Dr. Greta M. Massetti
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., State University of New York at Stony Brook
Office: 222 Park Hall / 334 Diefendorf
Phone: (716) 645-3650 x. 222 / (716) 829-2244 x. 23
E-mail (will open in a new window)

Summary of Research Interests:

Greta Massetti's research interests involve early identification of and intervention with children at risk for learning and behavior problems, school-based programs for social and character development and prevention of violence, and the impact of educational policy on the academic and socio-emotional functioning of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Dr. Massetti coordinates and collaborates on ongoing research projects evaluating the effects of comprehensive, school-based interventions for high-risk children in urban, public school settings. Dr. Massetti's work targets three primary goals: 1) to develop an understanding of the relationship between and developmental course of learning and behavior problems in schoolchildren; 2) to conduct research on empirically supported school-based interventions for learning and behavior problems; and 3) the dissemination and implementation of empirically supported treatments in school settings, including identifying and addressing barriers to implementation.

Dr. Massetti's research goals incorporate developmental, intervention, and educational policy issues. We are collaborating with urban schools that serve disadvantaged populations to develop an understanding of 1) the nature and correlates (social, behavioral) of the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and those who come from middle- and upper-class backgrounds; 2) environmental influences on academic achievement and behavioral functioning in school settings, including the impact of neighborhood violence and normative levels of aggression; and 3) the impact of federal educational policy on urban schools and the achievement and behavioral functioning of the students they serve. Furthermore, we are leading an innovative project involving a randomized evaluation of a comprehensive, intensive school-wide intervention to diminish violence and disruptive behavior and foster social and character development in urban schools.

Representative Publications:

• Christian, K., Morrison, F.J., Frazier, J.A., & Massetti, G. (2000). Specificity in the nature and timing of cognitive growth in kindergarten and first grade. Journal of Cognition and Development, 1, 429-448.
• Massetti, G.M., & Whitehurst, G.J. (2000). Early intervention to promote preschoolersˇ¦ language skills: Dialogic Reading. Focal Point, Fall 1999,9-14.
• Pelham, W.E., & Massetti, G.M. (2003). Commentary: Expanding on Effectiveness. School Psychology Review, 32, 536-540.
• Whitehurst, G.J., & Massetti, G.M. (2004). How well is Head Start preparing children to learn to read? In E. Zigler & S.J. Styfco, (Eds.), The Head Start Debates. Brookes Publishing.
• Lahey, B.B., Pelham, W.E., Loney, J., Kipp, H., Ehrhardt, A., Lee, S.S., Willcutt, E.G., Hartung, C.M., Chronis, A., & Massetti, G. (2004). Three-year predictive validity of DSM-IV attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children diagnosed at 4-6 years of age. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161, 2014-2020.
• Pelham, W.E., Fabiano, G.A., & Massetti, G.M. (2005) Evidence-Based Assessment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34, 449-476.
• Pelham, W.E., Massetti, G.M., Wilson, T., Kipp, H., Myers, D., Newman, B.B., Billheimer, S., & Waschbusch, D. A. (2005). Implementation of a comprehensive school-wide behavioral intervention: The ABC Program. Journal of Attention Disorders, 9, 248-260.
• Waschbusch, D.A., Pelham, W.E., & Massetti, G.M. (2005). The Behavior Education Support and Treatment (BEST) School Intervention Program: Pilot Project Data Examining School-Wide, Targeted-School, and Targeted-Home Approaches. Journal of Attention Disorders, 9, 313-320.
• Lahey, B.B., Pelham, W.E., Chronis, A., Massetti, G., Kipp, H., Ehrhardt, A., & Lee, S.S. (in press). Predictive validity of ICD-10 hyperkinetic disorder relative to DSM-IV attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among younger children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.