Moscato Lab
The Moscato Lab, led by Emily Moscato, PhD, focuses on designing, testing and implementing behavioral interventions to improve quality of life and neurodevelopmental trajectories for young children with chronic conditions impacting the central nervous system. We are also interested in identifying risk and resilience factors that are associated with emotional, social, behavioral and neurodevelopmental outcomes for these vulnerable groups. Populations of current focus include young children (less than seven years) who have survived cancer or brain injury.
Current Projects
The Preparing for Life and Academics for Young Survivors (PLAY) Program is an online intervention co-designed with and for caregivers of young childhood cancer survivors ages 3-6 years. The goal of the project is to further refine the PLAY program and test whether it improves caregiver's positive parenting skills and survivor's school readiness skills.
The PLAY program involves online modules and caregiver coaching via videoconferencing. Families who choose to participate will complete questionnaires, developmental testing for their child, a brief video playing with their child and an interview.
This project is currently funded by the National Cancer Institute (K08CA290060). The project has been previously funded by The Ohio State University Presidential Postdoctoral Scholars Program, The Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science Voucher Award, The Society of Pediatric Psychology Drotar-Crawford Postdoctoral Research Grant, and the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Neurodevelopmental Research Affinity Group Funding Award.
Survivor's Journey involves online modules and individual sessions with a coach via videoconferencing. Families who choose to participate will complete questionnaires, neurocognitive testing, and interviews.
The project is currently funded by the Department of Defense. The project has been previously funded by the Intramural Research Program at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital.
This project involves a retrospective chart review of children with cancer. The goal is to better understand how social determinants of health and medical factors are related to referral and receipt of early intervention services for young children with cancer.
Past Projects
This project involved questionnaires and interviews/focus groups with caregivers, health care providers and educators.
The goal of the project was to better characterize the unmet psychosocial and developmental needs of young childhood cancer survivors (ages 3-7) from the perspective of their caregivers, health care providers and educators.
This project has been previously funded by The Ohio State University Presidential Postdoctoral Scholars Program, The Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science Voucher Award, and the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Neurodevelopmental Research Affinity Group Funding Award.
Inside the Moscato Lab
Our Research
Young children with medical conditions may be at risk for developmental delays that impact their long-term emotional, social, behavioral and neurodevelopmental trajectories. Their caregivers are faced with navigating complex healthcare and educational systems and advocating for their needs. Early interventions can help set children up for success. However, there are few early interventions that are tailored for their unique needs and may not be accessible depending on where families live. We are currently co-designing a digital health intervention for caregivers of young childhood cancer survivors to help bridge the gap, especially for families living in rural or Appalachian areas.
Our lab partners with families and healthcare providers using community engaged research methods. These partnerships guide all aspects of our work to ensure we select research questions and methods that are clinically relevant and impactful. In our current projects, we use multiple methods including developmental testing with children, standardized questionnaires with caregivers and teachers, video observations of caregivers and their children, semi-structured interviews and detailed medical chart reviews.
Featured Publications
- The Interaction of Family Functioning and Disease- and Treatment-Related Factors on Quality of Life for Children After Cancer
- Quality of Life for Appalachian and Rural Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors
- Caregivers Matter: Neurological Vulnerability for Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors
- An Open Pilot of GROW, a Responsive Parenting Intervention for Young Children with Brain Injuries: Preliminary Efficacy
- Family Functioning and Adaptation Following Pediatric Brain Tumor: A Systematic Review
Join Our Team!
The Moscato Lab welcomes applications and is currently recruiting for clinical research coordinators. Please send your CV to MoscatoLab@NationwideChildrens.org. We are also actively open to collaboration. If you're interested in working with us, please reach out via email.
