Dalia Khalil

Program of Research title

Effect of parental psychosocial states (stress, trauma, anxiety, and depression) on infant and children development, especially among minority populations

Suffix

PhD, RN

Destination Statement

My research is focused on infant mental health and the role of family chronic stress especially stress related to immigration on infants’ outcomes in terms of stress and development. I want to help newcomers’ families to acculturate in order to provide the best nurturing environment for their children

Office Address

374 Cohn,  5557 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202

Program of Research

My work has focused on the impact of parents’ stress, depression, and trauma on infants (6-24 months old) as well as older children (7-18 years) among refugee and immigrant families of Arabic descent. My research is focusing on examining symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder, parenting, coparenting, as well as behavioral and biological correlates. We use self-reported measures of psychosocial factors and behavioral development. Additionally, we collect buccal swabs to measure telomere length and hair samples to measure cortisol levels among our study participants. In November 2020, my team and I received funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) for our R03 study entitled “Family Stress, Coparenting, and Infant Development among Immigrant Arab American Families”. Additionally, we have received the 2021 Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) NARSAD Young Investigator Grant for our study titled: “Psychobiological Factors Affecting Mental Health among Immigrant and Refugee Parents and their Children.” Understanding the effects of migration-related stressors on parents and children is imperative for articulating risk and protective factors influencing infant and children’s outcomes. My long-term goal is to guide the development of interventions to prevent the negative effects of family stress (maternal and paternal) on their children.

My work has focused on the impact of parents’ stress, depression, and trauma on infants (6-24 months old) as well as older children (7-18 years) outcomes among refugee and immigrant families. Focusing on the impact of trauma on psychobiological development and behavioral outcomes among children of refugees and immigrants. My research is focusing on examining symptoms of anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as behavioral and telomere length correlates. We use self-reported measures of anxiety, depression and PTSD, buccal telomere length samples, and children behavioral outcomes. My recent work will compare a group of immigrant children and a group of refugee children along with their parents in both groups. This will enhance our understanding and advance efforts to improve children outcomes and reduce the risk for mental health problems associated with childhood trauma.

Phone

313-577-1798

Office Hours

By appointment

Bio Sketch

Dr. Khalil's program of research focuses on immigrant and refugee parents because of the multiple stressors that affect their lives and their children. Understanding mechanisms through which migration-related stressors is imperative for articulating risk and protective factors influencing infant outcomes. Her long-term goal is to guide the development of interventions to prevent the negative effects of family stress (maternal and paternal) on their children. Dr. Khalil's work has focused on the impact of parents’ acculturative stress, depression, and trauma on infants (6-24 months old) as well as older children (7-18 years), and outcomes among refugee and immigrant families, focusing on the impact of trauma on psychobiological development and behavioral outcomes among children of refugees and immigrants. Her research examines symptoms of anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as behavioral and telomere length correlates using self-reported measures of anxiety, depression and PTSD, buccal telomere length samples, and children behavioral outcomes. Her recent work compares a group of immigrant children and a group of refugee children along with their parents in both groups, with an aim to enhance our understanding and advance efforts to improve children outcomes and reduce the risk for mental health problems associated with childhood trauma.

Education

• PhD, Wayne State University, 2017

Selected publications

• Khalil, D., Giurgescu, C., & Misra, D.P., Templin, T., Jenuwine, E., & Drury, S.S. (2022). Psychosocial factors and telomere length among parents and infants of immigrant Arab American families. Biological Research for Nursing, epub August 27, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1177/10998004221124145 13.
• Khalil, D., Giurgescu, C., & Misra, D.P., Templin, T., & Jenuwine, E. (2022). Association of maternal and paternal psychosocial stress and infant hair cortisol among Arab American immigrants: A pilot study. Developmental Psychobiology. 64(7), e22310. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dev.22310
• Khalil, D., Giurgescu, C., & Misra, D.P., Templin, T., Javanbakht, A., & Jenuwine, E. (2022). Acculturative stress and postpartum depressive symptoms among immigrant Arab American couples. MCN, The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 47(2), 92-99. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMC.0000000000000804
• Khalil, D., Templin, T., Giurgescu, C., & Misra, D.P. (2021). Psychometric Analysis of the Arabic Translation of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 29(3), 408-423. https://doi.org/10.1891/JNM-D-20-00029
• Khalil, H., Shajrawi, A., Momani, A., Khalil, D., & Abdelkader, R. (2021). Effect of epidural versus parenteral opioid analgesia on labor pain and maternal and neonatal outcomes among Jordanian women: A retrospective study. Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 17(4), 245-250.
• Khalil, D., Giurgescu, C., Misra, D., Templin, T., and Javanbakht, A. (2020). Recruiting Immigrant and Refugee Arab American Mother-Father-Infant Triads Resettling in the United States: A Feasibility Study. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 52(2), https://doi.org/10.1177/0844562120910856
• Alhasanat- Khalil, D., Giurgescu, C., Benkert, R., Fry-McComish, J., Misra, D., and Yarandi, H. (2019). Acculturation and Postpartum Depression among Immigrant Women of Arabic Descent. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. 1-9. Doi:org/10.1007/s10903-018-0837-z
• Alhasanat- Khalil, D., Giurgescu, C., Benkert, R., Fry-McComish, J., Misra, D., and Yarandi, H. (2019). Acculturation and postpartum depression among immigrant women of Arabic descent. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health,1(9), 1208-1216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-018-0837-z 7.
• Alhasanat- Khalil, D., Fry-McComish, J., Dayton, C., Benkert., R, Yarandi, H., & Giurgescu, C. (2018). Acculturative stress and lack of social support predicts postpartum depression among U.S. immigrant women of Arabic descent. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 32(4), 530-535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2018.02.005
• Alhasanat, D., Fry-McComish, J., & Yarandi, H., (2017). Risk for postpartum depression among immigrant Arabic women in U.S.: A feasibility study. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health (JMWH), 62(4), 470-476. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.12617
• Alhasanat, D. & Giurgescu, C. (2017). Acculturation and postpartum depressive symptoms among Hispanic women in the United States: A systematic review. MCN, The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 42(1), 21-28. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMC.0000000000000298
• Pieper, B., Monahan, J., Keves-Foster, M. K., Farner, J., Alhasanat, D., & Albdour, M. (2017). A quality improvement project: What first- year nursing students include in their nursing care plans for patients with acute or chronic wounds. Ostomy/Wound Management, 63(10), 42-47. PMID: 29091037
• Timraz, S. M., Alhasanat, D. I., Albdour, M. M., Lewin, L., Giurgescu, C., & Kavanaugh, K. (2017). Challenges and strategies for conducting sensitive research with an Arab American population. Applied Nursing Research, 33, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2016.09.009
• Pieper, B., Keves-Foster, M. K., Ashare, J., Zugcic, M., Albdour, M., & Alhasanat, D. (2016). A cross-sectional, descriptive, quality improvement project to assess undergraduate nursing students' clinical exposure to patients with wounds in an introductory nursing course. Ostomy/Wound Management, 62(4), 20-29. PMID: 27065216
• Alhasanat, D. & Fry- McComish, J. (2015). Postpartum depression among immigrant and Arabic women: A literature review. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 17(6), 1882-94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-015-0165-5

Research Description