MICHAEL C. ROBERTS, Ph.D.

Professor, Applied Behavioral Science
Courtesy Professor, Department of Pediatrics, KU Medical Center
Director, Clinical Child Psychology Program

2009 Dole Human Development Center
Department Phone: 785.864.4840
Office phone: 785.864.3580
Fax: 785.864.5024
E-mail: mroberts@ku.edu

B.A. University of Missouri-Columbia (Psychology), 1973
M.S. Purdue University (Clinical Psychology), 1974
Ph.D. Purdue University (Clinical Psychology), 1978
Licensed Psychologist, Kansas
Diplomate in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (American Board of Professional Psychology)
Diplomate in Clinical Psychology (American Board of Professional Psychology)

Research Interests

His research interests have been focused on prevention, especially injury control, professional issues, psychotherapeutic outcomes research and program evaluation in clinical child and pediatric psychology applications. Specifically, these include:

1. children's and parents' perceptions of pediatric and psychological conditions and treatments;
2. program evaluation and mental health service delivery (psychotherapeutic outcomes);
3. prevention of injuries in children and health promotion;
4. effects of traumatic effects and mitigation of problems following natural and human made disasters (stress, coping, and resilience);
5. positive psychology and children's development, especially hope.

Currently, graduate and undergraduate members of his research team have ongoing projects on such topics as: evaluation of an outpatient pediatrics unit; psychosocial aspects of breastfeeding; impact on quality of life of peanut allergies; three projects on factors related to injuries in children; service coordination and outcomes in the therapeutic classrooms project; hope and relationship to chronic illness; hope and Native American children.

Representative Publications

Walker, C. E., & Roberts, M. C. (Eds.). (2001). Handbook of clinical child psychology (3rd ed.). New York: Wiley.

La Greca, A. M., Silverman, W. K., Vernberg, E. M., & Roberts, M. C. (Eds.). (2002). Helping children cope with disasters and terrorism. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

Roberts, M. C. (Ed.). (2003). Handbook of pediatric psychology (3rd ed.). New York:
Guilford.

Roberts, M. C., Brown, K. B., Johnson, R., & Reinke, J. (2002). Positive psychology for children: Development, prevention, and promotion. In C. R. Snyder & S. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 663-675). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Vernberg, E. M., Roberts, M. C., & Nyre, J. (2002). School-based intensive mental health treatment. In D. T. Marsh & M. A. Fristad (Eds.), Handbook of serious emotional disturbance in children and adolescents (pp. 412-427). New York: Wiley.

Brown, K. J. & Roberts, M. C. (2000). Future issues in pediatric psychology: Delphic survey. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 7(1), 5-15.

Ilardi, S. S., Rodriguez-Hanley, A., Roberts, M. C., & Seigel, J. (2000). On the origins of clinical psychology faculty: Who is training the trainers? Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 7, 346-354.

Sobel, A. B., Roberts, M. C., Rapoff, M. A., & Barnard, M. U. (2001). Problems and interventions of a pediatric psychology clinic in a medical setting: A retrospective analysis. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 8, 11-17.

Sobel, A. B., Roberts, M. C., Rayfield, A., Barnard, M. U., & Rapoff, M. A. (2001). Evaluating outpatient pediatric psychology services in a primary care setting. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 26, 395-405.

Roberts, M. C., Brown, K. J., & Puddy, R. W. (2002). Service delivery issues and program evaluation in pediatric psychology. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 9(1), 3-13.

Roberts, M. C., & Steele, R. G. (2003). Predoctoral training in pediatric psychology at the University of Kansas Clinical Child Psychology Program. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 28(2), 99-103.

Roberts, M.C., Jacobs, A. K., Puddy, R. W., Nyre, J. E., & Vernberg, E. M. (in press). Treating children with serious emotional disturbances in schools and community: The Intensive Mental Health Program. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice.