Educational Background

B.A. University of Florida
M.S./Ed.S. Florida State University
Ph.D. New York University

Professional Experience

Dr. Costopoulos' career has been in the area of forensic psychology. She comes to Florida Tech after serving as a senior forensic psychologist for the Sexually Violent Predator Program of Florida. Previously she served at a forensic psychiatric inpatient unit at Florida State Hospital where she conducted therapy and assessments, and testified to the court on issues of residents' competency to stand trial, commitment for hospitalization, and other forensic matters. While there, she received a number of awards for her outstanding work and contributions. Besides her substantial clinical experience, Dr. Costopoulos has served as an adjunct instructor at several universities, teaching psychology, statistics, and research methods courses to undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Costopoulos serves on the editorial board of Psychological Injury and Law. She is the Head of the School of Psychology and the Director of the Court Assessment Team, bringing doctoral students to the jail to evaluate defendants' competence to stand trial.

Current Courses

Fundamentals of Forensic Psychology (grad)

Forensic Clinical Assessment (grad)

Survey of Forensic Psychology

Abnormal Psychology

Forensic Clinical Psychology

Court Assessment Team Practicum (grad)

Statistical and Research Methods (grad)

Ethics (grad)

Selected Publications

Miller, K.B., Costopoulos, J.S., & *LoGalbo, A. (2023). A-43 Somatic and Cognitive Predictors of Concussion Recovery Length. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 38(5), 42-43.

Rodriguez, H.M., Cantalupo, S.M., Costopoulos, J.S., & Tyc, V.L., (2021).  The tele-health administration of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Acta Scientific Neurology, 4(9), 18-23. https://www.actascientific.com/ASNE/ASNE-04-0416.php 

Costopoulos, J.S., Proctor, D.,  Johnson, A.M., & Roberts, S.G. (2021). The impact of malingering on inpatient assault rates. Acta Scientific Neurology, 4(6), 70-81. https://www.actascientific.com/ASNE-4-6.php 

Costopoulos, J.S., Swanson, J.M., Tyc, V.L., Tapley, R.E., & Burns, G.N. (2019). The impact of substance arrests on the efficacy of Mental Health Court. Psychological Injury and Law, 12(3), 247-256.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s12207-019-09358-6 

Costopoulos, J.S. (2019). Aggression in an Inpatient Psychiatric Facility: A retrospective longitudinal study. Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice, 19(3), 242-259.  DOI: 10.1080/24732850.2019.1603505 

Costopoulos, J.S. & Juni, S. (2018). Psychoanalytic understanding of the origins of sexual violence. Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice, 18(1), 57-76. doi:10.1080/24732850.2018.1430936

Farahat, A.M. & Costopoulos, J.S. (2018). Cultural impact on ethical values of Saudi Arabian students in the United States higher education system. Psychology and Education: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 55(1), 1-9. 

Costopoulos, J.S. & Wellman, B.L. (2017) The effectiveness of one Mental Health Court: Overcoming criminal history. Psychological Injury and Law, 10(3), 254-263. 

Costopoulos, J.S., Plewinski, A.M., Monaghan, P.L., & Edkins, V.A. (2017). The impact of US government assistance on recidivism. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 27(4), 303-311. doi 10.1002/cbm.1997

Costopoulos, J.S. (2017) Dissertation demystified. In Zavattaro, S. & Orr, S. (Eds). Reflections on Academic Lives: Identities, Struggles, and Triumphs in Graduate School and Beyond (pp. 63-65). New York, NY: Palgrave MacMillan.

Baker, J.N. & Costopoulos, J.S. (2016). Building moral and social excellence in youth. [Review of the book Turning the Tide of Male Juvenile Delinquency: The ocean tides approach, by L.C. Grebstein & J.A. Van Wyk]. PsycCRITIQUES, 61(3).

Costopoulos, J.S., & Rock, R. S. M. (2016). Efficacy of an experiential career curriculum on professionalism. Psychology and Education: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 53(3-4), 1-10.

Juni, S., & Gross*, J.S. (2008). Persuasive and emotional perception of fonts. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 106, 35-42.

Juni, S., Gross*, J.S., & Sokolowska, J. (2006). Academic cheating as a function of defense mechanisms and object relations. Psychological Reports, 98, 627-639.

*published under maiden name

Recognition & Awards

2016 Kerry Bruce Clark Award for Excellence in Teaching

Research

Dr. Costopoulos is coordinating a number of studies examining the efficacy of programs in the community managing mentally ill offenders. A study nearing completion evaluates the role of graduate programs in preparing students for the risk of forensic settings. A new study is evaluating the ability of people to exaggerate psychiatric symptoms without being detected.