About Kelli Thompson
Assistant Research Professor

Lab Website

Kelli R. Thompson is an Assistant Research Professor and Director of the Juvenile Delinquency Lab. Her current research interests include the developmental pathways of delinquent behavior and the assessment, treatment-related outcomes, and public policy issues facing justice-involved youth. Dr. Thompson’s lab is the product of a more than 20-year public-public partnership between the Alabama Department of Youth Services and the psychology department. This partnership provides court-mandated services for youth adjudicated for serious delinquent behavior across the state. Decades of archival data from the life of the Accountability-Based Sex Offense Prevention Program (ABSOPP) serve as a unique resource for student research engagement and multidisciplinary collaborations.

Dr. Thompson’s lab is geared toward enhancing science and civic engagement, often using data to advocate for policy issues such as juvenile sex offender registry reform. She has a strong reputation for undergraduate research mentorship, with students presenting original research at multiple local, regional, and national conferences each year. She frequently serves as a mentor for the College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research Fellowship program and for the National Council of Undergraduate Research’s Scholars Transforming through Research program. She is also the faculty advisor for Spectrum: The Gender and Sexuality Alliance at Auburn University. She was also a founding board member for the local PFLAG chapter, which won the 2019 Outstanding Community Organization Award from the Auburn University Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Classes Taught

• PSYC 4930 – Directed Readings in Juvenile Justice
• PSYC 3910 – Supervised Research in Delinquency Studies
• PSYC 3940 – Experiential Learning with Adolescent Populations
• PSYC 4910 – Human Service Practicum in High-Security Youth Residential Settings

Representative Publications

*denotes student publication

Representative Publications:

Fix, R. L., Vest, N., & Thompson, K. R. (2022). Evidencing the Need to Screen for Social Determinants of Mental Health among Boys Entering a Juvenile Correctional Facility. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice. DOI: 10.1177/15412040221096359

Fix, R. L., Thompson, K. R., Letournea, E. J., & Burkhart, B. R. (2021). Development and psychometric properties of the concerns about juvenile sex offender registration and notification questionnaire. Sexuality Research and Policy, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-020-00468-4

Alexander, A., McCallum, K. & Thompson, K.R. (2021). Poly-victimization Among Adolescents Adjudicated for Illegal Sexual Behavior: A Latent Class Analysis. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 30:3, 347-367. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2020.1774692

*Brogan, K. M., Rapp, J. T., *Niedfeld, A. M., Thompson, K. R., & Burkhart, B. R. (2020). Using arousal suppression exercises to decrease inappropriate sexual arousal in detained adolescent males: Three clinical demonstrations. Behav Analysis Practice 13, 348–359. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00408-z

*Brogan, K. M., Rapp, J. T., *Edgemon, A. K., *Niedfeld, A. M., *Coon, J. C., Thompson, K. R., & Burkhart, B. R. (2019). Behavioral skills training to increase appropriate reactions of adolescent males in residential treatment. Behavior Modification. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445519880837

Everhart-Newman, J. L., *Falligant, J. M., Thompson, K. R., Gomez, M. D., & Burkhart, B. R. (2018). Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy with adolescents with illegal sexual behavior in a secure residential treatment facility. Children and Youth Services Review, 91(C), 431-438. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.06.028

*McDougale, C. B., *Coon, J. C., Richling, S. M., *O’Rourke, S., Rapp, J. T., Thompson, K. R., & Burkhart, B. R. (2018). Group Procedures for Decreasing Problem Behavior Displayed by Detained Adolescents. Behavior Modification, https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445518781314

*Brogan, K. M., Richling, S. M., Rapp, J. T., Thompson, K. R., & Burkhart, B. R. (2018). Collaborative Efforts by the Auburn University Applied Behavior Analysis Program in the Treatment of Adolescents Adjudicated for Illegal Sexual Behavior. Behavior and Social Issues, 27, 11-15. DOI: 10.5210/bsi.v.27i0.8267

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Undergraduate Journals

*Reach, E. M. & Thompson, K. R. (2022). Parenting Behaviors in Two Distinct Juvenile Populations. Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship, Vol. 11.

*Seaton, K. & Thompson, K.R. (2022). The Relationship Between Family Structure and Internalizing Features of Adolescents who Engage in Illegal Sexual Behavior. Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship, Vol. 11.

*Fisher, E. & Thompson, K.R. (2022). Cognitive Distortions and Empathy in Adolescents Adjudicated for Sexual Offenses. Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship, Vol. 11., http://our.auburn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Final-1.pdf

*Maggio, M. & Thompson, K.R. (2022). Trauma Exposure & Impulsivity Symptoms in Court-Involved Youth. Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship, Vol. 11., http://our.auburn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Maggio-KW-Revisions-LC-1.pdf

*Gagliano, E. & Thompson, K.R. (2022). Adverse Effects of Mandated Juvenile Sex Offender Registration Across Treatment. Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship, Vol. 11.

*Gusler, T., *Wirth, M., & Thompson, K.R. (2021). School Punishment and Delinquency: How may suspension and expulsion affect future deviancy? Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship. http://our.auburn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Gusler-pdf.pdf

*Wirth, M., *Gusler, T., & Thompson, K.R. (2021). What Hobbies are Linked with Peer Insecurity in a Sample of Detained Youth. Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship. http://our.auburn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Wirth-pdf.pdf

*Guajardo, S. & Thompson, K.R. (2021). The Effects of Pre-adjudicatory Factors on Therapeutic Alliance Among Detained Youth. Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship. http://our.auburn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Guajardo-pdf.pdf

*Evans, H.R. & Thompson, K.R. (2021). A Specialized Sex Education Program for Adjudicated Male Youth. Research Highlight in Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship http://our.auburn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Evans-indesign-2-2.pdf

*Bond, T.M., *Roth, A.J., & Thompson, K.R. (2021). Examining the Relationship Between Psychopathy and Risk for Sexual Offending in Adjudicated Adolescents. University of California at Berkeley Undergraduate Journal of Psychology. Vol. 14. https://ujpb.berkeley.edu/assets/pdf/vol14.pdf

 

List of award-winning student presentations:

2022 *Moss, R. & Thompson, K.R. (2022, April). The Role of Relational Resources
in Sex Offender Registration Fears. Poster presented at the 2022 Council on Undergraduate Research Posters on the Hill, Virtual Session.
*Regan Moss was selected as one of less than 90 students across the country to present original research to United States Members of Congress at Posters on the Hill Session.

2022 *Wettstein, J. & Thompson, K.R. (2022, March). Abuse, Sexual Discomfort, and Victim Typology in Adjudicated Youth. CEPO/Psi-Chi Undergraduate Oral Presentations at the 68th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association in Hilton Head, SC.
*Award Winner: Psi-Chi Regional Research Award at SEPA ($400 cash prize for student). Poster was selected for an oral presentation as one of the highest-ranking abstract submissions

2022 *Wettstein, J. & Thompson, K.R. (2022, March). Victim Age Patterns and Sexual Insecurity in Adjudicated Youth. Poster presented at the 2022 Auburn Research Student Symposium in Auburn, AL.
*2nd Place, University-Wide Undergraduate Student Winners in Human Sciences, Social Sciences, Creative Arts, Nursing and Humanities ($75 cash prize for student)

2018 *Williams, R., Thompson, K. R., & Burkhart, B. R. (2018, April). Understanding adjudicated adolescent’s willingness to change problematic behavior. Poster presentation at the 2018 Auburn University Student Symposium in Auburn, AL. *AU College of Liberal Arts Student Award Winner ($50 cash prize for student)

2017 *Pollard, K. M., Bovee, M. G., Thompson, K. R., & Burkhart, B.R. (2017, March). Childhood trauma and its impact on illegal sexual behavior patterns in adolescents. Poster presented at 63rd Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association in Atlanta, GA.
*Best Undergraduate Research Presentation ($50 cash prize for student)