Nancy Jo Kepple, PhD, MSW
Assistant Professor
njkepple@ku.edu
Primary office:
785.864.0147
Twente Hall, 113
Dr. Kepple earned her PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research broadly examines the social consequences of the availability, distribution, and use of psychoactive substances. Her current research focuses on the interplay between parent substance use, neuropsychological functioning, and social environment and their relationship to parenting behaviors.
Teaching Interests
- Social work practice
- Substance Use Disorders
- Mental Health & Psychopathology
- Quantitative Methods
Research Interests
- Social consequences of the availability, distribution, and use of psychoactive substances
- Substance use behaviors among parenting populations
- Child welfare decision-making
Selected Publications
Freisthler, B., & Kepple, N. J. (2019). Types of substance use and punitive parenting: A preliminary exploration [Journal Articles]. Journal of Social Work Practice in Addictions. Published. https://doi.org/10.1080/15333256x.2019.1640019
Wolf, J. P., Kepple, N. J., & Freisthler, B. (2019). Understanding the role of parental opiate and marijuana use in child welfare substantiation decisions [Journal Articles]. Journal of Social Work Practice in Addictions. Published. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533256X.2019.1641675
Kepple, N. J. (2018). Does parental substance use always engender risk for children? Comparing incidence rate ratios of abusive and neglectful behaviors across substance use behavior patterns
[Journal Articles]. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 44–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.09.015
Kepple, N. J., & Parker, A. (2018). Moving Towards a More Responsive Substance Use Disorder Continuum of Care: A Comprehensive Needs Assessment of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area [Research Reports]. University of Kansas.
Freisthler, B., Wolf, J. P., Wiegmann, W., & Kepple, N. J. (2017). Drug Use, the Drug Environment, and Child Physical Abuse and Neglect
[Journal Articles]. Child Maltreatment, 22(3), 245–255. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559517711042
Freisthler, B., Kepple, N. J., Wolf, J. P., Curry, S. R., & Gregoire, T. (2017). Substance use behaviors by parents and the decision to substantiate child physical abuse and neglect by caseworkers [Journal Articles]. Children & Youth Services Review. Published.
Lloyd, M., & Kepple, N. J. (2017). Unpacking the Parallel Effects of Parental Alcohol Misuse and Low Income on Risk of Supervisory Neglect [Journal Articles]. Child Abuse & Neglect, 69, 72–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.03.007
Kepple, N. J., & Freisthler, B. (2017). Place over traits? Purchasing edibles from medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles, CA [Journal Articles]. Addictive Behaviors, 73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.04.010
Kepple, N. J. (2017). The complex nature of parental substance use: Examining past year and prior use behaviors as correlates of child maltreatment frequency [Journal Articles]. Substance Use & Misuse, 52(6), 811–821. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2016.1253747
Wolf, J. P., Ponicki, B., Kepple, N. J., & Gaidus, A. (2016). Are community level prescription drug overdoses associated with child harm? A spatial analysis of California zip codes, 2001-2011 [Journal Articles]. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 166(1), 202–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.07.014
Kepple, N. J., Mulholland, E., Freisthler, B., & Schaper, E. (2016). Correlates of amount spent on medical marijuana during a discrete purchase: Results from a pilot study [Journal Articles]. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 48(1), 50–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2015.1116719
Kepple, N. J., Freisthler, B., & Johnson-Motoyama, M. (2014). Non-response bias in child maltreatment self-reports using interactive voice response [Journal Articles]. Child Abuse & Neglect. Published. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.04.001
Kepple, N. J., & Freisthler, B. (2012). Exploring the ecological association between medical marijuana dispensaries and crime [Journal Articles]. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 73(4), 523–530.
Selected Presentations
Kepple, N. J., Parker, A., Whitmore, S., & Comtois, M. (11/15/2018). Nowhere to go: Examining facility tolerance levels for clients using medication assisted treatment. 2nd Annual Kansas Opioid Conference. Topeka, KS
Kepple, N. J. (9/11/2018). Does parental substance use always engender risk of children? Comparing incidence rate ratios of abusive and neglectful behaviors across substance use behavior patterns. Toronto, ON
Kepple, N. J., Nam, E., & Al-Ahdali, S. (1/31/2018). What’s at the Root of Alcohol-related Aggression? A Systematic Review of Emotion Regulation, Alcohol Use, and Aggressive Behavior. 22nd Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research. Washington, D.C
Kepple, N. J., & Freisthler, B. (6/1/2017). Place over Traits: Edible Purchasing Behaviors from Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Los Angeles, CA. Society for Prevention Research. Washington, D.C
Wolf, J. P., & Kepple, N. J. (1/31/2016). A Space-Time Bayesian Analysis of Non-Medical Prescription Drug Overdoses and Child Harm in California: 2001-2011. 20th Annual Conference Anniversary Celebration of the Society for Social Work and Research. Washington, D.C
Kepple, N. J. (1/31/2016). Does Parental Substance Use Always Engender Risk for Children? Decomposing Substance Use By Behavior Patterns. 20th Annual Conference Anniversary Celebration of the Society for Social Work and Research. Washington, D.C
Lloyd, M., & Kepple, N. J. (1/31/2016). Pathways from Parental Alcohol Use to Supervisory Neglect: Understanding the Roles of Poverty, Depression and Low Social Support. 20th Annual Conference Anniversary Celebration of the Society for Social Work and Research. Washington, D.C
Kepple, N. J. (1/31/2016). The Complex Reality of Social Connections: Examining the Moderating Role of Social Companionship on Parent Substance Use and Neglect Frequencies. 20th Annual Conference Anniversary Celebration of the Society for Social Work and Research. Washington, D.C
Kepple, N. J., Freisthler, B., & Price Wolf, J. (1/31/2015). Bias in Survey Completion by Alcohol and Drug Users when Using Interactive Voice Response. 19th Annual Conference for the Society for Social Work and Research. New Orleans, LA
Kepple, N. J. (1/31/2015). Exploring the Effects of Neighborhood Economic Clustering on Child Maltreatment Rates. 19th Annual Conference for the Society for Social Work and Research. New Orleans, LA
Williams, N. J., Freisthler, B., & Johnson, M. A. (9/30/2011). Rethinking local neighborhood indicators of child maltreatment: Ethnic Heterogeneity and Economic Isolation. Poster, 16th International Conference on Violence, Abuse & Trauma. San Diego, CA
Freisthler, B., & Williams, N. J. (7/31/2011). The geography of drug market activities and child maltreatment. Poster, 19th Annual APSAC Colloquium. Philadelphia, PA
Williams, N. J., & Freisthler, B. (5/31/2011). A study of the ecological relationship between medical cannabis dispensaries and crime activities. Presentation, in B. Freisthler (Chair), Drug Market Activities and Social Problems: Emerging Topics and Avenues for Prevention, Symposium at the meeting of the Society for Prevention Research. Washington, DC
Selected Grants
Parenting in the Context of Addiction Recovery. University of Kansas. $8000.00. Submitted 3/24/2017 (5/4/2017 - 5/5/2019). University (KU or KUMC). Status: Funded
First Call Needs Assessment: Assessing Capacity for Substance Use Disorder Treatment Capacity in the Greater Kansas City Area. Agreement No. 19645. First Call Alcohol/Drug Prevention & Recovery. $36187.00. Submitted 3/15/2017 (5/15/2017 - 5/14/2018). Not-for-Profit (not Foundation). Status: Funded
