Welcome

Our mission is to conduct research that explores the intricate interplay between sleep patterns and developmental trajectories in early childhood. By employing cutting-edge methodologies and collaborating across disciplines, we aim to uncover novel insights into the factors influencing infant sleep quality and its impact on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. Through our work, we strive to contribute to the enhancement of interventions and practices that promote healthy sleep habits and optimize developmental outcomes for infants and their families

Dr. Crowell is not accepting new doctoral students for Fall 2025

The ORCHIDS team conducting innovative research at the intersection between clinical and developmental psychology to discover how psychological struggles emerge and change across the lifespan. Much of our work focuses on researching and preventing extreme psychological suffering. In particular, we seek to understand some of the most vulnerable and misunderstood populations, including those who engage in self-inflicted injury, and those who struggle with personality disorders, substance use, stress or trauma, abuse and maltreatment histories, chronic depression, or who have died by suicide. A major theme of our work is understanding ways in which these diverse psychological outcomes are related in terms of biological vulnerabilities, contextual risks, acquired coping strategies, developmental trajectories, and dynamic relationship patterns. The research in my lab and of my colleagues has begun to elucidate unifying patterns that have improved our understanding of those who are suffering—with implications for intervention and prevention of chronic distress.