Scholars

Professor

Positions:

Associate Professor
Faculty Affiliate, Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES)
Associate Department Head
Faculty Fellow, Center for Health Systems and Design, School of Architecture
Professor

overview

My research focuses on the trans-disease processes of cognitive and emotional dysregulation and how these factors affect health-risk behaviors in adolescents. Identifying trans-disease processes that contribute to the development or maintenance of multiple diagnostic categories -- that underlie both substance use and obesity -- can enhance the development of interventions that target the underlying process rather than specific symptoms of a single disorder. This not only provides a more efficient approach to treatment, it is particularly relevant to health disparities. I am especially interested in how these trans-disease processes interact with family, social, and psychological factors to increase engagement in health-related risk behaviors, and the development of appropriate prevention and intervention tools that can be used to improve health outcomes in youth. I conceptualize these processes in the context of physical and mental health disparities as they relate to stress, minority status (race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender) and socioeconomic factors (food insecurity).

education and training

Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, University of South Florida - (Tampa, Florida, United States) 2008
M.A. in Clinical Psychology, University of South Florida - (Tampa, Florida, United States) 2004
B.S. in Psychology, Duke University - (Durham, North Carolina, United States) 1998
B.A. in Chemistry, Duke University - (Durham, North Carolina, United States) 1998

selected publications

Academic Articles78

Thamotharan, S., Hahn, H. A., Ramos, A., Harris, B., Johnson, M. W., & Fields, S. A. (2024). Validation of the Sexual Discounting Task for Use in Adolescents.. Archives of Sexual Behavior.
Smallman, R., Arthur, K. M., Dvorak, R. D., & Fields, S. A. (2023). From if-then to here and now: Using personalized counterfactuals from past negative experiences to reduce future alcohol consequences.. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology. 31(2), 386-396.

SDG 3
Fields, S., Arthur, K., Schueler, J., & Smallman, R. (2023). Using a counterfactual-based intervention to change eating intentions: Results from Hispanic and non-Hispanic undergraduate and community samples.. Appetite. 183, 106460-106460.
Arthur, K. M., Fields, S. A., & Smallman, R. (2023). A mixed-method analysis of counterfactual thinking, negative event themes, and the transtheoretical model in a community sample of smokers.. Journal of Health Psychology. 13591053231157218-135910532311572.
Schueler, J., Philip, S. R., Vitus, D., Engler, S., & Fields, S. A. (2023). Group differences in binge eating, impulsivity, and intuitive and mindful eating among intermittent fasters and non-fasters.. Appetite. 182, 106416-106416.

Chapters4

Sabharwal, A., Fields, S., Hilliard, M. E., & DeSalvo, D. J. (2020). Chapter 3 Digital technologies to support behavior change: challenges and opportunities. Diabetes Digital Health. 37-50. Elsevier.

SDG 3
Vermillion, S. D., Malak, R. J., Smallman, R., & Fields, S. (2015). Studying the Sunk Cost Effect in Engineering Decision Making with Serious Gaming. Gero, J. S., & Hanna, S. (Eds.), Design Computing and Cognition '14. 571-587. Springer Nature.
Hankinson, J. C., Thurston, I. B., Fields, S., Rojas, A., Kamboukos, D., & Phares, V. (2010). THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL THERAPY IN THE FAMILY AND ADOLESCENTS' EMOTIONAL/BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS. Columbus, A. M. (Eds.), ADVANCES IN PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH, VOL 67. 149-162. Nova Science Publishers.
Phares, V., Watkins, M. M., & Fields, S. A. (2003). Mothers and fathers roles in normal child development. Ollendick, T. H., & Schroeder, C. S. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of pediatric and child psychology. 385-386. Plenum.