Tori R. Van Dyk

Dr. Tori R. Van Dyk is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Loma Linda University, specializing in pediatric health psychology with a focus on sleep, pain, and behavioral health. She holds a PhD (2016) and MA (2012) in Clinical Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and is a certified Behavioral Sleep Medicine specialist.

Her research centers on pediatric health behavior promotion, examining interactions between mental/physical health domains like sleep, eating, and exercise in youth. Key areas include pediatric insomnia treatment outcomes, sleep-pain relationships, and modifiable health behaviors. The Pediatric Health Behavior Lab she directs investigates mechanisms linking sleep disorders to chronic conditions such as obesity and mental health issues.

Recent work highlights mediation effects of health behaviors on obesity-insomnia connections, bidirectional relationships between sleep and behavioral problems in ASD families, and the role of emotion regulation in youth behavior. Her studies use mixed-methods approaches with clinical and community samples.

Professional contributions include membership in the Sleep Research Society and Society of Pediatric Psychology, and licensure as a Clinical Psychologist in California (#30741). Though no specific grants or awards are listed, her active research program includes over 30 peer-reviewed publications and numerous conference presentations on sleep health topics in pediatric populations.