Associate Professor, Director of School Psychology Graduate Program
Ph.D. in School Psychology, Duquesne University, 2017
M.S. in Child Psychology, Duquesne University, 2013
M.A. in Elementary Education, University of Pittsburgh, 2009
B.A. in Communications, University of Pittsburgh, 2008
Dr. Aston completed her Doctoral training at Sarah Reed Children's Center.
Clinical Assessment
School Based Intervention
Culturally Tailored Intervention
Trauma Informed Care
Dr. Aston has years of experience working with urban populations in school and clinical settings. She recently completed her doctoral internship at Sarah Reed Children’s Center, which provides intensive psychiatric services for children with significant trauma and mental health concerns. The focal point of her research has centered on culturally relevant social-emotional interventions for racially diverse populations. Dr. Aston is interested in Black female identity development and disproportionality. She has extensive intervention experience and has published several journal articles on school-based interventions. In addition, she has presented at several national conferences and is currently a member of NASP and APA.
Culturally Focused Interventions
Black Female Identity
Behavior Interventions
Mental Health Treatment
Trauma-Focused Interventions for At-Risk Populations
Dr. Aston’s clinical training has focused on providing mental health treatment for underrepresented groups through individual and group interventions; with a specific focus on African American populations.
Aston, C. (2016) Challenges and Barriers to Implementing a School-Based Afrocentric Intervention: A Pilot Study of the Sisters of Nia Cultural Program. School Psychology Forum. 10, 157-164.
Ryan, A., Graves, S., Sobalvarro, A., Nichols, K., Schutte, K., Aston, C. & Griffin, A. (2016) An Evaluation of Strong Kids in an Urban African American Female Sample: The Need for Gender Specific and Culturally Focused Interventions. School Psychology Forum. 10, 157-164.
Graves, S. L., Jr., Herndon-Soblavarro, A., Nichols, K., Aston, C., Ryan, A., Blefari, A., Schutte, K., Schachner, A.,Vicoria, L., & Prier, D. (2016) Examining the Effectiveness of a Culturally Adapter Social-Emotional Intervention for African American Males in an Urban Setting. School Psychology Quarterly.
Graves, S., Proctor, S., Aston, C. (2014) Professional Roles and Practices of School Psychologists in Urban Schools. Psychology in the schools. 51, 384-394.