Publications

Featured

All publications

39 peer-reviewed papers, newest first.

2026

• O'Hara, K.L. & Sproule, S.M. (2026). Building an Evidence‑Based Parent Education and Awareness Program in New York Courts: a Research–Practice Partnership. Prevention Science. Read more
• Yang, M., Parker, S., O'Hara, K. L., Sullivan, C. E., & Lyon, A. R. (2026). Human-centered design of a digital intervention for children coping with high conflict separation/divorce: A mixed-methods study. Mental Health and Prevention.
• Hoppe, R., Kotecha, D., O'Hara, K. L., Nudson, T. (2026). Preliminary evaluation of the BeH2O co-parenting program using a multiple baseline experimental design. Family Court Review. Read more
• O'Hara, K. L., Maddipatla, A., Morris, T., Cohen, B. & Davis, A. (2026). A quasi-experimental comparative trial of two court-based parent education programs for high conflict separated/divorcing families. Family Court Review. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., West, S., Sandler, I. N., Rhodes, C. A., Uhlman, R., & Wolchik, S.A. (2026). Children’s coping with family stressors: Criterion profile analysis of patterns, levels, and mental health problems. Journal of Family Psychology. PubMed

2025

• Sullivan, C. E., O'Hara, K. L., Salerno, J. & Stolzenberg, S. (2025). Parent conflict, accused parent, and sexism beliefs influence credibility in parent-accused child sexual abuse cases. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. PubMed

2024

• Sullivan, C. E., O'Hara, K. L., Yang, M., & Lyon, A. R. (2024). Implementation determinants of a digital intervention for children coping with high conflict separation/divorce: Perspectives of family law professionals and parents. Global Implementation Research and Applications. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Sandler, I. & Hollis, J. (2024). Can online parent education meet the needs of the courts and improve the well-being of children? The critical roles of goal, program, and evidence alignment. Family Court Review. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Guastaferro, K., Hita, L., Rhodes, C. A., Thomas, N., Wolchik, S. A., & Berkel, C. (2024). Applying the resource management principle to achieve community engagement and experimental rigor in the multiphase optimization strategy framework. Implementation Science and Practice. DOI
• Sandberg, P., Neal, T.M.S., & O'Hara, K. L. (2024). Can jurors disregard inadmissible evidence? Using the multiphase optimization strategy to test interventions derived from cognitive and social psychological theories. Behavioral Sciences. DOI

2023

• O'Hara, K. L., Cummings, E. M., & Davies, P. T. (2023). Interparental conflict and children’s emotional security across family structures. Family Process. DOI
• Zhang, N., Sandler, I. N., Thieleman, K., Wolchik, S. A. & O'Hara, K. L. (2023). Self-compassion for caregivers of children in bereaved families: A theoretical model and intervention example. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review. DOI
• Rhodes, C. A., Uhlman, R., O'Hara, K. L., Wolchik, S. A., Tein, J-Y., & Sandler, I. N. (2023). Effects of a preventive parenting intervention for bereaved families on the intergenerational transmission of parenting attitudes: mediating processes. Development and Psychopathology. DOI
• Berkel, C., O'Hara, K. L., Eddy, J.M., Rhodes, C. A., Blake, A., Thomas, N., Hita, L., Herrera, D., Wheeler, A., & Wolchik, S. A. (2023). The prospective effects of caregiver parenting on behavioral health outcomes for children with incarcerated parents: A family resilience perspective. Prevention Science. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Wolchik, S. A., Rhodes, C. A., Uhlman. R., Sandler, I. N., & Tein, J-Y. (2023). Preventing adverse outcomes for bereaved youth: Indirect effects from a randomized trial of the family bereavement program on fear of abandonment, grief, and mental health. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. DOI
• Manvelian, A. Boyd, S., O'Hara, K. L., Watters, C., Liu, Y., & Sbarra, D. (2023). Promoting attachment security in emerging adults: A pilot study of emotionally focused mentoring. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Wolchik, S. A., Sandler, I. N., West, S. G., Reis, H. T., Collins, L. M., Lyon, A. R., & Cummings, E. M. (2023). Preventing mental health problems in children after high conflict parental separation/divorce study: An optimization randomized controlled trial protocol. Mental Health & Prevention. DOI
• Rhodes, C.A., Thomas, N., Berkel, C., O'Hara, K. L., Hita, L., Blake, A., Wolchik, S. A., Fisher, B., Freeman, M., & Chen, D. (2023). Enhancing the focus: How does parental incarceration fit into the overall picture of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and positive childhood experiences (PCEs)?. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., & Cohen, B. (2023). A call for early, effective, and scalable parent education for high conflict separated/divorcing parents: A synthesized perspective from prevention science and family law. Family Court Review. DOI

2022

• Duchschere, J. E., Reznik, S. J., Shanholtz, C., O'Hara, K. L., Gerson, N., Beck, C., & Lawrence, E. (2022). Addressing a mental health intervention gap in juvenile detention: A pilot study. Evidence-Based Practice in Child & Adolescent Mental Health. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Boring, J., Sandler, I. N., & Beck, C. J. (2022). Enhancing daily affect in youth experiencing high-conflict parental divorce: A multiple baseline trial of an online prevention program. Family Court Review. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Mehl, M. R., & Sbarra, D. A. (2022). Spinning your wheels: Psychological overinvolvement and actigraphy-assessed sleep efficiency following marital separation. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Knowles, L. M., Guastaferro, K. M., & Lyon, A. L. (2022). Human-centered design methods to achieve preparation phase goals in the multiphase optimization strategy framework. Implementation Science and Practice. DOI
• Cappola, A., Tackman, A. M., Mehl, M. R., Dawson, S., O'Hara, K. L., & Sbarra, D. A. (2022). Sleep efficiency and objectively measured social behavior following marital separation: The critical role of contact with an ex-partner. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. DOI

2021

• O'Hara, K. L., Rhodes, C. A., Wolchik, S. A., Tein, J-Y, & Sandler, I. N. (2021). Longitudinal effects of post-divorce interparental conflict on children’s mental health problems through fear of abandonment: Does parenting quality play a buffering role?. Child Development. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Wolchik, S. A., & Sandler, I. N. (2021). The development, evaluation, and implementation of parenting-focused prevention programs in collaboration with family court. Family Court Review. DOI

2020

• O'Hara, K. L., Grinberg, A. M., Tackman, A. M., Mehl, M. R., & Sbarra, D. A. (2020). Contact with an ex-partner is associated with poorer adjustment to marital separation. Clinical Psychological Science. DOI
• Shanholtz, C., O'Hara, K. L., Duchschere, J., Beck, C., & Lawrence, E. (2020). Understanding the perception of stakeholders in reducing adolescent-to-parent violence. Journal of Adolescence. DOI

2019

• O'Hara, K. L., Duchschere, J., Shanholtz, C., Reznik, S., Beck, C. J., & Lawrence, E. (2019). Multidisciplinary partnerships: Targeting aggression and mental health problems of adolescents in detention. American Psychologist. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Sandler, I. N., Wolchik, S. A., Tein, J-Y., Rhodes, C. A. (2019). Parenting time, parenting quality, interparental conflict, and mental health problems of children in high-conflict divorce. Journal of Family Psychology. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Sandler, I. N., Wolchik, S. A., & Tein, J-Y. (2019). Coping in context: The long-term relations between interparental conflict and coping on the development of child psychopathology following parental divorce. Development and Psychopathology. DOI

2018

• Grinberg, A. M., O'Hara, K. L., & Sbarra, D. A. (2018). Preliminary evidence of attenuated blood pressure reactivity to acute stress in adults following a recent marital separation. Psychology & Health. DOI
• Mahrer, N. E., O'Hara, K. L., Sandler, I. N., & Wolchik, S. A. (2018). Does shared parenting help or hurt children in high conflict divorced families?. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage. DOI

2017

• O'Hara, K. L., Duchschere, J., Beck, C. & Lawrence, E. (2017). Adolescent-to-parent violence: Translating research into effective practice. Adolescent Research Review. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Perkins, A., Tehee, M., & Beck, C. (2017). Measurement invariance across sexes in intimate partner abuse research. Psychology of Violence. DOI

2014

• Davidson, R., O'Hara, K. L., Beck, C. (2014). Psychological and biological processes in children associated with high conflict parental divorce. Juvenile and Family Court Journal. DOI

2013

• Beck, C. J., Anderson, E.R., O'Hara, K. L., Benjamin, G.A. H. (2013). Patterns of intimate partner violence in a large, epidemiological sample of divorcing couples. Journal of Family Psychology. DOI

2011

• O'Hara Brewster, K., Beck, C. J., Anderson, E.R., Benjamin, G.A. H. (2011). Evaluating parenting coordinator programs: Encouraging results from pilot testing a research methodology. Journal of Child Custody. DOI

2009

• Beck, C., Menke, J., O'Hara Brewster, K., & Figueredo, A. (2009). Validation of a measure of intimate partner abuse with couples participating in divorce mediation. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage. DOI

Book Chapters

• Cohen, R., Mahrer, N., O'Hara, K. L. & Wolchik, S. A. (accepted). Modifiers of the effects of interparental conflict post divorce. In M. Saini, L. Drozd, & N. Olesen (Eds), Parenting Plan Evaluations: Applied Research for the Family Courts (3rd Edition). Oxford University Press.
• Parker, S. M., Kotecha, D., O'Hara, K. L., & Wolchik, S. (accepted). Behavioral parent training in the context of conflict and divorce. In T. Del Vecchio & M. Terjesen (Eds.), Handbook of behavioral parent training. American Psychological Association.
• Sandler, I. N., O'Hara, K. L., Wolchik, S. A. & Salem, P. (2024). The case for evidence-based parent education programs in family dispute resolution. In P. Salem, & K. Olson (Ed) Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice.
• O'Hara, K. L., Rhodes, C. A., & Wolchik, S. A. (2024). Evidence-based interventions for children and adolescents who experience parental separation and divorce. In L. Theodore, M. Bray, & B. Bracken (Eds), Desk Reference for School Psychologists. Oxford University Press.
• Berkel, C., Winslow, E. B., Sandler, I. N., Wolchik, S. A., O'Hara, K. L., & Thomas, N. A. (2023). Building Resilience in All Children: A Public Health Equity Approach. In S. Goldstein & R. B. Brooks (Eds.), Handbook of Resilience in Children (pp. 397–425). Springer International Publishing. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Rhodes, C. A., Uhlman, R. N., Sandler, I. N., & Wolchik, S. A. (2023). Parental Separation and Divorce: Risk and Protective Factors and Their Implications for Children’s Adjustment. In J. L. Matson (Ed.), Handbook of Clinical Child Psychology (pp. 173–190). Springer International Publishing. DOI
• O'Hara, K. L., Sandler, I. N., Wolchik, S. A., & Rhodes, C. A. (2023). Interparental Conflict, Parental Relationship Dissolution, and the Development of Children’s Coping. In E. A. Skinner & M. J. Zimmer-Gembeck (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of the Development of Coping (pp. 489–509). Cambridge University Press. DOI
• Rhodes, C. A., O'Hara, K. L., Vélez, C. E., & Wolchik, S. A. (2021). Interventions to help parents and children through separation and divorce. In: Tremblay, RE, Boivin, M, Peters, RDeV, Eds. Emery, RE, Topic Ed. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development [online]. Read more
• O'Hara, K.L., Wolchik, S., & Sandler, I. (2018). Divorce: Recommendations for the school. In K. Minke & G. Bear (Eds.), Helping Children Handouts: Supporting Students at School and Home. National Association of School Psychologists.
• O'Hara, K.L., Wolchik, S., & Sandler, I. (2018). Divorce: Recommendations for the home. In G. Bear & K. Minke (Eds.), Helping Handouts: Supporting Students at School and Home. National Association of School Psychologists.