Scientist NameDavid Kerr, Ph.D.

Research Associate
Oregon Social Learning Center
David KerrPrimary research and clinical interests

Dr. Kerr’s primary research interests are in the underpinnings and developmental course of youth psychopathology and health risk. One area of focus has been understanding how suicide risk unfolds over time. In two recent papers, he described patterns of young males’ suicidal thinking from early adolescence to early adulthood, and then tested a model wherein thoughts of suicide are self-perpetuating. That is, suicidal thinking itself increases risk for future thoughts of suicide, beyond the influence of potent risk factors (depressive symptoms, substance use, parental psychopathology). Dr. Kerr also has worked on large studies of hospitalized suicidal adolescents to compare the predictive validity of assessment instruments and dimensions of suicidal thinking; to identify subgroups of adolescents at high risk for suicide attempt; and to understand the effects of a social support intervention on suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Dr. Kerr has recently focused on youth health-risking sexual behavior, as well. He is currently collaborating on projects examining how romantic partners’ risky sexual histories and negative health outcomes are associated over time, and how delinquent girls’ sexual behaviors and outcomes change following foster care placement. Finally, Dr. Kerr works on two studies of the intergenerational transmission of problem behavior and internalizing symptoms. The first, is a prospective study of three generations of individuals. On this project, he investigates how intergenerational continuities in poor and strong parenting, deviant contexts, and individual psychopathology influence youth adjustment and health risk. The second is a large adoption study of gene-environment interactions, in which the effects of biological parents’ characteristics on offspring temperamental risk depend on experiences in the adoptive family.  Dr. Kerr is a licensed psychologist.

Selected publications

Kerr, D.C.R., Lopez, N.L., Olson, S.L, & Sameroff, A.J. (2004).  Parental discipline and externalizing behavior
problems in early childhood: Roles of moral regulation and child gender.  Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 32(4), 369–383.

Olson, S.L., Sameroff, A.J., Kerr, D.C.R., Lopez, N.L. & Wellman, H.M.  (2005). Developmental foundations of
externalizing problems in young children: The role of effortful control.  Development and Psychopathology, 17(1), 25–5.

King, C.A., Kramer, A., Preuss, L., Kerr, D.C.R., Weisse, L., & Venkataraman, S. (2006). Youth-Nominated
Support Team for suicidal adolescents (Version 1): A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and
Clinical Psychology, 74, 199–206.

Kerr, D.C.R., King, C.A., & Preuss, L.J. (2006). Suicidal adolescents’ social support from family and peers: 
Gender-specific associations with psychopathology. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 31, 99–110.

Huth-Bocks, A.C., Kerr, D.C.R., Ivey, A.Z., Kramer, A., & King, C.A. (2007). Assessment of psychiatrically
hospitalized suicidal adolescents: Self-report instruments as predictors of suicidal thoughts and behavior.
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 46, 387–395.+

Kerr, D.C.R., Lunkenheimer, E.S., & Olson, S.L. (2007). Assessment of child problem behaviors by multiple informants: A longitudinal study from preschool to school entry. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48, 967–975.+

Kerr, D.C.R., Washburn, J.J., Feingold, A., Kramer, A.C., Ivey, A.Z., & King, C.A. (2007). Sequelae of aggression in acutely suicidal adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35, 817–830.

Capaldi, D.M., Pears, K.C., Kerr, D.C.R., & Owen, L.D. (2008). Intergenerational and partner influences on fathers’ negative discipline. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 36, 347–358. PMCID2394194

Feingold, A., Kerr, D.C.R., & Capaldi, D.M. (2008). Associations of substance use problems with intimate partner violence for at-risk men in long-term relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(3), 429–438. NIHMSID: 112434

Kerr, D.C.R. (2008). Replicated prediction of men’s suicide attempt history from parent reports in late childhood. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 47(7), 834–835.

Kerr, D.C.R., Owen, L.D., & Capaldi, D.M. (2008). Suicidal ideation and its recurrence among boys and men from early adolescence to early adulthood: An event history analysis. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 117 (3), 625–636. PMCID2562610

Kerr, D.C.R., Owen, L.D., Pears, K.C., & Capaldi, D.M. (2008). Prevalence of suicidal ideation in at-risk males assessed annually from ages 9 to 29 years. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 38(4), 390–402. PMCID2572266

Kerr, D.C.R., Leve, L. D., & Chamberlain, P. (2009). Pregnancy rates among juvenile justice girls in two RCTs of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77, 588–593. PMCID2706574

Kim, H. K., Capaldi, D. M., Pears, K. C., Kerr, D.C.R., & Owen, L.D. (2009). Intergenerational transmission of internalising and externalising behaviours across three generations: Gender-specific pathways. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 19, 125–141. PMCID 2715275.

Kerr, D.C.R., Capaldi, D. M., Pears, K. C., & Owen, L. D. (2009) A prospective three generational study of fathers' constructive parenting: Influences from family of origin, adolescent adjustment, and offspring temperament. Developmental Psychology, 45, 1257–1275. PMCID2742381

King, C.A., Kerr, D.C.R., Passarelli, M.N., Foster, C.E., & Merchant, C.R. (in press). One-year follow-up of suicidal adolescents: Parent history of mental health problems and time to post-hospitalization attempt. Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

Leve, L.D., Kerr, D.C.R., Shaw, D.S., Ge, X., Neiderhiser, J.M., Scaramella, L.V., Reid, J.B., Conger, R.D., & Reiss, D. (in press). Infant pathways to externalizing behavior: Evidence of genotype X environment interaction. Child Development. NIHMSID: 121808