Studying Clinical Psychology at Dalhousie: Pediatric Sleep Research in Action – Department of Psychology and Neuroscience

Studying Clinical Psychology at Dalhousie: Pediatric Sleep Research in Action

Dalhousie Clinical Psychology student Alzena Ilie.

Sleep problems are among the most common concerns families bring to healthcare providers, yet most clinicians receive little training on how to assess or best treat them. Fourth-year Dalhousie Clinical Psychology PhD student Alzena Ilie (Corkum LABS; Supervisor Dr. Penny Corkum) is working to close this gap. Her research develops and evaluates an innovative e‑learning program that equips healthcare professionals to support healthier sleep in children ages five to 12.

We spoke with Alzena to learn more about her research. Here’s our Q&A.

What are your research interests?
My research interests include pediatric insomnia, neurodevelopmental disorders, healthcare provider training, and sleep in marginalized populations.

Can you give us a high-level description of your research?
My dissertation focuses on creating and evaluating the usability, effectiveness, and implementation of the Promoting Healthy Sleep Program, an e-learning program developed for healthcare providers in order to train them on how to assess and treat sleep problems in children using evidence-based practices.

What age range does your research cover?
Ages five to 12. Approximately 30% of Canadian children experience a symptom of insomnia, which can include difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early in the morning. That means about one in three children across Canada are affected. When we add neurodevelopmental disorders to the mix—such as autism and ADHD—the rate increases to almost 90%. We know when children have difficulty sleeping, everyone in the house has difficulty sleeping—parents, caregivers, and siblings. Poor sleep can negatively impact children’s grades, emotional and mood regulation, and cognitive functioning. It has widespread impacts.

What led you to this topic?
I took two courses during my undergraduate degree here at Dalhousie: Childhood Psychopathology and Science of Sleep. I really loved both. I’ve always enjoyed working with children and learning about mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders in youth populations. I was also interested in sleep, and that course really gave me a strong understanding of how sleep impacts us across the lifespan. Together, those two courses showed me how much I enjoyed learning about those areas, and Dr. Corkum studied both of those topics. I completed my Honours with her, worked as a research assistant, and I decided to continue research in neurodevelopmental disorders and sleep in children with her for my PhD.

Why is your research important and how will it affect daily lives?
Most healthcare providers are not trained to treat or assess sleep problems in children. Additionally, the majority of physicians prescribe pharmacological medications as the first line of treatment, which is not evidence-based practice. As a result, many children go untreated or are not properly assessed. At Corkum LABS, we’re working to close gap by providing training to healthcare providers so that they can assess and treat sleep problems in children using evidence-based practices.

What inspired you to pursue graduate work here at Dal?
Dr. Corkum was studying exactly what I wanted to focus on: neurodevelopmental disorders and sleep. Dalhousie University has one of the most nationally renowned programs in clinical psychology. It has a lifespan program with excellent faculty, so I knew I was going to have a high level of training. And, of course, living in Halifax is wonderful too.

What advice would you give to aspiring graduate students?
My basic advice is to get involved in research early and take a variety of psychology courses to discover your interests. I’d also recommend getting involved in extracurricular and volunteer opportunities, because many students focus on the academics to get into graduate school. While academics are important, soft skills and unique experiences make you stand out as a candidate. For example, I taught piano to youth all through my undergraduate degree, and I continue to do so. That experience taught me how to work with both children and parents, and I continue to use those skills in my clinical training today.

What do you want for your future?
Honestly, I’m still figuring it out. I really love clinical work and working with children and adolescents. I also enjoy research and teaching. So, I don’t have a definitive answer yet, but I hope to find a role that combines all three. I’ll definitely be a psychologist, but I’m not sure if I want to work as a full-time clinician, become an academic, or maybe do both—teaching and research part-time while also working clinically.