Dr. Whitesell is a developmental psychologist who works in partnership with Indigenous (American Indian and Alaska Native) communities to engage in research that informs interventions to improve developmental outcomes for children birth through adolescence. This collaborative work includes developing and testing interventions to prevent early substance use, studying implementation of early childhood interventions, creating measures for use in research and practice with Indigenous children and families, and training the next generation of Indigenous prevention scientists. She utilizes Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approaches that engage Indigenous community partners in all aspects of research, from identification of study goals through interpretation of data and dissemination of findings to help ensure research addresses questions of importance to communities, uses methods that are both culturally and scientifically rigorous, generates meaningful data, constructs accurate interpretations, and fosters leadership by Indigenous researchers. Her expertise in advanced statistical techniques supports the application of rigorous research methods to questions identified with community partners. She uses latent variable statistical methods (e.g., factor analysis, latent class models), structural equation modeling and longitudinal modeling (e.g., latent growth curve modeling) to support understanding of developmental processes that in turn inform intervention efforts.

Dr. Whitesell is a developmental psychologist who works in partnership with Indigenous (American Indian and Alaska Native) communities to engage in research that informs interventions to improve developmental outcomes for children birth through adolescence. This collaborative work includes developing and testing interventions to prevent early substance use, studying implementation of early childhood interventions, creating measures for use in research and practice with Indigenous children and families, and training the next generation of Indigenous prevention scientists. She utilizes Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approaches that engage Indigenous community partners in all aspects of research, from identification of study goals through interpretation of data and dissemination of findings to help ensure research addresses questions of importance to communities, uses methods that are both culturally and scientifically rigorous, generates meaningful data, constructs accurate interpretations, and fosters leadership by Indigenous researchers. Her expertise in advanced statistical techniques supports the application of rigorous research methods to questions identified with community partners. She uses latent variable statistical methods (e.g., factor analysis, latent class models), structural equation modeling and longitudinal modeling (e.g., latent growth curve modeling) to support understanding of developmental processes that in turn inform intervention efforts.

Dr. Whitesell is a developmental psychologist who works in partnership with Indigenous (American Indian and Alaska Native) communities to engage in research that informs interventions to improve developmental outcomes for children birth through adolescence. This collaborative work includes developing and testing interventions to prevent early substance use, studying implementation of early childhood interventions, creating measures for use in research and practice with Indigenous children and families, and training the next generation of Indigenous prevention scientists. She utilizes Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approaches that engage Indigenous community partners in all aspects of research, from identification of study goals through interpretation of data and dissemination of findings to help ensure research addresses questions of importance to communities, uses methods that are both culturally and scientifically rigorous, generates meaningful data, constructs accurate interpretations, and fosters leadership by Indigenous researchers. Her expertise in advanced statistical techniques supports the application of rigorous research methods to questions identified with community partners. She uses latent variable statistical methods (e.g., factor analysis, latent class models), structural equation modeling and longitudinal modeling (e.g., latent growth curve modeling) to support understanding of developmental processes that in turn inform intervention efforts.