Mary Ann Adams, Ph.D.
Professor

Interim Chair, Education Leadership and School Counseling

The University of Southern Mississippi
Southern Station Box 5035
Hattiesburg , MS 39406-5035
Phone: (601) 266-5643
FAX: (601) 266-4680
E-mail: Mary.Adams@usm.edu

Marriage and Family Therapy Program

Educational Qualifications:

1980-1983 Florida State University Ph.D. Degree
Marriage and Family Therapy

1972-1973 Troy State University M. S. Degree
Counseling Psychology

1970-1972 Birmingham Southern College B. S. Degree Psychology

Professional Experience:

2009 to present, Professor
College of Education and Psychology
University of Southern Mississippi

1984 - 2009 Assistant and Associate Professor
College of Education and Psychology
University of Southern Mississippi

1981-1983 Graduate Assistant Instructor
College of Health Sciences
Florida State University

1978 - 1981 Primary Family Therapist for Adolescent Inpatient Unit Charter Woods Private Psychiatric Hospital

1973 Counselor and Psychology Instructor
Wallace Junior College

1972 Resource Teacher for Emotionally Disturbed Elementary School Students
Dothan City School System

Professional Certification:

Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #T0392

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

Clinical Member #011748

Supervisory Status 1987 – current

American Red Cross Certified Disaster Mental Health Instructor 2005-current

HONORS AND AWARDS :

-HEROES OF KATRINA AWARD, University of Southern Mississippi, 2005

-H.I.P. AWARD for RESEARCH, College of Health and Human Sciences, 1998

-OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTOR AWARD for Outstanding Leadership in the Advancement of Education in Marriage and Family Therapy, Presented February 1991, Mississippi Division of AAMFT

-Certificate of Appreciation by the Forrest-Lamar County Mental Health Association, 1988

-EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING Award for the School of Family and Consumer Sciences, 1987

-Two students have received awards for research done under my direction.

1988 Ms. Debbie Sones Research Award from the Mississippi Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

1987 Ms. Cecilia Comero Innovative Research Award from the Southeastern Gerontological Society

-Honored for outstanding work by Dothan Association for Retarded Children, 1972

Professional Presentations :

INTERNATIONAL:

A The Implementation of Family Problem Solving Effectiveness Theory in the Measurement of Communication Process @ , (1986) International conference on Thinking and Problem Solving Columbus, Ohio

NATIONAL:

Quin, M., Hinton, W.J., West, C. & Adams, M.A. (2006). “Marriage and Family Therapy: Regulating the Profession”. American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Austin, TX

Hinton, W.J., Sims, P.L., Adams, M.A., Besnoy, L. & Castle, M. (2004). “Parental Attitudes for Families of First-Time Juvenile Offenders”. American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA

Hinton, W.J., Adams, M.A., Sims, P.L. Besnoy, L. Mullins, D. & Mathis, M. (2003). “Treating Delinquency: Efforts of a COAAMFT Training Program”, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Long Beach, California

Adams, M.A., Sims, P., & Clark, M. (2001) “Minority Men Matter: An Evidenced Based Clinical Approach to the Empowerment of Fathers”, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee

Adams, M.A., Sims, P.L. & Hinton, W.J. (2001) “Minority Men Matter: A Statewide Family Project”, 2001 American Association for Family Therapy Research Conference Program, Reno, Nevada (Only 20 submissions accepted nationally)

“Father Friendly Family Therapy”, Fatherhood Roundtable, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy 57 th Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois

“Calling All Men: The Impact of Male Intervention in the Multi-Problem Family”, Head Start Third National Research Conference on Making A Difference for Families, and Communities: Washington, D.C.

“Head Start Males: The Under Utilized Power Potential”, The National Head Start Association 23 rd Annual Training Conference – Research Track, New Orleans, Louisiana

“Parent Power: Dissemination of Sexual Content Information”, Third Annual Conference on Parent Education, Center for Parent Education, Dallas, Texas

“Healthy Family Functioning: As seen through the Eyes of Babes @ , Annual Conference for American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Los Angeles, California

Family Structure: A Variable to be Considered in Assessing Low Income Black Female Adolescents Fear of Failure @ , Annual Conference for American Association for Marriage And Family Therapy, Dallas, Texas

Use of the Sexual Genogram as an Effective Model for the Dissemination of Sexual content Material in the Classroom @ , National Council on Family Relations 51st Annual Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana

Incarcerated and Non-incarcerated Mother = s Attitudes about Parenting: An Exploratory Study @, National Conference on the Family and Corrections, Sacremento, California

Toward an Understanding of Interracial Marriage @ , American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy 46 th Annual Conference, New Orleans. Louisiana

“Mother-Teenage Daughter Sex-Related Problem Solving @ , Future of Parenting Symposium, Parenting Studies, The Family Resource Coalition, Chicago, Illinois

Changes in Communication Patterns of Mother-Adolescent Daughter Dyads over the Family Life Cycle @ National Alliance for Marriage and Family Therapy, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida

REGIONAL:

“Foundations of Disaster Mental Health” (2006), American Red Cross Regional Training, Biloxi, Mississippi, April 10 and 11, 2006

An Ecological Perspective for the Family Social Worker: An Alternative to Burn-Out @ Mobile Unit National Association of Social Workers, Alabama

Family Intervention with Elderly Parents and their Adult Children: Stress at its Best! @, Mississippi Regional Conference on Aging, Mississippi

Improving Communication Skills through an Understanding of the Single Parent Family System @ Parents Without Partners Regional Conference on Aging, Mississippi

“Mother-Daughter Dyads @ , Southern Regional Symposium on Building Family Strengths, Arkansas State University, Arkansas

Determinants of Family Problem Solving, An Effective Theoretical Base? @ , The Mid-South Sociological Society Annual Convention, Mississippi

STATE:

Adams, M.A., Hinton, W.J. & Sims, P.L. (2005). “Gender Specific Intervention with Female Juvenile Offenders”, 32 nd Annual Juvenile Justice Symposium, Biloxi, Misissippi

Adams, M.A., Sims. P. & Hinton, W.J. (April 26, 2004) “Adolescent Core Treatment Program”, Mississippi Legislators, Juvenile Justice Committee, Jackson, MS

Adams, M.A, Hinton, W.J., & Sims, P.L. (March 18, 2004) “Adolescent Core Treatment Program”, Mississippi Legislators, Juvenile Justice Committee, Jackson, MS

Hinton, W.J., Sims, P., Adams, M.A., Castle, M. & Webb, S (2004). “Preventing Juvenile Crime: Examining Effective Family Focused, Community Based Approaches”, 2 nd Annual Mississippi Child Welfare Institute Conference, Jackson, MS

Assisting Families with the Persistently Ill Patient: A Systems Approach @ , Mississippi Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

Treating Families Through Sexual Genograms @ , Workshop on Sexual Disorders and Sexual \ Dysfunctions for the Mississippi Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Hattiesburg, MS

Teaching Families to Develop Refusal Skills in Children and Adolescents to preventAbusive or Addictive Trauma @ , The Quest for Healing: Vision and Substance, Delta Medical Center Drug and Alcohol Unit

The Testing of Changes in Sexual Attitudes and Sexual Knowledge Among the Well Elderly: A Difficult Task @ The Mississippi Gerontological Society Annual Convention

“Parent-Child Communication: Before, During, and After Pregnancy @ , Workshop for Mississippi Governors Commission on Children and Youth and Mississippi Children Home Society

Effective Problem Solving of Mother-Adolescent Daughter Dyads on Both Sex Related and Non-Sex Related Problems @ at the Annual Conference of Mississippi Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

GRANTS:

“Region 8 Marriage and Family Therapy Externship”, Region 8 Mental Health Center, 2005 Amount $ 9,000.00

“Project Dad Link”, Project Director, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services. Collaborative with Head Start, 2004-2005 Amount $39,488.00

“Multi-Systemic Delinquency Prevention Program Year 3", 2003, Co Project Director, State Of Mississippi, Department of Public Safety: Amount $15,789.00

“Multi-Systemic Delinquency Prevention Program Year 2,” 2002, Co Project Director, State of Mississippi, Department of Public Safety Amount $ 36,778.00

“Multi-Systemic Delinquency Prevention Program”, 2001, Co Project Director, State of Mississippi, Department of Public Safety, Amount $ 59,768.00

“Men Matter Family Project”, 2000, Project Director, State of Mississippi, Department of HumanServices Amount $70,896.00

Calling All Men: Continuation Funding Year II @ , 1997, Project Director, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Research and Education Foundation, Amount: $ 5,000.00

Calling All Men @ , 1995, Project Director, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Research and Education Foundation, Washington, D.C. Amount: $ 15,551.00

“Head Start Research Funding: Calling All Men B Special Project”, 1996, Internal Grant from College of Health and Human Sciences for Testing Instruments. Amount: $ 500.00

The University Clinic for Family Therapy Block Grant Teen Parenting Program @ , 1994,Project Director, Office of Children and Youth, State of Mississippi, Department of Human Resources Amount: $19,598.00

Mississippi Department of Corrections Parenting Program: Consultation and Research Evaluation @ , 1992, Consultant, Department of Health and Human Services, The Mississippi Department of Corrections Amount: $ 17,443.00

“Assessment of the Family Genogram as a Method of Disseminating Sexual Content Material in the Educational Setting @ , 1988 Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Summer Grant, The University of Southern Mississippi Amount: $ 4500.00

An Examination of Characteristics of Adult Children of Alcoholics: Are They Culture Bound? @ 1988, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, University of Southern Mississippi, Amount: $ 250.00

Coping and Venting Skills Development @ , 1987, Consultant, Mississippi Power Association, Hattiesburg, Mississippi Amount: $ 6,500.00

Pregnant Adolescents = Family of Origin Systemic Change @ , 1986, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Developmental Grant, The University of Southern Mississippi Amount: $2,500.00

Assistance for Single Parents in School @ , 1986, Forrest-Lamar County Mental Health Association Amount: $ 200.00

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS :

Adams, M.A. & Hinton, W.J. (2006). Rescuing the Rescuer: MFT’s as American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Workers. Family Therapy Magazine, Volume 5 Number 2, pp. 12 – 15

Adams, M.A., Hinton, W.J. & Sims, P.L. (2005) Gender Specific interventions with female juvenile offenders. Proceedings: 32 nd Annual Juvenile Justice Symposium: Ensuring Positive Outcome for Youth, Families, and Communities. University, MS: The Mississippi Judicial College, pp. 28 - 38

Hinton, W.J., Sims, P.L. & Adams, M.A. (Under Review). Juvenile Justice: A System Divided. Criminal Justice Policy Review

Thun, D., Sims, P., Adams, M. & Webb, T. (2003). Effects of Group Therapy on Female Adolescent Survivors of Sexual Abuse: A Pilot Study. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 11, (4).

Adams, M. A., Ainsworth, P., LeFlore, L., Webb, T., McCullum, P. and Adcock, J. (1996). Calling All Men: The Impact of Male Intervention. Proceedings: Making a Difference for Children, Families, and Communities: Partnerships Among Researchers, Practitioners and Policymakers . Head Start = s Third National Research Conference. Washington, D. C., 549.

Adams, M. A. & Simons, M. A., (1995). Parent Power: Dissemination of Sexual Content Information. A Study of the Most Effective Method for Family Involvement in Teaching Sex Education. Proceedings: Third Annual Conference on Parent Education . Denton, Texas, 4.

Adams, M. A., Rojos-Camero, C., and Clayton, K. J., (1990). A Small Group Sex Education/Intervention Model for the Well Elderly: A Challenge for Educators. Educational Gerontology: An International Bimonthly . July/August 1990.

LeFlore, L. & Holston (Adams), M. A., (1989). Perceived importance of Parenting Behaviors of Incarcerated and Non-incarcerated Mothers: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Offender Counseling, Services, and Rehabilitation , 14, No. 1.

Rojos-Camero, C., Adams, M. A., and Clayton, K. J., (1989). Effectiveness of Leadership Style in a Small Group Sex Education Workshop for the Elderly. Proceedings: Developing Leadership in Geriatric Education. Lexington, Kentucky, 83-88.

Holston (Adams), M. A., (1988). Popular Press Family Life Education: Truth or Consequences? Family Life Educator , 6, No. 4, 34.

Sones, D. & Holston(Adams), M. A., (1988). Tolerance, Sociability, Sex and Race: Correlates of Attitudes Toward Interracial Marriage . Psychological Reports , 62, 518.

Holston, (Adams) M. A., & Cantrell, Steve, (1986). The Implementation of Family Problem Solving Effectiveness Theory in the Measurement of Communication Process. Proceedings: International Conference on Thinking and Problem Solving in Home Economics , Columbus, Ohio, 461-469.

Smith, D. J., Holston, (Adams), M. A., & Carr, A. D., (1986). New Perspectives for Traditional Celebrations. Lollipops: The Magazine for Preschool and Childhood Educators , 5, No. 2, (32), 38-40.

Adams, M. A. (1983). The Effect of Sexual Experience on Problem Solving Effectiveness of Adolescent Daughters and their Mothers. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.

CHAPTERS IN MONOGRAPHS :

Sims, P.L., Hinton, W.J., Adams, M.A. & West, C. (in press). Building A Bridge: An Experiential Group for Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse. The Group Therapists Notebook: Homework, handouts and activities.

Adams, M. A., Hinton, W. J. & Sims, P.L. (2005). Single Parents. In N.J. Salkind (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of Human Development, Newberry Park, CA: SAGE, pp. 1175 - 1178

Adams, M.A. (1992) A The Role of Hemispheric Preference in Understanding Family Systemic Functioning”, in Hemisphericity as a Key to Understanding Individual

Differences , Edited by Isadore Sonnier, Charles Thomas, Publishers, Springfield, Ill.

RESEARCH CITATIONS:

Holston (Adams), M. A. (1987). Babies Don = t Come With Directions: A Communication Project on Teen Pregnancy Prevention , A Congressional Briefing, Washington, D. C., June.

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