists Investigating Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) 11/2024-10/2025 (NCE)
Role: Primary Investigator
The Development of a Family Navigator Intervention and Prevention Protocol to Reduce Risk of Suicide and Self-Injurious Behavior for Youth Aged 10 to 14 Years
NIGMS Injury Control Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE). P20GM139664 5/2023-5/2024
Role: COBRE Research Project Lead (RPL), Primary Investigator
An Adaptive Intervention to Increase Youth Adherence to Referred Outpatient Treatment After an ED Admission for a Psychiatric Crisis
American Psychological Association (APA), Society of Pediatric Psychology (Division 54), Drotar-Crawford Postdoctoral Fellowship Research Grant In Pediatric Psychology 1/2022-1/2023
Role: Primary Investigator
Stakeholder Feedback and the Development of an Adaptive Intervention in the ED
Rhode Island Hospital Supported Research 10/2021-9/2022
Role: Primary Investigator
Background
Education and Training
| Year | Degree | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | PhD | University of Rhode Island |
| 1998 | MS | Case Western Reserve University |
| 1994 | BS | Duquesne University |
Postdoctoral/Other Training
| Research Mentor Certificate | Entering Mentoring Curriculum from the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) / Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) | 2025- | |
| Digital Health Certificate | Brown University, Center for Digital Health | 2023- | |
| Pediatric Psychology Fellowship | Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Hasbro Children's Hospital, APA Accredited | 2021-2022 | Providence, RI, United States |
| Research Fellowship | Alpert Medical School of Brown University | 2020-2021 | Providence, RI, United States |
| Clinical Psychology Resident | Yale School of Medicine Child Study Center, Pediatric Psychology APA Accredited | 2019-2020 |
Honors and Awards
Award: NIMH Child Intervention, Prevention & Services (ChIPS) Fellowship Research Training Institute, Scholar, 2023 to 2024
Award: Digital Innovation Certificate Program, Brown University, Injury Control COBRE, Scholar, 2023
Training Award, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Concept to Clinic: Commercializing Innovation (eC3i) 10-week Program, 2025
Fellowship, Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN), 2025 Emerging Investigator’s Meeting, 2025
Training Award, NIH, Concept to Clinic: Commercializing Innovation (C3i) 24-week Program, 2025-2026
Affiliations
Collaborators
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Barnett, Nancy | Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior |
| Becker, Sara | Adjunct Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences |
| Guthrie, Kate | Professor Emerita of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Professor Emerita of Psychiatry and Human Behavior |
| Mello, Michael | Professor of Medical Science, Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Professor of Emergency Medicine |
| Moitra, Ethan | Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior |
| Orchowski, Lindsay | Professor of Emergency Medicine, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior |
| Spirito, Anthony | Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior |
Affiliations
Society for the Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR)
Injury Free Coalition for Kids
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)
APA, Society of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology (Div 53)
APA, Society of Pediatric Psychology (Div 54)
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
Appointments
| Research Scientist. Hasbro Children's Hospital, 2022- |