Bridget K. Biggs, Ph.D.

One area of research interest is the investigation of peer relations processes that could affect social-emotional adjustment and health among children and adolescents. My published empirical research to date has examined friendships and peer group experiences in relation to anxiety and depression symptoms, correlates of friendship jealousy and possessiveness, emotional experiences related to bullying, and evaluation of school-based anti-bullying interventions.

I have co-edited a book and written chapters on prevention and treatment of bullying and victimization. A recent project examined anxiety symptoms, social skills, and emotional processes in relation to the quality of close friendships and experiences with the larger peer group in a community sample of early adolescents.

Recent studies completed with graduate students have investigated social anxiety and peer group experiences in relation to self-perceived physical appearance and engagement in physical activity. New directions in this line of research include peer relations processes such as social support, friendships, and teasing among children and adolescents with medical conditions, such as obesity and chronic pain.

Another set of interests lies in the evaluation of interventions for children and adolescents. As part of treatment evaluation, I am interested in issues of treatment fidelity and have published several articles on these issues.

Other research interests include understanding psychopathology in cultural context; and psychometric properties of psychological rating scales.