Natasha Slesnick

Headshot of Natasha Slesnick

Professor, Department of Human Sciences
Assoc Dean - Research & Admin, Office of Research

Program Area: Human Development and Family Science

(614) 247-8469
slesnick.5@osu.edu

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Biography

Natasha Slesnick is EHE Distinguished Professor of Human Development and Family Science in the Department of Human Sciences, and Associate Dean for Research. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and her research focuses on intervention development and evaluation with substance using youth and families experiencing homelessness. She has consulted with multiple organizations on the best strategies for intervening in youth homelessness and adolescent substance use and has been continuously funded by the NIH since 1998. After opening a drop-in center for youth experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque, New Mexico, she moved to Columbus, Ohio and opened her second drop-in center, the Star House which is now an independent non-profit.

Education

  • PhD, Clinical Psychology, University of New Mexico, 1996
  • MS, Clinical Psychology, University of New Mexico, 1992
  • BS, Psychology, University of Washington, 1989

Research Interests

Experience

  • 7/2017-present, Associate Dean for Research and Administration, EHE, Ohio State
  • 2/2018-present, Interim Director, CETE
  • 10/2009-present, Professor, Human Development and Family Science, Human Sciences, Ohio State
  • 8/2013-8/2015, Associate Chair for Research, Department of Human Sciences, Ohio State
  • 10/2004-9/2009, Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Science, Ohio State
  • 10/2006-7/2017, Founder and Executive Director, Star House
  • 1/2003-8/2004, Research Associate Professor, Psychology, University of New Mexico
  • 10/2002-10/2003, Associate Director, Clinical Research Branch, University of New Mexico, Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA)
  • 4/1998-1/2003, Research Assistant Professor, Psychology, University of New Mexico 
  • 4/1997-4/1998, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of New Mexico

Selected Grants

Federal Active:

  • Slesnick, N., Kelleher, K., Feng, X., Ford, J., & Yilmazer, T. Prevention of OUD: The HOME (Housing, Opportunities, Motivation and Engagement) randomized trial, NIDA application #UG3/UH3DA050174, 9/30/19-11/30/24. $5,626,920. Role: MPI
  • Slesnick, N., & Kelleher, K. Revision to the HOME Trial: Suicide Treatment Education and Prevention (HOME + STEP). NIDA application #: UH3 DA050174-S1, 9/1/2020-8/30/2022. $708,000. Role: MPI
  • Stone-Sabali, S., Slesnick, N., & Kelleher, K. Preventing Substance Misuse and Substance Use Disorder by Examining Service Provider Interactions, Discrimination, Ethnic Identity, Sexual Orientation Identity, and Housing First Outcomes. NIDA supplement application: 3UH3 DA050174-02, 9/1/21-8/31/23. $237,888. Role: Mentor
  • Rew, L., Slesnick, N., & Johnson, K. Intervention to promote healthy behaviors in homeless youth . NICHD, R01HD083576, 4/1/16-3/30/22 $2,123,698. Role: Co-I/Site PI
  • Yoon, S. Risk and Resilience to Adolescent Substance Use: The Roles of Child Maltreatment and Youth Activity Space (K01). NIDA application #K01 DA050778, 4/1/2021-3/30/2026. $743,775. Role: Co-Primary Mentor
  • Nemeth, J. Development of a contextually tailored and optimized smoking cessation intervention for homeless youth, NCI, K07 CA216321, 9/15/2017-11/30/2022, $539,984. Role: Co-Primary Mentor
  • Feng, X., & Slesnick, N. Maternal depression and the development of autobiographical memory in children , NICHD, #R21 HD095179, 4/1/2018-6/30/2022, $411,218. Role: Co-I

Selected Publications

  • Cully, L., Wu, Q., & Slesnick, N. (In press). The role of maternal acceptance in mediating child outcomes among women experiencing intimate partner violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
  • Yarcusko, E., Slesnick, N. & Hatsu, I., (In press). Food sources for homeless youth: An evaluation of food availability at a homeless youth drop-in center. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
  • Zhang, J., & Slesnick, N. (In press). Substance use and social stability of homeless youth: A comparison of three interventions. Psychology of Addictive Behavior.
  • Wu, Q., & Slesnick, N. (In press). Substance abusing mothers with a history of childhood abuse and their children’s depressive symptoms: The efficacy of family therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.
  • Rew, L., Banner, M., Johnson, K., & Slesnick, N. (In press). Intervention fidelity and facilitator training. Western Journal of Nursing Research.
  • Murnan, A., Wu, Q., & Slesnick, N. (2018). Effects of family systems therapy with prostituting women. Journal of Family Therapy, 40, 557-583. DOI: 10.1111/1467-6427.12187
  • Zhang, J., & Slesnick, N. (2018). The effects of a family systems intervention on co-occurring internalizing and externalizing behavior of children with substance using mothers: A latent transition analysis. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 44, 687-701. DOI: 10.1111/jmft.12277
  • Bartle-Haring, S., Slesnick, N., & Murnan, A. (2018). Benefits to children who participate in family therapy with their substance using mother. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 44, 671-686. DOI: 10.1111/jmft.12280
  • Wu, Q., Slesnick, N., & Murnan, A. (2018). Understanding parenting stress and children’s behavior problems among homeless, substance-abusing mothers. Infant Mental Health Journal, 39(4), 423-431. DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21717
  • Slesnick, N., Zhang, J., & Yilmazer, T. (2018). Employment and other income sources among homeless youth. Journal of Primary Prevention, 39, 247-262. DOI: 10.1007/s10935-018-0511-1. NIHMS967502.
  • Murnan, A., Wu, Q., & Slesnick, N. (2018). The impact of parenting on child mental health among children of prostituting mothers. Children and Youth Services Review, 89, 212-217.
  • Zhang, J., Slesnick, N., & Feng, X. (2018). Concurrent trajectory of mothers’ substance use, psychological control and children’s behavior problems: A randomized clinical trial of a family systems intervention. Family Process, 57, 211-225Doi: 10.1111/famp.12279. PMD 5750140
  • Brakenhoff, B., Wu, Q., & Slesnick, N. (2018). Substance using mothers experiencing suicidal thoughts: Impact of parenting behaviors on child behavior problems. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27(2), 629-638.
  • Wu, Q., Slesnick, N., & Zhang, J. (2018). Understanding the role of emotion-oriented coping in women’s motivation for change. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 86, 1-8. (Impact Factor = 2.72). PMID: 29415845
  • Guo, X., & Slesnick, N. (2018). The mediating role of autonomy and relatedness on maternal and child outcomes. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 46(2), 209-221.

Selected Presentations

  • Cully, L., Wu, Q., & Slesnick, N. (2018, March). Maternal acceptance and child outcomes among mothers reporting intimate partner violence. Poster presented at the annual meeting for International Family Therapy Association (IFTA), Bangkok, Thailand. 
  • Slesnick, N. (2018, March). The Case for Engaging Children in Family Therapy with their Substance Using Mother. Paper presented at the 2018 International Family Therapy Association, Bangkok, Thailand.
  • Zhang, J., & Slesnick, N. (2018, November). Academic Performance and Delinquent and Aggressive Behaviors among Children with Substance Misusing Mothers. Paper presented at the 80th NCFR annual conference, San Diego, CA.