Dr. Wojtalik’s research interests surround advancing the evidence-base of psychosocial interventions that target community functioning for people experiencing schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses (SMIs). Dr. Wojtalik’s goal is to increase access to anti-stigmatizing, strengths-based, and recovery-oriented SMI interventions in communities. Her research challenges deficit-based narratives of SMI, promoting hope and acknowledging the meaningful contributions to society and our greater good that people with SMI make every day.
Dr. Wojtalik has a particular interest in cognitive remediation interventions for people with early course schizophrenia. She has over a decade of experience researching and providing Cognitive Enhancement Therapy (CET), a social work-developed cognitive remediation intervention, for people with schizophrenia and Autism. Beyond cognitive remediation, Dr. Wojtalik has recently started a collaborative research effort to examine the effectiveness of trauma-focused interventions for individuals with severe mental illness.
Much of Dr. Wojtalik’s research in these areas is informed by the integration of social work and cognitive neuroscience. She considers such an integration a novel direction to advance direct mental health practice for people experiencing conditions with a strong neurobiological basis, such as schizophrenia and Autism.
Teaching Information
Courses Taught
Publications
Selected Publications
Brown, W.J., Saulnier, K.G., Allan, N.P., Wojtalik, J.A., Zampogna, A.M., Grubaugh, A.L. (2022). Dropout from Prolonged Exposure among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid severe mental illness. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 10. doi: 10.1016/j.jadr.2022.100405
Wojtalik, J.A., *Flores, A.T., Keshavan, M.S., Eack, S.M. (2022). Premorbid sociality moderates social adjustment change during Cognitive Enhancement Therapy for adults with early schizophrenia. [Invited manuscript for special issue: Experimental Therapeutics in Child Clinical Psychology: Identifying Mechanisms and Moving the Needle]. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 51(3) 312-322. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2022.2025599
Wojtalik, J.A., Mesholam-Gately, R.I., Hogarty, S.S., Greenwald, D.P., Litschge, M.Y.,Sandoval, L.R., Shashidhar, G., Guimond, S., Keshavan, M.S., Eack, S.M. (2022). Confirmatory efficacy of Cognitive Enhancement Therapy for early schizophrenia: Results from a multi-site trial. Psychiatric Services 75(3), 501-509. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.202000552
Grubaugh, A.L., Brown, W.J., Wojtalik, J.A., Myers, U.S., Eack, S.M. (2021). Meta-analysis of the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in adults with comorbid severe mental illness. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 82(3), 20r13584, e1-e11. doi: 10.4088/JCP.20r13584
Wojtalik, J.A., Eack, S.M. (2019). Cognitive Enhancement Therapy improves social relationships quality of life among individuals with schizophrenia misusing substances. Social Work Research, 43(1), 59-64. doi: 10.1093/swr/svy032
Wojtalik, J.A., Eack, S.M., Smith, M.J. Keshavan, M.S. (2018). Using cognitive neuroscience to improve mental health treatment: A comprehensive review. [Special Section on Social Work and Neuroscience]. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 9(2), 223-260. doi: 10.1086/697566
Wojtalik, J.A., Smith, M.J., Keshavan, M.S., Eack, S.M. (2017). A systematic and meta-analytic review of neural correlates of functional outcome in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 43(6), 1329-1347. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbx008
Education
Residencies, Internships and Fellowships
Additional Information
In the News
Commencement 2023
May 22, 2023
Anju Kotwani presents on mediating effects of social cognition
January 18, 2023
Spartan Showcase: Anju Kotwani
January 10, 2023
Mandel School partners with Magnolia Clubhouse on research, recovery for those with mental health issues
January 06, 2023
SSWR 2023 Annual Conference: Mandel School Presentations
January 06, 2023
Jessica Wojtalik selected for a NIMH Loan Repayment Program award
August 02, 2022
Jessica Wojtalik pens article in "Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology"
March 16, 2022
SSWR 2022 Conference: Mandel School Presentations
January 10, 2022
Mandel School’s Jessica Wojtalik researches treatment for early-course schizophrenia
October 2021
SSWR 2021 Virtual Conference: Award Winner & Presentations
January 19, 2021
Jessica A. Wojtalik joins the Mandel School as assistant professor
June 30, 2020
Events
Lunch and Learn: Improving Functional Recovery in Schizophrenia – Integrating Social Work and Cognitive Neuroscience
April 12, 2023
Lunch and Learn: Research Presentation with Jessica Wojtalik
November 16, 2022