Mark L. Robbins, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor, CPRC, URI
  • Associate Professor of Psychology, URI
  • Phone: 401.874.5082
  • Email: markrobb@uri.edu

Biography

Research Interests
Research interests focus on health promotion, disease prevention and decision-making particularly for planned change at both the individual level and on a population basis. Current efforts centered on a program of research utilizing the Transtheoretical model to understand decision-making and behavior change in organ donation & transplantation, blood donation, advanced care planning and multiple health behavior change.
Professional Interests
Clinical health psychology emphasizing a cognitive-behavioral framework to develop and deliver behavioral medicine and health psychology interventions to adults in individual and group settings. Additional interests are in training development and delivery, motivational interviewing, stress reduction, including relaxation training and meditative techniques.

Education

Ph.D. 1993, Rutgers University
M.S. 1988, Rutgers University
B.S. 1984, University of Illinois – Champaign/Urbana

Selected Publications

 

Keller, S., Boelting, K., Kaluza, G., Schulz, K.-H., Ewers, H., Robbins, M. & Basler, H.-D. (in press). Bedingungen für die Bereitschaft zur Organspende (Conditions for organ donation readiness).  Zeitschrift für Gesundheitspsychologie.

Robbins, M.L., Levesque, D.A., Redding, C.A., Johnson, J.L., Prochaska, J.O., Rohr, M.S. & Peters, T.G. (2001, in press). Assessing family members’ motivational readiness and decision making for consenting to cadaveric organ donation. Journal of Health Psychology.

Velicer, W. F., Prochaska, J. O., Fava, J. L., Rossi, J. S., Redding, C. A., Laforge, R. G.,Robbins, M. L. (2000). Using the Transtheoretical Model for Population-based Approaches to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Homeostasis in Health and Disease, 40, 174-195.

Meischke, H., Sellers, D., Robbins, M., Goff, D., Daya, M., Meshack, A., Taylor, J., & Zapka, J. (2000). Factors that influence risk perceptions of an acute myocardial infarction. Behavioral Medicine, 26, 1-13

Robbins, M.L. (1999). Medication adherence and the transplant recipient: Helping patients at each stage of change. Transplantation Proceedings, 31 (Suppl. 4A), 29S-30S.

Zapka, J., Estabrook, B., Leviton, L., Gilliland, J., Meischke, H., Melville, S., Taylor, J., Daya, M., Laing, B., Meshack, A., Reyna, R., Robbins, M., Hand, M., & Finnegan, J. (1999). Healthcare providers’ perspectives on patient delay for seeking care for symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. Health Education and Behavior, 26, 714-733.

Raczynski, J.M., Finnegan, J.R., Zapka, J.G., Meischke, H., Meshack, A., Stone, E.J., Bracht, N., Sellers, D.E., Daya, M., Robbins, M.L., McAlister, A., Simons-Morton, D. (1999). REACT theory-based intervention to reduce treatment-seeking delay for acute MI. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 16, 325-224.

Robbins, M.L. (1998). Applying a readiness model to increasing organ donation and transplantation. Medicine and Health Rhode Island, 81, 294-296.

Hedges, J. R., Mann, C. N., Meischke, H., Robbins, M., Goldberg, R. & Zapka, J. (1998). Assessment of chest pain onset and out-of-hospital delay using standardized interview questions: The REACT pilot study. Academic Emergency Medicine, 5(8), 773-780.

Rohr, M.S. & Robbins, M.L. (1998). A new look at the organ donation consent process.Contemporary Dialysis and Nephrology Care, November, 32-33 & 38.

Lacy, C. R., Contrada, R. J., Robbins, M. L., Tannenbaum, A. K., Moreyra, A. E., Chelton, S., & Kostis, J. B. (1995). Coronary vasoconstriction induced by mental stress (simulated public speaking). The American Journal of Cardiology, 75, 503-505.

Lacy, C. R., Robbins, M. L., & Kostis, J. B. (1988). Type A behavior and coronary artery disease (letter). New England Journal of Medicine, 319, 115.

Robbins, M. L., & Lacy, C. R. (1987). The Type A behavior pattern and angiographic extent of coronary disease: A review of the literature. The Journal of the Central New Jersey Medical Group, 3, 32-38.

 

Published Abstracts

Fava, J.L., Redding, C.A., Robbins, M.L., Rossi, J.S., Meier, K.S., Ward, R.M., Mauriello, L. & Prochaska, J.O.  (2002).  An instrument to measure processes of change for stress management in adolescents.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24, S131 (Abstract).

Mauriello, L.M., Rossi, J.S., Fava, J.L., Redding, C.A., Robbins, M.L., & Johnson, J.L.  (2002).  Stress management among adolescents: Development and validation of a brief decisional balance measure.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24, S218 (Abstract).

Robbins, M.L., Ganikos, M., Leino, E.V., Eaker, M.A, Eastwood, A., Webster, L., Bieterman, C. A.  (2002).  Stage-based intervention to increase intent for organ donation among college students.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24, S138 (Abstract).

Robbins, M.L., Knott, J.E., Redding, C.A., Peters, T.G., & Rohr, M.  (2002).  Does knowing your loved one wanted to be an organ donor affect the decision to consent to cadaveric organ donation?  Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24, S138 (Abstract). Citation Paper Award.

Robbins, M.L., Jordan, P.J., Redding, C.A., Kilgallen, C.E., Knott, J.E., Eaker, M.A., Peters, T.G., & Rohr, M.S. (2001). Readiness for organ donation consent in family approaches by organ procurement coordinators. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 23, S102 (Abstract).

Robbins, M.L., Levesque, D.A., Redding, C.A., Evans, J.L., Rohr, M. & Peters, T. (2000). A processes of change measure for consent to organ donation. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 22, S131 (Abstract).

Fava, J.L., Robbins, M.L., Redding, C.A., Norman, G.J., Keller, S., Evers, K.E., & Maddock, J.E. (2000). A comparison of two algorithms for the stages of change for stress management. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 22, S13 (Abstract).

Robbins, M.L., Evans, J.L., Kilgallen, C.E., & Jacobbi, L.M. (1999). Distribution of readiness to be an organ donor in a representative sample. Transplantation, 67, S187 (Abstract).

Jacobbi, L.M. & Robbins, M.L., (1999, May). Evaluation of adult attitudes regarding organ donation: 1991 to 1998. Transplantation, 67, S29 (Abstract).

Robbins, M.L., Evans, J.L., Kilgallen, C.E., & Jacobbi, L.M. (1999). Stages and decisional balance for organ donation in a representative sample. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 21, S247 (Abstract).

Robbins, M.L., Kilgallen, C.E., Evans, J.L., Redding, C.A. & Knott, E.J. (1999). Stages and decisional balance for becoming an organ donor. Annals of Behavioral Medicine,21, S177 (Abstract).

Robbins, M.L., Levesque, D.A., Prochaska, J.O., & Velicer, W.F. (1998). Stages and decisional balance for consenting to cadaveric organ donation. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 20, S99 (Abstract).

Robbins, M.L., Fava, J.L., Norman, G.J., Velicer, W.F., Redding, C.A. & Levesque, D.A. (1998, March). Stages of change for stress management in three samples. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 20, S216 (Abstract).

Robbins, M. L., & Contrada, R. J. (1994). Hostility, illness cognition, and the process of coping with coronary heart disease. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 15, S135 (Abstract).

 

Presentations

Robbins, M.L., Levesque, D.A., Prochaska, J.O., & Velicer, W.F. (1998). A decisional balance measure and the stages of change model for family consent to cadaveric organ donation. Paper presented at the Department of Health and Human Services Conference on Increasing donation and Transplantation: The Challenge of Evaluation. Arlington, VA.

Robbins, M.L., Levesque, D.A., Prochaska, J.O., & Velicer, W.F. (1998). Processes of change and the stages of change model for family consent to cadaveric organ donation. Paper presented at the Department of Health and Human Services Conference on Increasing donation and Transplantation: The Challenge of Evaluation. Arlington, VA.

Robbins, M.L., Redding, C.A. (1998). Applying the transtheoretical model of behavior change to increasing organ donation intentions. Paper presented at the Department of Health and Human Services Conference on Increasing donation and Transplantation: The Challenge of Evaluation. Arlington, VA.

Robbins, M.L., Prochaska, J.O., & Redding, C.A. (1998). Stage based intervention to increase consent for cadaveric organ donation: A training curriculum for organ procurement coordinators. Paper presented at the Department of Health and Human Services Conference on Increasing donation and Transplantation: The Challenge of Evaluation. Arlington, VA.

Raczynski, J., Finnegan, J., Meischke, H., Zapka, J., Meshack, A., Bracht, N., Sellers, D., Stone, E., Daya, M., Robbins, M., McAlister, A., & Simons-Morton, D. (1997). REACT intervention design: A theoretically-based intervention to reduce treatment-seeking delay for acute MI symptoms. International Conference on Preventive Cardiology, Montreal, Canada.

Zapka, J., Estabrook, B., Gilliland, J., Leviton, L., Melville, S., Meischke, H., Taylor, J., Daya, M., Laing, B., Meshack, A., Reyna, R., Robbins, M., Hand, M., & Finnegan, J. (1997). Health care providers’ views on patient delay for seeking care for heart attack symptoms. International Conference on Preventive Cardiology, Montreal, Canada.

Unger, W. S., Donkervoet, J. C., & Robbins, M. L. (1992). An evaluation of troops returning from the Persian Gulf: A one year follow-up. 26th Scientific Sessions: Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, MA.

Contrada, R. J., Lacy, C. R., Robbins, M. L., Tannenbaum, A. K., Moreyra, A. E., Hansen, J., Towner, E. A., & Kostis, J. B. (1990). Mental stress reduces coronary artery diameter. 11th Scientific Session: The Society of Behavioral Medicine, Chicago, IL.

Lacy, C. R., Contrada, R. J., Robbins, M. L., Tannenbaum, A. K., Moreyra, A. E., McGeady, R. E., & Kostis, J. B. (1990). Effect of mental stress on heart rate, blood pressure, and coronary arterial diameter. 39th Scientific Session: American College of Cardiology, New Orleans, LA.

Robbins, M. L., Contrada, R. J., Lacy, C. R., & Kostis, J. B. (1989). The role of Type A behavior in delay in seeking treatment for suspected coronary artery disease. 10th Scientific Session: The Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Francisco, CA.

Robbins, M. L., Lacy, C. R., Contrada, R. J., & Kostis, J. B. (1989). Effect of Type a behavior on delay in seeking treatment and angiographic extent of coronary artery disease. International Conference on Preventive Cardiology, Washington, D.C.

Schwarz, N., Robbins, M.L., & Clore, G. (1985). Explaining the Effects of Mood on Judgment. Paper presented at the Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago, IL.