Molly Davis, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist at CHOP and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The overarching aim of Dr. Davis’ research is to produce findings that can be used to improve the effectiveness and implementation of identification, prevention, and intervention programs for traditionally underserved youth and families, with a particular focus on programs targeting internalizing problems (i.e., depression and anxiety) and suicide risk. Dr. Davis has engaged in research across the translational research spectrum, allowing her to develop expertise in developmental psychopathology, prevention/intervention, and implementation science research. She is particularly passionate about narrowing the research-to-practice gap in primary care and schools by identifying depression and suicide risk via screening and implementing evidence-based prevention programs to address risk. Dr. Davis is also invested in identifying barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based behavioral health practices that are common across different settings and clinical practices to accelerate implementation.
Currently, she works primarily on an Institute of Education Sciences (IES)-funded randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy and implementation of a telehealth-delivered group depression prevention program (Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training IPT-AST) for adolescents in schools. Dr. Davis is collaborating with researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and CHOP on a P50 Center, which focuses on testing novel suicide and depression prevention approaches in pediatric primary care, most of which involve digital mental health tools. Dr. Davis has also been studying depression screening, including risk rates and screening administration patterns, in pediatric primary care.
Dr. Davis received a PhD in Clinical Psychology and a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology both at the University of Georgia.