Tiffany Burkhardt
Senior Researcher
Dr. Tiffany Burkhardt is a Senior Researcher at Chapin Hall whose research focuses on evaluation of support programs that promote family and child well-being and prevent child maltreatment. Her current work includes leading the evaluation of a new initiative to provide supports for parents of young children, using mixed methods to evaluate the implementation and outcomes of this initiative. She also works on the evaluation of a program that addresses the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on the health and well-being of children and families by integrating social services and parenting resources into primary care. She contributes to evaluation projects funded by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), including residential care and monitoring program and therapeutic foster care. She is also the evaluation director for the Research to Action Grants program of the Doris Duke Fellowships for the Promotion of Child Well-Being.
Burkhardt recently completed an evaluation of a pilot initiative of an infant and early childhood mental health consultation model across early childhood systems in Illinois, including home visiting and early childhood care and education. She collaborated with pediatricians at the University of Chicago to pilot test the clinical implementation of the Infant Crying and Parent Well-being screening tool, a measure she codeveloped to identify and refer families struggling with infant crying. Burkhardt’s previous projects at Chapin Hall include evaluating the Fussy Baby Network® Facilitating Attuned Interactions (FAN) Advanced Training for staff at home visiting programs across Illinois. She was also involved in an evaluation of the Early Learning Coalition in the Altgeld-Riverdale community of Chicago, which was designed to build a community infrastructure to support early learning in a high-need community. Burkhardt conducted an implementation evaluation of the Chicago Young Parents Program, a two-generation program developed by Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services and SGA Youth Services. Burkhardt also collaborated on the Pew Charitable Trust Home Visiting Data for Performance Initiative, which resulted in a recommendation of measures of parenting capacity and child development for national home visiting models.
Burkhardt earned a PhD in Child Development from Erikson Institute and Loyola University Chicago and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago, where she studied human development and social services administration.
PhD in Child Development from Erikson Institute and Loyola University Chicago
Masters of Science in Human Development and Social Services Administration, University of Chicago
Burkhardt, T., Huang, L. A., Kakuyama-Villaber, R., & Pacheco-Applegate, A. (2022, June). Racial bias in data assessment tool: An innovative method to advance racial equity in research. Presentation at Society for Prevention Research Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Burkhardt, T., Spielberger, J., & Abreu, D. (2022, March). Equitable practices in early childhood settings: Implementing & evaluating the Illinois Model of IECMHC. Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Equity from the Start Conference, Virtual.
Burkhardt, T., & Pacheco-Applegate, A. (2022, February). Assessing Survey Data for Racial Bias. Child Care Policy Research Partnership – Community of Practice Meeting.
Burkhardt, T., Huang, L. A., Kakuyama-Villaber, R., & Pacheco-Applegate, A. (2022, February). Racial Bias in Data Assessment tool. Child Welfare Data Leaders, Using Data to Advance Equity subgroup meeting.
Burkhardt, T., Huang, L. A., Kakuyama-Villaber, R., & Pacheco-Applegate, A. (2022, January). Racial Bias in Data Assessment tool. Presentation to Child Well-Being Research Network.
Burkhardt, T., Huang, L. A., Kakuyama-Villaber, R., & Pacheco-Applegate, A. (2021, December). Developing a methodology to assess data for racial bias. Chapin Hall Lunch and Learn Colloquium.
Burkhardt, T., Spielberger, J., Walsh, A. M., Kanwischer, K., & Brambila, C. (2021, October). Advancing infant/early childhood mental health consultation through statewide leadership, collaboration, and evaluation. Paper presented at the Zero to Three Annual Conference, virtual.
Spielberger, J., Burkhardt, T., & Winje, C. (2021, June). Responding to high rates of expulsion: Findings from a pilot of a cross-system model of infant/early childhood mental health consultation. In D. Perry (Chair), Ending Early Childhood Expulsion in the US: One State’s Efforts through Advocacy, Legislation, and Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation [Symposium]. World Association for Infant Mental Health International Congress.
Spielberger, J., & Burkhardt, T. (2021, June). Improving relationships and preventing burnout in early childhood professionals: Implementation of a cross-system model of infant/early childhood mental health consultation. Paper presented at the World Association for Infant Mental Health International Congress.
Spielberger, J., Burkhardt, T., Winje, C., & Herriott, A. (2021, April). “More support, understanding, and listening”: An evaluation of a new model of mental health consultation. Panel presentation at the Society for Research in Child Development Virtual Biennial Meeting.
Katch, L. E., & Burkhardt, T. (2021, April). Screening for infant crying problems to support family well-being and prevent infant maltreatment. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development Virtual Biennial Meeting.
Burkhardt, T., & Huang, L. A. (2021, February). Evaluating mental health consultation in home visiting programs. Paper presented at the National Home Visiting Summit Virtual Conference.
Lueck, C., Spielberger, J., & Burkhardt, T. (2020, December). Implementation of a cross-system model of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Impacts on policy and cross system coordination. Paper presented at the National Research Conference on Early Childhood, Arlington, VA.
Burkhardt, T., Katch, L. E., Alkureishi, L., & Andrews, B. (2020, September). Using the Infant Crying and Parent Well-being Screening Tool in a clinical setting to identify families at risk of AHT. Paper presented at the International Conference on Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma, Philadelphia, PA.
Burkhardt, T., & Spielberger, J. (2020, February). Ending early childhood education expulsion through legislation, implementation, and intervention. Every Student Succeeds Act Conference, Chicago, IL.
Burkhardt, T., Huang, L. A., Schlecht, C., & Carreon, E. (2019, September). Coming together to promote healthy child development: Evaluation of a community coalition. Paper presented at the Prevent Child Abuse America Conference, Milwaukee, WI.
Burkhardt, T., & Spielberger, J. (2018, October). Strengthening relationships and reflective capacity: Findings from a mixed-methods evaluation of a relationship-based practice model. Paper presented at the Zero To Three Annual Conference, Denver, CO.
Burkhardt, T. (2017, December). Evidence-based measures to support parent-child interactions. Field presentation at the Illinois State Board of Education Prevention Initiative Forum, Springfield, IL.
Spielberger, J., Burkhardt, T., Winje, C., Gouvea, M., & Gilkerson, L. (2017, December). Enhancing the capacity of home visitors with a reflective practice approach. Poster presented at the Zero To Three Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.
Burkhardt, T., & Katch, L. (2017, December). Screening for infant crying problems in families: Lessons from a pediatric implementation study. Poster presented at the Zero To Three Annual Conference, San Diego, CA.
Katch, L., & Burkhardt, T. (2017, April). Infant crying and parent well-being: Screening tool validation. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting, Austin, TX.
Burkhardt, T., & Katch, L. (2016, December). Implementing a screening tool for problematic infant crying and parent well-being in clinical settings. Poster presented at the Zero To Three Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Spielberger, J., Burkhardt, T., Gouvea, M., Winje, C., Barisik, E., & Gilkerson, L. (2016, July). Building home visitor-parent relationships: Evaluation of a home visitor training in an infant mental health-based approach. Presented at the Administration for Children and Families National Research Conference on Early Childhood, Washington, DC.
Spielberger, J., Burkhardt, T., Gouvea, M., Winje, C., Barisik, E., & Gilkerson, L. (2016, June). Enhancing home visitors’ skills with an infant mental health approach. Presented at the World Association for Infant Mental Health Conference, Prague, Czechoslovakia.
Burkhardt, T, Spielberger, J. & Winje C. (2016, February). Facilitating Attuned Interactions in Home Visiting. Poster session presented at the Erikson Institute Research Poster Symposium, Chicago, IL.
Katch, L., & Burkhardt, T. (2016, January). Infant crying and family functioning: Detecting problems and knowing when to help. Field presentation at the Opening Minds Conference, Chicago, IL.
Burkhardt, T., Katch, L., & Gilkerson, L. (2015, December). Infant crying and family functioning clinical screening and referral: Pilot study findings. Field presentation at the Zero To Three National Training Institute, Seattle, WA.
Katch, L., & Burkhardt, T. (2014, December). Parent perception of infant crying: Evidence for effective screening. Poster presented at the Zero To Three National Training Institute, Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Burkhardt, T. (2014, November). Predicting emotion regulation in early childhood: The impact of maternal well-being, infant crying, and dyadic mutuality. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development Special Topic Meeting: New Conceptualizations in the Study of Parenting-At-Risk, San Diego, CA.
Burkhardt, T. (2014, April). Predicting emotion regulation in early childhood: The impact of maternal well-being, infant crying, and dyadic mutuality. Poster presented at the Loyola Graduate Student Research Symposium, Chicago, IL.
Burkhardt, T., Gilkerson, L., Gray, L., Heilman, K. J., & Porges, S. W. (2013, April). Too much crying: Maternal perception of infant crying and maternal well-being. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Aylward, S., Coleman, D., Zageris, D., Lewis, G., Hardin, E., Golant, E., Burkhardt, T., Gray, L., Gilkerson, L., Heilman, K. J., & Porges, S. W. (2011, September). Excessive crying at 6 months is related to difficulties in autonomic and behavioral regulation at 24 months. Poster presented at the University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Psychiatry Research Symposium, Chicago, IL.
Burkhardt, T., Katch, L., & Gilkerson, L. (2011, March). Perceived helpfulness of an infant/parent support program: Do presenting concerns or initial expectations impact satisfaction? Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting, Montreal, Canada.
Heilman, K. J., Zageris, D., Aylward, S., Coleman, D., Lewis, G., Burkhardt, T., Gray, L., Gilkerson, L., & Porges, S. W. (2010, March). Autonomic and behavioral state regulation in infants who excessively cry/fuss. Poster presented at the International Congress on Infant Studies, Baltimore, MD.
Gilkerson, L. & Burkhardt, T. (2008, September). Is early excessive crying a clinical indicator? Poster presented at the Illinois Association for Infant Mental Health Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.
Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting, Strategic Poster Award for exemplifying Policy Research related to children’s development, 2021.
1st Place Award for Longitudinal Methods, Loyola Graduate Student Research Symposium, Loyola University Chicago, April, 2014.
Spielberger, J., Burkhardt, T., Herriott, A., & Winje, C. (2022). Building reflective capacity and improving well-being of early childhood professionals through an embedded cross-system model of infant early childhood mental health consultation. Infant Mental Health Journal. In press.
Heilman, K. J., Zageris, D. M., Keir, D., Aylward, S. A., Burkhardt, T., Gilkerson, L., Boukydis, Z., Gray, L., & Porges, S. W. (2022). Breastfeeding is related to atypical autonomic and behavior regulation in infants with a history of excessive crying. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 176, 119–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.03.012.
Schwartz, L. F., Tan, M. M., McCrae, J. S., Burkhardt, T., Ness, K. K., & Henderson, T. O. (2021). Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in newly-diagnosed childhood and adolescent/young adult (AYA) cancer patients with hematologic malignancies. Blood, 138, 4108.
Katch, L. E. & Burkhardt, T. (2021). Development and validation of the Infant Crying and Parent Well-being Screening Tool. Journal of Community Psychology, 49(6), 1579–1597. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22599
Gilkerson, L., Burkhardt, T., Katch, L. E., & Hans, S. (2020). Increasing parenting self-Efficacy: The Fussy Baby Network Intervention. Infant Mental Health Journal, 41(2), 232–245. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.21836
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