ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ

Gretchen Perhamus

gperhamus

Gretchen Perhamus

Assistant Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Department/Office Information

Psychological and Brain Sciences
Olin Hall

Contact

Why do some kids struggle with aggression, irritability, and apparent disregard for others (i.e., callousness) – and how can we help them better? Emotional and behavioral challenges like these, known as externalizing problems, are among the most common reasons children and adolescents are referred for mental health support. Unfortunately, these behaviors often elicit punishment rather than compassion, putting youth at risk for long-term difficulties across domains. In my lab, I apply a developmental psychopathology approach to untangle the roots of these externalizing problems from preschool through adolescence. In particular, I examine how stress reactivity, social cognitive processing, interpersonal relationships, and adversity interact to promote the development of externalizing problems, with an eye toward the functions that these emotional and behavioral tendencies serve for youth.  By deepening our understanding of why these patterns emerge, we can work toward more effective interventions which support, rather than stigmatize, these youth and their families.

Education and Professional Positions

Education

  • Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with Advanced Certificate in Developmental Psychology - University at Buffalo, SUNY
  • B.A. in Psychology and Sociology - The Pennsylvania State University

Clinical Training

  • Postdoctoral Training - T32 in Traumatic Stress Across the Lifespan Program, National Crime Victims & Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina
  • Predoctoral Clinical Internship - Charleston Consortium Psychology Internship, Medical University of South Carolina (Child Track)

Additional Research Positions

  • Post-Baccalaureate Intramural Research Award (IRTA) Fellow - Emotion & Behavior Branch, National Institute of Mental Health
Publications

Publications

For a full list of publications, please see my page.

Selected Representative Publications:

Perhamus, G. R., Siciliano, R. E., Phu, T., Sege, C., Adams, Z., Joseph, J., Chapman, J., Halliday, C., Bowyer, C., Hankin, B., Bernard, D., McTeague, L. & Danielson, C. K. (2026). Early trauma exposure moderates associations between cortisol reactivity and youth anxiety and externalizing symptoms. Development and Psychopathology. Online First.

Perhamus, G. R., Perry, K. J., Murray-Close, D. & Ostrov, J. M. (2026). Multi-system stress activity profiles and socioemotional functioning across the transition to kindergarten. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 103, 101931.

Perhamus, G. R., Murray-Close, D. & Ostrov, J. M. (2025). Parenting and peer victimization in the development of callous-unemotional behaviors: Moderation by irritability and basal cortisol. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 53(9), 1311-1323.

Perhamus, G. R. & Ostrov, J. M. (2025). Peer socialization processes in the development of callous-unemotional traits. Development and Psychopathology, 37(4) 2217-2234.

Perhamus, G. R., Ostrov, J. M. & Murray-Close, D. (2024). Aggression and irritability in middle childhood: Between- and within-person associations. Journal of Clinical and Adolescent Psychology, 53(2), 184-198. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2023.2272941 

Perhamus, G. R. & Ostrov, J. M. (2023). Inhibitory control in early childhood aggression subtypes: Mediation by irritability. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 54, 366-378.

Perhamus, G. R. & Ostrov, J. M. (2021). Emotions and cognitions in early childhood aggression subtypes: The role of irritability and hostile attribution biases. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 49(1), 63-75. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-020-00707-7

Awards and Distinctions

Awards & Distinctions

2025

  • Best research paper award, Charleston Consortium Psychology Internship

2024

  • Student Achievement Award in Research - Late-Stage Graduate Student, Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology/APA Div. 53
  • Rosatti Award, Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo

2023

  • Bugelski Dissertation Award Runner-Up, Departmetn of Psychology, University at Buffalo
  • Graduate Student Travel Award, Society for Research in Child Development
  • SUNY Graduate Research Empowering and Accelerating Talent (GREAT) Award

2022

  • Dissertation Fellowship, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Buffalo
  • Morton D. Brooks Scholarship, Psychological Association of Western New York
  • Young Investigator Program, International Society for Research on Aggression
  • Murray Levine Graduate Award for Community Engagement in Psychology, Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo

2021

  • Robert W. Rice Memorial Award for Excellence in Research, Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo

2018

  • Presidential Fellowship, University at Buffalo

2015

  • Erickson Summer Discovery Grant, Pennsylvania State University
  • Dean's Chair Scholarship, College of Liberal Arts, Pennsylvania State University

2014

  • Gene & Roz Chaiken Trustee Scholarship, College of Liberal Arts, Pennsylvania State University