Professor; Associate Member, Division of Adolescent Health & Medicine, Department of Pediatrics

Sheila Marshall is a Professor Emeritus in the School of Social Work and an associate faculty member of the Division of Adolescent Health and Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC. She received her B.A.Sc. in Family Studies, MSc. and Ph.D. in Family Relations and Human Development from the University of Guelph. Her research focuses on psychosocial development during adolescence and young adulthood with an emphasis on the contexts of family and peer relationships. Particular research interests include examining the ways adolescents’ actively engage in their own development during interactions with parents and peers, and how adolescents’ construction of their social identities contribute to social and emotional well-being. She is an editorial board member of the Journal of Youth and Adolescence and Adolescent Research Review.

Sheila is an Associate Editor with the Journal of Adolescence: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-adolescence/

Sheila is a co-investigator with SARAVYC, Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre: http://www.saravyc.ubc.ca/

Research Topics

Psychosocial development during adolescence and young adulthood; family and peer relationships during adolescence; adolescent health

Current research projects include

Being my future: adolescents’ future oriented projects with non-parental adults (SSHRC-funded, 2017-2022). The objective of this research program is to describe the naturally occurring non-parental social support for youths’ future oriented projects that are constructed, point to, and anticipate future life engagements including education, vocation, leisure, and relationships. Using a modified action-project method, we follow adolescents for about 10 months as they seek out and talk with non-parental adults about their future.

Sheila is part of a team with Ashley Quinn (PI) and Grant Charles studying Foster parents’ engagement in Indigenous children’s and youth’s cultural identity development and maintenance, a study funded by SSHRC.

She is also a co-investigator (Lauree Tilton-Weaver, PI, University of Orebro) on a project studying the development of non-suicidal self-injury during adolescence. The research is funded by Forte, the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare.

Recent Publications

Geller, J., Fernandes, A., Srikameswaran, S., Pullmer, R., & Marshall, S.K. (2021). The power of feeling seen: Perspectives of individuals with eating disorders on receiving validation. Journal of Eating Disorders, 9, 149. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-021-00500-x

Coelho, J.S., Suen, J., Marshall, S.K., Burns, A., Geller, J., Lam, P-Y. (in press, 2021). Gender differences in symptom presentation and treatment outcome in children and youths with eating disorders.  Journal of Eating Disorders, 9, 113. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-021-00468-8

Marshall, S.K., Botia, L.A., Chiang, M.M-C., Domene, J.F., Noel, M., Pradhan, K., & Young, R.A. (2021). Using Contextual Action Theory and Action-Project Method to study real-time identity. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research. doi: 10.1080/15283488.2021.1960166

Wainstein, T., Marshall, S.K., Ross, C., Virani, A., Austin, J.C., Elliott, A.M.  (online first November, 2021). Adolescents’ experiences of genetic counseling, testing, and diagnosis: A scoping review. JAMA Pediatrics. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.4290

Coelho, J.S., Suen, J., Marshall, S.K., Burns, A., Lam, P-Y., Geller, J. (2021). Parental experiences with their child’s eating disorder treatment journey. Journal of Eating Disorders, 9, 92. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-021-00449-x

Young, R.A., Marshall, S.K., Stainton, T., & Chi, E. (2020). Transition to adulthood: Prospective content in joint parent-youth conversations for young people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). International Journal of Developmental Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1080/20473869.2020.1827212

Clark, B.A., Virani, A., Marshall, S.K., & Saewyc, E.M. (2020). Conditions for shared decision making in the care of transgender youth in Canada, Health Promotion International, daaa043. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daaa043

Marshall, S.K., Quinn, A., Charles, G., & Jamieson, A. (2020). Going beyond “who” and “how”: Expanding understanding of foster coparenting through the application of contextual action theory and action-project method.  Child and Youth Services Review, 116, 105187.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105187.

Ji, D., & Marshall, S.K. (2020). Guidelines for using administrative data from a measurement perspective: A Canadian child welfare case example. Social Work Research.

Clark, B.A., Marshall, S.K., Saewyc, E.M. (2020). Hormone therapy decision-making processes: Transgender youth and parents. Journal of Adolescence, 79, 136-147. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2019.12.016

Coelho, J.S., Suen, J., Clark, B.A., Marshall, S.K., Geller, J., & Lam, P-Y. (2019). Eating disorder diagnoses and symptom presentation in transgender youth: A scoping review.  Current Psychiatry Reports, 21, 107. doi: 10.1007/s11920-019-1097-x

Tilton-Weaver, L.C., Marshall, S.K., & Svensson, Y. (2019). Depressive symptoms and non-suicidal self-injury during adolescence: Latent patterns of short-term stability and change. Journal of Adolescence, 75, 163-174. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2019.07.013

Wall, J.M., Baugh, L.M., Pradhan, K., Beauchamp, M.R., Marshall, S.K., & Young, R.A. (2019). The coach-parent relationship in Canadian competitive figure skating: An interpretive description. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 45, 101577. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2019.101577

Wall, J.M., Pradhan, K., Baugh, L.M., Beauchamp, M.R., Marshall, S.K., & Young, R.A. (on-line first, 2019). Navigating early specialization sport: Parent and athlete goal-directed processes. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology. doi: 10.1037/spy0000187

Shankar, S., Marshall, S.K., & Zumbo, B. (2019). A systematic review of validation practices for the Goal Attainment Scaling measure. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 38, 236-255. doi: 10.1177/0734282919840948

Marshall, S.K., & Tilton-Weaver, L.C. (2019). Adolescents’ perceived mattering to parents and friends: Testing cross-lagged associations with psychosocial wellbeing.  International Journal of Behavioral Development, 43, 541–552. doi: 10.1177/0165025419844019

Li, G., Wu, A., Marshall, S.K., Watson, R., Adjei, J., Park, M., & Saewyc, E. (2019). Investigating site-level longitudinal effects of population health interventions: Gay-straight alliances and school safety. SSM – Population Health, 7, 100350. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2019.100350

Coelho, J.S., Beach, B., O’Brien, K., Marshall, S.K., & Lam, P-Y. (2019). Effectiveness of family-based treatment for pediatric eating disorders in a tertiary care setting. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 7, 105-115. doi: 10.1037/cpp0000273

Coelho, J.S., Lee, T., Karnabi, P., Burns, A., Marshall, S.K., Geller, J., & Lam, P.Y. (2018). Eating disorders in biological males: Clinical presentation and consideration of sex differences in a pediatric sample. Journal of Eating Disorders, 6: 40. doi: 10.1186/s40337-018-0226-y

Marshall, S.K., Goessling, K., Young, R.A., & Wozniaki-Molnar, A. (2019). Researching the transition to high school for adolescents with a disability: Qualitative Action-Project Method as an exemplar approach. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 44, 389-408. doi: 10.1080/1034912X.2018.1508646

Marshall, S.K., Stainton, T., Wall, J.M., Zhu, M., Murray, J., Wu, S., Bouhali, A.E., Parada, F., Zaidman-Zait, A., & Young, R.A. (2018). Transition to adulthood as a joint parent-youth project for young persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 56, 263–277. doi: 10.1352/1934-9556-56.5.263

Khalifa, H., Alnuaim, A.A., Young, R.A., Marshall, S.K., & Popadiuk, N. (2018). Crafting continuity and change in Saudi society: Joint parent-youth transition-to-adulthood projects.  Journal of Adolescence, 63, 142-152. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2017.12.014

Young, R.A., & Marshall, S.K., Stainton, T., Wall, J.M., Curle, D., Zhu, M., Munro, D., Murray, J., Bouhali, A.E., Parada, F., Zaidman-Zait, A. (2018). The transition to adulthood of young adults with IDD: Parents’ joint projects. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 31, 224–233.

Young, R.A., Murray, J., & Marshall, S.K. (2017). Prospective content in the friendship conversations of youth. Journal of Adolescence, 54, 9–17. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.11.001

Lam, P.Y., Marshall, S.K., Harjit, G., Coelho, J.S., Cairns, C. (2016). Pinch, cinch or step: Evaluating the effectiveness and acceptability of mid upper arm circumference measurements in adolescents with eating disorders. Eating Behaviors, 22, 72–75. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2016.03.023

Coelho, J.S., Pullmer, R., Robertson, M., Marshall, S.K., Lam, P.Y. (2016). Attitudes towards anthropometric measurements in youth: The role of eating pathology. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue Canadienne des Sciences du Comportement, 48, 232-237. doi: 10.1037/cbs0000047

Aeyelts, R., Marshall, S.K., Charles, G., & Young, R. (2016). How care is negotiated between a young carer and a parent facing mental illness and addiction. International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies, 7, 65-80.

Young, R.A., Marshall, S.K., Wilson, L.J., Green, A.R., Klubben, L., Parada, F., Polak, E., Socholotiuk, K., & Zhu, M. (2015). Transition to adulthood as a peer project.  Emerging Adulthood, 3, 166-178. doi: 10.1177/2167696814559304

Books & Reports

Young, R.A., Marshall, S.K., & Valach, L. with Domene, J.F., Graham, M.D., & Zaidman-Zait, A. (2011). Active transition to adulthood: A new approach for counseling. New York: Springer.

Charles, G., Stainton, T. & Marshall, S.K. (2012). Young carers in Canada: The hidden costs and benefits of early family caregiving. Ottawa: The Vanier Institute of the Family.

Book chapters

Curle, D., El Bouhli, A., Ma, Z., Marshall, S.K., Murray, J., Parada, F., Stainton, T., Wall, J., Wu, S., Young, R.A. (2021).  Transition to adulthood for individuals with intellectual disability. In E.A. Marshall & J. Symonds (Eds.), Young adult development at the school-to-work transition: International pathways and processes (pp. 295-312). Oxford University Press.

Tilton-Weaver, L.C., & Marshall, S.K. (2017). Governance transfer: A dynamic perspective on adolescent behavioral autonomy and parent regulation.  In B. Soenens, M. Vansteenkiste, & S. Van Petegem (Eds.), Autonomy in adolescent development: Towards conceptual clarity (pp. 74-93). New York, NY: Psychology Press.

Marshall, S.K., Nelson, M., Goessling, K., Chipman, J., & Charles, G. (2015). Counseling adolescents from an action theory perspective. In R.A. Young, J. Domene, & L. Valach (Eds.), Counseling and action: Toward life-enhancing work, relationships and identity (pp. 197-209). Springer Science+Business Media.

Google Scholar Profile https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=ZvS2XnsAAAAJ&hl=en

Areas of Scholarship: Adolescent development; adolescent psychosocial well-being; transition to adulthood; parent-child relationships