Phillip Sherlock, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Dr. Sherlock joined the Center full-time in 2023 and currently serves as a Research Scientist. His work focuses on integrating complex data systems to support transdisciplinary research and policy development for the Sunshine State Early Childhood Integrated Data Systems (ECIDS) Portal Project. In this role, he provides methodological leadership in the development of Florida’s Sunshine State ECIDS Portal, a statewide repository of administrative data on health and education services for families with children from birth to age five. He advocates for research–practice partnerships that center participant engagement in methodological design and programmatic decision-making.
His research spans psychological measurement, advanced quantitative methods, and person-centered machine learning. He has contributed to the development and validation of several measurement tools, including the Crisis in Family Systems (CRISYS) Short Form, designed to efficiently capture multi-domain life stressors, and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Early Childhood measures of emotional distress, which extend the PROMIS framework to children ages 1–5 through developmentally sensitive parent-report instruments. His methodological work focuses on identifying complex interactions, contextualized risk, and treatment-effect heterogeneity to inform the evaluation and development of targeted interventions that improve outcomes for young children and families.
Selected Publications
* Master’s, doctoral student, or post-doctoral fellow co-author
Peer-Reviewed Publications and Journal Articles
Sherlock, P., Mansolf, M., Blackwell, C. K., Blair, C., Cella, D., Deoni, S., … & Zelazo, P. D. (2023). Life satisfaction for adolescents with developmental and behavioral disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pediatric research, 1-8.
Sherlock, P., Blackwell, C. K., Kallen, M. A., Lai, J. S., Cella, D., Krogh-Jespersen, S., … & Wakschlag, L. S. (2022). Measuring PROMIS® emotional distress in early childhood. Journal of pediatric psychology, 47(5), 547-558.
Sherlock, P., DiStefano, C., & Habing, B. (2022). Effects of Mixing Weights and Predictor Distributions on Regression Mixture Models, Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 29(1), 70-85. DOI: 10.1080/10705511.2021.1932508.
Degrees
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research
University of South Carolina, 2019
Key UF Professional Appointments
Research Scientist, University of Florida, 2026 – present
Data Scientist IV, University of Florida, 2023 – 2026
Research Consultant, Early Childhood Policy Research Group, 2017- 2023
Review Panels, Advisory Boards, Committees and Consulting
National
Member, Child Care and Early Education Policy Research Consortium, The Administration for Children and Families, 2015 – present
Member, Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Research Consortium, National Institutes of Health, 2020 – 2023
Fellowships
Lokey Doctoral Science Fellowships, University of Oregon, 2022