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Ric G. Steele, Ph.D.

Professor
Clinical Child Psychology

1998, University of Georgia
Research Areas: Clinical Child Psychology

rsteele@ku.edu
Lab Website

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). Within this broad area, my current research is focused primarily on the promotion of weight-related health in children and adolescents.  Specifically, my grant-funded projects include a clinic-based intervention for school-aged children with obesity and their families (Positively Fit), and a web-based intervention to help school nurses deliver weight-related health counseling to school-aged children and their families (Responding to the Crisis).  My team also does community-based descriptive research on the correlates and predictors of physical activity in school-aged children.  In the fall of 2010, my team and I are completing application materials to continue our grant funded investigation of the Positively Fit intervention program.  We hope to begin this funded project in 2012. Dr. Steele is open to taking new students beginning in Fall 2012.

Recent Publications

* indicates KU student co-author.

Book Titles

Roberts, M. C., & Steele, R. G. (Eds.). (2009). Handbook of pediatric psychology (4th ed.). New York: Guilford. ISBN:  978-1-60623-328-3

Jelalian, E., & Steele, R. G. (Eds.). (2008). Handbook of childhood and adolescent obesity.  New York: Springer.  ISBN: 978-0-387-76922-6

Steele, R. G., Elkin, T. D., & Roberts, M. C. (Eds.). (2008). Handbook of evidence-based therapies for children and adolescents.  New York: Springer. ISBN: 978-0-387-73690-7

Steele, R. G., & Roberts, M. C. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of mental health services for children, adolescents, and families. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.  ISBN: 978-0-306-48560-2

Selected Empirical Articles

*Jensen, C. D. & Steele, R. G. (2010). Validation of the Perceptions of Teasing Scale (POTS) in a pre-adolescent sample: Associations to attitudes toward physical activity.Children's Health Care, 39(4), 249-265.doi: 10.1080/02739615.2010.515925 .

*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, 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.

*Hunter, H.L., Steele, R.G., & *Steele, M.M. (2008). Family based treatment for pediatric overweight: Parental weight loss as a predictor of children's treatment success. Children's Health Care, 37, 112-125.

*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 overweight. Children's Health Care, 37, 126-144.

Book Chapters

Steele, R. G., & Nelson, T. D. (2011).  Medical adherence.  In G. P. Koocher & A. M. La Greca (Eds.), Parent’s guide to psychological first aid: Helping children and adolescents cope with predictable life crises (pp. 54-61).  Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Roberts, M. C., Biggs, B. K., Jackson, Y., & Steele, R. G. (2011). Clinical child psychology: Research and practice applications. In P. Martin, F. Cheung, M. Kyrios, L. Littlefield, M. Knowles, B. Overmier, & J. M. Prieto (Eds.),  The IAAP handbook of applied psychology (pp. 3-27) . New York: Wiley-Blackwell.

*Cushing, C. C., & Steele, R. G. (2011).  Establishing and maintaining physical exercise.  In J. K. Luiselli & D. D. Reed Behavioral sport psychology: Evidence-based approaches to performance enhancement (pp. 127-141).  New York: Springer. 

Steele, R. G., & *Aylward, B. S. (2009).  An overview of systems in pediatric psychology research and practice.In M. C. Roberts & R. G. Steele (Eds.), Handbook of pediatric psychology (4th ed.; pp. 649-655). New York: Guilford. 

*Nelson, T. D., & Steele R. G. (2009).  Evidence-based practice in pediatric psychology: Issues and challenges. In M. C. Roberts & R. G. Steele (Eds.), Handbook of pediatric psychology (4th ed.; pp.99-113). New York: Guilford. 

Steele, R. G., Roberts, M. C., & Elkin, T. D. (2008).  Evidence-based therapies for children and adolescents: Problems and prospects.  In R. G. Steele, T. D. Elkin, & M. C. Roberts (Eds.), Handbook of evidence based therapies for children and adolescents (pp. 3-8).  New York: Springer.

Steele, R. G., *Nelson, T. D., & Jelalian, E. (2008).  Child and adolescent obesity in context: Trends and epidemiology.  In E. Jelalian & R. G. Steele (Eds.), Handbook of childhood and adolescent obesity (pp. 3-10).  New York: Springer. 

Current and Recent Grant Funding

KAN30472
Kansas Health and Nutrition Fund Grant
Funding Agency: State of Kansas Office of the Attorney General
Project dates: 8/1/2002 - 7/31/2004
Project title: Achieving positive behavioral change in nutritional choices and exercise in Kansas children.
PI: Ric G. Steele, Ph.D.

R40MC06631-01-00
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Project dates: 1/01/2006 - 12/31/2009 (no cost extension through 12/31/2010)
Project title: Effectiveness of a treatment for pediatric obesity
PI: Ric G. Steele, Ph.D. Co-investigator: Ann Davis, Ph.D.

246-FY07-535
Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City
Project dates: 01/17/2008-06/17/2009 (no cost extension through 6/17/2010)
Project title: Responding to the Crisis: Training School Nurses to Provide Nutrition and Exercise Information to Children and Families.
PI: Ric G. Steele, Ph.D., ABPP Co-investigator: Ann Davis, Ph.D.