Kari-Lyn Sakuma, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor- Kari-Lyn Sakuma received her doctorate in Preventive Medicine from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California and had been a Research Associate at the Prevention Research Center at the Pennsylvania State University.
Education
- University of Southern California, Ph.D., 2009
- University of Southern California, M.P.H., 2006
Feinberg, M.E., Solmeyer, A.R., Hostetler, M., Sakuma, K.L., Jones, D.E., & McHale, S.M. (In Press). Siblings Are Special: Initial test of a new approach for preventing behavior problems and substance use. Journal of Adolescent Health. Doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.10.004
Feinberg, M.E., Sakuma, K.L., Hostetler, M., & McHale, S.M. (2013). Enhancing Sibling Relationships to Prevent Adolescent Problem Behaviors: Theory, Design and Feasibility of Siblings Are Special. Evaluation and Program Planning, 36(1), 97-106. doi: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2012.08.003
Sakuma, K.L., Riggs, N.R., & Pentz, M.A. (2012). Translating Evidence-based Violence and Drug Use Prevention to Obesity Prevention: Development and Construction of the Pathways Program. Health Behavior Research, 27(2), 343-358. doi: 10.1093/her/cyr095
Sakuma, K.L., Sun, P., Unger, J.B., & Johnson, C.A. (2010). Evaluating Depressive Symptom Interactions on Adolescent Smoking Prevention Program Mediators: A Mediated Moderation Analysis. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 12(11), 1099-1107. doi:10.1093/ntr/ntq156
Okamoto, J., Sakuma, K.L., He, Y., Peiyuan, Q., Palmer, P.H. & Johnson, C.A. (2010, September). A Qualitative Exploration of Youth in the “New” China: Perspectives on Tobacco Use from Adolescents in Southwest China. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health. doi:10.1177/1010539510380735
Riggs, N.R., Spruijt-Metz, D., Sakuma, K.L., Chou, C.P., & Pentz, M.A. (2010). Executive cognitive function and food intake in children. Journal of Nutrition Education & Behavior, 42(6), 398-403. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2009.11.003
Andreva VA, & Sakuma KL. (2008). Adapting smoking cessation programming to the Bulgarian context. Evaluation & the Health Professions, 31(3), 290-296.
Riggs, N.R., Sakuma, K.L., & Pentz, M.A. (2007). Preventing Risk for Obesity by Promoting Self-regulation and Decision-making Skills: Pilot results from the Pathways to Health Program (Pathways). Evaluation Review, 31(3), 287-310. doi:10.1177/0193841X06297243
Kari-Lyn Sakuma has extensive intervention development experience across multiple domains from substance use and obesity prevention to family relations. All interventions had been developed for NIH randomized-control trials and focus on translating and operationalizing health behavior theories into evidenced based programs for youth and families. Dr. Sakuma’s research is based on understanding the mechanisms of behavior change and how individual and environmental differences may produce differential program effects and health inequities.
Currently, Dr. Sakuma is a Co-Investigator on an NIH study which adapts an evidence-based co-parenting program for the Home-Visitor context and aims to help expectant parents traverse the stressful transition to parenthood for better psychosocial adjustment in both parents and child. Dr. Sakuma is also working on research studies that look at tobacco-related health disparities, new and emerging tobacco products, and the differential effects of state policies on tobacco use.
2011 Claremont Graduate University 
School of Community & Global Health 