Kristina Lenker

Dr. Kristina Lenker is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Pennsylvania State University, affiliated with the Penn State Neuroscience Institute and the Division of Sleep. Her research focuses on sleep health in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD and ASD, emphasizing bidirectional sleep-function relationships and adapting evidence-based interventions. She holds a PhD in Pediatric School Psychology from Lehigh University (2018).

• Teaching: Mentors master's, doctoral, and residency trainees in behavioral sleep medicine (BSM), sleep physiology, and pediatric sleep disorders.
• Clinical Work: Specializes in insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, nightmares, and hypersomnia, using therapies like CBT-I, chronotherapy, and light therapy. Trains psychology interns and medical residents.

Her research employs methods like actigraphy and neurocognitive testing. Recent work examines sleep-autism phenotype relationships, light exposure impacts in ASD, and disparities in insomnia trajectories. She collaborates on resilience-building programs for healthcare professionals.

Key contributions include studies on nightmare variability in insomnia and racial disparities in sleep health. Her work aligns with UN SDGs related to health equity and quality education.