Associate Professor

Office: Hill Hall 443
Phone: 417-836-6842
E-Mail: MFanetti@MissouriState.edu

Classes

• Introduction To Psychology
• Forensic Psychology and the Child
• Behavior Management and Change
• Child Behavior Disorders
• Child Development
• Abnormal Psychology
• Assessing Child Sexual Abuse Victims
• Power and Cultural Behavior
• Externalizing Disorders of Children: ADHD, ODD, & CD
• History and Systems in Psychology
• Human Sexuality

Educational Background

• Ph.D. (1999), Clinical Psychology; University of Nevada, Reno
• M.A. (1998), Clinical Psychology; University of Nevada, Reno
• B.A. (1990), Psychology; University of Missouri, Columbia

Child Sexual Abuse Interview Evaluations

In the past I have consulted with attorneys regarding interviews of children that have been conducted by authorities. To learn more about this (CLICK HERE)

I have worked on several standardized methods for use in CSA cases. Two such products are the 'Protocol for Evaluating Forensic Interviews of Children' (i.e., PEFIC) and the 'Sexual Abuse Structured Interview for Children' (i.e., SASIC). The initial development of the SASIC was supported by an NIH research grant.

Child Forensic Psychology Certificate Program

The department of psychology is currently in the process of developing a training program for professionals who work with children who are or may have been victims or witnesses to crimes.  The program is being developed in cooperation with the Child Advocacy Center in Springfield and with the Greene County Prosocuting Attorneys Office.  When completed, it will entail a short series of courses which help the professional to understand the basics of child forensic psychology, important issues in child abuse and exploitation, and the things that child professionals must know to navigate through the judicial system while also protecting the child and the child's memory.  The student will be able to earn a certificate which demonstrates the aquisition of this knowledge. Though it is still being developed, we believe it should be ready for enrollment sometime in the 07-08 academic year.  We believe that groups who would benefit from this training are: Teachers, Counselors, Police Officers, Juvenile Officers, Child Protective Workers, and many others.

Research Interests

• Assessment of Child Sexual Abuse and Other Forensic Issues
• Factors affecting judgments of guilt in judicial decision making
• Acquisition of political and cultural power
• Relationship between pseudoscientific and scientific communities

NOTE: Students who wish to do research with me should review the departmental thesis guidelines . The psychology department faculty passed these guidelines in the Fall of 2004.

Current Research Projects

• Effects of gender in decision of guilt in CSA cases
• Effects of rapport in child forensic assessment
• Effects of reinforcement in child forensic interviewing
• Effects of A Priori information in child forensic interviewing
• Evaluation of Interviews of Child Sexual Abuse Victims
• Creation of Structured Interviews for Child Sexual Abuse

Hobbies

Playing with my 6 year old son and 8 month old daughter, Hunting wild graduate students on my large game preserve, Writing fiction