Molly Cairncross

BSc, MA, PhD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), or concussion, are very common among children and adolescents. While many recover without complication, a third of those who sustain an mTBI will experience symptoms that last months or years after injury. Children and adolescents who experience a slower than typical recovery report lower quality of life. This means they have increased physical and mental health concerns, more family stress, and reduced participation in valued activities (e.g., school, sports). Despite the prevalence and negative impacts of mTBI, treatment options are lacking and often inaccessible (e.g., expensive, only located in major city centers). My research aims to create accessible treatment options for children and adolescents who sustain mTBIs. I will develop and test digital health interventions that support children, adolescents, and their families with their recovery (e.g., psychoeducational websites and smartphone app-based behavioral interventions).

Academic Affiliations

  • Assistant Professor, , Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Simon Fraser University
  • Research Theme: Brain, Behaviour & Development
  • Research Group(s): Mental Health and Behaviour; Neurodevelopmental and Neurological Disorders; Pain and Stress

Contact Information

Location

Simon Fraser University, RCB 7317, 8888 University Dr., Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5A1S6

Smartphone App"Delivered Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Concussion in Adolescents (MBI-4-mTBI): A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

Veronik Sicard and Molly Cairncross and Roger Zemek and Noah D Silverberg and Gary S Goldfield and Nick Reed and Bechara J Saab and Andra Smith and Andre-Anne Ledoux

DOI: 10.2196/preprints.84623

09 / 2025

Avoidance and endurance coping after mild traumatic brain injury: patterns of coping and associated psychological functioning

Disability and Rehabilitation

Amarnath Nair, M. and Silverberg, N.D. and Picon, E.L. and Debert, C.T. and Bayley, M.T. and Hunt, C. and Cairncross, M.

DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2025.2505703

Psychological Transdiagnostic Processes in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery: A Scoping Review

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Courchesne, C. and Nair, M.A. and Gelineau, M. and McCloskey, L. and Faulkner, J. and Cairncross, M.

DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2025.07.014

Graded exposure therapy for adults with persistent symptoms after mTBI: A historical comparison study

Neuropsychological Rehabilitation

Rioux, M. and Brasher, P.M.A. and McKeown, G. and Yeates, K.O. and Vranceanu, A.-M. and Snell, D.L. and Cairncross, M. and Panenka, W.J. and Iverson, G.L. and Debert, C.T. and Bayley, M.T. and Hunt, C. and Burke, M.J. and Silverberg, N.D.

DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2024.2403647

Smartphone App"Delivered Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Adolescents: Protocol for a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

Andre-Anne Ledoux and Roger Zemek and Molly Cairncross and Noah Silverberg and Veronik Sicard and Nicholas Barrowman and Gary Goldfield and Clare Gray and Ashley D Harris and Natalia Jaworska and Nick Reed and Bechara J Saab and Andra Smith and Lisa Walker

DOI: 10.2196/preprints.57226

02 / 2024

Evaluation of a biopsychosocial education resource for mild traumatic brain injury: a mixed method exploratory study

Frontiers in Neurology

Faulkner, J.W. and Callagher, E. and Snell, D. and Nielsen, K. and Cairncross, M. and Theadom, A.

DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1429928

Smartphone App"Delivered Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Adolescents: Protocol for a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial

JMIR Research Protocols

Ledoux, A.-A. and Zemek, R. and Cairncross, M. and Silverberg, N. and Sicard, V. and Barrowman, N. and Goldfield, G. and Gray, C. and Harris, A.D. and Jaworska, N. and Reed, N. and Saab, B.J. and Smith, A. and Walker, L.

DOI: 10.2196/57226

Graded Exposure Therapy for Fear Avoidance Behaviour after Concussion (GET FAB): Protocol for a multisite Canadian randomised controlled trial

BMJ Open

Mikolic, A. and Klotz, T. and Brasher, P. and Yeates, K. and Vranceanu, A.-M. and Kendall, K.D. and Snell, D.L. and Debert, C.T. and Bayley, M. and Panenka, W. and Cairncross, M. and Hunt, C. and Burke, M. and Tartaglia, M.C. and Silverberg, N.

DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-086602

Development of Therapeutic Alliance and Social Presence in a Digital Intervention for Pediatric Concussion: Qualitative Exploratory Study

JMIR Formative Research

O'Kane, K.M.K. and Otamendi, T. and Silverberg, N.D. and Choi, E. and Sicard, V. and Zemek, R. and Healey, K. and Brown, O. and Butterfield, L. and Smith, A. and Goldfield, G. and Kardish, R. and Saab, B. and Ledoux, A.-A. and Cairncross, M.

DOI: 10.2196/49133

Acceptability, usability, and credibility of a mindfulness-based digital therapeutic for pediatric concussion: A mixed-method study

Digital Health

Sicard, V. and O?Kane, K. and Brown, O. and Butterfield, L. and Kardish, R. and Choi, E. and Healey, K. and Silverberg, N. and Smith, A.M. and Goldfield, G. and Saab, B.J. and Gray, C. and Goulet, K. and Anderson, P. and Mackie, C. and Roth, S. and Osmond, M. and Zemek, R. and Cairncross, M. and Ledoux, A.-A.

DOI: 10.1177/20552076241248296

A Cross-Sectional Investigation of Trait Mindfulness, Concussion Symptom Severity, and Quality of Life in Adults with Persisting Symptoms Postconcussion

Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine

Cairncross, M. and Ledoux, A.-A. and Greenberg, J. and Silverberg, N.D.

DOI: 10.1089/jicm.2023.0516

Three-month Practice Effect of the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery in Young Healthy Adults

Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences

Kuzmuk, L.E. and Rebchuk, A.D. and Deptuck, H.M. and Cairncross, M. and Silverberg, N.D. and Field, T.S.

DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2022.273

Neuropsychiatric Treatment for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Nonpharmacological Approaches

Seminars in Neurology

Mollica, A. and Dey, A. and Cairncross, M. and Silverberg, N. and Burke, M.J.

DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1742143

Perceptions of Symptom Duration are Associated With Emotional Distress and Functioning in Adolescents With Protracted Concussion Recovery

Journal of pediatric psychology

Plourde, V. and Silverberg, N.D. and Cairncross, M. and Virani, S. and Brooks, B.L.

DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsac020

Early Postinjury Screen Time and Concussion Recovery

Pediatrics

Cairncross, M. and Yeates, K.O. and Tang, K. and Madigan, S. and Beauchamp, M.H. and Craig, W. and Doan, Q. and Zemek, R. and Kowalski, K. and Silverberg, N.D.

DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-056835

Criterion validity of the brief test of adult cognition by telephone (BTACT) for mild traumatic brain injury

Brain Injury

Cairncross, M. and Gindwani, H. and Rita Egbert, A. and Torres, I.J. and Hutchison, J.S. and Dams O?Connor, K. and Panenka, W.J. and Brubacher, J.R. and Meddings, L. and Kwan, L. and Yeates, K.O. and Green, R. and Silverberg, N.D.

DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2022.2109744

Feasibility of Concussion Rehabilitation Approaches Tailored to Psychological Coping Styles: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Silverberg, N.D. and Cairncross, M. and Brasher, P.M.A. and Vranceanu, A.-M. and Snell, D.L. and Yeates, K.O. and Panenka, W.J. and Iverson, G.L. and Debert, C.T. and Bayley, M.T. and Hunt, C. and Baker, A. and Burke, M.J.

DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2021.12.005

Psychological mediators of avoidance and endurance behavior after concussion.

Rehabilitation Psychology

Alex R. Terpstra and Molly Cairncross and Keith O. Yeates and Ana-Maria Vranceanu and Jonathan Greenberg and Cindy Hunt and Noah D. Silverberg

DOI: 10.1037/rep0000390

11 / 2021

Avoidance and endurance coping after mild traumatic brain injury are associated with disability outcomes.

Rehabilitation Psychology

Briana D. Cassetta and Molly Cairncross and Penelope M. A. Brasher and William J. Panenka and Noah D. Silverberg

DOI: 10.1037/rep0000372

05 / 2021

Fear avoidance behavior in youth with poor recovery from concussion: measurement properties and correlates of a new scale

Child Neuropsychology

Cairncross, M. and Brooks, B.L. and Virani, S. and Silverberg, N.D.

DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2021.1908533

History of functional somatic syndromes and persistent symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury

Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

Green, K. and Cairncross, M. and Panenka, W.J. and Stubbs, J.L. and Silverberg, N.D.

DOI: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.20060159

Normative data for the fear avoidance behavior after traumatic brain injury questionnaire in a clinical sample of adults with mild tbi

Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation

Cairncross, M. and Debert, C.T. and Hunt, C. and Bayley, M.T. and Comper, P. and Chandra, T. and Silverberg, N.D.

DOI: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000669

Contingency management for individuals with chronic health conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Behaviour Research and Therapy

Ellis, J.D. and Struble, C.A. and Fodor, M.C. and Cairncross, M. and Lundahl, L.H. and Ledgerwood, D.M.

DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2020.103781

Evaluation of the Fear Avoidance Behavior after Traumatic Brain Injury Questionnaire

Journal of Neurotrauma

Snell, D.L. and Siegert, R.J. and Debert, C. and Cairncross, M. and Silverberg, N.D.

DOI: 10.1089/neu.2019.6729

Assessment of Prorated Scoring of an Abbreviated Protocol for the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society

Rebchuk, A.D. and Alimohammadi, A. and Yuan, M. and Cairncross, M. and Torres, I.J. and Silverberg, N.D. and Field, T.S.

DOI: 10.1017/S1355617720001010

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Therapies for ADHD: A Meta-Analytic Review

Journal of Attention Disorders

Cairncross, M. and Miller, C.J.

DOI: 10.1177/1087054715625301

Clinical and personality characteristics of problem and pathological gamblers with and without symptoms of adult ADHD

Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease

Cairncross, M. and Milosevic, A. and Struble, C.A. and Ellis, J.D. and Ledgerwood, D.M.

DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000000959

Demographic, Cannabis Use, and Depressive Correlates of Cannabis Use Consequences in Regular Cannabis Users

American Journal on Addictions

Struble, C.A. and Ellis, J.D. and Cairncross, M. and Lister, J.J. and Lundahl, L.H.

DOI: 10.1111/ajad.12889

Correlates of Treatment Retention and Opioid Misuse Among Postpartum Women in Methadone Treatment

Journal of Addiction Medicine

Ellis, J.D. and Cairncross, M. and Struble, C.A. and Carr, M.M. and Ledgerwood, D.M. and Lundahl, L.H.

DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000467

Client and clinician-rated characteristics of problem gamblers with and without history of gambling-related illegal behaviors

Addictive Behaviors

Ellis, J.D. and Lister, J.J. and Struble, C.A. and Cairncross, M. and Carr, M.M. and Ledgerwood, D.M.

DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.03.017

Assessing decision-making capacity in patients with communication impairments

Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics

Cairncross, M. and Peterson, A. and Lazosky, A. and Gofton, T. and Weijer, C.

DOI: 10.1017/S0963180116000414

Psychosocial Status in emerging adult females: Impact of pubertal timing and ADHD symptoms

Psychology and Education

Ostojic, D. and Brooker, B. and Cairncross, M. and Miller, C.J.

A behavioral genetic analysis of alexithymia and the dark triad traits of personality

Twin Research and Human Genetics

Cairncross, M. and Veselka, L. and Schermer, J.A. and Vernon, P.A.

DOI: 10.1017/thg.2013.19

MBI-4-mTBI Adolescents (Mindfulness-based Intervention for mild traumatic brain injury)

Our lab recently completed a small pilot (N=10) of a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) for adolescents following concussion in collaboration with a team at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. We found that the mindfulness-based intervention, delivered via smartphone app, was viewed as credible and was well tolerated by patients with acute and chronic concussion symptoms. We are now planning for a multi-centre randomized controlled feasibility trial of the mindfulness-based intervention for adolescents with persistent post-concussion symptoms (N=70). Participants will be randomized to receive the mindfulness-based intervention or an active control intervention. We will assess feasibility related to recruitment methods, intervention and control credibility, adherence to the intervention, and trial retention. This feasibility trial will lay the necessary ground work for a large-scale multi-centre efficacy trial.

Digital Connections

Given the poor adherence and attrition rates associated with digital interventions, and increased interest in delivering therapy online, it is of great importance to understand how best to maximize factors that may increase patient engagement with treatment. Social presence, or the extent to which a digital encounter feels like it is occurring in-person and has a sense of human connection to it, may be relevant to therapeutic alliance and engagement in self-guided digital interventions. Using a qualitative exploratory design (N=10), we will identify the factors that may be relevant to adolescents’ experience of social presence in self-guided digital interventions and determine if these factors are important for user experience and adherence to treatment. These findings will inform design changes to our digital intervention for concussion.

ABC (Attentional Bias in Concussion)

Pain catastrophizing and avoidance of pain-related stimuli can lead to disability in patients with chronic pain conditions. Attentional bias (measured via eye-tracking) plays a role in pain-catastrophizing, offering potential understanding of mechanisms that could be targeted to improve outcomes for this group. Pain catastrophizing and avoidance behaviour similarly lead to poorer outcomes from concussion. No previous research has examined the role of attentional bias in pain catastrophizing and fear avoidance behaviour in adolescents post-concussion. We will assess whether attentional bias to symptom-related stimuli is associated with pain-catastrophizing and fear-avoidance behaviour in adolescents post-concussion.

Grants

2022 – 2023, SFU Psychology Department Research Grant, Mindfulness-based intervention for adults with persisting post-concussion symptoms, Principal Investigator, $7500 (CAD)

2021 – 2025, Canadian Institute of Health Research, Graded exposure therapy for fear avoidance behavior (GET FAB) after concussion, Co-Investigator, $761,176 (CAD)

2022 – 2024, uOttawa Brain and Mind Research Institute Team Grant, Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury+MRI a Pilot study, Co-Investigator, $50,000 (CAD)

2021 – uOttawa Brain and Mind Research Institute Team Grant, Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury+MRI a Pilot study, Co-Investigator, $75,000 (CAD)

2020/1 - 2022/1 Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute Research Growth Award, Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Co-Investigator, $29,995 (CAD)

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