Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen

PhD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital

My research harnesses methodology from clinical and counselling psychology, health psychology and public health to understand intersectional risk and resilience factors that contribute to the development of psychological distress in parents and children. My research aims to refine and disseminate psychological interventions to improve parent and child mental health, with a focus on co-developing mobile health (mHealth) interventions (i.e., psychological support provided by mobile devices) that can best engage traditionally underserved populations. I also strive to shift public policy to create greater accessibility of mental health interventions and to identify targets for reformation of recruitment, training, and retention of diverse and culturally competent clinician scientists.

My program of research seeks to uncover the mechanisms through which stressors (e.g., discrimination, poverty) impact health, and find ways to effectively intervene. In particular, I am interested in (1) understanding the mechanisms through which stress and mental illness transmit from parents to children, and (2) developing and disseminating interventions to interrupt this transmission of stress in at-risk populations. This has included co-development of mobile health (mHealth) interventions (i.e., psychological support provided by mobile devices) that can best engage traditionally underserved populations. My research harnesses methodology from clinical and counselling psychology, health psychology and public health, and attempts to shift public policy to create greater accessibility of mental health interventions. I also strive to identify targets for improving recruitment, training, and retention of diverse and culturally competent clinician scientists.