Diana Whalen
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
- Phone: 314-286-0918
- Email: diana.whalen@nospam.wustl.edu
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral T32 Fellowship: Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 2017
- PhD: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 2014
- BS: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 2005
Major Awards
- NIMH Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23 MH118426), 2018
- NIMH Loan Repayment Award (L30 MH108015), 2015
- David H. Barlow, Ph.D. Grand Rounds Speakership Award, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2014
- Bassell Outstanding Student Award, University of Pittsburgh, 2013
Research Interests
Dr. Whalen’s research broadly examines the complex relationships between physical and mental health in young children, highlighting the positive role of physical activity on the developing brain and affective systems.
Key Publications
- Whalen DJ, Gilbert KE, Jackson JJ, Barch DM, Luby JL, (2020 Feb). Using a Thin Slice Coding Approach to Assess Preschool Personality Dimensions. J Pers Assess. 1-10.
Read publication »Using a Thin Slice Coding Approach to Assess Preschool Personality Dimensions. - Pine A, Barch DM, Luby J, Whalen DJ, (2020 Apr). Emotion Identification in Preschool and Early Adolescent Body Mass Index: Exploring the Roles of Depressive Symptoms and Peer Relations. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 51(2): 321-329.
Read publication »Emotion Identification in Preschool and Early Adolescent Body Mass Index: Exploring the Roles of Depressive Symptoms and Peer Relations. - Whalen DJ, Gilbert KE, Kelly D, Hajcak G, Kappenman ES, Luby JL, Barch DM, (2020 Jan). Preschool-Onset Major Depressive Disorder is Characterized by Electrocortical Deficits in Processing Pleasant Emotional Pictures. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 48(1): 91-108.
Read publication »Preschool-Onset Major Depressive Disorder is Characterized by Electrocortical Deficits in Processing Pleasant Emotional Pictures. - DeVille DC, Whalen D, Breslin FJ, Morris AS, Khalsa SS, Paulus MP, Barch DM, (2020 Feb). Prevalence and Family-Related Factors Associated With Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Attempts, and Self-injury in Children Aged 9 to 10 Years. JAMA Netw Open. 3(2): e1920956.
Read publication »Prevalence and Family-Related Factors Associated With Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Attempts, and Self-injury in Children Aged 9 to 10 Years. - Whalen DJ, Dixon-Gordon K, Belden AC, Barch D, Luby JL, (2015 Nov). Correlates and Consequences of Suicidal Cognitions and Behaviors in Children Ages 3 to 7 Years. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 54(11): 926-37.e2.
Read publication »Correlates and Consequences of Suicidal Cognitions and Behaviors in Children Ages 3 to 7 Years. - Whalen DJ, Sylvester CM, Luby JL, (2017 07). Depression and Anxiety in Preschoolers: A Review of the Past 7 Years. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 26(3): 503-522.
Read publication »Depression and Anxiety in Preschoolers: A Review of the Past 7 Years.
Funded Research Projects
NIMH(Significant Contributor):Neuroimaging in Early Onset Depression: Longitudinal Assessment of Brain Changes
Office of the Director(Significant Contributor): Mediators and Moderators of Effects of Environmental Exposures on Neurodevelopment and Health Outcomes in Early Childhood
NICHD(Significant Contributor):Neural Correlates and Behavioral Indicators of Resiliency in Early Childhood
NIMH(Significant Contributor):Early Life Adversity, Biological Embedding, & Risk for Developmental Precursors of Mental Disorders
NIMH(PI):Influence of Physical Activity on Daily Positive Affect & Affective Neural Activity in Preschoolers
NIMH(Significant Contributor):The Developmental Psychopathology of Suicidal Ideations and Cognitions in Childhood