Have you met... Dr. Yuliya Kotelnikova?

Tell us about yourself!

I am a clinical scientist in the discipline of psychology who provides advanced training in quantitative research methods, developmental psychopathology, and evidence-based clinical care to graduate students in the School and Clinical Child Psychology program at the University of Alberta.

I have been tremendously fortunate to receive guidance from several leaders in the field of developmental psychopathology, personality assessment, and evidence-based measure development. In particular, while completing a PhD in Clinical Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Hayden at Western University, I explored the role of temperamental emotionality in internalizing psychopathology, and the influence of methodology on the conclusions that one draws in developmental models of depression vulnerability. My postdoctoral research at the Center for Advanced Measurement of Personality and Psychopathology (CAMPP), University of Notre Dame, focused on the structural and methodological issues in assessment of maladaptive personality traits and developing a better understanding of how such traits are related to functional impairment in daily life. At Notre Dame, my work with Drs. Lee Anna Clark and David Watson resulted in several evidence-based measure developments, such as the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality Brief Self-Description Rating Form (SNAP-BSRF), its informant counterpart, the SNAP Brief Other-Description Rating Form (SNAP-BORF), preliminary scales for the International Classification of Diseases 11th revision (ICD-11) personality disorder scales, and preliminary Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology internalizing spectrum scales. As a part of my professional service, I am an active member of editorial boards for some of the top-tier assessment and measurement journals such as Psychological Assessment and Assessment, and review panels for Canadian federal funding agencies, such as Canadian Institutes in Health Research.

As a clinician, I focus on providing evidence-based assessment and interventions to children, adolescents and families with complex mental health difficulties. Most of my clinical training has taken place in high acuity and severity settings, such as crisis and stabilization inpatient units, day treatment programs, and forensic services. Presently, I offer training to graduate students in professional psychology at the Clinical Services, Faculty of Education. 

What brought you to the U of A Faculty of Education?

A unique combination of professional psychology programs with specialization in School and Clinical Child Psychology and Counselling Psychology that allow me to focus on studying psychopathology across the lifespan and opportunities for collaboration with experts in evidence-based measurement at the Centre for Research in Applied Measurement and Evaluation (CRAME).

What are your current research interests?

My research interests lie in the areas of personality development and developmental psychopathology with an emphasis on multi-informant and multi-method assessment. Currently, together with my research team at the University of Alberta — the Study of Assessment Methods and Psychopathology Across the Lifespan (SAMPL) Research Lab — I am working on developing a battery of theoretically and empirically grounded measures of temperament/personality across the lifespan to increase understanding of how these traits contribute to the development of psychopathology. So far, this project has been funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the American Psychological Foundation, the Killam Research Fund, and the U of A Faculty of Education. Further, in a collaborative effort with the Dr. Christopher Harshaw and Mechanisms Underlying Sociality (MUS) Lab at the University of New Orleans funded by the Louisiana Board of Regents, we are studying infrared facial thermography — i.e., generating a “heat map” of different areas of the face — as a novel measure of temperament and how it may be utilized as an assessment tool for research in developmental psychopathology.

The development of better prediction models has the potential to improve prevention and treatment of psychopathology. Depression, delinquency, substance use and substance abuse may develop following the onset of puberty as a result of interactions between youth characteristics and environmental circumstances, making late childhood and early adolescence an important time for research on the development of psychopathology. In a collaborative effort with Dr. Matthew Scalco and Crescent City Substance Use Lab at the University of New Orleans, we are studying early development of substance use patterns and comorbid depression, anxiety and delinquency in a high-risk sample living in an area that experienced numerous natural disasters.

In addition to assessment of child temperament and its role in development of internalizing and externalizing disorders, I am interested in the interplay between personality and psychopathology beyond the child-developmental period. Being a member of the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) consortium, an international group of quantitative nosologists, I also contribute to the research literature on improving the organization, description and measurement of psychopathology.

What inspired you to enter this field?

Diversity of specializations and a chance to make a difference have always inspired me about the field of Clinical Psychology. As a first-generation immigrant to Canada, I went through a complex journey of self-discovery both personally and professionally, riddled with challenges and systemic barriers. Presently, as an Assistant Professor in SCCP and a quantitatively minded developmental psychopathologist, I strive to support our trainees in their professional journeys and our community clients in their healing journeys. 

Describe your teaching philosophy.

As a developmental psychopathologist, my teaching philosophy is influenced by theories of learning and child development. In particular, I help students meet their learning objectives through a thoroughly planned presentation of concepts grounded in empirical research and connected to real world examples, facilitate engagement in learning by staying attuned to students’ individual learning styles, cultural and educational backgrounds, differential readiness for the course and diverse career goals, and promote individual growth through encouragement of critical thinking and provision of timely constructive feedback. Most importantly, my goal is to help trainees discover their own professional identity and foster resilience in this increasingly complex world.

What are your impressions of the U of A so far?

I have had a chance to meet and collaborate with amazing colleagues and students who are dedicated to advancing the field of Clinical Psychology during the trying times of post-pandemic reality. I am very fortunate to supervise two talented graduate students in SCCP, Kelsie Slater and Amanda Santarossa, who keep me on my toes. 

What interests you outside work?

Being in nature, whether it is hiking in the mountains or going for a walk and enjoying yellow leaves in my neighborhood, learning new languages, and exploring the local music scene.