Dara J Sakolsky, MD, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Current Appointments

  • Medical Director, Services for Teens at Risk (STAR)

Areas of Expertise

  • Children & Adolescents
  • Mood Disorders
  • Anxiety, OCD & Trauma Disorders
  • Suicidality & Self-Harm
Dara J Sakolsky, MD, PhD
Expertise & Interests Selected Publications Education & Credentials Related News

Expertise & Interests

Research Interests

Pediatric anxiety disorders; Pediatric depressive disorders; Pediatric bipolar disorder

Clinical Interests

Pediatric anxiety disorders; Pediatric depressive disorders; Pediatric bipolar disorder

Education Interests

Resident education; Medical student education; Clinical and research mentorship

Selected Publications

  1. Goldstein TR, Merranko J, Rode N, Sylvester R, Hotkowski N, Fersch-Podrat R, Hafeman DM, Diler R, Sakolsky D, Franzen P, Birmaher B. Dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents with bipolar disorder: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry. 2024 Jan 1;81(1):15-24. PMID: 37703037
  2. Thoma BC, Hone E, Roig A, Goodfriend E, Jardas EJ, Brummitt B, Riston S, Sakolsky D, Zelazny J, Marsland AL, Chen K, Douaihy AB, Brent DA, Melhem NM. Risk for suicidal behavior after psychiatric hospitalization among sexual and gender minority patients. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Sep 5;6(9). PMID: 37682570
  3. Caporino NE, Sakolsky D, Brodman DM, McGuire JF, Piacentini J, Peris TS, Ginsburg GS, Walkup JT, Iyengar S, Kendall PC, Birmaher B. Establishing clinical cutoffs for response and remission on the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED). J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2017;56(8):696-702
  4. Ginsburg GS, Becker EM, Keeton CP, Sakolsky DJ, Piacentini J., Albano AM., Compton, SN, Iyengar S., Sullivan K, Caporino N, Peris T, Birmaher B, Rynn M., March J, Kendall, PC. Naturalistic follow-up of youth treated for pediatric anxiety disorders. JAMA Psychiatry 2014; 71(3):310-18.
  5. Sakolsky DJ, Perel JM, Emslie GJ, Clarke GN, Wagner KD, Vitiello B, Keller MB, Birmaher B, Asarnow JR, Ryan ND, McCracken JT, Strober MJ, Iyengar S, Porta G, Brent D. Antidepressant exposure as a predictor of clinical outcomes in the Treatment of Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA) Study. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 2011; 31(1): 92-97.
  6. Salk RH, Moses-Kolko EL, Chugani CD, Mastruserio S, Wentroble E, Blackburn V, Poling K, Sakolsky D, Brent D, Goldstein, TR. An intensive outpatient program for suicidal college students. J Am Coll Health. 2023 Jan;71(1):24-29. PMID: 33759707
  7. Chugani C, Goldstein T, Salk R, Poling K, Sakolsky D, Brent D. Group intervention for young adults with mood and anxiety disorders transitioning to college. J Psychiatr Pract. 2020 Mar; 26(2):120-125. PMID: 32134884.
  8. Birmaher B & Sakolsky D. Pharmacological Treatment of Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents In: Essau CA & Ollendick TH, editors. The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of the Treatment of Childhood and Adolescent Anxiety. West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell; 2013. p. 229-48.
  9. Sakolsky D & Birmaher B. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) In: Rosenberg B, Gershon S, editors. Pharmacotherapy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders, Third Edition. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.; 2012. p. 131-54.
  10. Sakolsky D & Birmaher B. Developmentally informed pharmacotherapy for child and adolescent depressive disorders. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2012; 21(2): 313-25.
  11. Kolko DJ, Hart JA, Campo J, Sakolsky D, Rounds J, Wolraich ML, Wisniewski SR. Effects of collaborative care for comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among children with behavior problems in pediatric primary care. Clin Pediatr. 2020 July;59(8):787-800. PMID: 3250339
  12. Kolko DJ, Campo J, Kilbourne AM, Hart J, Sakolsky D, Wisniewski S. Collaborative care outcomes for pediatric behavioral health problems: a cluster randomized trial. Pediatrics. 2014; 133 (4):981-992.
  13. Sakolsky D, Birmaher B. Pediatric anxiety disorders: Management in primary care. Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 2008; 20(5): 538-43. PMID: 18781116.

Education & Credentials

Education & Training

Education
MD, Temple University, School of Medicine
Education
PhD, Pharmacology, Temple University, School of Medicine
Residency
Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC
Fellowship
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC
Postdoctoral
Pediatric Anxiety Disorders, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Professional Affiliations

  • Fellow, American Psychiatric Association
  • Member, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Member, Anxiety and Depression Association of America

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