Dr. Ann-Marie DiBiase

Associate Professor (PhD) and Educational Psychology Concentration Leader, Department of Educational Studies

Full Advisement Load: Contact for Availability for Graduate Advisement

St. Catharines, ON
905 688 5550 x4050
ann-marie.dibiase@brocku.ca

Dr. DiBiase central research interests are Neuropsychiatry, Neurobiology, and Psychopathology, applied to psychopathological disorders in educational and mental health settings. Dr. DiBiase is trained in the following areas of clinical treatment:

  1. Biofeedback:electrical monitoring that provides feedback on our body functions that are controlled involuntarily, and with the provided feedback, to gain more control of those functions to perform more optimally. Biofeedback can be used to treat a variety of medical conditions including, but not limited to: chronic pain, hypertension, stress, anxiety, and other physiological conditions.
  2. Neurofeedback:is a very specific form of biofeedback. Neurofeedback is also known as EEG biofeedback. EEG biofeedback, is a very specific protocol that is utilized to improve brainwave activity. EEG biofeedback is especially useful for treating neurological conditions such as ADHD, stress/anxiety, sleep disorders, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury. Neurofeedback is basically a reward system that teaches the brain how to function in a more optimal range. Neurofeedback training is entirely subconscious and that is exactly why it works. As with traditional biofeedback, the goal with neurofeedback training is long-term benefit and alleviation of symptoms.
  3. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT):is a common type of mental health counseling (psychotherapy). With CBT you work in a structured way, attending a limited number of sessions. CBT helps you become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking, so you can view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way. CBT is helpful for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, ADHD, ODD, CD, and Bipolor Disorders.
  4. Psychopharmacology:is the study of the use of medications in treating mental health disorders. The complexity of this field requires continuous study in order to keep current with new advances. Psychopharmacologists need to understand all the clinically relevant principles of pharmacokinetics (what the body does to medication) and pharmacodynamics (what the medications do to the body).

This includes an understanding of:

  • Protein binding (how available the medication is to the body)
  • Half-life (how long the medication stays in the body)
  • Polymorphic genes (genes which vary widely from person to person)
  • Drug-to-drug interactions (how medications affect one another)

Since the use of these medications is to treat mental disorders, an extensive understanding of basic neuroscience, basic psychopharmacology, clinical medicine, the differential diagnosis of mental disorders, and treatment options is required.

Graduate

  • EDUC 5P92: An Introduction to Educational Research
  • EDUC 5P46: Behavioral Disorders
  • EDUC 5P90: Research Proposal Tutorial
  • EDUC 5P93: Research Project
  • EDUC 5F95: Thesis Tutorial in Educational Studies
  • EDUC 5P98: Independent Study in Education
  • EDUC 5V96: Internship in Educational Issues

Undergraduate Courses

  • EDUC /CHYS 3F02:Cognition and Learning
  • Children, adolescent adult psychopathology (e.g., Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, Depression
  • Neurobiology and Psychopathological Disorders
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Psychoeducational prevention/intervention programs for behaviorally at-risk children/adolescents

Refereed Journals

Savage, M. J., & DiBiase, A-M. (2017). Maladaptive personality and neuropsychological features of highly relationally aggressive adolescent girls. Brock Education, 26(1), 4-21. (Refereed)

Garchinski, C., DiBiase, A-M., & Sagar, S. (2014). The impact of Patient-Centered Decision-Making: Symptom management for oncology patients physiologically and psychologically. American Society for Clinical Oncology, 10 (16), 2603-2614 (Refereed Journal)

Savage, M.J. & DiBiase, A-M (2014). Multivariate and Mixture distribution Rasch Models. In An Introduction to Multivariate Statistical Analysis: Data Mining and Inference. T. Hastie & R. Tibshirani. Springer Dordrecht: The Netherlands.

DiBiase , A-M. & Wenk, G. (in press) Neuropathologic changes in patients with parnoid schzophrenia and bipolar disorders: GABA and dopamine receptors transformations. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. (Referred)

DiBiase, A-M & Lu, Z. (in press). Understanding individual differences in cognitive performance: Joint hierarchical Bayesian modeling of behavioral and neuroimaging with a 3T Trio functional magnetic resonance imaging (TIM) fMRI, Brain Structure and Function. (Referred)

DiBiase, A-M. (in press) A multimodal psychosocial intervention for children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Comorbidity ADHD: Implications for Educators and School Mental Health Teams, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Referred)

DiBiase, A-M. (2012). Adolescent cognitive distortions: Primary, secondary, tertiary prevention. Journal of Reclaiming Children and Youth, 22 (1), 35-47

DiBiase, A-M. (2011). The EQUIP for Educators program. Journal of Reclaiming Children and Youth, 20 (1), 45-49.

DiBiase, A-M. (2010). The impact of a psychoeducational prevention program for behaviorally at-risk children: EQUIP for Educators. Journal of Research in Character Education. 8 (1), 21-59.

Gibbs, J.C., Potter, G. B., DiBiase, A-M., & Devlin, R. (2008). The EQUIP Program: Helping Antisocial Youth to See—Really See–the Other Person. The Journal of Strength-Based Interventions: Reclaiming Children and Youth, 17(2), 35-38 (co-authored equally)

Clements, D.H., Sarama, J. & DiBiase, A-M. (2002). Preschool and kindergarten mathematics: A national conference. Teaching Children Mathematics, 8, 510-514. (co-authored equally)

Books

DiBiase, A-M, Gibbs, J. C., Potter, Blout, M. (2012). EQUIP for High School: Teaching Adolescents to Think and Behave Responsibly, Champaign, Illinois: Research Press (primary author)

DiBiase, A-M., Gibbs, J.C., & Potter, G.B., & van der Meulen, K, del Barrio, C, Granizo, L. (2010). EQUIPAR Para Educadores (EQUIP for Educators: Equipping Youth (Grades 5-8) to Think and Act Responsibly (Spanish translated Version), Los Libros de la Catarata Publisher. Madrid: Spain (primary author)

Novak, J.M., Rocco, W. DiBiase, A-M. (Eds). (2006). Creating Inviting Schools. San Francisco, CA :Caddo Gap Press (co-editors equally)

DiBiase, A-M., Gibbs, J.C., & Potter, G.B. (2005). EQUIP for Educators: Equipping Youth (Grades 5-8) to Think and Act Responsibly, Champaign, Illinois: Research Press (primary author)

DiBiase, A-M, Gibbs, J.C., Potter, G.B. van der Velden, F., & Brugman, D, van Kessel, S.,van der, Veen, K. (2005). EQUIP voor het Onderwijs: Handleiding voor docenten. Utrecht University, The Netherlands. (primary author)

Clements, D.H., Sarama, J. & DiBiase, A-M. (Eds). (2004). Engaging young children in mathematics: Standards for early childhood mathematics education, Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates

DiBiase, A-M. (2015).From genes to folds: Consideration cortical gyrification theory and anxiety disorders. The American Psychiatric Association 168th, Annual Conference. Toronto: CA

DiBiase, A-M. Chronic stress induction of dendritic atrophy and decrese in spine density in neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC):  The role of neuroprotection in stress-induced behavioral changes. American Psychological Association: 122nd Annual Conference Washington, D.C.

DiBiase, A-M. (2013).Disruption of mesolimbic regulation of prefrontal cholinergic transmission in a schizophrenia and normalization by chronic clozapine treatment. The American Psychiatric Association 166th, Annual Conference. San Francisco: CA

DiBiase. A-M.  (2013).  The impact of the enhancement of GABA neurotransmitter from the administration of a long elimination half-life benzodiazepine:  Clonazepam efficacy in the reduction of panic and anxiety.  Association for Psychological Science, 25th Annual Conference, Washington: DC

DiBiase, A-M. (2012). Ventral striatal-basal forebrain mechanisms modulating cortical acetylcholine, attention, and implications for neuropsychiatric disorders,  American Psychiatric Association 165th, Annual Conference. Philadelphia: PA

DiBiase, A-M (2011).  Benzodiazepine efficacy in adolescent generalized anxiety and panic attacks: Enhancing effects on  gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA).  American Psychological Association 7th Annual Science Leadership Conference. Washington, D.C.

DiBiase, A-M. & Gibbs, J.C.  (2010). EQUIP for Educators for Behaviorally At-Risk Student:  Pedagogical and Cognitive Strategy Implementation.  54thAnnual Special Education Conference.  Ontario Council for Exceptional Children. Niagara Falls, Ontario. November. (primary author)

Gibbs, J. C.; Potter, G. B., DiBiase, A.-M., & Blount, M. (2010).The EQUIP Program: An Update.  The 36th Annual Conference of the Association of Moral Education scheduled St. Louis, Missouri, November (Co-authored equally)

Di Petta, T., Woloshyn, V.E., Gallagher, T.L., DiBiase, A.M., Hyatt, M., Purcer, C., &

Ferguson, L. (2008). Reviewing an integration program for students with learning disabilities and mild intellectual delays: Teacher, student and parent perspectives. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Convention, New York City, Thursday, March 27th. (refereed)