Cara Tomaso, PhD
she/her/hers
Assistant ProfessorCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
Psychological Impact of External Fixator Devices on Patients with Traumatic Injury: A Scoping Review
Nair M, Ayhan E, Zazulak B, Tomaso C, Medvecky M. Psychological Impact of External Fixator Devices on Patients with Traumatic Injury: A Scoping Review. Trauma Care 2025, 5: 28. DOI: 10.3390/traumacare5040028.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPsychological impactMental health scoresMental health resourcesMental health outcomesElevated psychological distressExternal fixationTraumatic injuryPatient-reported questionnairesEQ-5D-5LSF-36/SF-12Soft tissue injuriesSufficient psychological supportHealth outcomesScoping ReviewHealth scoresHealth resourcesPsychological distressCare protocolsBody image concernsTrauma carePsychological supportPsychological outcomesInjury typePsychological challengesInclusion criteriaCommentary on JPOSNA® Quality Improvement Case Series: Pediatric Limb Reconstruction Gone Wrong: Risks of Pursuing Treatment Without Thorough Psychological Evaluation
Iobst C, Flanagan J, Schoffner K, Tomaso C, Frumberg D, Hoehn J. Commentary on JPOSNA® Quality Improvement Case Series: Pediatric Limb Reconstruction Gone Wrong: Risks of Pursuing Treatment Without Thorough Psychological Evaluation. Journal Of The Pediatric Orthopaedic Society Of North America 2025, 11: 100192. PMID: 40432847, PMCID: PMC12088338, DOI: 10.1016/j.jposna.2025.100192.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAdolescent health behavior profiles and associations with mental health in a longitudinal study
Kidwell K, Brock R, Tomaso C, Phillips E, James T, Yaroch A, Hill J, Nelson J, Huang T, Mason W, Espy K, Nelson T. Adolescent health behavior profiles and associations with mental health in a longitudinal study. Journal Of Health Psychology 2025, 30: 2232-2249. PMID: 39887976, DOI: 10.1177/13591053251314328.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAssociated with mental healthHealth behavior profilesMental healthBehavioral profileSubstance useLow fruit/vegetable intakeHealth behavior patternsMental health symptomsMinimal substance useAdolescent health behaviorsFruit/vegetable intakePhysical activityHealthy behaviorsHealth behaviorsParental psychopathologyHealth symptomsHigh-risk groupAverage sleepE-cigarettesAssessment pointsIntervention effortsSleep durationHealthLongitudinal studyProfile 2
2024
Early childhood executive control modulates negative affectivity's role in increasing adolescent body mass index trajectories
Tomaso C, James T, Brock R, Yaroch A, Hill J, Huang T, Nelson J, Mason W, Espy K, Nelson T. Early childhood executive control modulates negative affectivity's role in increasing adolescent body mass index trajectories. Pediatric Obesity 2024, 19: e13144. PMID: 38926799, DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.13144.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchExecutive control abilitiesExecutive controlNegative affectExecutive control tasksChild Behavior QuestionnaireControl abilityEarly risk factorsEarly temperamentAssess temperamentBehavior QuestionnaireTemperamentControl taskLongitudinal studyAffectAssociated with pediatric obesityBMI growthRisk factorsTargeted assessmentWeight outcomesAffective rolesPrevention effortsChildrenChildhood obesity prevention effortsObesity prevention effortsBody mass index trajectories
2023
Exploring the Interaction Between Preschool Executive Control and Caregiver Emotion Socialization in Predicting Adolescent Weight Trajectories
Laifer L, Brock R, Tomaso C, James T, Yaroch A, Hill J, Huang T, Nelson J, Mason W, Espy K, Nelson T. Exploring the Interaction Between Preschool Executive Control and Caregiver Emotion Socialization in Predicting Adolescent Weight Trajectories. Journal Of Youth And Adolescence 2023, 53: 656-668. PMID: 38117361, PMCID: PMC10872396, DOI: 10.1007/s10964-023-01928-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPreschool executive controlEmotion-related socialization behaviorsCaregiver emotion socializationExecutive controlSupportive responsesEmotion socializationSocialization behaviorsExecutive control tasksLower executive controlEmotion socialization practicesSelf-regulatory abilitiesSelf-regulatory resourcesFamily factorsImportance of effortsLongitudinal designNeural vulnerabilitySocialization practicesControl taskExternal regulationLaboratory visitsAge 14Longitudinal studyAdolescenceParticipantsNegative associationEarly executive control buffers risk for adolescent psychopathology during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Laifer L, Tomaso C, Chang O, Phillips E, James T, Nelson J, Espy K, Mason W, Nelson T. Early executive control buffers risk for adolescent psychopathology during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Journal Of Adolescence 2023, 95: 1205-1219. PMID: 37211897, PMCID: PMC10526894, DOI: 10.1002/jad.12195.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdolescent internalizing problemsCOVID-related stressExecutive controlInternalizing problemsAdolescent psychopathologyPreschool executive controlEarly executive controlMental health symptomsImpact of stressYouth mental healthEC deficitsCognitive developmentTrauma symptomsEC tasksHealth symptomsSymptom levelsLaboratory visitsMental healthPsychopathologyLongitudinal studyIndividual factorsIntervention strategiesParticipantsSmall Midwestern cityCurrent study
2022
The roles of sleep and executive function in adolescent nighttime eating
Tomaso C, Yaroch A, Hill J, Jackson T, Nelson J, James T, Mason W, Espy K, Nelson T. The roles of sleep and executive function in adolescent nighttime eating. Eating Behaviors 2022, 46: 101657. PMID: 36029566, PMCID: PMC11260188, DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2022.101657.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNighttime eatingSleep durationSleep parametersExecutive functionPoor nutritional intakeRole of sleepPediatric populationModifiable factorsFat consumptionNutritional intakeDietary practicesActigraph deviceVulnerable populationsGlobal executive functionTwo-week periodAverage caloriesAdolescentsEatingSleepSelf-report measuresCurrent studyDurationObesityInflammationGreat variabilityExecutive Control Throughout Elementary School: Factor Structure and Associations With Early Childhood Executive Control
Nelson T, James T, Nelson J, Tomaso C, Espy K. Executive Control Throughout Elementary School: Factor Structure and Associations With Early Childhood Executive Control. Developmental Psychology 2022, 58: 730-750. PMID: 35343719, PMCID: PMC9583682, DOI: 10.1037/dev0001314.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExecutive control abilitiesExecutive controlPartial scalar invarianceFlexible shiftingScalar invarianceFactor structurePreschool executive controlExecutive control componentsGeneral cognitive abilityPerformance-based tasksControl abilityExecutive control developmentElementary schoolMeasurement invariance testingTwo-factor structureConfirmatory factor analysisCognitive abilitiesInvariance testingCommunity sampleLongitudinal studyLatent factorsMemoryFactor analysisPreschoolConsiderable continuity
2021
Longitudinal associations between executive control and body mass index across childhood
Tomaso C, James T, Nelson J, Espy K, Nelson T. Longitudinal associations between executive control and body mass index across childhood. Pediatric Obesity 2021, 17: e12866. PMID: 34725959, PMCID: PMC8923908, DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.12866.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsExecutive controlHigher-order cognitive abilitiesIntercept cross-lagged panel modelRandom intercept cross-lagged panel modelBetter inhibitory control performanceCross-lagged panel modelExecutive control abilitiesExecutive control tasksExecutive control performanceInhibitory control performanceCognitive abilitiesMental informationMiddle childhoodMalleable factorsCommunity sampleReciprocal associationsMental transitionControl taskLongitudinal associationsSubsequent BMIPrevalent public health concernControl abilityResponse modulationGrade threeWeight problemsMuch Ado About Missingness: A Demonstration of Full Information Maximum Likelihood Estimation to Address Missingness in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data
Nelson T, Brock R, Yokum S, Tomaso C, Savage C, Stice E. Much Ado About Missingness: A Demonstration of Full Information Maximum Likelihood Estimation to Address Missingness in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data. Frontiers In Neuroscience 2021, 15: 746424. PMID: 34658780, PMCID: PMC8514662, DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.746424.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Clinical Care
Overview
Clinical Specialties
Pediatric Orthopedics; Psychology
News & Links
News
- October 29, 2024
Yale Pediatric Psychology Program Expands, Offers Support to Medically Complex Youth
- July 03, 2024
YCSC 2024 graduates share plans and next steps
- June 25, 2024
Forty trainees recognized at annual Yale Child Study Center graduation event
- July 05, 2022
Yale Child Study Center Welcomes Sixteen New Fellows
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