Ongoing Projects (data collection, posters, manuscripts) in Pediatric Psychology:

Chronic Conditions and Genetics and Inborn Errors of Metabolism

• The psychological issues faced by children with maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). The next phase of this work will focus on children ages 0-­5.

• Gaucher Disease: An investigation of the psychological characteristics of children with Gaucher Disease. This project is currently being carried out in collaboration with faculty at UCSF.

• Psychosocial functioning of siblings of patients with PKU

 Bereavement Studies

 • Study that examines Psychosocial Changes Associated with Participation in a Bereavement camp for Siblings of patients diagnosed with cancer.

• Pet Bereavement Studies – impact of the death of a pet on children and impact of the death of a pet on individuals (cross-­cultural study) These are collaborative studies with Dr. Cori Bussolari, Rachel Katz, and Dr. Betty Carmack.

Openings: 1 new member to join the pediatric psychology group

Application Process:

• Submit C.V. and a writing sample, via email, to Dr. Packman’s research assistants, Caitlin Gannon (cgannon@paloaltou.edu) and Paige Naylor (pnaylor@paloaltou.edu).
• Submit C.V. and a writing sample to Dr. Packman via email (wpackman@paloaltou.edu) and by hard copy.
• The writing sample is usually a paper submitted for a psychology class (e.g., Research Methods) while a student at PAU.
• Prospective students first meet with and are interviewed by current research group members.
• Following meeting with students, Dr. Packman will meet and interview prospective students. If research group members and Dr. Packman agree, students are invited to join the research group.
• All new research group members are on probation for the first quarter and one half to ensure that there is a “good fit” between the members of the research team and with Dr. Packman.

Notification: Students accepted into research group will be notified by email or in person no later than the PAU deadline.

Selected Publications in Pediatric Psychology, Bereavement, Biochemical

Genetic Disorders:

Packman, W.L., Crittenden, M.R.,Fischer, J., Shaeffer, E., Bongar, B., & Cowan, M.J. (1997). Siblings perceptions of the bone marrow transplantation process. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 15, No. 3/4, 81-­105.

Packman, W., Horsley, H., Davies, B., & Kramer, R. (2006). Continuing bonds and sibling bereavement. Death Studies, 30(9), 817-­841.

Packman, W., Henderson, S., Mehta, I., Ronen, R., & Danner, D., Chesterman, B., & Packman, S. (2007). Psychosocial and behavioral issues in families affected by MSUD. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 16(6), 799-­809

Packman, W., Mazaheri, M., Sporri, L., Long, J., Chesterman, B., Fine, J., & Amylon, M. (2008). Projective Drawings as Measures of Psychosocial Functioning in Siblings of Pediatric Cancer Patients from the Camp Okizu Study. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 25(1), 44-­55.

VanZutphen, K., Packman, W., Sporri, L., Needham, M., Morgan, C., Weisiger, K., & Packman, S. (2007). Executive functioning in children and adolescents with PKU. Clinical Genetics, 72, 13-18.

Henderson, S., Packman, W., & Packman, S. (2009) Psychological aspects of patients with Niemann-­Pick disease, Type B. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A149A, 2430-­2436.

Crosbie, T., Packman, W., & Packman, S.( 2009). Psychological complications of patients with Fabry disease. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Diseases 32; 745-­753DOI10.1007/s10545-­009-­1254-­1.

Mazaheri, M.M., Rae-­Seebach, R. D., Preston, H.E., Schmidt, M., Kountz-­Edwards, S.,Field, N.P., Cassidy, S., & Packman, W. (2012). The impact of Prader-­Willi syndrome on the family's quality of life and caregiving, and the unaffected siblings’ psychosocial adjustment. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. doi:10.1111/j.1365-­‐-­‐-­‐2788.2012.01634.x

  Packman, W., Field, N.P., Carmack, B.J., & Ronen, R. (2011).  Continuing bonds and psychosocial adjustment in pet loss. Journal of Loss and Trauma,16:4, 341-357,  DOI 10.1080/15325024.2011.572046