
Natacha D. Emerson, PhD
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, California 90095
About
Dr. Emerson is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Loma Linda University and completed both her clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA, specializing in Pediatric Psychology.
Clinically, she provides psychological services to medically-complex patients across several outpatient clinics at UCLA including pediatric hematology-oncology, pediatric endocrinology, pediatric obesity, and adult pulmonology. She also co-directs the UCLA Pediatric Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison (C/L) Service at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center and the Pediatric Psychology C/L Service at Mattel Children's Hospital.
Languages
Education
Residency
Degree
Locations

UCLA Division of Population Behavioral Health
Hospital Affiliations
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center
Research
Publications
Dr. Emerson's research has spanned a wide range of topics including: self-efficacy, health disparities, family-based interventions for medically-ill children, medical ethics, and professional wellness.
Recent Publications:
- Bursch, B., Emerson, N. D., & Sanders, M. J. (2019). Evaluation and management of Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, in press. Published online October 15, 2019, pp 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-019-09668-6
- Flynn, P. M., Emerson, N. D., Nunez, E. I., Betancourt, H., Nance, C. M. (2019). Health Professional Cultural Competence Reduces the Psychological and Behavioral Impact of Negative Healthcare Encounters. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, in press.
- Emerson, N. D., Bursch, B. (2019). Enhancing professional peer support and resilience with reflective narrative panel: Innovative workshop for impacting medical setting culture. Journal of Medical Case Reports and Reviews, 1(1):1-4, DOI: 10.15761/MCRR.1000106.
- Emerson, N. D., Small, G., Torres-Gil, F., Merrill, D. A., & Siddarth, P. (2018). Behavioral risk factors for self-reported depression across the lifespan. Mental Health and Prevention, 12: 36-41.
- Bursch, B., Forgey, M., Emerson, N. D., Siddarth, P., … and Plioplys, S. (2018). Sibling controlled study of parent bonding, coping and health care utilization among youth with non-epileptic seizures. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 43(10), 1128–1137.
- Bursch, B., Emerson, N. D., Arevian, A., Aralis, H., Galuska, L., Bushman, J., Sinclair, M., Grimley, K., Lester, P. & Bulut, Y. (2018). Feasibility of Online Mental Wellness Self-Assessment and Feedback for Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care Nurses. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 43: 62-68.
- Chen, S. T., Siddarth, P., Merrill, D. A., Martinez, J., Emerson, N. D., … Small, G. W. (2018). FDDNP-PET TAU brain binding patterns in military personnel with suspected chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, DOI: 10.3233/jad-171152.
- Emerson, N. D., Morell, E. R., Neece, C., Tapanes, D., & Distelberg, B. (2018). Multi-level model of parent-child attachment, depression and self-concept in pediatric chronic illness. Family Process, DOI: 10.1111/famp.12361.
- Emerson, N. D., Morell, E. R., Mahtani, N., Sanderson, L., Neece, C., Boyd, K. & Distelberg, B. (2018). Preliminary Validation of a Self-Efficacy Scale for Pediatric Chronic Illness. Child: Care, Health & Development, 44(3):485 -493.
- McEwen, S., Siddarth, P., Abedelsater, B., Mui, W., Wu, P. Emerson N. D., … Merrill, D. A (2018). Simultaneous aerobic exercise and memory training program in older adults with subjective memory impairments. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 62(2), 795-806.