Wendy Silverman, PhD, ABPP
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Appointments
Child Study Center
Primary
Titles
Director, Yale Child Study Center Program for Anxiety Disorders
Contact Info
Child Study Center
230 South Frontage Road
New Haven, CT 06520
United States
Appointments
Child Study Center
Primary
Titles
Director, Yale Child Study Center Program for Anxiety Disorders
Contact Info
Child Study Center
230 South Frontage Road
New Haven, CT 06520
United States
Appointments
Child Study Center
Primary
Titles
Director, Yale Child Study Center Program for Anxiety Disorders
Contact Info
Child Study Center
230 South Frontage Road
New Haven, CT 06520
United States
About
Titles
Alfred A. Messer Professor in the Child Study Center and Professor of Psychology
Director, Yale Child Study Center Program for Anxiety DisordersBiography
Dr. Wendy Silverman is the Alfred A. Messer Professor of Child Psychiatry and Director of the Yale Child Study Center Anxiety and Mood Disorders Program, and Professor of Psychology. Dr. Silverman’s research focuses on the development/maintenance of anxiety and mood disorders and developing/testing treatments to alleviate them. She has published widely in the field and has served as principal investigator/co-investigator of many National Institute of Health research grants. She has contributed to the profession by serving as Chairperson and member of federal grant review panels, and as Associate Editor and Editor of major scientific journals in clinical psychology. Dr. Silverman has been recognized for her mentoring including being a past recipient of a NIMH midcareer research-mentoring award.
Appointments
Child Study Center
ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Center for Brain & Mind Health
- Child Study Center
- Predoctoral Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship in Psychology
- Yale Medicine
- Yale Stress Center
Education & Training
- PhD
- Case Western Reserve Univ (1981)
Research
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Wendy Silverman's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Wendy Silverman's research output by year.
Eli Lebowitz, PhD
Carla E Marin, PhD
Rebecca Etkin
Ania Jastreboff, MD, PhD
Dylan Gee, PhD
James Leckman, MD, PhD
302Publications
16,073Citations
Publications
Anxiety Symptom Trajectories Predict Depression Symptom Trajectories up to Four Years After CBT for Youth Anxiety Disorders
Fjermestad K, Norum F, Brask H, Kodal A, Silverman W, Heiervang E, Wergeland G. Anxiety Symptom Trajectories Predict Depression Symptom Trajectories up to Four Years After CBT for Youth Anxiety Disorders. Research On Child And Adolescent Psychopathology 2024, 1-11. PMID: 38878114, DOI: 10.1007/s10802-024-01214-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsCognitive behavioral therapyYouth anxiety disordersAnxiety symptom trajectoriesDepressive symptom trajectoriesDepressive symptomsSymptom trajectoriesParental mental healthAnxiety disordersAnxiety diagnosesMental healthDepression trajectoriesPost-cognitive behavioral therapyAssociated with less depressive symptomsSelf-reported depression levelsAnxiety symptom improvementDepression levelsParent-reported anxietyExamined depressive symptomsLess depressive symptomsGrowth curve modelsSelf-reported mental healthAssessment periodBehavioral therapyAnxiety trajectoriesDiagnostic recoveryPatterns of sub‐optimal change following CBT for childhood anxiety
Bertie L, Arendt K, Coleman J, Cooper P, Creswell C, Eley T, Hartman C, Heiervang E, In‐Albon T, Krause K, Lester K, Marin C, Nauta M, Rapee R, Schneider S, Schniering C, Silverman W, Thastum M, Thirlwall K, Waite P, Wergeland G, Hudson J. Patterns of sub‐optimal change following CBT for childhood anxiety. Journal Of Child Psychology And Psychiatry 2024 PMID: 38817012, DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.14009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsCognitive behavioral therapyAnxiety disordersAnxiety diagnosesGrowth curve modelsMinimal respondersGroup cognitive behavioral therapyPatterns of symptom changeCurve modelClinically anxious youthSocial anxiety disorderAssociated with significantly less improvementResponse patternsAssess patterns of changeAnxious youthDisorder remissionChildhood anxietyMaternal psychopathologyBehavioral therapyDisorder severityDiagnostic statusSymptom changePre-and post-treatmentDelayed respondersAnxietyParental factorsPreliminary Randomized Controlled Trial of the Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions Intervention for Highly Dependent Adult Children
Berger U, Silverman W, Lebowitz E. Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial of the Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions Intervention for Highly Dependent Adult Children. Emerging Adulthood 2024 DOI: 10.1177/21676968241252851.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsFamily accommodationSymptom severitySupportive parentingAnxious Childhood EmotionsDepressive symptom severityParents of adultsParental burdenParent-based interventionsIntellectual disabilityChild anxietyChildhood emotionalRandomized controlled trialsAdult ChildrenEmotional interventionAnxietyTrial completionTreatment satisfactionPost-treatmentCost-of-illnessWaitlistParentsSymptomsAdultsSatisfaction scoresControlled trialsFamily Accommodation and Separation Anxiety: The Moderating Role of Child Attachment
Weeks G, Sakmar E, Clark T, Rose A, Silverman W, Lebowitz E. Family Accommodation and Separation Anxiety: The Moderating Role of Child Attachment. Child Psychiatry & Human Development 2024, 1-10. PMID: 38755332, DOI: 10.1007/s10578-024-01705-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSeparation anxiety symptomsFamily accommodationAnxiety symptomsAttachment securitySeparation anxietyLevels of attachment securitySeverity of anxiety symptomsAssociated with separation anxietyNo significant moderating effectsClinically anxious childrenAnxiety-related distressHigher attachment securityChild attachment securityFindings enhance understandingAnxious childrenSignificant moderating effectChild anxietyChild attachmentParenting behaviorsAnxietyModerating roleModerating effectSymptomsChildrenAttachmentAttention Training for Child Anxiety and Its Disorders: Moving from Research to Clinical Implementation
Falcone M, Bar-Haim Y, Lebowitz E, Silverman W, Pettit J. Attention Training for Child Anxiety and Its Disorders: Moving from Research to Clinical Implementation. Clinical Child And Family Psychology Review 2024, 27: 550-560. PMID: 38740658, DOI: 10.1007/s10567-024-00482-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAttention trainingAnxiety reduction effectCognitive neuroscienceChild anxietyComputerized treatmentDelivery of sessionsAnxietyClinical practice settingDisordersEvidence-basedChildrenClinical trial dataPsychoeducationPractice settingsClinical practiceAttentionIncrease accessNeuroscienceTrainingClinical stepsSessionsTrial dataClinical implementationResearchExperimental researchThe Effectiveness of Modular Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Versus Treatment as Usual for Youths Displaying School Attendance Problems: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Johnsen D, Lomholt J, Heyne D, Jensen M, Jeppesen P, Silverman W, Thastum M. The Effectiveness of Modular Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Versus Treatment as Usual for Youths Displaying School Attendance Problems: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Research On Child And Adolescent Psychopathology 2024, 1-16. PMID: 38739306, DOI: 10.1007/s10802-024-01196-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsCognitive behavioral therapyTransdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapySchool attendance problemsRandomized controlled trialsSelf-efficacyMonths of cognitive behavioral therapyMental healthYouth self-efficacyParental self-efficacyEvidence-based interventionsWithin-group improvementsBehavioral therapyHours of interventionSchool refusalSchool attendanceAssociated with negative short-Emotional problemsConduct problemsSchool involvementIntervention servicesIntervention effectsEffective interventionsControlled trialsAged 6YouthChanges in Frontoamygdala Circuitry Associated With a Parent-Focused Intervention for Pediatric Anxiety Disorders
Gee D, Gunther K, Petrie D, Kitt E, Keding T, Broussard A, Zacharek S, Nardini C, Hommel G, Martino A, Anderson T, Spencer H, Odriozola P, Marin C, Silverman W, Lebowitz E. Changes in Frontoamygdala Circuitry Associated With a Parent-Focused Intervention for Pediatric Anxiety Disorders. Biological Psychiatry 2024, 95: s44. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.02.110.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchParent-Inclusive Therapy Needs to be Theory-Inclusive Therapy
Lebowitz E, Silverman W. Parent-Inclusive Therapy Needs to be Theory-Inclusive Therapy. Clinical Psychology Science And Practice 2024, 31: 82-84. DOI: 10.1037/cps0000196.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFamily Accommodation in Anxious Irritable and Anxious Non-irritable Youth
Budagzad-Jacobson R, Musicaro R, Marin C, Silverman W, Lebowitz E. Family Accommodation in Anxious Irritable and Anxious Non-irritable Youth. Behavior Therapy 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2024.03.003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFamily accommodationIrritable youthYouth anxietyParent ratingsCo-occurrence of anxietyLevels of irritabilityInfluence of irritabilityClinic-referredAnxiety disordersDiagnostic InterviewChild anxietyYouth ratingsAnxietyAccommodation behaviorAnxiety levelsTreatment targetModerating effectIrritability levelsYouthCo-occurrenceParentsIrritationDisordersFindingsAssociationResponding to threat: Associations between neural reactivity to and behavioral avoidance of threat in pediatric anxiety
Kitt E, Zacharek S, Odriozola P, Nardini C, Hommel G, Martino A, Anderson T, Spencer H, Broussard A, Dean J, Marin C, Silverman W, Lebowitz E, Gee D. Responding to threat: Associations between neural reactivity to and behavioral avoidance of threat in pediatric anxiety. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2024, 351: 818-826. PMID: 38290579, PMCID: PMC10981528, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.204.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsReactivity to threatMeasures of avoidanceVentral anterior insulaClinician-based measuresNeural reactivityPediatric anxietyAnxiety disordersBehavioral avoidanceFunctional magnetic resonance imaging taskAmygdala functional connectivityVentromedial prefrontal cortexTreatment-seeking sampleAvoidance of threatClinically significant constructsAssociated with tasksGeneralizability of findingsPrefrontal cortexAnterior insulaNeural findingsLaboratory tasksFunctional connectivityAnxietyAmygdalaAvoidanceSignificant constructs
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Reducing Suicide Risk in Adolescents and Young Adults with Bipolar Disorder and Depression via a Psychobehavioral Intervention
HIC ID2000032361RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date03/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge16 years - 29 yearsComparing F4C to Batterer Intervention
HIC ID2000026789RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date08/01/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderMaleAge18+ yearsTeen Binge Eating Study
HIC ID2000024926RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date02/28/2020Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge13 years - 17 yearsTargeting Attention Orienting to Social Threat to Reduce Social Anxiety in Youth
HIC ID2000025143RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date08/31/2024Recruiting ParticipantsAge10 years - 14 yearsA Short-Term Longitudinal Study of the Brain Mechanisms of Childhood Irritability
HIC ID2000025557REGRoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date05/14/2024Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge8 years - 15 years
Clinical Care
Overview
Wendy Silverman, PhD, is a clinical psychologist at the Yale Child Study Center who treats children with anxiety and phobias. She specializes in differential diagnosis, a process of distinguishing a patient’s condition from others that have similar symptoms. She also specializes in developing and testing novel treatments to reduce anxiety and phobias.
During her decades-long career, Silverman has seen exciting improvements in treatments that help reduce a child’s anxiety.
“It’s satisfying to see how the results of my decades of research and others have led to new and improved treatments that have helped children and families manage the child’s anxiety,” Silverman says. “It is reassuring for patients and families to learn that their treatments are backed by strong evidence.”
Silverman is the director of the Yale Child Study Center Anxiety and Mood Disorders program.
Clinical Specialties
Psychiatry; Psychology
Fact Sheets
Childhood Stress and Anxiety
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- June 07, 2023
Recognizing YCSC faculty & staff for long-term service at Yale
- October 18, 2022
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- October 12, 2022Source: Newsweek
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- August 31, 2022Source: ADDitutde: Inside the ADHD mind
When Should We Worry About Childhood Anxiety Disorders?
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Child Study Center
230 South Frontage Road
New Haven, CT 06520
United States
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