Biography
Katherine Magnuson, PsyD, is a Pediatric Psychologist at Children’s Health℠ and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Magnuson provides mental health care for patients and families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and through the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program at Children’s Health.
It is an honor to join children and their families on their paths through development and childhood.
“It is an honor to join children and their families on their paths through development and childhood,” she says. “The ability to intervene and assess early can foster growth, understanding, and positive outcomes for our patients, and I feel very fulfilled to have the opportunity to be a part of that.”
Dr. Magnuson earned her Doctor of Psychology from Baylor University. She completed her fellowship training in pediatric health service psychology at Boston Children’s Hospital and was also a Clinical Fellow in psychology at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Magnuson supports babies and families in the NICU by promoting healthy emotional development, positive parenting, and strong parent-child relationships. In the Heart Center, she plays a key role in the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program, assessing children with congenital heart defects for developmental challenges. She’s also part of the Cardiac Autism Clinic, where she evaluates children with heart conditions for autism. Dr. Magnuson also conducts research focused on parenting interventions.
In her spare time, Dr. Magnuson enjoys baking, reading, and spending time with her family and her dog.
Education and Training
- Internship
- Hennepin County Medical Center (2022), Child & Adolescent Psychology
- Fellowship
- Boston Children's Hospital (2023), Child & Adolescent Psychology
- Graduate School
- Baylor University (2022)
Departments and Programs
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Research Interests
- Infant mental health
- Neurodevelopmental assessment
- Psychological outcomes in the NICU
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Publications
- Magnuson, K.I., Li, K., Beuley, G., & Ryan-Pettes, S.R. (2024). The Use of Noncommercial Parent-Focused mHealth Interventions for Behavioral Problems in Youth: A Systematic Review. JMIR mHealth and uHealth.
- Li, K., Magnuson, K. I., Beuley, G., Davis, L., & Ryan-Pettes, S. R. (2023). Features, Design, and Adherence to Evidence-Based Behavioral Parenting Principles in Commercial mHealth Parenting Apps: A Systematic Review. JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting, 6, e43626.
- Ryan-Pettes, S. R., Magnuson, K. I., Skiest, H., Brennan, P. A., & Maxson, C. (2022). Parenting Characteristics Protective Against Substance Use and Deviant Peer Involvement in High-Risk Neighborhoods. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1-11.
- Curtis, B. L., Ashford, R. D., Magnuson, K. I., & Ryan-Pettes, S. R. (2019). Comparison of smartphone ownership, social media use, and willingness to use digital interventions between generation z and millennials in the treatment of substance use: Cross-sectional questionnaire study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(4), e13050.
- Ryan-Pettes, S. R., Lange, L. L., & Magnuson, K. I. (2019). Mobile phone access and preference for technology-assisted aftercare among low-income caregivers of teens enrolled in outpatient substance use treatment: questionnaire study. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 7(9), e12407.
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Professional Activities
- American Psychological Association
- National Perinatal Association
- Society of Pediatric Psychology
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Awards and Honors
- Editor's Choice Award - Journal of Child and Family Studies (2022)
- Frances Fowler Wallace Memorial Grant Award - Hogg Foundation for Mental Health (2020)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) R13-Funded Travel Award - National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (2019)
- Eugene C. Walker Award - Baylor University (2019)
- Graduate School Fellowship - Baylor University (2017-2022)
- The Hollingworth Prize - Barnard College of Columbia University (2017)