Ann Chu
Assistant Clinical Professor, Child Clinical Psychology

My research generally examines the trajectory of traumatic experiences whether through a lifespan perspective of how childhood traumatic events lead to a range of outcomes later in life or through an intergenerational transmission frame of trauma and its effects. Some specific themes within my broad research interests include: 1) how parenting practices might buffer or interfere with children's functioning; 2) specific mechanisms such as emotion regulation - that might elucidate more clearly how trauma may lead to various outcomes; and 3) the correlates of risk for revictimization after experiencing childhood abuse. In my examination of these topics, I utilize multiple methodologies such as clinical interviews, behavioral tasks, self-report questionnaires, physiological indices, and observational coding. I conduct my research with individuals of all ages - young children up through adults, specifically focusing on diverse populations from a range of backgrounds and experiences.

Clinically, I approach direct service and supervision with a blend of cognitive-behavioral and attachment perspectives. I am trained in the specific model of Child-Parent Psychotherapy, under Alicia Lieberman at the University of California, San Francisco. I currently supervise graduate students in the Clinic for Child and Family Psychology who have cases that primarily involve child-parent relationship issues and/or post-traumatic responses. In this way, I also embody the scientist-practitioner model where my research and clinical interests mutually inform each other.

Representative Publications

Chu, A. T., Pineda, A. S., DePrince, A. P., & Freyd, J. J. (2011). Child abuse: Vulnerability and protective factors. In M. Koss, A. Kazdin, & J. White (Ed.), Violence Against Women and Children: Consensus, critical analysis, and emergent priorities (pp. 55-75). American Psychological Association Press.

DePrince, A. P., Chu, A. T.,  Pineda, A. S. (2011). Links between specific post-trauma appraisals and three forms of trauma-related distress. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 1-12.

Lieberman, A. F., Chu, A. T., Van Horn, P., & Harris, W. W. (2011). Trauma in early childhood: Empirical evidence and clinical implications. Development and Psychopathology, 397-410.

Mauss, I. B., Butler, E. A., & Chu, A. T., (2010). Cultural background, emotion control values, and emotional responding. Cognition and Emotion, 1026-1043

Chu, A. & Lieberman, A. F. (2010). Clinical Implications of Traumatic Stress from Birth to Age Five. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology,6, 469-494.

DePrince, A.P., Zurbriggen, E., Chu, A., & Smart, L. (2010). Development of the trauma appraisal questionnaire (TAQ). Journal of Trauma, Aggression, and Maltreatment, 19, 275-299.

DePrince, A. P., Chu, A., & Combs, M. D. (2009). Trauma-related predictors of deontic reasoning: A pilot study in a community sample of children. Child Abuse and Neglect, 32, 732-737.

Chu, A., & DePrince, A. P. (2008). Children's perception of research participation as a function of trauma history. Journal of Experimental Research on Human Research Ethics, 3, 49-58.

DePrince, A. P., & Chu, A. (2008). Perceived benefits in trauma research: Examining associations between methodological and individual differences in response to research participation. Journal of Experimental Research on Human Research Ethics, 3, 35-47.

Ann Chu
Ph.D. 2009,
University of Denver

Assistant Clinical Professor,
Child Clinical Psychology
e-mail: ann.chu@du.edu
Phone: 303.871.3703