Faculty

Related Links
Clinical Child Psychology Program

Research Interests

My program of research is broadly concerned with the promotion of physical and mental health in children, adolescents, and families across a continuum of health risk categories (i.e., healthy children, children at risk for disease, and children with diagnosed medical conditions). This research has focused on children's responses to the illness of a parent, the assessment of distress among parents of children diagnosed with cancer, and the predictors and correlates of children's psychosocial and physical functioning in various illness populations. As part of this mission, I have also conducted research on the cross-cultural validity of measures of personality and behavioral constructs, and have been interested in the development and dissemination of evidence based therapies in pediatric and clinical child psychology.

Consistent with these overarching areas of interest, my current research is focused on the correlates and treatment of pediatric obesity. Supported by both state and federal grants, my research team has been developing and examining the efficacy and effectiveness of a behaviorally based group treatment for pediatric obesity. Through a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Maternal Child Health Research Program, I am currently investigating the efficacy of the Positively Fit weight management program in a randomized clinical trial with a one-year follow-up.

Selected Book Titles

Jelalian, E., & Steele, R. G. (Eds.). (2008). Handbook of childhood and adolescent obesity. New York: Springer.

Roberts, M. C., & Steele, R. G. (Eds.). (2009). Handbook of pediatric psychology (4th edition). New York: Guilford.

Steele, R. G., Elkin, T. D., & Roberts, M. C. (Eds.). (2008). Handbook of evidence-based therapies for children and adolescents. New York: Springer.

Steele, R. G., & Roberts, M. C. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of mental health services for children, adolescents, and families. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

Selected Empirical Articles

*Jensen, C. D. & Steele, R. G. (2009). Brief report: Body dissatisfaction, weight criticism, and self-reported physical activity in preadolescent children. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 34, 822-826.

*Steele, M. M., Steele, R. G., & *Hunter, H. H. (2009). Family adherence as a predictor of child outcome in pediatric obesity intervention: Different outcomes for self-report and objective measures. Children’s Health Care, 38, 64-75.

*Steele, M. M., Steele, R. G., & Varni, J. W. (2009). Reliability and validity of the PedsQL™ Oral Health Scale: Measuring the relationship between child oral health and healthrelated quality of life. Children’s Health Care, 38, 228-244.

Steele, R. G., *Aylward, B. S., *Jensen, C. D., & *Wu, Y. P. (2009). Parent- and youth-reported illness uncertainty: Associations with distress and psychosocial functioning among recipients of liver and kidney transplantations. Children’s Health Care, 38, 185-199.

Steele, R.G., *Legerski, J.P., *Nelson, T.D., & Phipps, S. (2009). The Anger Expression Scale for Children: Initial validation among healthy children and children with cancer. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 34, 51-62.

*Wu, Y.P., *Aylward, B.S., Steele, R.G., *Maikranz, J.M., & *Dreyer, M.L. (2008). Psychosocial functioning of pediatric renal and liver transplant recipients. Pediatric Transplantation, 12, 582–587..

*Rosno, E.A., Steele, R.G., *Johnston, C.A., & *Aylward, B.S. (2008). Parental locus of control: Associations with adherence and outcomes in the treatment of pediatric obesity. Children’s Health Care, 37, 126-144.

Steele, R.G., *Cushing, C.C., *Bender, J.A., & Richards, M.M. (2008). Profiles and correlates of children's self-reported coping strategies using a cluster analysis methodology. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 17, 140-153.

*Johnston, C.A., & Steele, R.G. (2007). Treatment of pediatric obesity: An examination of effectiveness in an applied clinical setting. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 32, 106-110.

* indicates KU student co-author.