Dr. Puffer is an Assistant Professor in Psychology and Neuroscience and Global Health at Duke University. We study family strengthening interventions to improve child mental health and aim to integrate interventions into existing social structures within low-resource communities.
News & Highlights
UNC-Duke Global Mental Health Seminar
A monthly hybrid (Zoom or in-person) seminar will deepen early-career networks and pose next-generation questions for global mental health.
Global Mental Health Journal Club at Duke
We are a student- and trainee-led journal club that meets regularly to discuss research and practice related to global mental health. Our goal is to engage broadly with the field and build community at Duke. Join us for opportunities to learn more about the field and connect with others! Join our meetings between 12-1pm on Read more about Global Mental Health Journal Club at Duke[…]
Savannah Johnson highlighted by DGHI for Women’s History Month
Savannah Johnson, a fifth year doctoral student in clinical psychology at Duke University, was highlighted by the Duke Global Health Institute for Women’s History Month for her dissertation work in Kenya. Our fifth spotlight for #WomensHistoryMonth is @savljohnson, a PhD candidate in clinical psychology at @DukeU and a Doctoral Scholar with DGHI. 1/ pic.twitter.com/QRWfXO3nLb — Read more about Savannah Johnson highlighted by DGHI for Women’s History Month[…]
Take the NEW Puffer Lab Survey for Parents!
The Puffer lab has just launched a new short survey for parents of kids ages 3-16 in the southern US!* Now that we’ve lived with COVID-19 for 6 months we, at the Puffer Lab, want to learn how families are doing. Our lab is now developing a program to support families, and want to get Read more about Take the NEW Puffer Lab Survey for Parents![…]
Hot off the press: Systematic review of task-shifting family therapy interventions by Elsa Friis Healy
Elsa Friis Healy recently first-authored a systematic review in a special issue of the journal Family, Systems, & Health. The special issue focused on Global Mental Health, and Elsa’s contribution reviewed “Family-Based Youth Mental Health Interventions Delivered by Non-Specialist Providers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.” She found that task-shifting interventions – which entails delivery of interventions Read more about Hot off the press: Systematic review of task-shifting family therapy interventions by Elsa Friis Healy[…]
Puffer lab hosts DGHI Director, Chancellor of Duke Medicine for field visit to Tuko Pamoja Project
Several visitors, including Duke Global Health Institute director Chris Plowe and Chancellor of Duke Medicine Eugene Washington, recently visited the Puffer lab’s research site in Eldoret, Kenya. The team visited our local community partners, including churches, who partner with us to deliver family therapy in communities. They met some of our trained lay counselors and Read more about Puffer lab hosts DGHI Director, Chancellor of Duke Medicine for field visit to Tuko Pamoja Project[…]
Ali Giusto wins award, successfully defends doctoral dissertation
Ali Giusto was awarded the Charles Hughes Fellowship from the Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture (SSPC). The award is presented to a graduate student who has an interest in and commitment to research in cultural aspects of mental health and illness. Ali was selected for the competitive award for her manuscript “Observational Read more about Ali Giusto wins award, successfully defends doctoral dissertation[…]
Julia Kaufman graduates with distinction, wins Outstanding Capstone Award
Undergraduate global health major Julia Kaufman graduated from Duke University with distinction. She completed a senior honors thesis in global health under Dr. Eve Puffer and Dr. Bonnie Kaiser (postdoc in the Puffer lab). Julia studied how lay counselors integrate cultural and contextual practices into an evidence-based family therapy intervention, designed by Dr. Puffer, to Read more about Julia Kaufman graduates with distinction, wins Outstanding Capstone Award[…]
Ali Giusto Awarded Duke Grants for Dissertation Fieldwork in Kenya
Ali Giusto, a fourth year doctoral student in the Puffer Lab, received two awards from the Duke University Graduate School to conduct her dissertation fieldwork. The International Dissertation Travel award ($3000) and the Aleane Webb Dissertation Research Fellowship ($500). Ali’s dissertation aims to develop and pilot a culturally-anchored intervention to reduce problem drinking and increase Read more about Ali Giusto Awarded Duke Grants for Dissertation Fieldwork in Kenya[…]
Randomized trial results recently published on an intervention for Burmese migrant families
Dr. Puffer and colleagues from the International Rescue Committee and Harvard University published two recent articles on findings from an impact of evaluation of a family-based intervention for Burmese migrant families in Thailand. Results showed positive impacts of the program on parent-child relationship quality, family functioning, and child mental health. Puffer, E. S., Annan, J., Read more about Randomized trial results recently published on an intervention for Burmese migrant families[…]