Photo of Damion J. Grasso, PhD

Damion J. Grasso, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychiatry
NPI Number:
1093251662
Academic Office Location:
Psychiatry
UConn Health
263 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT 06030-1410
Phone: 860-679-6708
Fax: 860-679-1296
Email: dgrasso@uchc.edu
Website(s):

Department of Psychiatry

Damion Grasso, Ph.D. a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UConn Health with a secondary appointment in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Grasso's research broadly focuses on understanding biobehavioral mechanisms involved in trauma- and stress-related disorders in children and effective strategies for assessing and treating trauma-related impairment. He co-leads the UConn Health Family Adversity and Resilience Research (FARR) Program and provides evidence-based psychotherapy interventions for treating trauma-related disorders in the UConn Health Psychological Trauma Clinic. 

Education
DegreeInstitutionMajor
BASkidmore CollegePsychology
MAWesleyan UniversityGeneral Psychology
PhDUniversity of DelawareClinical Psychology

Post-Graduate Training
TrainingInstitutionSpecialty
InternshipMedical University of South CarolinaCharleston Consortium Internship Program

Awards
Name of Award/HonorAwarding Organization
Fellow, American Psychological Association (APA) Society of Clinical Psychology (Division 12)APA Society of Clinical Psychology

Dr. Grasso provides trauma-informed clinical assessment and psychotherapy within the UConn Health Psychological Trauma Clinic, a faculty clinic that treats children and adolescents presenting with trauma-related psychopathology, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The clinic is equipped to provide trauma-informed diagnostic assessment and several evidence-based, behavioral treatment models (e.g., Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Treatment and Education).

Teaching experiences center on developmental psychopathology, psychological trauma, assessment, and evidence-based psychotherapy models for treating stress- and trauma-related disorders. 

Name & DescriptionCategoryRoleTypeScopeStart YearEnd Year
Board of Directors, APA Society of Clinical Psychology (Division 12)Professional/Scientific OrganizationSecretaryExternalNational2023
Affiliate, Scholars Strategy Network, Connecticut ChapterProfessional/Scientific OrganizationAffiliateExternalNational2023
Steering Committee, UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH)Research CommitteeSteering CommitteeUConn HealthUniversity2022
Council Member, UConn Health Center Research Advisory Council (HCRAC)Advisory CommitteeCouncil MemberUConn HealthUniversity2022
Faculty Affiliate, InCHIP Gun Violence Prevention Research Interest GroupProfessional/Scientific OrganizationAffiliateUConn-StorrsUniversity2021
Committee on Science and Practice, APA Society of Clinical PsychologyResearch CommitteeCommittee MemberExternalNational2018
Journal of Health Service PsychologyEditorial BoardAssociate EditorExternalInternational2017
Child MaltreatmentEditorial BoardConsulting EditorExternalNational

Dr. Grasso's scholarly work spans four broad themes: (1) awareness and prevention of adversity, child maltreatment, and family violence, (2) biobehavioral risk mechanisms involved in stress- and trauma-related psychopathology, (3) development and evaluation of tools and methods for assessing and quantifying stress, trauma, and associated impairments, and (4) development and evaluation of trauma-specific psychological treatments and community-based interventions.

The Family Adversity and Resilience (FARR) Program currently has three active NIH-funded studies centered on understanding how exposure to stress, trauma and other adversity affects children and families. We have many research opportunities for individuals from all levels of training (undergraduate, doctoral, and medical students, as well as residents and fellows). 

Journal Articles

Books

  • Grasso, D. Trauma-Informed Treatment for Children: A Workbook/or Clinicians 2013 Jan;
  • Grasso, D, Joselow, B., Webb, C & Derr, G. Clinical workbook to facilitate Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Children and Adolescents. 2009 Jan;
  • Ford, JD; Grasso, DJ; Elhai, JD; Courtois, CA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Second Edition: Scientific and Professional Dimensions

Book Chapters

  • Adverse Childhood Experiences and Traumatic Stress Disorders
    Grasso, Damion Oxford Handbook of Traumatic Stress Disorders, Second Edition 2020 Dec;
  • Assessment and Clinical Decision-making with Adult Survivors of Interpersonal Violence
    Liebman, R. E., van Buren, B., & Grasso, Damion Handbook of Interpersonal Violence Across the Lifespan 2019 Dec;
  • Trauma- and stressor-related disorders: biological factors
    Grasso, D The sage encyclopedia of abnormal and clinical psychology 2017 Jan;3594-3596
  • Trauma- and stressor-related disorders: risk for
    Grasso, D The sage encyclopedia of abnormal and clinical psychology 2017 Jan;3626-3628
  • Exposure Therapy: Mechanisms and Applications
    Grasso, D CME to Go: Psychiatry Series III 2016 Jan;
  • Emotion regulation in the wake of childhood complex trauma
    Greene, C.A. Grasso, D. Ford, J.D. Helping Children Cope with Trauma 2014 Jan;
  • Adolescent Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders
    Grasso, D CME to Go: Psychiatry Series III 2013 Jan;
  • Cumulative Trauma in Childhood
    Greene, C; Grasso, D; Ford, J Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Scientific Foundations and Therapeutic Models 2013 Jan;79-99
  • Designing, implementing, and interpreting the randomized controlled trial
    Grasso, D. CME to Go: Psychiatry Series II. 2012 Jan;
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents
    Grasso, D. & Kaufman, J. Pediatric Anxiety Disorders: A Clinical Guide, Current Clincal Psychiatry Series. 2012 Jan;
  • Update on pharmacological and behavioral treatment of acute stress and posttraummic stress disorders
    Grasso, D. CME to Go: Psychiarty Series. 2011 Jan;
  • The role of caregiver commitment in foster care: Insights from the This is My Baby Interview
    Dozier, M., Grasso, D., & Lindhiem, O. Attachment Theory in Clinical Work with Children 2007 Jan;90-108

Other

  • Computer-Assisted Structured Trauma-Related Experiences and Symptoms Screener (CASTRESS). Charleston, SC. (Computer software program)
    Grasso, D. 2012 Jan;
  • Likelihood of Diagnosis Index (LODI) software program. Pittsburgh, PA.
    Lindhiem, O. & Grasso, D. 2012 Jan;
  • Computer-Assisted UCLA PTSD Reaction Index (CA-UCLA) beta. Newark, DE. Computer software progam)
    Grasso, D. 2009 Jan;
  • The Society of Clinical Psychology’s manual for the evaluation of psychological treatments using the Tolin Criteria
    Boness, C. L., Hershenberg, R., Grasso, D., Kaye, J., Mackintosh, M. A., Nason, E., Shah, A., & Raffa, S. D.