Faculty

 

Marie C. McGrath, Ph.D., NCSP

Assistant Professor of Psychology

Dr. Marie McGrath joined the Immaculata University faculty in 2004. She earned both her M.Ed. and her Ph.D. in School Psychology from Temple University. Her dissertation investigated the use of novel neuroimaging techniques in examining brain activation patterns associated with completion of executive functioning tasks. Dr. McGrath’s other research interests include cognitive and cross-battery assessment, the use of neuropsychological assessment techniques in school settings, giftedness, and school psychology training practices.

Dr. McGrath is the academic advisor for all students in the Department of Graduate Psychology’s School Psychology Certification and MA in Counseling Psychology with School Psychology Certification programs.  She also currently serves as the Field Site Visitor for master’s/certification-level school psychology internship placements.

Dr. McGrath is a Pennsylvania certified school psychologist. She holds the National School Psychology Certification (NCSP) credential, and currently serves as an application reviewer for the National School Psychology Certification Board.  Dr. McGrath is a member of several professional organizations in psychology and education, including the National Association of School Psychologists and the American Psychological Association. In addition to her work at Immaculata, Dr. McGrath does part-time clinical work as a school psychologist with the Chester County Intermediate Unit.

Selected Publications:

 

Thurman, S.K., & McGrath, M.C. (2008). Environmentally based assessment practices: Viable alternatives to standardized assessment for assessing emergent literacy skills in young children. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 24, 7-24.

Yares, A., Riley-Tillman, T.C., Fiorello, C.A., & McGrath, M.C. (2005). The virtual student:  Using technology to teach school psychology. In M. O. Thirunarayanan and A. Perez-Prado (Eds.), Integrating Technology in Higher Education (pp. 259-272). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.

Fiorello, C.A., Hale, J.B., McGrath, M., Ryan, K., & Quinn, S. (2002). IQ interpretation for children with flat and variable test profiles. Learning and Individual Differences, 13, 115-125.

Tillman, T.C., Fiorello, C.A., & McGrath, M.C. (2001). The virtual student: Using technology to facilitate learning of the diagnostic process. Trainers’ Forum: Periodical of the Trainers of School Psychologists, 19, 6-7.

Selected Presentations:

Szuchyt, J., & McGrath, M.C. (2008, June). Clinicians’ attitudes and practices regarding emotional trauma, attachment, and the developing brain. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association, Harrisburg, PA.

McGrath, M.C., & Yalof, J. (2008, February). School neuropsychology: Practitioners’ perceptions of training.  Poster presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, New Orleans, LA.

McGrath, M.C., & Yalof, J. (2007, March). School neuropsychology: Impact on school psychology program training practices.  Poster presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, New York, NY.

McGrath, M.C., Fiorello, C.A., & Thurman, S.K. (2005, April). Investigating executive functioning abilities using a novel neuroimaging technique.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Atlanta, GA.

McGrath, M.C., Fiorello, C.A., Kildebeck, E., Rashedi, L., Zakhidova, A., Thurman, S.K., Nioka, S., & Chance, B. (2003, August). Using neuroimaging to identify cognitive components of psychometric tests. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, ON.

Instructional Areas: