Department of
Psychological and Brain Sciences

• Clinical Science
• Developmental Psychology

• Developmental Psychopathology
• Pharmacoepidemiology
• Behavior Genetics/Genetic Epidemiology
• Health Service Research
• Dissemination and Implementation

My research, rooted in the field of developmental psychopathology, seeks to understand the etiology, assessment, and treatment of behavioral health problems (i.e., substance use and mental health problems). My research leverages advances in clinical psychology, developmental science, epidemiology/biostatistics, medicine, genetics, and dissemination and implementation research to answer fundamental questions in the field of public health. My colleagues and I primarily use three main approaches: (1) advanced epidemiologic methods, (2) longitudinal studies, and (3) intervention studies/health services research. Within these studies we have a particular interest in studying health disparities, focusing on individuals and groups who are especially vulnerable or who have been marginalized.

First, we analyze large, population-based datasets using several advanced epidemiologic designs that rigorously test alternative hypotheses when we examine how specific environmental risk and protective factors influence behavioral health problems. In particular, we use within-individual comparisons (e.g., we examine the risks of ADHD medication use when the same individual is on and off medication), sibling-comparisons (e.g., we compare siblings who are differentially exposed to maternal prescription drug use during pregnancy), cousin-comparisons (e.g., we study cousins who are differentially exposed to parental suicide), and offspring of twins (e.g., we study the offspring of identical twins who differed in their age at first childbearing).

Longitudinal analyses constitute the second major research program that we are using to study causal mechanisms. This enables us to use within-individual comparisons in our studies of the risks and benefits of medications. Analyzing longitudinal studies enables us to take a lifespan developmental approach and explore reciprocal process (i.e., how individuals influence and are influenced by risk factors across time). Longitudinal analyses also provide the opportunity to whether there are sensitive periods of development.

Our third major research approach is the use of intervention studies/health services research, particularly focused on how best to assess behavioral health problems in community settings and subsequently intervene. For example, I am studying the implementation of computer adaptive testing of behavioral health problems with community partners. And, I am working with the Division of Mental Health and Addiction in the Family and Social Services Administration in the state of Indiana to explore health disparities in the treatment of substance use problems across the state.

Adams S., Riley, T., Quinn, P. D., Meraz, R. M., Karna, V., Rickert, M., D’Onofrio, B. M. (2024) Racial-ethnic differences in ADHD diagnoses and treatments during adolescence and emerging adulthood. Psychiatric Services. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.20230113

Li, L., Zhu, N., Zhang, L., Kuja-Halkola, R., D’Onofrio, B.M., Brikell, I., Lichtenstein, P., Cortese, S., Larsson, H., Chang, Z. (2024) ADHD pharmacotherapy and mortality in individuals with ADHD: a target trial emulation study with observational data. JAMA, 331, 580-860. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.0851  

Wiggs, K. K., Rickert, M., Quinn, P.D., D’Onofrio, B. M., & Öberg, A. S. (2024). Specific birth defects following anti-seizure medications used by pregnant women with epilepsy. Neurology: Clinical Practice, 14, e200289. https://doi.org/10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200289

Quinn, P. D., Chang, Z., Pujol, T. A., Bair, M. J., Gibbons, R. D., Kroenke, K., & D’Onofrio, B. M. (2023). Association between prescribed opioid dose and risk of motor vehicle crashes. Pain, 164, e228-e236. http://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002790   

O’Reilly, L.M., Dalal, A., Maag, S., Perry, M., Card, A., Bohrer, M.B., Hamersly, J., Mohammed Nader, S., Peterson, K., Beiser, D.G., Gibbons, R.D, & D’Onofrio, B.M., Musey, P.I. (2022). Computer adaptive testing to assess impairing behavioral health problems in emergency department patients with somatic complaints. JACEP Open, 3:e12804. http://doi.org/10.1002/emp2.12804

O’Reilly, L., Elam, K.K., Quinn, P.D., Adams, S., Chirica, M.G., Klonsky, E.D., Pettersson, E., Lundström, S., Larsson, H., Lichtenstein, P., D’Onofrio, B.M. (2022). Examining Protective Factors for Substance Use Problems and Self-Harm Behavior during Adolescence: A Longitudinal Co-Twin Control Study. Development and Psychopathology, 34, 1781-1802. www.doi.org/10.1017/S0954579422000724

Sujan, A.C., Rickert, M.E., Quinn, P.D., Ludema, C., Wiggs, K.K., Lichtenstein, P., Larsson, H., Oberg, A.S., D’Onofrio, B.M. (2021). A Population-based study of concurrent prescriptions of opioid analgesic and selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications during pregnancy and risk for adverse birth outcomes. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 35, 184-193. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ppe.12721

D’Onofrio, B.M., Sjölander, A., Lahey, B.B., Lichtenstein, P., Oberg, A.S. (2020). Accounting for confounding in observational studies. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 16, 25-48. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045030  

Ghirardi, L., Larsson, H., Chang, Z., Chen, Q., Quinn, P.D, Hur, K., Gibbons, R.D., D’Onofrio, B.M. (2020). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medication and Unintentional Injuries in Children and Adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 59, 944-951. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2019.06.010

• Clinical Science
• Developmental Psychology