Karina Shreffler, PhD
Associate Dean for Research
Professor
Oklahoma City: CNB 459
Tulsa: 1F13
(405) 271-1491 ext. 49237
Karina-Shreffler@ouhsc.edu
Karina Shreffler is the Cyndy Ellis-Purgason Endowed Chair of Child Health in the Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing. Trained as a quantitative survey research methodologist and social demographer, Dr. Shreffler’s primary research focus is in maternal and child health. She recently led an NIH-funded longitudinal study of women from early pregnancy through two years post birth to examine the biopsychosocial impacts of maternal childhood adversity on adverse birth outcomes and early child development. As PI of a current OCAST-funded study, she is evaluating whether rapidly increasing maternal-fetal bonding can reduce prenatal health risks such as maternal substance use. She has mentored dozens of graduate students to completion of their degrees and teaches PhD courses. Dr. Shreffler is also active in professional associations and conferences and has held leadership roles for the past decade, including chairing the Families and Health Section and Administration and Leadership Focus Group for the National Council of Family Relations.
Education:
- PhD in Sociology and Demography from the Pennsylvania State University
Clinical/Research Interests:
- Pregnancy health and maternal health behaviors
- Trauma, adversity, and stress
- Reproductive health/infertility
- Perinatal loss and adverse birth outcomes
- Early maternal/infant bonding relationship and implications for child development
Select Honors & Accomplishments:
- Regents Distinguished Research Award, OSU, Stillwater, 2019
- Faculty Teaching Fellow, OSU, Stillwater, 2019
- President's Fellows Research Award, OSU, Stillwater, 2017
- President's Outstanding Research Award, OSU, Tulsa, 2017
- President's Outstanding Teaching Award, OSU, Tulsa, 2012