Sabrina Darrow

Dr. Sabrina Darrow is a Professor and licensed psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, affiliated with the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. She directs the Wavefront program, which provides evidence-based treatment, training, and research to improve emotion regulation for young people impacted by mood, anxiety, suicide, trauma, and OC-related disorders. Dr. Darrow also leads a collaboration with San Francisco County's Child, Youth and Family System of Care to implement and evaluate Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents in the public mental health system.

Dr. Darrow obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno, completing her internship at the Southern Arizona Veterans Health Care System and postdoctoral studies, including the T32 Clinical Services Research Training Program, at UCSF.

Her primary research interests center on clinical behavior analysis with specific focus on adolescent and young adult mental health. Dr. Darrow's work explores the clinical utility of assessments, mechanisms of action in psychotherapy, and implementation science, particularly in the context of digital health interventions. She has developed significant expertise in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) and its application for youth struggling with depression, anxiety, and suicide. Her research demonstrates a strong commitment to bridging the gap between research and clinical practice to improve real-world mental health services for vulnerable youth populations.

Dr. Darrow's publication record shows a clear trajectory toward digital mental health solutions, particularly text messaging interventions for adolescent depression and suicide prevention. Her recent work demonstrates increasing focus on implementation science, cross-cultural adaptation of evidence-based treatments, and the development of digital tools to enhance traditional therapeutic approaches. The publications reveal consistent collaboration with key researchers in adolescent mental health, with growing emphasis on community implementation and real-world effectiveness.

Dr. Darrow has secured significant research funding as Principal Investigator for projects including 'Gathering stakeholder perspectives and modeling emotion regulation to predict youth suicidal behavior' (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention), 'Getting parents what they need, when they need it' (UCSF CTSI/NCATS RAP), and 'Let's Text! Improving Engagement in Depression Services for Diverse Teens' (UCSF RAP Digital Mental Health Award). She serves as clinician within the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Program for Adolescents and Young Adults and supervises trainees' clinical work with youth. Her Wavefront program integrates treatment, research, and training to address critical gaps in mental health services for youth.