Associate Professor, Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing
Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing

marginalized youth, adolescence, risk, resilience, commercial sexual exploitation, social media, mental health, integrative health, wearable and biofeedback technology

CYFER Research Lab

Chicago Institute of Translational Medicine (NCATS 5KL2TR002387-02), CTSA KL2 Fellow, 2018-2020
MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics Fellow, 2018-2019
HIV/AIDS, Substance Abuse, and Trauma Training Program at UCLA (NIDA, R25DA035692), 2018-2020

Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders and Innovators, 2022-2025
NIH-NICHD Loan Repayment Program, 2021-2023
UCI Research Associate's Athalie R. Clarke Research Achievement Award in Nursing, 2021
UCI Chancellor's Inclusive Excellence Award, 2020-2022
SAMHSA/American Nurses Association Minority Fellow (2T06SM060559-04), 2011-2015
Rush University College of Nursing's Research MVP, 2019
Cohn Family Foundation Research Fellowship, 2018-2019

Dawn Bounds, PhD, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, is an Associate Professor in the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at the University of California, Irvine, where she is the founding director of the Centering Youth & Families for Empowerment and Resilience (CYFER) Lab. A nationally recognized nurse scientist and Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, Dr. Bounds’ program of research is dedicated to advancing equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive psychiatric nursing care for marginalized and minoritized communities.
Her work integrates community-engaged research, decolonizing practices, and innovative strategies—including arts-based methods, storytelling, and technology-enhanced interventions—to address the lasting effects of adversity and disrupt intergenerational health inequities. She has led multiple projects focused on building resilience among adversity-impacted youth and families, preventing substance use, and transforming care delivery through authentic partnerships with communities.

Saghafi, A., Rodrigues, S. M., Aldridge, J., Myint, M., Balsam, D., Inzunza, N., ... & Bounds, D. T. (2025). Strengths-Based Programs for Youth at Risk for Toxic Stress: A Scoping Review of Programs Targeting Mental Health, Substance Use, Parenting Skills, and Family Functioning. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15248380251326902.

Rodrigues, S. M., Saghafi, A., Wang, Q., Shin, S. S., Dube, S. L., Diestel, A., ... & Bounds, D. T. (2025). The Impact of Adversity and Family Conflict on Risk for Future Substance Use Among Young Adolescents in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD Study): A Cohort Analysis. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 38(2), e70017.

Bounds, D. T., Rodrigues, S. M., Balsam, D., Lennan, N., Rodriguez, K. R., & Milburn, N. G. (2024). Creating Space for Adolescents and Families With Lived Experience of Homelessness to Build Familial Empathy, Communication, and Emotional Regulation: A Qualitative Study of Facilitators of Implementation. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 62(1), 27-35.

Jones-Patten, A., Shin, S. S., Nyamathi, A., & Bounds, D. (2024). “Cigarettes play the equalizer”: discrimination experiences and readiness to quit cigarette smoking among African Americans experiencing homelessness: a qualitative analysis. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 19(1), 1.

Gamboa, C. J., Reed, M., Bounds, D. T., Cothran, F. A., Sumo, J. N., & Julion, W. A. (2024). From group mentoring to collective liberation: The imperative to decolonize nursing academia. Nursing Outlook, 72(5), 102204.

Meyers, A., Soto-Díaz, M., Aldridge, J., Rodrigues, S. M., Sanchez, G., & Bounds, D. T. (2024). Decolonizing approaches for transforming academic culture through authentic expression, community, and belonging. Nursing Outlook, 72(5), 102229.

Bounds, D. T., Rodrigues, S. M., & Milburn, N. G. (2023). Strengthening families to disrupt intergenerational health inequities with adolescents at risk for commercial sexual exploitation, substance use, and HIV. American Journal of Public Health, 113(S2), S124-S128.

Bounds, D., Woo, M. A., Nyamathi, A., Kehoe, P., Roy, B., Yadav, K., ... & Kumar, R. (2023). Brain Changes Linked to Cognitive Symptomatology in Homeless Youth. Clinical nursing research, 32(6), 932-946.

Kim, B. K. E., Dierkhising, C. B., De Leon, J., Sandoval, J., Brissett, A., & Bounds, D. (2023). Evaluation of services for the commercial sexual exploitation of children and youth: a scoping review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(5), 3236-3250.

Bounds, D. T., & Posey, P. D. (2022). A resistance framework for racially minoritized youth behaviors during the transition to adulthood. Journal of Research on Adolescence. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jora.12792

Bounds, D., Boakye-Donkor, A., Sumo, J. N., Schoeny, M., & Julion, W. (2022). Listening to the “HITS:” Screening for IPV in African American Co-Parents of Young Children. Journal of interpersonal violence, 37(15-16), NP14411-NP14430.

Sumo, J. N., Julion, W., Henry, J., & Bounds, D. (2022). Mothers’ Perspectives on Co-Parenting with African American Non-Resident Fathers. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 43(4), 365-375.

Julion, W. A., Sumo, J. N., Schoeny, M. E., Breitenstein, S. M., & Bounds, D. T. (2021). Predictors of maternal participation in fatherhood intervention research with African American nonresident fathers. Research on Social Work Practice, 31(8), 836-850.

Gamboa, C. J., Julion, W. A., Fogg, L., & Bounds, D. T. (2021). Using Vignette-Based Methodology to Examine Study Recruitment in Older African American Adults: A Methods Paper. Journal of Urban Health, 98(2), 103-114.

Winiarski, D. A., Glover, A. C., Bounds, D. T., & Karnik, N. S. (2021). Addressing Intersecting Social and Mental Health Needs Among Transition-Age Homeless Youths: A Review of the Literature. Psychiatric Services, 72(3), 317-324.

Julion, W., Sumo, J. N., Schoeny, M. E., Breitenstein, S. M., & Bounds, D. T. (2021). Recruitment, Retention, and Intervention Outcomes from the Dedicated African American Dad (DAAD) Study. Journal of Urban Health, 98(2), 133-148.

Bounds, D., Leland, N., & Amar, A. F. (2021). Child and Adolescent Victims of Trauma. Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health: A Resource for Advanced Practice Psychiatric and Primary Care Practitioners in Nursing, 425-443.

Bounds, D. T., Winiarski, D. A., Otwell, C. H., Tobin, V., Glover, A. C., Melendez, A., & Karnik, N. S. (2020). Considerations for working with youth with socially complex needs. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 33(4), 209-220.

Bounds, D. T., Otwell, C. H., Melendez, A., Karnik, N. S., & Julion, W. A. (2020). Adapting a family intervention to reduce risk factors for sexual exploitation. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 14(1), 1-12.

Bounds, D., Delaney, K. R., Julion, W., & Breitenstein, S. (2020). Uncovering indicators of commercial sexual exploitation. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 35(23-24), 5607-5623.

Henry, J. B., Julion, W. A., Bounds, D. T., & Sumo, J. N. (2020). Fatherhood matters: An integrative review of fatherhood intervention research. The Journal of School Nursing, 36(1), 19-32.

Stiles-Shields, C., Potthoff, L. M., Bounds, D. T., Burns, M. T., Draxler, J. M., Otwell, C. H., ... & Karnik, N. S. (2020). Harnessing phones to target pediatric populations with socially complex needs: systematic review. JMIR pediatrics and parenting, 3(2), e19269.

Winiarski, D. A., Rufa, A. K., Bounds, D. T., Glover, A. C., Hill, K. A., & Karnik, N. S. (2020). Assessing and treating complex mental health needs among homeless youth in a shelter-based clinic. BMC health services research, 20(1), 1-10.

Bounds, D. T., Edinburgh, L. D., Fogg, L. F., & Saeywc, E. M. (2019). A nurse practitioner-led intervention for runaway adolescents who have been sexually assaulted or sexually exploited: Effects on trauma symptoms, suicidality, and self-injury. Child Abuse & Neglect, 90, 99-107.

Julion, W., Reed, M., Bounds, D. T., Cothran, F., & Gamboa, C. (2019). A group think tank as a discourse coalition to promote minority nursing faculty retention. Nursing outlook, 67(5), 586-595.

Julion, W. A., Sumo, J. N., & Bounds, D. T. (2018). A tripartite model for recruiting African-Americans into fatherhood intervention research. Public Health Nursing, 35(5), 420-426.

Makki, M., Hill, J. F., Bounds, D. T., McCammon, S., Fall-Johnsen, M., & Delaney, K. R. (2018). Implementation of an ACT curriculum on an adolescent inpatient psychiatric unit: A quality improvement project. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27(9), 2918-2924.

Bounds, D., Delaney, K. R., & Julion, W. (2017). Hunter–prey discourse: A critical discourse analysis of the online posts of men who buy sex. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 23(4), 258-267.

Julion, W. A., Bounds, D. T., Breitenstein, S. M., Schoeny, M., Gross, D., & Fogg, L. (2016). Study protocol for a randomized clinical trial of a fatherhood intervention for African American non-resident fathers: Can we improve father and child outcomes?. Contemporary clinical trials, 49, 29-39.

Hamilton, R. J., Innella, N. A., & Bounds, D. T. (2016). The life course perspective: a guide for genetic counselors. Journal of genetic counseling, 25(1), 44-48.

Hamilton, R. J., Innella, N. A., & Bounds, D. T. (2016). Living with genetic vulnerability: a life course perspective. Journal of genetic counseling, 25(1), 49-61.

Bounds, D., Julion, W. A., & Delaney, K. R. (2015). Commercial sexual exploitation of children and state child welfare systems. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 16(1-2), 17-26.

Bounds, D. (2014). Equity makes diversity possible. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 27(1), 43-44.

2022-2023, UCI Susan Samueli Integrative, STREAM: Students who are Resilient, Empowered, self-Aware and Moving Health Institute Pilot Program

2022-2023, Institute for Clinical and Translational Science Pilot Studies Program, National Center for the Advancement of Clinical Science, Community-Based Participatory Health Needs Assessment in a Speciality Drop-In Center for Youth Involved or At Risk for Sex Trafficking in Orange County.

2022-2025, Project REVIVE funded by the Betty Irene Moore Fellowship for Nurse Leaders & Innovators

2024-2029, NIDA R01DA060784, Teaching Youth & Families Self-Regulation Skills to Disrupt the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Preventing Substance Use in Adversity-Impacted Youth

International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses

Board Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
American Nurses Credentialing Center, 2015—Pres

Link to this profile
https://faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6813

Last updated
10/12/2025