Research Rapid Review: This Year's Evidence on Child Life Practice - 2024 Child Life Conference

Jessika Boles, PhD, CCLS is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University, and a Certified Child Life Specialist at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies from Rhodes College, a Master's degree in Applied Child Studies from Vanderbilt University, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Psychology with a graduate certificate in Qualitative Research from the University of Memphis. She has been a practicing child life specialist for fourteen years, the first 8 of which were spent in pediatric and adolescent oncology at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, with the following years dedicated to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Dr. Boles is known for her research on the concept of legacy as it is perceived by various stakeholders and translated into clinical practices with children and families. Additionally, as the leader of the CHILL (Children's Healthcare, Illness, Legacy, and Loss) lab at Vanderbilt University, her research brings together multidisciplinary collaborators and student researchers to study the psychosocial needs and experiences of children and families in multiple contexts: pediatric critical care, medical complexity, developmental disabilities, adverse childhood experiences, and grief and bereavement. She has held multiple posts in the Association of Child Life Professionals, and currently serves as a Research Fellow for the Association of Child Life Professionals and as a voting member of the Institutional Review Board at Vanderbilt University and Medical Center. In her spare time, she enjoys punk rock, her family's home and menagerie of pets in Montana, and spending time with her children and husband.

Sarah Daniels, PhD, CCLS, (pronouns she/her/hers) is a Certified Child Life Specialist working in a remote research role for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. She also works as an adjunct instructor teaching undergraduate and master's level courses in Human Development and Family Studies. Sarah received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rhodes College, and both master’s and doctoral degrees in Educational Psychology and Research from the University of Memphis. Sarah’s research and quality improvement interests include projects that evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and role of child life services in the hospital setting. More specifically, Sarah enjoys exploring trends in technology use and youth development, psychosocial aspects of adolescent and young adult oncology, and mixed methods research design. Sarah is a member of the Research Fellows for the ACLP and volunteers as a member of the Review Board for the Journal of Child Life: Psychosocial Theory and Practice.

Kathryn Cantrell, PhD, CCLS is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Human Development, Family Studies, and Counseling at Texas Woman’s University. Dr. Cantrell worked as a child life specialist for children and families with HIV at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and completed her doctorate in Counseling Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She trained as a pediatric psychologist working primarily with children with medical trauma. Using mixed methods, she researches illness disclosure, online patient communities, and racial disparities in pediatrics. Dr. Cantrell is a former executive editor of The Journal of Child Life and a current Research Fellow with the Association of Child Life Professionals.

Brittany Wittenberg Camp, PhD, CCLS, CFLE is a Program Development Coordinator for the Child Life and Therapeutic Arts Program at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. In this role, Brittany is developing, implementing, and evaluating the adaptive care program throughout the Phoenix Children’s network, and providing clinical leadership to the outpatient child life team. Brittany completed her PhD, MA, and BS in Human Development and Family Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin. Brittany practiced as a child life specialist at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas and worked in academia as an assistant professor at Missouri State University and Louisiana State University, where she helped develop and grow the child life programs at both universities. Brittany’s research interests include academic and research preparation of child life students; healthcare professionals' perception of the CCLS role; and the impact of child life services on children, their families, and healthcare providers. Brittany has published in the The Journal of Child Life: Psychosocial Theory and Practice, Journal of Interprofessional Care, Pediatric Dental Journal, Family Relations, Child Abuse and Neglect, and Journal of Child and Family Studies. In 2015, Brittany completed the inaugural ACLP Leadership Academy and has since served on various ACLP committees, including Scientific Advancement of Professional Practice, Awards, and Research and Scholarship.