Blacksburg, VA 24060
About Us
The CALMER Lab is devoted to the mission of helping understand and improve the social and emotional development of children and adolescents, particularly those with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). More specifically, we are interested in examining youth and family level factors such as comorbid disorders (anxiety, depression, oppositional defiant disorder, autism spectrum disorder, substance use) and parenting behaviors that predict better social and emotional outcomes. Additionally, our lab seeks to evaluate the acceptability and efficacy of the RELAX (Regulating Emotions Like An eXpert) Intervention for adolescents with ADHD. RELAX teaches coping, communication, and conflict management skills to adolescents ages 11-16, and works with parents to support their adolescents in effectively using these skills at home, school, and with peers.
People
Rosanna Breaux, Director
Dr. Breaux's research focuses on the social, emotional, and academic functioning of children and adolescents, particularly those with ADHD. She is also interested in understanding the role parents play in shaping children and adolescent's social-emotional development, with a focus on emotion regulation. Additionally, Dr. Breaux is working to evaluate and disseminate the RELAX intervention, which targets emotion dysregulation and interpersonal conflict in adolescents.
Annah Cash, Graduate Student
Annah Cash is a graduate student in the Clinical Science doctoral program at Virginia Tech. In 2018 she graduated from Belhaven University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. During her post-baccalaureate time she was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) summer internship at Ohio University. Then went on to become a Researcher III at the University of MS Medical Center where she worked on federally funded grants that helped establish a continuum of care that spanned from the NICU to adolescence. Broadly, her research interests include the intersection between behavioral/emotional disorders and disordered eating patterns, specifically in relation to ADHD; and how emotion regulation/self-coping mechanisms could potentially ameliorate symptoms in children and adolescents with ADHD and other behavioral disorders.
Jasmine Lewis, Graduate Student
Jasmine Lewis is a graduate student in the Biological Psychology doctoral program at Virginia Tech. She graduated from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill with a Bachelors in Psychology and from Liberty University with a Masters in Biomedical Sciences. Before joining the CALMER lab, she worked as a research coordinator at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Recently, she worked as a hotline coordinator working with survivors of intimate partner violence and human trafficking. Broadly, her research interests include the effects of trauma and stress on parent-child interactions.
Stephanie Pham, Graduate Student
Stephanie Pham (she/her) is a graduate student in the Clinical Science doctoral program at Virginia Tech. In 2021, she graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) with a dual Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Hearing and Speech Sciences. Prior to joining the CALMER Lab and VT, Stephanie completed a two-year post-baccalaureate fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Bethesda, MD. Broadly, Stephanie’s research interests are in identifying interactions between intrinsic and family level factors that may pose as mechanisms of risk or resilience in the development of emotion dysregulation and related child psychopathology. She is passionate about equitable and inclusive access to high quality mental health intervention and services for parents and children from all backgrounds, especially those from underserved communities and historically marginalized populations
Delshad Shroff, Graduate Student
Delshad Shroff is a graduate student in the Clinical Science doctoral program at Virginia Tech. She graduated from New York University Abu Dhabi with a Bachelors in Psychology and from Teachers College, Columbia University with a Masters in Developmental Psychology. Before joining the CALMER lab, Delshad worked as a Research Coordinator for the Attention and Behavior Clinic at the Penn State College of Medicine. Broadly, her research interests include examining the development of emotion regulation and executive functioning in early childhood and its implications on the development of psychopathology. Specifically, she is interested in investigating links between parent emotion regulation and children’s emotional and behavioral functioning. Her goal in studying this is to develop and implement evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies for children with behavioral disorders, especially ADHD.
Michelle Le, Postbaccalaureate Scholar
Michelle Le is a PREP Scholar who recently graduated from the University of Missouri with a B.S. in Psychology with minors in Human Development and Family Sciences and Biology. During their undergraduate years, they worked as a research assistant in the Milestones Lab at Mizzou. Michelle intends to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical or Developmental Psychology. Broadly, Michelle's research interests include parenting styles, parent-child interactions, child psychopathology, and emotion regulation. She is specifically interested in creating accessible, high-quality treatment options for traditionally underrepresented and marginalized groups. Outside of the lab, they love cooking, gardening, trying new restaurants, enjoying nature, and playing with her roommate's cat.
Eevee, Lab Assistant
Eevee, CGC is a 5 year old golden retreiver. She loves to brighten the day of the CALMER Lab members and families that visit us. Her favorite things to do are to make new friends, protect her twin toddler sisters, play frisbee, chew on her bones, eat vegetables (especially green beans), and nap. Eevee is named after the Pokemon, and her favorite evolution is Sylveon.
Participant Information
If you are interested in learning about any new research in any new research studies with children, adolescents, families, or emerging adults being conducted by the CALMER Lab or other labs affiliated with the Child Study Center, please join our Research Registry to learn more:
Current Research Projects
Online Program for Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Parents of Preschoolers
The CALMER Lab at the Child Study Center at Virginia Tech is excited to begin recruiting families of preschoolers with behavioral difficulties from Eastern cultures for a new research study examining how well Collaborative & Proactive Solutions, an evidence-based program for families, works to improve academic, emotional, and social functioning. A total of $50 in compensation is available for completing all parts of the study. Please contact the CALMER Lab to receive more information about the study and/or to schedule the initial study visit: 540-231-3514 or calmerlab@gmail.com.
RELAX Intervention Study
The CALMER Lab at the Child Study Center at Virginia Tech is inviting families of adolescents with ADHD ages 11-16 years to participate in an online intervention study examining the utility of adding a smartphone app to help practice skills to the RELAX intervention. RELAX seeks to equip adolescents with coping, communication, and conflict management skills, and help parents learn how to support their adolescents in using these skills. Families can earn a total of $200 for completing all parts of the study. To get on the waitlist for the RELAX Intervention Study, please provide your family's information here - https://redcap.vtc.vt.edu/surveys/?s=XNTF7FA7J3 - or email calmerlab@gmail.com.
Support BRANCH Parenting Program
The Virginia Tech Child Study Center and Virginia Tech Autism Clinic & Center for Autism Research, in partnership with the University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University, seek to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and benefit of the Support BRANCH interactive website used in combination with clinician-delivered behavioral therapy as part of a stepped-care model for reducing child behavior problems and increasing parents’ feelings of competency in supporting youth behavior. Parents will be compensated up to $75 for completing all parts of the study. If you would like to learn more about the study, please contact us at childstudycenter@gmail.com or 540-231-8276.
Join Us
Undergraduate Students: Are you an undergraduate student interested in being involved in clinical child research? If so, contact Dr. Breaux and the CALMER lab at CALMERlab@gmail.com with your name, major, GPA, and resume/CV. URAs must be a psychology major or minor and being willing to commit to at least two semesters as an RA. Please note - We will be recruiting undergraduate RAs for Fall 2025.
Interested in summer research? Consider applying for the MAOP Undergraduate Summer Research Internship (https://www.maop.vt.edu/Undergraduate_programs/summer_research.html).
Postbaccalaureate Students: Interested in increasing your competitiveness for getting a PhD? Check out the VT PREP (Post-baccalaureate Research and Education Program) program (https://prep.apsc.vt.edu/).
Links and Resources
- The Child Assessment Clinic specializes in comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for children and adolescents from 7 to 16 years of age. The focus of the Child Assessment Clinic is two-fold: neurodevelopmental disorders in children (such as autism, asperger’s disorder, learning disabilities, intellectual disability, and ADHD), as well as mood and anxiety disorders. However, they also conduct assessments for other problems in children including aggressive behavior, school problems, and other emotional problems. Their evaluations are comprehensive and include behavioral observations, use of established diagnostic tools, and clinical interviews. As a research-based clinic, the Child Assessment Clinic uses scientifically supported (evidence-based) measurements and uses what they learn in the clinic for the pursuit of research in order to inform the field and improve clinical assessment practices. Evaluations are conducted primarily by advanced doctoral students in Virginia Tech’s clinical psychology concentration, under the direct supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist.
- The Psychological Services Center (PSC) is a community-based behavioral and mental health clinic for the Clinical Science Ph.D. program at Virginia Tech. As the training clinic for a nationally accredited program (PCSAS and APA), their goal is to utilize the best available treatments to improve the functioning, health, and well-being of clients. They provide individual, couple, family, and group therapies as well as assessment services for adults, adolescents, and children. The PSC also serves as a training and research center for assessment, intervention, and prevention. Clinic therapists treat clients with approaches validated by research and matched to the individual needs of the clients.
- Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), is a national non-profit organization providing education, advocacy and support for individuals with ADHD.
- Effective Child Therapy is a website maintained by the Society of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychiatry to provide families with information on evidence-based mental health treatment for children and adolescents.
- Apps to Help Neurodivergent Students Thrive guide that lists and categorizes various apps that can ease the college transition for neurodivergent students such as those with ADHD or ASD.