Debra Lobato
Professor (Clinical):
Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Pediatrics
Phone: +1 401 444 8945
Debra_Lobato@Brown.EDU
Dr. Lobato conducts research within the broad topic of pediatric psychology. One major area of research examines sibling adjustment and involvment in the care of children with chronic illnesses. She is interested in how cultural factors influence family functioning and adaptation to illness. Dr. Lobato also conducts research on biomedical and psychosocial factors impacting outcome in pediatric gastrointestinal disorders.
Biography
Debra Lobato, PhD is the Director of child psychology at Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children's Hospital and Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Pediatrics(Clinical) at Brown Medical School. Dr. Lobato is involved in clinical service in pediatric psycholog; training of residents and fellows in psychology, psychiatry, and pediatrics; and research. Lobato's research focuses on adaptation to pediatric chronic illness. One major line of research examines sibling adjustment and involvment in the care of children with chronic illnesses, with attention to the influence of cultural factors on family functioning. Dr. Lobato is also involved in interdisciplinary research on the biomedical and psychosocial factors that impact outcome in pediatric gastrointestinal disorders. Dr. Lobato is an integral part of the Clinical Psychology Training program and has been awarded the Brown Medical School Distinguished Teacher Award and Excellence in Teaching Award for her work with interns, residents, and postdoctoral fellows in clinical psychology, psychiatry, and pediatrics.
Interests
Lobato's research focuses on siblings of children with chronic illness and disability. Of particular interest is the examination of cultural factors that affect sibling adjustment, sibling participation in a child's care, and pediatric health disparities. Ongoing projects are examining the psychological adjustment of Latino siblings of children with developmental disabilities and factors affecting sibling involvement in the management of childhood disorders such as asthma, diabetes, and Crohn's disease. Finally, innovative interventions for siblings are developed and evaluated through "SibLink", a clinical program at Rhode Island/Hasbro Children's Hospital dedicated to brothers and sisters of children with medical, developmental, and behavioral needs.
In addition to research on family functioning, Lobato is also involved in clinical service and research related to feeding disorders and pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). She is a principal investigator (along with Neal LeLeiko, MD, PhD/Director of Pediatric Gastroenterology) on an NIH grant to establish a collaborative multisite study of biomedical and behavioral factors that influence outcomes in pediatric IBD. The project is based on the belief that a constellation of psychological (e.g., depression) and behavioral (e.g. medication nonadherence) factors may lead to negative disease outcomes and intrusive medical procedures among children and adolescents with IBD.
Degrees
PHD, MS
Awards
Queens College: Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1976
American Psychological Association Award for Most Outstanding Student Research in Mental Retardation, 1979
Excellence in Teaching Award for Clinical Faculty, Brown Medical School, 2002
Distinguished Teacher Award, Brown Medical School, 2004
Institution
RIH
Affiliations
American Psychological Association
Association for the Advancement of Behavior and Cognitive Therapy
Society for Pediatric Psychology
Funded Research
1.The Development of the Pediatric IBD Behavioral Health Registry. National Institute of Health /National Institute of Child Health and Development (R21HD058828) Principal Investigators: Debra Lobato, Ph.D./Neal LeLeiko, M.D.
Dates: 9/1/09-8/31/11 Total Direct Costs: $224,775
2.Siblings of Children with Chronic Illness and Disability: Development of a Model Clinical and Research Program.
Hassenfeld Foundation
Role: Principal Investigator
Dates: 9/1/2009-8/31/2014 Total Direct Costs: $176,500
3. Latino siblings and MR/DD
National Institute of Health /National Institute of Child Health and Development (RO1 HD050557-01) Principal Investigator : Debra Lobato, Ph.D. Dates: 2/15/07-1/31/11 Total Direct Costs: $513,264
4. Pediatric asthma disparities: Perceptions and management
National Institute of Health/National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute (R01-HL72438)
Gregory Fritz, MD (PI)
Co-Investigator on minority supplement
Date: 5/1/03-9/30/07
5. Community partnership to reduce asthma disparities
NIH/National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute
Elizabeth McQuaid, PhD (PI) 12/1/04-11/30/2008
Role: Co-Investigator
Ethnic Minority Recruitment, Retention and Training in PsychologyAmerican Psychological Association
Lobato & DePue(Co-PIs) 7/1/2004-6/30/2006
Somatic Symptoms in Siblings of Children with Disorders
NIH/NICHD
Wendy Plante, PhD (PI) 4/1/02 - 3/31/05
Role: Co-Investigator
Re-entry supplement: Family risk, peer relations, and child mental health.
National Institute of Mental Health
Ronald Seifer, PhD (PI)
Role: Reentry investigator 2/1/00-4/30/02
Latino Siblings: Pilot Study
Brown University Department of Psychiatry
Debra Lobato, PhD (PI)
Helping mainstream families manage childhood asthma.
Department of Health and Human Services - Small Business Innovation Research Program/Abacus Risk Management Technologies.
Debra Lobato, PhD (PI) 4/1/00-9/30/00
Siblings of children with chronic medical and developmental disorders: Effects of sibling support groups.
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation.
Debra Lobato, PhD (PI) 1997-1999
Bidirectional stereotyping: What retarded and nonretarded children expect of one another.
U.S. Department of Education.
Carol Miller, PhD (PI) 1984-1987
Role: Co-I
Siblings of handicapped children: Assessing the need for and impact of their early education.
U.S. Department of Education.
Debra Lobato, PhD (PI) 1983-1985
Curriculum Vitae
Read Debra Lobato's full Faculty Profile.