Contact Information
Phone: 617-358-4668
Email: holtm@bu.edu
Research website: www.bu.edu/bullying

Educational History

  • Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2002
  • M.S. in Counseling Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1999
  • B.S. in Psychology, Tufts University, 1997

Profile

Dr. Melissa K. Holt is an Assistant Professor in Counseling Psychology. Prior to joining the School of Education Dr. Holt was a Behavioral Scientist in the Division of Violence Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Holt’s research focuses on youth experiences with violence in the home, school, and community, with a particular emphasis on bullying. Within this line of research, she has evaluated the overlap among violence exposures, factors that promote resilience among youth exposed to violence, and the efficacy of school-based violence prevention programs. Dr. Holt completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and has expertise in counseling clients with histories of trauma and in treating individuals diagnosed with eating disorders.

Courses Taught

  • CE 710: Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
  • DS 505: Lifespan Development
  • RS600: Perspectives in Inquiry

Selected Publications

  • Espelage, D., & Holt, M. (2012). Understanding and preventing bullying, sexual harassment, and dating violence in schools. In K.R. Harris, S. Graham, T. Urdan, S. Graham, J.M. Royer, & M. Zeidner, Educational Psychology Handbook (Volume 2). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
  • Vivolo, AM, Holt, MK, & Massetti GM. (2011). Individual and contextual factors for bullying and peer victimization: Implications for prevention. Journal of School Violence, 10, 201-212.
  • Holt, M.K., Kaufman Kantor, K., & Finkelhor, D. (2009). Parent/child concordance about bullying involvement and family characteristics related to bullying and peer victimization. Journal of School Violence, 8, 42-63.
  • Holt, M., Finkelhor, D., & Kaufman Kantor, K. (2007). Hidden victimization in bullying assessment. School Psychology Review, 36, 345-360.
  • Espelage, D.L., & Holt, M. (2007). Dating violence among high school students (14.1-14.19). In Kendall-Tackett, K. & Giaccamoni, S., Intimate Partner Violence, Kingston, NJ: Civic Research Institute, Inc
  • Holt, M., Finkelhor, D., & Kaufman Kantor, K. (2007). Multiple victimization experiences of urban elementary school students: Associations with psychosocial functioning and academic performance. Child Abuse and Neglect, 31, 503-515.
  • Espelage, D., & Holt, M. (2007). Dating violence and sexual harassment across the bully-victim continuum among middle and high school students. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36, 799-811.
  • Holt, M., & Espelage, D. (2006). Perceived social support among bullies, victims, and bully-victims. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36, 984-994.
  • Holt, M., & Espelage, D. (2005). Social support as a moderator between dating violence victimization and well-being among African-American and Caucasian adolescents. School Psychology Review, 34, 309-328.
  • Holt, M. & Espelage, D. (2005). Multiple victimization of adolescents. In K. Kendall-Tackett and S. Giacomoni (Eds.), Victimization of Children and Youth: Patterns of Abuse, Response Strategies. Kingston, NJ: Civic Research Institute, Inc.
  • Espelage, D., Holt, M., & Henkel, R. (2003). Examination of peer group contextual effects on bullying during early adolescence. Child Development, 74, 205-220.
  • Holt, M., & Espelage, D. (in press). Associations between cyberbullying and psychological functioning. The University of Missouri Law Review Journal.
  • Degue, S., Holt, M.K., Massetti, G.M., Matjasko, J. L., Tharp, A. T., & Valle, L.A. (2012).  Report from the CDC: Looking ahead towards community-level strategies to prevent sexual violence.  Journal of Women’s Health, 21, 1-3.

Selected Presentations

  • Holt, M., Reid, J., Matjasko, J., Espelage, D., & Koenig, B. (2012, April). Bullying victimization and sex risk behaviors. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, BC.
  • Holt, M., Vivolo, A., Degue, S., Holland, K., Matjasko, J., Vivolo, A., Wolfe, M. (2012, March). Bullying and suicide risk: A systematic meta-analysis. Paper presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence, Vancouver, BC.
  • Holt, M. (2011, March). Bullying: Prevalence, links to psychological functioning, and prevention. Invited keynote talk presented at the Chico State Children in Trauma Conference, Chico, CA.
  • Holt, M. (2010, June). Discussant for symposium, The Social Context of Bullying and Peer Victimization: Implications for Prevention and Early Intervention. The 2010 Society for Prevention Research Conference, Denver, CO.
  • Holt, M., Finkelhor, D., & Kaufman Kantor, K. (2008, August). Peer group influences on aggression and victimization. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Boston, MA.
  • Holt, M., Tucker, C., & Becker Blease, K. (2008, July). Sibling support and exposure to inter-parental conflict. Paper presented at the International Family Violence and Child Victimization Research Conference, Portsmouth, NH.
  • Holt, M., Kaufman Kantor, G., & Finkelhor, D. (2007, July). Bullying and its relation to other victimization forms across the elementary-middle school transition. Paper presented at the 15th annual APSAC colloquium, Boston, MA.
  • Holt, M., Finkelhor, D., & Kaufman Kantor, K. (2007, March). An examination of bullying involvement and other youth victimization experiences across the elementary-middle school transition. In D. Finkelhor (Chair), Developmental Victimology: Integrating Research on Childhood Victimization from the Home, School, Community and Internet. Paper presented at the Society for Research on Child Development biennial meeting, Boston, MA.
  • Holt, M., Vivolo, A., Degue, S., Holland, K., Matjasko, J., Vivolo, A., Wolfe, M. (2012, March).  Bullying and suicide risk: A systematic meta-analysis. Paper presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence, Vancouver, BC.
  • Holt, M., Reid, J., Matjasko, J., Espelage, D., & Koenig, B. (2012, April).  Bullying victimization and sex risk behaviors.  Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, BC.

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