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Dr. Marie-Hélène Pennestri

Title: 
Associate Professor
Academic title(s): 

Associate Dean, Research & Graduate Studies | Canada Research Chair Tier 2 | Director of Clinical Training for the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology

Dr. Marie-Hélène Pennestri
Contact Information
Email address: 
marie-helene.pennestri [at] mcgill.ca
Phone: 
514-398-8079
Address: 

Education Building
3700 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1Y2
Canada

Group: 
Associate Dean
Division: 
Counselling Psychology Supervisors
Department: 
Educational and Counselling Psychology (ECP)
Professional activities: 
  • Directrice scientitifique adjointe aux affaires académiques,ÌýCIUSSS du Nord-de-l'ÃŽle-de-Montréal
  • Regular Researcher, Hôpital en santé mentale Rivière-des-Prairies (CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'ÃŽle-de-Montréal)
  • Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal
  • Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal
Area(s): 
Mental Health, Intervention and Psychopathology
Areas of expertise: 
  • Development and consolidation of the sleep-wake cycle in infants and children
  • Mental health
  • Parental expectations
  • Families
  • Sleep disordersÌý
  • Child developmentÌý
  • Attachment
  • Polysomnography
  • Autonomic nervous system
  • Heart rate variabilityÌý
  • Premature birth
Biography: 

Dr. Pennestri investigates the development of the sleep-wake cycle in infancy, in association with physical and mental health, family functioning, and parental expectations. She also investigates associations between sleep and mental health in vulnerable populations. Dr. Pennestri completed a Ph.D. in Psychology at the Université de Montréal and was trained at the Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, where she specialized in sleep disorders and cardiovascular function. She pursued a postdoctoral fellowship at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, where she worked on developmental psychology. In addition, Dr. Pennestri is a clinical psychologist working with children, adolescents, and their family (Ordre des Psychologues du Québec; Hôpital en santé mentale Rivières-des-Prairies). Her multidisciplinary program is funded by all three tri-councils (SSHRC, CIHR and NSERC) and her projects integrate both physiological and psychological measures. She was named as a Canada Research Chair Tier 2 (CIHR) in Pediatric Sleep in November 2024 and has been previously named as a FRQS Research Scholar Junior 1 and Junior 2 Scientist. A former William Dawson Scholar, Dr. Pennestri received the Bourse Yvon Gauthier Award from the Association Québécoise pour la Santé Mentale du Nourrisson, the Wayne Hening Young Investigator Award from the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group and the Faculty ofÌýEducationÌýDistinguishedÌýTeaching Award. In October 2024, Dr. Pennestri wasÌýa finalist for the Prix Hubert-Reeves - Relève scientifique, part of the Prix du Quebec.

Ìý

Degree(s): 
  • Postdoctorate Fellowship, Douglas Research Centre / ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University
  • Ph.D., Université de Montréal: Research/Clinical Psychology
  • M.Ps., Université de Montréal: Clinical Psychology
Prizes and Awards: 
Canada Research Chair (Tiers I and II)
FRQS Chercheurs-boursiers / Chercheuses-boursières (Research Scholar)
Awards, honours, and fellowships: 

Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý ÌýSelected

  • (2023-2027)ÌýSleep equity reimagined: An intersectional theoretical framework to optimize sleep health for all Canadians; Co-Principal investigator;ÌýCanadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
  • (2022-2027)ÌýInter- and intra-variability of sleep patterns in infancy and early childhood; Principal investigator;ÌýNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Discovery Grant
  • (2021-2026) The associations between infant sleep, parental sleep and the quality of the parent-infant relationship: a longitudinal study in mothers and fathers;ÌýPrincipal investigator;ÌýSocial Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)Ìý
  • (2021-2024) Sommeil après une commotion cérébrale : Impact sur le bien-être et leÌýfonctionnement familial; Co-investigator;ÌýSocial Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)Ìý
  • (2019-2022)ÌýAméliorer le sommeil de son enfant: une intervention innovante etÌýbénéfique pour les familles vivant en contexte de vulnérabilité; Co-investigator;ÌýSocial Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)Ìý
  • (2018-2023) Transition to parenthood: realistic sleep-related expectations as a protective factor for mothers' and fathers' mental health;ÌýPrincipal investigator; Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR, Project Grant)Ìý
  • (2018-2022)ÌýMieux comprendre les liens entre le sommeil du nourrisson, les interactions mère-enfant, la santé mentale des parents, et la santé mentale et physique des enfants: une perspective familiale;ÌýPrincipal investigator; Salary Award - Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé Grant (FRQS)Ìý
  • (2017-2022)ÌýRépondre aux besoins développementaux des enfants qui vivent en situation deÌývulnérabilité psychosociale et de négligence – Groupe de recherche et d'intervention auprès des enfants vulnérables et négligés (GRIN);ÌýCo-investigator;ÌýFonds québécois de recherche société et culture (FRQSC)Ìý
  • (2016-2019) -ÌýQuality of infant and maternal sleep as predictors of the mother-infantÌýrelationship: the moderating influence of maternal perceptions and expectations;ÌýPrincipal investigator;ÌýSocial Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)Ìý
  • (2017-2019) -ÌýDéveloppement du sommeil du nourrisson, dans le contexte de la transition à laÌýparentalité: qu’en pensent maman et papa?;ÌýPrincipal investigator;ÌýAssociation québécoise pour la santé mentale des nourrissonsÌý
Selected publications: 

-Butler B, Burdayron R, Mazor-Goder G, Lewis C, Vendette M, Khoury B, Pennestri MH. The Association Between Infant Sleep, Cognitive, and Psychomotor Development: A Systematic Review. Sleep. 2024 Aug 19:zsae174. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsae174. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39158050.

-Hershon M, Kiafar A, Laganière C, Pokhvisneva I, Gaudreau H, Pennestri MH. To sleep or to breastfeed: Associations between feeding method and sleep in infants and children. Acta Paediatr. 2024 Jul;113(7):1540-1545. doi: 10.1111/apa.17237. Epub 2024 Apr 10. PMID: 38597251

-Lannes ÉEM, Kenny S, Hershon M, Talwar V, Kiafar A, Pennestri MH. Associations between parental relationship dissolution and child sleep: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. 2023 Aug;70:101804. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101804. Epub 2023 Jun 16. PMID: 37390636.

-Pennestri MH, Burdayron R, Kenny S, Béliveau MJ, Dubois-Comtois K. Sleeping through the night or through the nights? Sleep Med. 2020 Dec;76:98-103. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2020.10.005. Epub 2020 Oct 10. PMID: 33130350.

-Pennestri MH, Laganière C, Bouvette-Turcot AA, Pokhvisneva I, Steiner M, Meaney MJ, Gaudreau H; Mavan Research Team. Uninterrupted Infant Sleep, Development, and Maternal Mood. Pediatrics. 2018 Dec;142(6):e20174330. doi: 10.1542/peds.2017-4330. Epub 2018 Nov 12. PMID: 30420470.

Program: 

Counselling Psychology

Graduate supervision: 

Accepting students for 2025-2026

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