Adam M. Volungis, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology

508-767-7647 Kennedy Memorial Hall - Room 134

Degrees Earned

B.A., Saint Anselm College, Psychology, 2001.
M.A., Assumption College, Counseling Psychology, 2003.
Ph.D., Indiana University, Counseling Psychology, 2011.
Dissertation Title: “School Size & Youth Violence: Potential Mediating & Moderating Role of School Connectedness”

Special Interests

Dr. Volungis’ research interests include prevention of school violence, suicide prevention in adolescents, college student mental health and smartphone dependency, enhancing cognitive-behavioral therapy with technology, and youth internalizing/externalizing disorders.  He is a counseling psychologist and his clinical experience includes working in psychiatric, residential, and outpatient settings serving youth, families, and adults. He also has an active private practice providing cognitive-behavioral therapy for youth and adults..

Undergraduate Courses Taught

Psychology of Women
Psychology of Personality
Abnormal Psychology
General Psychology

Graduate Courses Taught

Professional Integrative Seminar
Systems Interventions with Children
Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions with Children
Cognitive Assessment and Psychotherapy
Group Approaches to Counseling
Research Seminar
Issues in Professional Practice
Psychological of Measurement
Psychology of Personality

Publications

Volungis, A. M. (2021). Becoming a clinical mental health counselor: A guide to career development and professional identity. Rowman & Littlefield. https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538121160 

Kalpidou, M., Volungis, A. M., & Bates, C. (2021). Mediators between adversity and well-being of college students. Journal of Adult Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-021-09372-6

Hitlan, R., McCutcheon, L. E., Volungis, A. M., Joshi, A., Clark, C. B., & Pena, M. (2021). Social desirability and the Celebrity Attitude Scale. North American Journal of Psychology, 23, 105-113. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/c6dbd6aab8bd575473bd48f7250d363c1d280273

Doerfler, L. A., Volungis, A. M., & Connor, D. F. (2020). Co-occurrence and differentiation of oppositional defiant and mood disorders among children and adolescents. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29, 2568-2579. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01756-8

Volungis, A. M. (2020). The Signs of Suicide (SOS) prevention program pilot study: High school implementation recommendations. North American Journal of Psychology, 22, 455-468. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/8c59fa0d1ea2726103f4d642e74914003f87cc48

Volungis, A. M., Kalpidou, M., Popores, C., & Joyce. M. (2020). Smartphone addiction and its relationship with indices of social-emotional distress and personality. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 18, 1209-1225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-00119-9.

Volungis, A. M. (2018). Cognitive-behavioral therapy: Theory into practice. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442274105/.

Volungis, A. M. & Goodman, K. (2017). School violence prevention: Teachers establishing relationships with students using counseling strategies. Sage Open, 7(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244017700460.

Volungis, A. M. (2016). School size and youth violence: The mediating role of school connectedness. North American Journal of Psychology, 18, 123-146. 
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/df2b/f768a5afd5f5795cbd531964e2caae026292.pdf.

Daniels, J. A., Volungis, A. M., Pshenishny, E., Ghandi, P., Winkler, A., Bradley, M. C., & Cramer, D. P. (2010). A qualitative investigation of averted school rampages. The Counseling Psychologist, 38, 69-95. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000009344774.

Volungis, A. M. (2008). Preventing school violence through establishing school connectedness. Prevention in Counseling Psychology: Theory, Research, Practice and Training, 2, 17-21.

Doerfler, L. A., Connor, D. F., Volungis, A. M., & Toscano, P. F. (2007). Panic disorder in clinically referred children and adolescents. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 38, 57-71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-006-0042-5.

Connor, D. F., Doerfler, L. A., Toscano, P. F., Volungis, A. M., & Steingard, R. J. (2004). Characteristics of children and adolescents admitted to a residential treatment center. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 13, 497-510. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JCFS.0000044730.66750.57.

Connor, D. F., Doerfler, L., Volungis, A. M., & Melloni, R. H. (2003). Aggressive behavior in abused children. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1008, 79-90. https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1301.009.

Conferences

Doherty, J., & Volungis, A. M. (2020, October). College as a pressure cooker: Relationships between pressure to succeed, mental health, and coping style. Poster presented at the 60th annual conference of the New England Psychological Association [Remote].

Volungis, A. M., Nikolopoulos, J., Mastrocola, A., & Doherty, J. (2020, March). Social media awareness in adolescents: Implementation of a high school-based psychoeducation program. Poster presented at the 91st annual conference of the Eastern Psychological Association [Remote].

Volungis, A. M., Green, C., & Nikolopoulos, J. (2019, November). Trauma-informed care scale: Preliminary factor structure. Poster presented at the 59th annual conference of the New England Psychological Association, Manchester, NH.

Volungis, A. M. & DiDonna, S. (2019, March). The Signs of Suicide (SOS) prevention program: High school implementation recommendations. Paper presented at the 90th annual conference of the Eastern Psychological Association, New York, NY.

Volungis, A. M., Morse, E., Fox, L., & Doerfler, L. (2018, March). High school suicide prevention: Follow-up to a psychoeducation program pilot study. Poster presented at the 89th annual conference of the Eastern Psychological Association, Philadelphia, PA.

Volungis, A. M., Green, C., Amir, M., Manzi, S., Knight, B., Joyce, M., & Popores, C. (2017, October). Trauma-informed care scale development. Poster presented at the 57th annual conference of the New England Psychological Association, Worcester, MA.

Kalpidou, M., Volungis, A. M., Bates, C., Mamott, E., & Spillman, C. (2017, May). Childhood adversity, coping, and adjustment in college. Poster presented at the 29th annual conference of the Association for Psychological Science, Boston, MA.

Volungis, A. M., Knight, B., Joyce, M., & Popores, C. (2017, March). Suicide prevention in adolescents: Implementation of a high school-based psychoeducation program. Poster presented at the 88th annual conference of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, MA.

Volungis, A. M., Kalpidou, M., Popores, C., & Joyce, M. (2017, March). College student smartphone dependency: Relationships between social-emotional well-being and personality. Paper presented at the 88th annual conference of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, MA.

Volungis, A. M., Geertsma, J., Remen, A., & Doerfler, L. A. (2016, October). Clinical characteristics of individuals who enter a community-based DBT program. Poster presented at the 50th annual conference of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, New York, NY.

Volungis, A. M., Kalpidou, M., Popores-LaFleur, C., Raziuddin, A., Joyce, M., & Avolese, P. (2016, August). Childhood adversity and college mental health moderated by coping style. Poster presented at the 124th annual conference of the American Psychological Association, Denver, CO

Volungis, A. M., Popores, C., Raziuddin, A., & Avolese, P. (2015, October). Enhancing cognitive behavioral therapy with technology. Poster presented at the 55th annual conference of the New England Psychological Association, Fitchburg, MA

Volungis, A. M., Doerfler, L. A., & Connor, D. F. (2014, November). Absence of the irritable dimension within oppositionality as a predictor of depression in a clinic sample of youths. Poster presented at the 48th annual conference of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Philadelphia, PA.

Volungis, A. M., Liu, S., Whittle, D., Henriquez, S., & Schmidt, K. (2014, March). Hovering or grounded?: Exploring helicopter parenting as a valid construct.  Paper presented at the 85th annual conference of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, MA.

Volungis, A. M., McGrath, M. A., Truong, D. T., Liu, S., Schmidt, K., & Garry A. (2013, October). Not all treatments are equal: Re-conceptualizing treatments that cause harm.  Paper presented at the 19th annual conference of the New England Psychological Association, Bridgeport, CT.

Volungis, A. M., Truong, D. T., Angelone, J., Liu, S., & Whittle, D. S. (2013, July). Media’s role in promoting school violence: A proposed social-cultural learning model. Poster presented at the 121st annual conference of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI.

Volungis, A. M. (Chair), & Finn, P. (Discussant). (2013, March). Making research even more exciting! Effective use of technology for research teams.  Symposium conducted at the 84th annual conference of the Eastern Psychological Association, New York, NY.

Volungis, A. M., Doerfler, L. A., Toscano, P. F., & Connor, D. F. (2012, November). The absence of gender differences in co-occurring internalizing and externalizing disorders in youth. Poster presented at the 46th annual conference of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, National Harbor, MD.

Volungis, A. M., & Angelone, J. (2012, October). Issues involved with implementing a bullying intervention. In P. Toscano & L. Doerfler (co-Chairs), Collaboration among schools, community agencies, and academic institutions to address bullying in the public schools. Symposium conducted at the 18th annual conference of the New England Psychological Association, Worcester, MA.

Volungis, A. M., Truong, D. T., & Whittle, D. S. (2012, October). School violence prevention: The role of school administration in fostering school connectedness. Paper presented at the 18th annual conference of the New England Psychological Association, Worcester, MA.  

Daniels, J. A., Vecchi, G., Volungis, A. M., & Kinnucan, L. (2012, September). Breaking the code of silence: Strategies for combating school shootings and bullying.  Paper and workshop presented at the 12th annual conference of the Association for Conflict Resolution, New Orleans, LA.

Grants and Awards

Michael O’Shea Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching (2019)

Rev. Joseph Pelletier, A. A. ’32 Memorial Award (Service to the Athletic Department) (2019)

Faculty Development Grant (Research) (2016, 2018, 2020)

Indiana University Paul F. Munger Award (2009)

American Psychological Association of Graduate Students Outstanding Professional Development Award (2008)

Indiana University Department of Counseling Psychology Research Fellowship Award (2008)

Assumption College Graduate Fellow (2001-2003)

Professional Affiliations

Alliance for Professional Counselors

American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA)

American Psychological Association (APA)

Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)

Delta Epsilon Sigma

Eastern Psychological Association (EPA)

Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association (MaMHCA)

New England Psychological Association (NEPA)

Psi Chi

Professional Service

President – New England Psychological Association (2021-2023)
Steering Committee Member – New England Psychological Association (2014-Present)
Ad Hoc Reviewer – The Counseling Psychologist
Ad Hoc Reviewer – North American Journal of Psychology
Ad Hoc Reviewer – Sage Open

Research Projects

School Climate & School Violence Prevention

Collaborating with a local regional high school in developing an implementation plan focusing on improving responsiveness to student mental health (e.g., suicide prevention, social media awareness)

Organizational Trauma-Informed Competency

Collaborating with a local mental health agency in developing an implementation plan focusing on measuring organizational culture/climate of trauma-informed care through direct-care staff

Smartphone Dependency, Social-Emotional Well-Being, and Personality

Collaboration with Maria Kalpidou, Ph.D.

Study examining the relationship between smartphone dependency, social-emotional well-being (e.g., sleep quality, loneliness, interpersonal relationships satisfaction, social/work/school adjustment, psychological distress), and personality traits in college students

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Well-Being

Collaboration with Maria Kalpidou, Ph.D.

Study examining the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), coping strategies, and executive functioning of college students as well as their connections to well-being as indexed by college adjustment and perceived psychological and physical health

Youth Internalizing/Externalizing Disorders

Collaboration with Len Doerfler, Ph.D. & Daniel Connor, M.D.

Examples of active studies: (a) examining the irritable dimension within oppositonality as a predictor of depression, (b) evaluating the clinical utility of the ADHD rating scale, (c) relationship between depression and aggression in youth who are diagnosed with ADHD

Faculty Website

https://dradamvolungis.com/