Kate Guastaferro
Kate Guastaferro
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Assistant Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Director of the Center for the Advancement and Dissemination of Intervention Optimization
Director of the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Program
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Professional overview
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Kate Guastaferro, PhD is an intervention scientist by training, her work is devoted to the development, optimization, implementation and evaluation of effective, efficient, affordable and scalable interventions with high public health impact. She is an expert in the multiphase optimization (MOST) strategy and her expertise is in parent-focused, multicomponent behavioral interventions to prevent child maltreatment. Dr. Guastaferro co-led a statewide trial focused on the coordinated implementation of three evidence-base child sexual abuse prevention programs; included in this trial was the parent-focused child sexual abuse program that she developed, piloted and evaluated. Her current work is focused on the integration of intervention optimization into the prevention of child maltreatment.
Prior to joining NYU, Dr. Guastaferro was an assistant research professor in human development and family studies at the Pennsylvania State University, and an affiliate of its Prevention Research Center and Child Maltreatment Solutions Network. In 2020, she was awarded the Victoria S. Levin Award for Early Career Success in Young Children’s Mental Health Research from the Society for Research in Child Development. She has been published in Child Maltreatment, Translational Behavioral Medicine, and the American Journal of Public Health.
Dr. Guastaferro received her PhD and MPH from Georgia State University’s School of Public Health, and her BA in anthropology from Boston University. She also completed a year of postdoctoral training at the Pennsylvania State University.
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Education
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Postdoctoral Fellow, Prevention and Methodology Training Program (T32 DA017629), The Pennsylvania State UniversityPhD Public Health, Georgia State UniversityMPH Health Promotion, Georgia State UniversityBA Anthropology, Boston University
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Honors and awards
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Victoria S. Levin Award, Society for Research on Child Development (2020)NIH Loan Repayment Program Award: Toward the Optimization of Behavioral Interventions to Prevent Child Maltreatment (201820192020)Public Health Achievement Award, Georgia State University (2016)Scarlet Key Honor Society, Boston University (2008)
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Publications
Publications
Sexual sensation seeking, hookups, and alcohol consumption among first-year college students
AbstractThorpe, S., Ware, S., Tanner, A. E., Kugler, K. C., Guastaferro, K., Milroy, J. J., & Wyrick, D. L. (n.d.).Publication year
2021Journal title
Journal of American College HealthVolume
69Issue
8Page(s)
897-904AbstractObjective: To explore sexual sensation seeking (SSS) among an ethnically-diverse sample of first-year college students and their hookup behaviors. Participants: 1,480 first-year college students who hooked up in the last 30 days were recruited from four universities in 2016. Methods: Students completed an online survey before completing an online STI and alcohol prevention intervention. Results: Male and sexual minority students had significantly higher SSS scores compared to female and heterosexual students respectively. Students with higher SSS scores were less likely to report condom use at last vaginal and anal hookup, more likely to hookup under the influence of alcohol and participate in a wide range of sexual behaviors. There were no significant mean differences in SSS scores by level of intoxication during their last hookup. Conclusion: These findings highlight the role of SSS in predicting sexual risk behaviors of first-year college students and the overall low SSS scores among this sample.The multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) in child maltreatment prevention research
AbstractGuastaferro, K., Strayhorn, J. C., & Collins, L. M. (n.d.).Publication year
2021Journal title
Journal of Child and Family StudiesVolume
30Issue
10Page(s)
2481-2491AbstractEach year hundreds of thousands of children and families receive behavioral interventions designed to prevent child maltreatment; yet rates of maltreatment have not declined in over a decade. To reduce the prevalence and prevent the life-long negative consequences of child maltreatment, behavioral interventions must not only be effective, but also affordable, scalable, and efficient to meet the demand for these services. An innovative approach to intervention science is needed. The purpose of this article is to introduce the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) to the field of child maltreatment prevention. MOST is an engineering-inspired framework for developing, optimizing, and evaluating multicomponent behavioral interventions. MOST enables intervention scientists to empirically examine the performance of each intervention component, independently and in combination. Using a hypothetical example of a home visiting intervention and artificial data, this article demonstrates how MOST may be used to optimize the content of a parent-focused in-home intervention and the engagement strategies of an intervention to increase completion rate to identify an intervention that is effective, efficient, economical, and scalable. We suggest that MOST will ultimately improve prevention science and hasten the progress of translational science to prevent child maltreatment.When home is not safe: Media coverage and issue salience of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic
AbstractMadden, S., Guastaferro, K., Skurka, C., & Myrick, J. G. (n.d.).Publication year
2021Journal title
Howard Journal of CommunicationsVolume
32Issue
5Page(s)
474-492AbstractWhile staying at home is crucial for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, there is concern that such public health measures may increase the risk for child maltreatment (CM). Using a qualitative content analysis of news coverage and a quantitative survey (N = 250) of media consumers, this study explored the framing of CM as an issue during COVID-19, as well as audience recall and perceived efficacy to prevent maltreatment. Findings from the content analysis indicate that domestic violence and CM are frequently discussed together, and that less frequent interaction with mandatory reporters during the pandemic was often cited as a problem. Survey results suggest that social media and public service announcements are more important compared to news media for increasing audience perceptions of salience and efficacy around CM during a pandemic. Implications for studying media coverage of intertwined public health issues, like a pandemic and CM, are discussed.A parent-focused child sexual abuse prevention module added to PAT: Results of a cluster randomized trial.
AbstractGuastaferro, K., & Crane, J. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~An introduction to MOST: How to build more effective, efficient, economical, and scalable interventions.
AbstractGuastaferro, K. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~Black first-year college students’ alcohol outcome expectancies
AbstractThorpe, S., Tanner, A. E., Ware, S., Guastaferro, K., Milroy, J. J., & Wyrick, D. L. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Journal title
American Journal of Health EducationVolume
51Issue
2Page(s)
78-86AbstractBackground: Alcohol outcome expectancies (AOEs) are associated with college students’ varied alcohol consumption. Existing research on AOEs focuses primarily on heterosexual White students. Thus, it is important to explore how the intersection of multiple identities such as race, gender, and sexual orientation influence the endorsement of specific AOEs. Purpose: This paper examines AOEs among Black first-year college students, with specific attention to the influence of gender and sexual orientation. Methods: Participants were 307 Black students from four universities in the United States. We conducted bivariate analyses using the 2-factor and 4-factor B-CEOA scale. Results: Most students did not hold positive AOEs such as tension reduction and sexual enhancement. Students were more likely to endorse negative AOEs such as behavioral and cognitive impairment and social risk. Discussion: Black first-year college students reported more negative expectations associated with alcohol use, including those related to negative social risks and consequences. Thus, AOEs may serve as a protective factor against alcohol use among Black college students. Translation to Health Education Practice: Alcohol interventions should be tailored to focus on the intersection of race, gender, and sexual orientation. Culturally relevant alcohol interventions have the potential to reduce the immediate and long-term consequences of alcohol use.Drug court as an intervention point to affect the well-being of families of parents with substance use disorders
AbstractGuastaferro, K., Guastaferro, W. P., Brown, J. R., Holleran, D., & Whitaker, D. J. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Journal title
Substance Use and MisuseVolume
55Issue
7Page(s)
1068-1078AbstractBackground: A high proportion of justice-involved individuals have a substance use disorder and many of those individuals serve in a caregiving role to a child under 18. Given the negative impact of substance use and justice-involvement on the wellbeing of children, the criminal justice system may offer a unique intervention point with high public health impact. This study describes characteristics of adult drug court participants (DCP) that affect the wellbeing of their children and families and compares the DCP parenting and mental health characteristics to their child’s other caregiver in order to understand how parenting differs within drug court families. Method: Data were collected from a sample of 100 DCP; 58 had a matched other caregiver. Drug court data regarding substance use and criminogenic risk/need were collected. Analyses differentiated the parenting behaviors and mental health needs of DCP from other caregivers. Results: The DCP were at moderate to high risk for recidivism and presented with multiple and significant criminogenic and psychosocial functioning needs. Risk for potential maltreatment and poor parenting behaviors were elevated, and significantly higher compared to other caregivers. DCP demonstrated clinically elevated mental health needs, and were significantly different across all indicators of mental health compared to other caregivers. Conclusions: Adult drug courts address the occurrence of substance use disorders but there are additional needs to be intervened upon. Adult drug courts may be a viable intervention point to address issues of parenting and mental health to improve the wellbeing of criminal justice-involved individuals, their children, and families.Engagement in home visiting services during the transition from pregnancy to postpartum: A prospective mixed methods pilot study
AbstractDamashek, A., Kothari, C., Berman, A., Chahin, S., Lutzker, J. R., Guastaferro, K., Whitaker, D. J., Shanley, J., & Self-Brown, S. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Journal title
Journal of Child and Family StudiesVolume
29Issue
1Page(s)
11-28AbstractObjectives: This pilot study used a prospective mixed methods approach to examine predictors of retention in services during the transition from pregnancy to postpartum. Home visiting programs that serve pregnant women are an important means of improving child and maternal well-being. Providing services to women during the transition from pregnancy to postpartum is particularly important, because children under the age of 1 are at high risk for mortality. Morever, mothers face amplified levels of stress during the postpartum period. Unfortunately, home visiting programs in the United States that support pregnant and postpartum women suffer from high rates of attrition. General research on home visiting engagement suggests that the client-provider relationship is an important factor in predicting client engagement in services; however, few studies have examined factors related to maternal engagement during the transition from pregnancy to postpartum. Methods: Measures administered during pregnancy for 39 pregnant women were used to predict attrition up to 15 months postpartum. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at 3 months postpartum with 33 of the original 39 women to qualitatively assess factors related to engagement in services during the transition from pregnancy to postpartum. Results: Both quantitative and qualitative analyses indicated that clients’ perceptions of the client-provider relationship was a critical factor in maintaining mothers’ engagement in services. Both types of analyses indicated that perceived provider reliability was related to mothers’ engagement in services. Quantitative analyses also found that perceived provider cultural competence predicted engagement in services. Other findings from qualitative analyses indicated that mothers’ perception of the home visitor as trustworthy/supportive, personable/having good communication skills, knowledgeable, and collaborative/flexible, were factors that mothers noted when discussing engagement in services. Conclusions: These results advance the literature on engagement in home visiting services by overcoming some of the limitations of previous literature and may have implications for home visitor training.Engagement in home visiting: An overview of the problem and how a coalition of researchers worked to address this cross-model concern
AbstractGuastaferro, K., Self-Brown, S., Shanely, J. R., Whitaker, D. J., & Lutzker, J. R. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Journal title
Journal of Child and Family StudiesVolume
29Issue
1Page(s)
4-10AbstractHome visiting is a widely supported intervention strategy for parents of young children who are in need of parenting skill improvement. However, parental engagement limits the potential public health impact of home visiting, as these programs often have low enrollment rates, as well as high attrition and low completion rates for those who enroll in these programs. The Coalition for Research on Engagement and Well-being (CREW) provided support for three pilot projects representing different home visiting models and aspects of engagement. The results of these pilot projects are presented in this special section. The purpose of this commentary is to introduce CREW and highlight the importance of a cross-model project to improve engagement among home visiting programs.From ideas to interventions: A review of frameworks for designing and optimizing health-related behavioral interventions.
AbstractCzajkowski, S. M., Guastaferro, K., Murphy, S., Quian, T., & Spring, B. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~Introduction to the Multiphase Optimization Strategy for Behavioral Intervention Research.
AbstractGuastaferro, K. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~Iterative optimization and decision-making using the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) to optimize an online behavioral intervention.
AbstractGuastaferro, K., Wyrick, D. L., Tanner, A. E., Milroy, J. J., & Collins, L. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~itMatters: Optimization of an online intervention to prevent sexually transmitted infections in college students
AbstractWyrick, D. L., Tanner, A. E., Milroy, J. J., Guastaferro, K., Bhandari, S., Kugler, K. C., Thorpe, S., Ware, S., Miller, A. M., & Collins, L. M. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Journal title
Journal of American College HealthVolume
70Issue
4Page(s)
1-11AbstractObjective: To describe an iterative approach to developing an online intervention targeting the intersection of alcohol use and sexual behaviors among first year college students. Methods and Participants: Using the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST), we conducted two iterative optimization trials to: (1) identify candidate intervention components (i.e., descriptive norms, injunctive norms, outcome expectancies, perceived benefits of protective behavioral strategies, and self-efficacy to use strategies); (2) revise components; and (3) identify the optimized intervention. Participants were first year college students at six geographically diverse universities (optimization trial 1 N = 5,880; optimization trial 2 N = 3,551) Results: For both optimization trials, the results indicated that only descriptive and injunctive norms produced a significant effect (pLessons learned recruiting and retaining first-year college students in an evaluation of an online STI prevention intervention.
AbstractMiller, A. M., Ware, S., Thorpe, S., Tanner, A. E., Milroy, J. J., Guastaferro, K., Wyrick, D. L., Bhandari, S., & Collins, L. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~Mental health research agenda-setting paper
AbstractLai, B. S., Cooper, D., Guastaferro, K., Hoskova, B., Colgan, C., Krishna, R. N., Rohrbeck, C. A., & Gillis, J. R. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~Optimizing Multicomponent Interventions: The Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST).
AbstractGuastaferro, K. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~Parent-focused child sexual abuse prevention: An additive approach.
AbstractGuastaferro, K. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~Parent-focused child sexual abuse prevention: Results of a cluster randomized trial.
AbstractGuastaferro, K., & Noll, J. G. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~Running an optimization trial during COVID-19: Adaptations and Considerations from the field
AbstractGuastaferro, K., & Wells, R. D. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~Substance use and mental health outcomes during emerging adulthood among individuals with different patterns of child maltreatment
AbstractGuastaferro, K., & Bray, B. C. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Journal title
Emerging AdulthoodVolume
8Issue
6Page(s)
542-547AbstractThe aim of the current study was to identify patterns of child maltreatment experienced prior to age 18 and examine the relationship between those patterns and substance use and mental health disorders among emerging adults. Data were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. The analytic sample consisted of 5,194 adults between 18 and 25 years old. Latent class analysis revealed a three-class model: Rare Maltreatment (59%); Occasional Maltreatment, Rare Sexual Abuse (37%); and Frequent Maltreatment, Some Sexual Abuse (4%). Risk of substance use disorders and poor mental health was higher for the two classes who experienced maltreatment; however, those with Frequent Maltreatment had higher risk of poor mental health, but not substance use disorders compared to those with Occasional Maltreatment. Patterns of child maltreatment are important predictors of substance use and mental health disorders in emerging adulthood, but different patterns may necessitate specific intervention efforts.The Behaviour Change Taxonomy and the Multiphase Optimization Strategy: How do they work together?
AbstractMarchese, S. H., Pfammatter, A., Guastaferro, K., Spring, B. J., & Michie, S. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~The multiphase optimization strategy for developing and evaluating behavioral interventions
AbstractGuastaferro, K., Shenk, C. E., & Collins, L. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Page(s)
267-278AbstractThis chapter introduces the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST), an engineering-inspired framework for optimizing multicomponent behavioral interventions. The chapter contrasts the typical development of interventions with the MOST framework and discusses the potential to achieve steady, systematic progress in intervention science. In contrast to the typical development of a multicomponent intervention wherein the intervention is tested en bloc via a randomized controlled trial (RCT), MOST introduces a phase of optimization prior to the RCT wherein the effect of individual components and the interaction between components is empirically tested. The objective of MOST is to arrive at an optimized intervention that is highly effective, but also efficient, economical, and scalable. This chapter provides an overview of the MOST framework and demonstrates its application using a hypothetical example of the optimization of a clinical intervention targeting posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among children who have experienced maltreatment.The multiphase optimization strategy for developing and evaluating psychological interventions
AbstractGuastaferro, K., Shenk, C. E., & Collins, L. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Page(s)
267-278Abstract~Using the Multiphase Optimization Strategy for Developing, Optimizing, and Evaluating Multicomponent Interventions.
AbstractGuastaferro, K. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~Validating the Hurricane Related Traumatic Experiences Measures: Understanding disaster exposure among children.
AbstractLai, B. S., La Greca, A. M., Cooper, D., Guastaferro, K., Hoskova, B., & Kelley, M. L. (n.d.).Publication year
2020Abstract~