Sarah O'Dor, Ph.D.

Research and Creative Interests

My research aims to advance our understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders in youth and to inform effective and targeted treatment. Specifically, my work has focused on understanding the development of neuropsychiatric disorders in children, particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and PANS/PANDAS, and the role of infections and inflammation in this process. My research utilizes a translational approach, and projects have included neuropsychological assessment, structural neuroimaging, peripheral inflammatory markers, randomized controlled trials, neuropsychological assessments, and naturalistic outcome studies to understand disease pathophysiology, treatment mechanisms, and efficacy. My recent work has focused on transdiagnostic factors—such as irritability—to better understand the risk mechanisms and patterns of brain development that contribute to the emergence of psychiatric disorders during adolescence.

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy centers on helping students connect psychology and neuroscience to their everyday lives, future careers, and the broader world around them. Through multimodal learning approaches, including discussion, presentations, group projects, and hands-on creative activities, I encourage students to think critically about how ideas in psychology, neuroscience, and medicine are communicated and understood in everyday discourse while developing a deeper, more applied understanding of the nervous system.

Professional Activities and Affiliations

License:

• Massachusetts Health Service Provider (Psychology)

Memberships:

• Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
• Association for Doctoral Education in Clinical Neuropsychology (ADECN)
• American Psychological Association (APA)
• APA Division 40: Society for Clinical Neuropsychology
• Cross-Cultural Consortium on Irritability
• P.A.N.S. Consortium
• Society for Biological Psychiatry
• Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology (SSCP)

Ad-Hoc Reviewer:

• BMC Psychiatry
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Child Psychiatry & Human Development
• Clinical Case Reports
• Clinical Child Psychology & Psychiatry
• Current Psychology
• Journal of Affective Disorders
• Journal of Attention Disorders
• Journal of Child & Adolescent Psychopharmacology
• European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
• Nature Mental Health

Scholarly and Creative Contributions

O’Dor S, Grasso D, McCarthy K, Forbes D, Wakschlag L, Briggs-Gowan M. The Family Socialization Interview –Revised (FSI-R): A comprehensive assessment of parental disciplinary behaviors. Prevention Science, 2016;18(3): 292-304.

O’Dor SL, Washburn J, Howard KR, Reinecke MA. Moderators and Predictors of Response After 36 Weeks of Treatment in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS). Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 2021: 1-13.

O’Dor SL, Homayoun S, Downer OM, Hamel MA, Zagaroli JS, Williams KA. A survey of demographics, symptom course, family history, and barriers to treatment in children with Pediatric Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Disorders (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infections (PANDAS). Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 2022;32(9): 476-487.

O'Dor SL, Zagaroli JS, Belisle RM, Hamel MA, Downer OM, Homayoun S, Williams KA. The COVID-19 pandemic and children with PANS/PANDAS: an evaluation of symptom severity, telehealth, and vaccination hesitancy. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 2024;55(2): 327-355.

O’Dor SL, Kuhn AJ, Williams KA, Guerette EB, Stern TA. Diagnosing and treating Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, 2024;26(3):23f03662. PMID: 38815274.

O’Dor SL, Adams, C, Gavin, J, Zagaroli, JS, Carlisle, E, Downer, OM, Williams, KA, Masterson, EE. (2025). Pediatric neuropsychiatric syndromes: Updates on COVID-19 infection and vaccination. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 2025;25(5):294-303.

Grants, Awards, Honors, and Recognitions

2014 Elizabeth Munsterberg Koppitz Graduate Student Fellowship, American Psychological Foundation (APF)

2014-2016 Brian Harty Fellow, Brian A. Harty Memorial Advisory Endowment Fund

2016-2017 P.E.O. Scholar Award, P.E.O. International

2019 Alies Muskin Career Development Leadership Program (CDLP) Awardee, Anxiety and Depression Association of America

2021 Michael A. Jenike Young Investigator Award, International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)

2022-2023 Anne Klibanski Scholar Award, Center for Faculty Development (CFD), Massachusetts General Hospital

2022-2023 Leadership Development Program for Researchers, Massachusetts General Hospital

Employment History

Neuropsychologist and Owner, MetroWest Psychology, PLLC
Affiliated Researcher, Massachusetts General Hospital

Past:

Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Director of Research, Pediatric Neuropsychiatry and Immunology Program, Massachusetts General Hospital
Clinical Psychologist, Child Psychiatry Outpatient Department, Massachusetts General Hospital
Staff Psychologist, Learning and Emotional Assessment Program, Massachusetts General Hospital

Education

PhD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
BA, Boston College
Internship and Post-Doctoral Fellowship: Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)/Harvard Medical School
Licensed Psychologist: Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Personal Website

Check our Dr. O'Dor's research lab, the Child and Adolescent Brain and Behavior Laboratory