Sandra Weiss, PhD, RN, FAAN

Professor
Community Health Systems
+1 415 476-3105

Dr. Weiss is the Robert C. and Delphine Wentland Eschbach Chair in Mental Health. Her program of research focuses on the interaction between biological and psychological factors as they impact the mental health of children and adults. She is currently examining precursors of emotion regulation and affective disorders in early childhood, including the ways in which genetic, neuroendocrine, and autonomic nervous system vulnerabilities interact with adverse events such as stress, trauma and parental depression during pregnancy and infancy. Her NIH-funded research is examining: 1) the effects of stress hormones and maternal depression on development of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis and stress regulation of preterm and term infants, 2) effects of maternal postpartum depression on mother-infant interaction, and 3) perinatal precursors of infant microbiome development, including antenatal corticosteroids and exposure to maternal depression. In addition, her research with the National Network of Depression Centers is evaluating gender differences in symptom profiles of individuals being treated for depression and pathways to suicidal risk among women. Dr. Weiss is Director of the Stress and Depression Lab at UCSF and is involved in collaborative research with faculty in the Department of Psychiatry, the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and the Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine.

Publications: 

Exposure to prenatal stressors and infant autonomic nervous system regulation of stress.

Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Weiss SJ, Cooper B, Leung C

Prenatal exposure to social adversity and infant cortisol in the first year of life.

Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Keeton VF, Hoffmann TJ, Goodwin KM, Powell B, Tupuola S, Weiss SJ

Infant emotion regulation in the context of stress: Effects of heart rate variability and temperament.

Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress

Weiss SJ, Keeton VF, Leung C, Niemann S

The role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in depression across the female reproductive lifecycle: current knowledge and future directions.

Frontiers in endocrinology

Hantsoo L, Jagodnik KM, Novick AM, Baweja R, di Scalea TL, Ozerdem A, McGlade EC, Simeonova DI, Dekel S, Kornfield SL, Nazareth M, Weiss SJ

Maternal stress during the third trimester of pregnancy and the neonatal microbiome.

The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians

Weiss SJ, Hamidi M

Factors associated with mobile medical clinic use: a retrospective cohort study.

International journal for equity in health

Coaston A, Lee SJ, Johnson JK, Weiss S, Hoffmann T, Stephens C

Societal stigma and mistreatment in healthcare among gender minority people: a cross-sectional study.

International journal for equity in health

Clark KD, Lunn MR, Bosse JD, Sevelius JM, Dawson-Rose C, Weiss SJ, Lubensky ME, Obedin-Maliver J, Flentje A

Unique Characteristics of Women and Infants Moderate the Association between Depression and Mother-Infant Interaction.

Journal of clinical medicine

Weiss SJ, Goodman SH, Kidd SA, Owen MT, Simeonova DI, Kim CY, Cooper B, Rosenblum KL, Muzik M

Cortisol Regulation among Women Who Experience Suicidal Ideation during Pregnancy.

Journal of affective disorders reports

Elrefaay SM, Weiss SJ

Stressors in health care and their association to symptoms experienced by gender diverse people.

Public health

Clark KD, Flentje A, Sevelius JM, Dawson-Rose C, Weiss SJ

Clinical correlates of women endorsing premenstrual suicidal ideation: a cross-sectional study.

BioPsychoSocial medicine

Carlini SV, Weiss SJ, Mordukhaev L, Jacob S, Flynn HA, Deligiannidis KM

Exposure to antenatal corticosteroids and infant cortisol regulation.

Psychoneuroendocrinology

Weiss SJ, Keeton V, Richoux S, Cooper B, Niemann S

Potential paths to suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among high-risk women.

Journal of psychiatric research

Weiss SJ, Simeonova DI, Koleva H, Muzik M, Clark KD, Ozerdem A, Cooper B, Ammerman RT

Obstetric risk in pregnancy interacts with hair cortisone levels to reduce gestational length.

Frontiers in Global Women's Health

Musana J, Cohen CR, Kuppermann M, Gerona R, Wanyoro A, Aguilar D, Santos N, Temmerman M, Weiss SJ

Mobile Medical Clinics in the United States Post-Affordable Care Act: An Integrative Review.

Population health management

Coaston A, Lee SJ, Johnson J, Hardy-Peterson M, Weiss S, Stephens C

Maternal Interaction With Infants Among Women at Elevated Risk for Postpartum Depression.

Frontiers in psychology

Goodman SH, Muzik M, Simeonova DI, Kidd SA, Owen MT, Cooper B, Kim CY, Rosenblum KL, Weiss SJ

Characteristics of Suicidal Ideation: A Systematic Review.

Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research

Reeves KW, Vasconez G, Weiss SJ

Symptom profiles of women at risk of mood disorders: A latent class analysis.

Journal of affective disorders

Weiss SJ, Flynn H, Christian L, Hantsoo L, di Scalea TL, Kornfield SL, Muzik M, Simeonova DI, Cooper BA, Strahm A, Deligiannidis KM

Understanding disparities in person-centred maternity care: the potential role of provider implicit and explicit bias.

Health policy and planning

Afulani PA, Ogolla BA, Oboke EN, Ongeri L, Weiss SJ, Lyndon A, Mendes WB

Human Placenta Buffers the Fetus from Adverse Effects of Perceived Maternal Stress.

Cells

Vuppaladhadiam L, Lager J, Fiehn O, Weiss S, Chesney M, Hasdemir B, Bhargava A

Integrative Review of Early Life Adversity and Cortisol Regulation in Pregnancy.

Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN

Epstein CM, Houfek J, Rice MJ, Weiss SJ

Microbiota as mediator and moderator of stress.

BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology

Weiss S

Serious Psychological Distress: A National Study of Middle Eastern Immigrants.

Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing

Albqoor MA, Chen JL, Weiss S, Waters C, Choi JW

Use of individual development plans for nurse scientist training.

Nursing outlook

Thompson HJ, Santacroce SJ, Pickler RH, Allen JK, Armer JM, Bakken S, Bowles KH, Conley YP, Dunbar SA, Ellington L, Grey M, Heitkemper MM, Herr KA, Lake E, McCarthy AM, Melnyk B, Miaskowski CA, Moore SM, Naylor MD, Stone PW, Titler MG, Weiss SJ

Association of Differential Symptoms of Stress to Hair Cortisol and Cortisone Concentrations among Pregnant Women in Kenya.

Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Musana JW, Cohen CR, Kuppermann M, Gerona R, Wanyoro A, Aguilar D, Santos N, Temmerman M, Weiss SJ

Systematic review: Self-rated health of Arab immigrants in the United States.

Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.)

Alkaid Albqoor M, Chen JL, Weiss S, Waters C, Choi J

Early life adversity and depressive symptoms predict cortisol in pregnancy.

Archives of women's mental health

Epstein CM, Houfek JF, Rice MJ, Weiss SJ, French JA, Kupzyk KA, Hammer SJ, Pullen CH

A Collaborative, Network-Based Approach to Advance Women's Depression Research in the United States: Preliminary Findings.

Journal of women's health (2002)

Flynn HA, Spino C, Guille C, Deligiannidis KM, Maki P, Jahnke J, Rosenblum KL, Epperson CN, Weiss SJ

Mental Health Among Parents of Children With Critical Congenital Heart Defects: A Systematic Review.

Journal of the American Heart Association

Woolf-King SE, Anger A, Arnold EA, Weiss SJ, Teitel D

Mental health among parents of children with critical congenital heart defects: A systematic review

Journal of the American Heart Association

Woolf-King, S., Anger, A., Arnold, E., Weiss, S., Teitel, D.

Mental health problems among Korean American adolescents

Psychology

Kim, M., Chen, J., Kools, S., Weiss, SJ.

Adaptive behavior trajectories in children born prematurely: The influence of biologic and social risk factors over the first few years of life

Annals of Pediatrics and Child Health

Debattista, A., Huffman, L., Cooper, B., Alkon, A., Kennedy, C., Weiss, S.

Gender differences in suicidal risk factors among individuals with mood disorders

Journal of Depression and Anxiety

Weiss, S., Muzik, M., Deligiannidis, K., Ammerman, R., Guille, C. & Flynn, H.

Anxiety and physical health problems increase the odds of women having more severe symptoms of depression.

Archives of women's mental health

Weiss SJ, Simeonova DI, Kimmel MC, Battle CL, Maki PM, Flynn HA

Comparative Validity of the Adult Attachment Interview and the Adult Attachment Projective

Attachment and Human Development

Jones-Mason, K., Allen, E.I., Hamilton, S., & Weiss, S.J.

Promoting mental health of very young children.

Journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing : official publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, Inc

Weiss SJ

Comparative validity of the Adult Attachment Interview and the Adult Attachment Projective.

Attachment & human development

Jones-Mason K, Allen IE, Hamilton S, Weiss SJ

Factors influencing trajectories of early adaptive behavior among children born prematurely

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology

DeBattista, A., Huffman, L., Alkon, A., Cooper, B. & Weiss, S.

Impact of gender on separation-reunification experiences of Latino immigrant adolescents

Field Action Science Reports

Schapiro, NA, Kools, SM, Weiss, SJ & Brindis, CD

Toward a unifying definition: response to 'The concept of mental pain'.

Psychotherapy and psychosomatics

Meerwijk EL, Weiss SJ

Suicidal crises because of diminishing tolerance to psychological pain.

Brain imaging and behavior

Meerwijk EL, Ford JM, Weiss SJ

Separation and reunification: the experiences of adolescents living in transnational families.

Current problems in pediatric and adolescent health care

Schapiro NA, Kools SM, Weiss SJ, Brindis CD

Adolescent fathers in the justice system: hoping for a boy and making him a man.

Qualitative health research

Shade K, Kools S, Pinderhughes H, Weiss SJ

Preterm delivery and low birth weight in singleton pregnancies conceived by women with and without a history of infertility.

Fertility and sterility

Camarano L, Alkon A, Nachtigall RD, Schembri M, Weiss S, Croughan MS

Assessment and treatment of mental disorders specific to infants and young children

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health

Weiss, S, Quides, C.

Choosing fatherhood: how teens in the justice system embrace or reject a father identity.

Journal of community health nursing

Shade K, Kools S, Pinderhughes H, Weiss SJ

Factors Affecting Attachment in International Adoptees at 6 Months Post Adoption.

Children and youth services review

Niemann S, Weiss S

The development and effectiveness of a violence prevention program for Thai high school adolescents.

Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research

Kongsuwan, V., Suttharangsee, W., Isaramalai, S. & Weiss,

A conceptual model of incarcerated adolescent fatherhood: adolescent identity development and the concept of intersectionality.

Journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing : official publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, Inc

Shade K, Kools S, Weiss SJ, Pinderhughes H

The efficacy of the web-based childhood obesity prevention program in Chinese American adolescents (Web ABC study).

The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine

Chen JL, Weiss S, Heyman MB, Cooper B, Lustig RH

A conceptual model of incarcerated adolescent fatherhood: Adolescent identity development and intersectionality

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing

Shade K, Kools S, Weiss S, Pinderhughes H.

Measurement of tactile response and tactile perception

The Handbook of Touch: Neuroscience, Behavioral and Health Perspectives. Springer Publishers.

Brown C, Filion D, Weiss S.

Measurement of touch behavior

The Handbook of Touch: Neuroscience, Behavioral and Health Perspectives. Springer Publishers.

Weiss S, Niemann S.

Risk factors for obesity and high blood pressure in Chinese American children: Maternal acculturation and children's food choices

Journal of immigrant and minority health

Chen, J., Weiss, S., Heyman, M., Vittinghoff, E., Lustig, R.

The Handbook of Touch: Neuroscience, Behavioral and Health Perspectives

Springer Publishers, New York

Hertenstein M, Weiss SJ.

The efficacy of a web-based childhood obesity prevention program for Chinese American adolescents

Journal of Adolescent Health

Chen J, Weiss S, Heyman M, Cooper B, Lustig R.

Effects of mindful yoga on sleep in pregnant women: a pilot study.

Biological research for nursing

Beddoe AE, Lee KA, Weiss SJ, Kennedy HP, Yang CP

The inextricable nature of mental and physical health: implications for integrative care.

Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association

Weiss SJ, Haber J, Horowitz JA, Stuart GW, Wolfe B

The effects of mindfulness-based yoga during pregnancy on maternal psychological and physical distress.

Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN

Beddoe AE, Paul Yang CP, Kennedy HP, Weiss SJ, Lee KA

The inextricable nature of mental and physical health: Implications for integrative care

Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association

Weiss, S., Haber, J., Horowitz., J., Stuart, G. & Wolfe, B.

When East meets West: intensive care unit experiences among first-generation Chinese American parents.

Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing

Lee SY, Weiss SJ

Pilot study of an individually tailored educational program by mail to promote healthy weight in Chinese American children.

Journal for specialists in pediatric nursing : JSPN

Chen JL, Weiss S, Heyman MB, Vittinghoff E, Lustig R

Child Psychiatry

Contemporary Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing.

Weiss S, Niemann S.

The contribution of fetal drug exposure to temperament: potential teratogenic effects on neuropsychiatric risk.

Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines

Weiss SJ, St Jonn-Seed M, Harris-Muchell C

Neurobiological alterations associated with traumatic stress.

Perspectives in psychiatric care

Weiss SJ

Sleep disturbance, fatigue, and stress among Chinese-American parents with ICU hospitalized infants.

Issues in mental health nursing

Lee SY, Lee KA, Rankin SH, Weiss SJ, Alkon A

Expressed emotion of Thai family caregivers of people with Schizophrenia

Journal of Nursing Research

Sunpaweravong J, Weiss SJ, Sutharangsee W, Isaramalai S.

Origins of tactile vulnerability in high-risk infants.

Advances in neonatal care : official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses

Weiss SJ, Wilson P

Acculturation and stress in Chinese-American parents of infants cared for in the intensive care unit.

Advances in neonatal care : official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses

Lee SY, Lee KA, Rankin SH, Alkon A, Weiss SJ

Sleep-wake cycles, social rhythms, and sleeping arrangement during Japanese childbearing family transition.

Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN

Yamazaki A, Lee KA, Kennedy HP, Weiss SJ

The temperament of pre-term, low birth weight infants and its potential biological substrates.

Research in nursing & health

Weiss SJ, Jonn-Seed MS, Wilson P

Children: A vulnerable population

Contemporary Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing.

Weiss S.

Parents' touch of their preterm infants and its relationship to their state of mind regarding touch

Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health

Weiss S, Goebel, P.

The tactile context of a mother's caregiving: Implications for attachment of low birth weight infants

Infant Behavior and Development.

Weiss S, Wilson P, Hertenstein M, Campos R.

Touch

Fundamentals of Contemporary Nursing

Weiss S., Campos R.

Applying the nursing process with children

Psychiatric Nursing.

Weiss S.

Attachment theory

Child, Adolescent and Family Psychiatric Nursing

Weiss S.

Contemporary empiricism

In Search of Science

Weiss S.

Parental touching: Correlates of body image

Touch: The Foundation of Experience.

Weiss S.

A collaborative intercampus model for graduate studies in primary care nursing

International journal of nursing studies

Weiss S., McLain B, Fullerton J.

Health locus of control and preventive health behavior

Western journal of nursing research

Zindler-Wernet P, Weiss S.

Consensual norms regarding patient involvement

Social Science and Medicine

Weiss S.

Educating the nursing profession for role transformation

Journal of Nursing Education.

Weiss S.

Parental touch and the child's body image

The Many Facets of Touch

Weiss S.

Changing perceptions of roles and responsibilities in caring for the critically ill patient

Legal and Ethical Aspects of Treating Critically and Terminally Ill Patients

Weiss S.

The language of touch

Nursing research

Weiss S.