Gwendolyn M. Lawson, PhD
Areas of expertise: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Disruptive behavior disorders
About Gwendolyn M. Lawson, PhD
Titles
Psychologist
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Awards and Honors
2009, Honors with Distinction, Stanford University
2009, Stanford University Undergraduate Advising and Research Major Grant, Stanford University
2009, Phi Beta Kappa, Stanford University
2009, Amgen Fellowship, Teach for America
2011-2016, Benjamin Franklin Fellowship for Graduate Studies, University of Pennsylvania
2012, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention, University of Pennsylvania
2012-2015, Institute of Education (IES) Predoctoral Training Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania
Editorial and Academic Positions
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
Advances in School Mental Health Promotion
Journal of Economic Psychology
Journal of School Psychology
Journal of School Mental Health
Journal of Child and Family Studies
Research Interests
Dr. Lawson's research program aims to increase the quality of services youth with or at-risk for mental health problems receive in schools, particularly within under-served communities. Her current research focuses on developing and testing implementation strategies to promote teacher use of behavioral classroom interventions for students with symptoms of ADHD.
Education & training
Graduate Degree
PhD in Clinical Psychology - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
MA in Clinical Psychology - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Internship
Clinical Psychology, School Mental Health Track - VA Maryland Health Care System/University of Maryland School of Medicine Psychology Internship Consortium, MD
Fellowship
T32 Postdoctoral Fellow - University of Pennsylvania, Center for Mental Health, Philadelphia, PA
Publications
Publications
2022
Cascio, C.N., Lauharatanahirun, N., Lawson, G.M., Farah, M. J., & Falk, E. B. (2022). Parental education is associated with differential engagement of neural pathways during inhibitory control. Scientific Reports, 12, 260.
2021
Connors, E., Lawson, G., Wheatley-Rowe, D., & Hoover, S. (2021). Exploration, preparation and implementation of standardized assessment in a multi-agency school behavioral health network. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 48(3). 464-481.
2020
Pellecchia, M., Beidas, R. S., Lawson, G., Williams, N., Seidman, M., Cannuscio, C.C., Kimberly, J. R., & Mandell, D. S. (2020). Does implementing a new intervention disrupt use of existing evidence-based Autism interventions? Autism. 24(7). 1713-1725.
Lawson, G. M., Moore, T., Okamura, K., Becker-Haimes, E.M., & Beidas, R. (2020). Knowledge of Evidence-Based Services Questionnaire: Development and validation of a short form. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 47. 581-596.
2019
Lawson, G. M., McKenzie, M. E., Becker, K. D., Selby, L., & Hoover, S. (2019). The core components of evidence-based social emotional learning programs. Prevention Science, 20(4). 457-467.
Nuske, H. J., Pellecchia, M., Lushin, V., Rump, K., Seidman, M., Ouellette, R. R., Cooney, D., Maddox, B., Lawson, G. M., Song, A., Reisinger, E. M., & Mandell, D. S. (2019). Do student characteristics affect teachers’ decisions to use 1:1 instruction? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(7). 2864-2872.
Locke, J., Lawson, G. M., Beidas, R. S., Aarons, G. A., Xie, M., Lyon, A. R., … Mandell, D. S. (2019). Individual and organizational factors that affect implementation of evidence-based practices for children with autism in public schools: a cross-sectional observational study. Implementation Science, 14(1), 29. doi:10.1186/s13012-019-0877-3
2018
Last, B., Lawson, G.M., Breiner, K., Steinberg, L., & Farah, M. (2018). Childhood socioeconomic status and executive function in childhood and beyond. PLoS ONE 13(8): e0202964. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0202964
2017
Lawson, G. M., Nissley-Tsiopinis, J., Nahmias, A., McConaughy, S. H., & Eiraldi, R. (2017). Do parent and teacher report of ADHD symptoms in children differ by SES and racial status? Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 39(3), 426–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-017-9591-0
Lawson, GM., Camins JS., Wisse L., Wu J, Duda JT, et al. (2017) Childhood socioeconomic status and childhood maltreatment: Distinct associations with brain structure. PLOS ONE 12(4): e0175690. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175690
Lawson, G. M., Hook, C. J., & Farah, M. J. (2017). A meta-analysis of the relationship between socioeconomic status and executive function performance among children. Developmental Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12529
Lawson, G. M., & Farah, M. J. (2017). Executive function as a mediator between SES and academic achievement throughout childhood. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 41(1), 94–104. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025415603489
2015
Avants, B., Betancourt, L., Giannetta, J., Lawson, G., Gee, J., Farah, M., & Hurt, H. (2015). Relation of childhood home environment to cortical thickness in late adolescence: Specificity of experience and timing. PLoS ONE 10(10): e0138217. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138217
2013
Lawson, G.M., Duda, J.T., Avants, B.B., Wu, J., & Farah, M.J. (2013). Associations between socioeconomic status and cortical thickness in prefrontal subregions. Developmental Science. 16(5), 641-652.