Stephanie Block

Expertise

Child Maltreatment, Psychology & Law, Memory for Trauma, Child Eyewitness Testimony, Prevention Science

Research Interests

Stephanie Block's research has broadly focused on children in the legal system, the effect of trauma on children's wellbeing and memory for emotional events, and the prevention of child maltreatment. Guided by a social-ecological perspective and interdisciplinary training, she conducts research that generates knowledge and informs public policy relevant to children in the child welfare and legal systems. Specifically her research is organized into three major areas:

1. Child Maltreatment - to advance our understanding of children in at-risk environments who show resilience (e.g., healthy, adaptive, or positive functioning despite maltreatment histories) and promote research-based interventions that help prevent child maltreatment.
2. Psychology and Law- to determine the best contexts for children to participate in the legal system and to understand how well adults can evaluate child witnesses.
3. Memory for Trauma - to better understand children's memory for traumatic and emotional events.

Her research has been funded by the National Institute of Justice and supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health.

Education

• Ph D: Developmental Psychology, Children in Court, (2008), University of California - Davis, California
• MA: Psychology, (2006), University of California - Davis, California
• BS: Psychology, (2003), Union College - Schenectady, NY

Selected Publications

• Block, S. D., Johnson, H. M., Gonzales, J. E., Winstead, A. P., Ramsey, M. G., Shockley, K. L., & Williams, L. M. (2024). Finding justice? recommendations beyond prosecution in 500 cases of child sexual abuse. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law.
• Talwar, V., Crossman, A., Block, S. D., Brubacher, S., Dianiska, R., Espinosa Becerra, A. K., Goodman, G. S., Lamb, M., London, K., La Rooy, D., Lyon, T. D., Malloy, L., Maltby, L., Nguyen Greco, V. P., Powell, M., Quas, J., Rood, C. J., Spyksma, S., Szojka, Z., … Wylie, B. (2024). Urgent issues and prospects on investigative interviews with Children and Adolescents. SSRN Electronic Journal.
• Johnson, H. M., Block, S. D., Gonzales, J. E., Ramsey, M. G., Shockley, K. L., & Williams, L. M. (2024). Predictors of non-offending caregiver support in cases of child sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 149, 106650. 
• Johnson, H. M., Block, S. D., Shestowsky, D., Gonzales, J. E., Shockley, K. L., & Goodman, G. S. (2023). Discernment of children’s true and false memory reports: Police officers and laypersons. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 39(9–10), 2238–2260.
• Cross, T. P., Block, S. D., & Vandervort, F. E. (2023). Commentary: The legal system response to child maltreatment. Child Maltreatment, 28(3), 399–402.
• Block, S. D., Johnson, H. M., Williams, L. M., Shockley, K. L., Wang, E., & Widaman, K. F. (2022). Predictors of prosecutorial decisions in reports of Child sexual abuse. Child Maltreatment, 28(3), 488–499.
• Block, S., Williams, L. (Wellesley College) (2019). The prosecution of child sexual abuse: A partnership to improve outcomes.
  
• Block, S. D., Poplin, A. B., Wang, E. S., Widaman, K. F., & Runyan, D. K. (2016). Variation in acceptable child discipline practices by child age: Perceptions of community norms by medical and legal professionals. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 34(1), 95–112.
• Harris, L.S., Block, S. D., Ogle, C.M., Goodman, G.S., Augusti, E., Larson, R.P., Culver, M.A., Pineda, A.R., Timmer, S.G., Urquiza, A. (2015). Coping Style and Memory Specificity in Adolescents and Adults with Histories of Child Sexual Abuse. Memory,24(8) 1078-1090.
• Hobbs, S., Goodman, G., Block, S. D., Oran, D., Quas, J., Park, A., Widaman, A., Baumrind, N. (2014). Child Maltreatment Victims’ Attitudes about Appearing in Dependency and Criminal Courts.CYSR Children and Youth Services Review,44 407-416.
• Block, S. D., Foster, E.M., Pierce, M.W., Berkoff, M.C., Runyan, D.K. (2013). Multiple Forensic Interviews during Investigations of Child Sexual Abuse: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.Applied Developmental Science,17(4) 174-183.
• Ogle, C.M., Block, S. D., Harris, L.S., Goodman, G.S., Pineda, A., Timmer, S., Urquiza, A., Saywitz, K.J. (2013). Autobiographical Memory Specificity in Child Sexual Abuse Victims.Development and psychopathology,25(2) 321-332.
• Block, S. D., Shestowsky, D., Segovia, D.A., Goodman, G.S., Schaaf, J.M., Alexander, K.W. (2012). “That Never Happened”: Adults’ Discernment of Children’s True and False Memory Reports. Law and human behavior.
• Block, S. D., Segovia, D.A., Shestowsky, D., Goodman, G.S., Schaaf, J.M., Alexander, K.W. (2012). Adults’ Abilities to Discern Children’s True and False Memory Reports. Law and human behavior,36 365-374.
• Goodman, G.S., Ogle, C.M., Block, S. D., Harris, L.S., Larson, R.P., Augusti, E.M., Cho, Y.I., Beber, J., Timmer, S., Urquiza, A. (2011). False Memory for Trauma-related Deese-Roediger-McDermott Lists in Adolescents and Adults with Histories of Child Sexual Abuse.Development and psychopathology,23(2) 423.
• Block, S. D., Oran, H., Oran, D., Baumrind, N., Goodman, G.S. (2010). Abused and Neglected Children in Court: Knowledge and Attitudes.Child abuse & neglect,34(9) 659-670.
• Block, S. D., Greenberg, S.N., Goodman, G.S. (2009). Remembrance of Eyewitness Testimony: Effects of Emotional Content, Self Relevance, and Emotional Tone.Journal of Applied Social Psychology,39(12) 2859-2878.
• Block, S. D., Shestowsky, D., Goodman, G., Segovia, D., Schaaf, J., Alexander, K. (2009). Adults’ Abilities to Discern Children’s True and False Memories. SSRN Electronic Journal.

Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research

• (2023) Children’s Justice Act, Understanding the needs for non-offending caregivers and the role of non-prosecutorial recommendations $89,973 (Block, PI)
• (2022) Children’s Justice Act, Understanding the needs for non-offending caregivers to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of child sexual abuse $81,276 (Block, PI)
• (2019) Funding from Wellesley College Center for Women $8,100
• (2014-2018) U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice Award $498,333 (Block, PI)
• (2009-2011) National Institute of Health (NIH) – Loan Repayment Program Recipient
• (2008-2011) NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship