Faculty Directory
Jessica M. Black
Associate Professor
Chair, Children, Youth and Families Field of Practice
Jessica M. Black
Ph.D.
Contact
McGuinn Hall 209
Telephone: 617-552-1866
Email: j.black@bc.edu
Education
- B.A., U.C. Berkeley
- M.A., Stanford University
- Ph.D., Stanford University
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University School of Medicine
Research Interests
Educational Neuroscience, Neurodiversity, Innovation in Social Work Curricula, Dyslexia, Motivation, Positive Emotion, Spirituality, Neurotheology, Sleep, Mental Health, Translational Science, Educational Policy
Expertise
- Children, Youth, and Families
- Faith-Based Services
- Mental Health
- Neuroscience and Social Work
- School Social Work
- Trauma
In the News
Nature Reviews Neuroscience: The neural basis of humour processing
Cognitive Neuroscience Society: What Shapes a Child’s Sense of Humor?
Select Publications
Pierce, Z. P., & Black, J. M. (2022). Stress and susceptibility: A systematic review of prenatal epigenetic risks for developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 15248380221109792. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380221109792
Pierce, Z. P., & Black, J. M. (2021). The neurophysiology behind trauma-focused therapy modalities used to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder across the life course: A systematic review. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 15248380211048446. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211048446
King, C. D., Joyce, V. W., Nash, C. C., Buonopane, R. J., Black, J. M., Zuromski, K. L., & Millner, A. J. (2021). Fear of sleep and sleep quality mediate the relationship between trauma exposure and suicide attempt in adolescents. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 135, 243–247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.01.026
Black, J. M., & Conway, A. M. (2018). The importance of developmental neuroscience for social work research and practice with children and adolescents. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 9(2), 261-284. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/698166
Black, J. M. (2017). Adolescent brain development. Encyclopedia of Social Work: Oxford University Press. February, https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1239
Yamagata, B., Murayama, K., Black, J. M., Hancock, R., Mimura, M., Yang, T. T., Reiss, A. L., & Hoeft, F. (2016). Female-specific intergenerational transmission patterns of the human corticolimbic circuitry. The Journal of Neuroscience, 36(4), 1254–1260. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4974-14.2016
Black, J. M., & Hoeft, F. (2015). Utilizing biopsychosocial and strengths-based approaches within the field of child health: what we know and where we can grow. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 147, 13–20. https://doi.org/10.1002/cad.20089
Vrticka, P.**, Black, J. M.**, & Reiss, A. L. (2013). The neural basis of humour processing. Nature Reviews. Neuroscience, 14(12), 860–868. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3566