- Professor, Department Chair
- Department of Psychology; Clinical Psychology
- Phone: 401.874.5082
- Email: markrobb@uri.edu
- Office Location: Chafee 307
- Accepting Students: Yes
Research
PLEASE NOTE: Dr. Robbins will be accepting new graduate students for the 2025-2026 academic year.
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 are centered on utilizing the Transtheoretical model to understand decision-making and behavior change in a range of health (e.g., physical activity, pain management) and health risk behaviors (e.g., vaping, vaccine uptake). Dr. Robbins’ lab has been funded by NIH and HRSA for research in organ donation & transplantation, blood donation, & advanced care planning. Recent research has also emphasized understanding and addressing health disparities and improving cultural tailoring of health promotion interventions.
Learn more about Dr. Robbins’ research as Director of the Health Behavior Change Lab.
Education
- Ph.D. 1993, Rutgers University
- M.S. 1988, Rutgers University
- B.S. 1984, University of Illinois – Champaign/Urbana
Selected Publications
Monahan, K.*, Sacco, A.*, Fenn, N.*, Reyes, C.*, Lindsey, H.*, Paiva, A., & Robbins, M. (2024). Development of Transtheoretical Model Measures for Assessing Decisional Balance and Temptations to Vape. American Journal of College Health. Jan 16:1-7. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2023.2299412. Online ahead of print. PMID: 38227915
Monahan, K.*, Paiva, A., Blissmer, B., Sacco, A.*, & Robbins, M. (2024). Transtheoretical Model for Exercise: Measure Redevelopment and Assessing the Role of Barriers in a Diverse Population. American Journal of Health Promotion. Feb;38(2):186-196. doi: 10.1177/08901171231213692. Epub 2023 Nov 13.
PMID: 37955178
Murray, A.N., Sacco, A.*, Monahan, K.*, Robbins, M.L., Paiva, A.L., & Redding, C.A. (2023). Development and Validation of a Measure of Self-Efficacy for Advance Care Planning. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. 2023 Oct 25:10499091231210504. doi: 10.1177/10499091231210504. Online ahead
of print. PMID: 37879089
Reyes, C.T.*, Cao, W., Astorini, A.G., Drohan, M.M., Schulz, C.T., Shuster, C.L., Robbins, M.L., Yang, M., & Stamates, A.L. (2023). Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Assess Willingness and Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination among a Predominantly White U.S. College Sample. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine. Aug 17;11(1):2248236. doi: 10.1080/21642850.2023.2248236. eCollection 2023. PMID: 37601893
Sacco, A.*, Robbins, M., Paiva, A., Monahan, K.*, Lindsey, H.*, Reyes, C.*, & Rusnock, A., (2023). Measuring motivation for COVID-19 vaccination: An application of the transtheoretical model. American Journal of Health Promotion. Dec 8. doi: 10.3758/s13428-023-02293-0. Online ahead of print. PMID: 38066394
Fenn, N., Yang, M., Pearson-Merkowitz, S., & Robbins, M.L. (2023). Civic engagement and well-being among non-college young adults: Investigating a mediation model. Journal of Community Psychology. 1-19. DOI:10.1002/jcop.23033
Fenn, N., Sacco, A.*, Monahan, K.*, Robbins, M. L., & Pearson-Merkowitz, S. (2022). Examining the Relationship Between Civic Engagement and Mental Health Outcomes in Young Adults: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Youth Studies. 1-30. DOI: 10.1080/13676261.2022.2156779
Fenn, N.*, Reyes, C.*, Mushkat, Z.*, Vinacco, K., Jackson, H., Al Sanea, A.*, Robbins, M.L., Hulme, J., & Dupre, A.M. (2022). Empathy, better patient care, and how interprofessional education can help. Journal of Interprofessional Care. Aug 12:1-10. DOI: 10.1080/13561820.2021.1951187, PMID: 34382506
Fenn, N.*, Monahan, K.*, & Reyes, C.*, & Robbins, M. L. (2022). How ready are young adults to participate in community service? An application of the transtheoretical model of behavior change. American Journal of Health Promotion. PMID: 34296641. Jan;36(1):64-72. doi:10.1177/08901171211034742. Epub 2021 Jul 23.
Zebrowski, P. M., Rodgers, N. H., Gerlach, H., Paiva, A. L. & Robbins, M. L. (2021). Applying the Transtheoretical Model to Stuttering Management Among Adolescents: Part I – Scale Development. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Nov 4;30(6):2492-2509. doi: 10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00186. Epub 2021 Sep 15. PMID: 34525312.
Rodgers, N. H., Gerlach, H., Paiva, A. L., Robbins, M. L. & Zebrowski, P. M., (2021). Applying the Transtheoretical Model to Stuttering Management Among Adolescents: Part II – Exploratory Scale Validation. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Nov 4;30(6):2510-2527. doi:10.1044/2021_AJSLP-21-00108. Epub 2021 Oct 12.PMID: 34637348
Fenn, N.*, Robbins, M.L., Harlow, L., & Pearson-Merkowitz, S. (2021). Civic engagement and well-being: Examining a mediational model across gender. American Journal of Health Promotion, 35, 917-928. PMID: 33739159
Waterman, A.D., Peipert, J.D., Cui, J., Beaumont, J.L., Paiva, A., Lipsey, A.F., Anderson, C.S., & Robbins, M.L. (2021). Your Path to Transplant: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Tailored Expert System Intervention to Increase Knowledge, Attitudes and Pursuit of Kidney Transplant. American Journal of Transplantation, 21(3); p. 1186-1196. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ajt.16262
Professional Interests
- Clinical health psychology emphasizing application of the Transtheoretical Model and 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.
Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations
- Reyes, Cheyenne. (ongoing). A Mixed Methods Study of Compassion Fatigue in the US General Population. Dissertation.
- Lindsey, Hayley. (ongoing). Measuring Motivation for Effective Headache Self-Management: An Application of the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. Master’s Thesis.
- Sacco, Allegra. (2022). Covid-19 Vaccination: Applications of The Transtheoretical Model with Consideration for Myths and Barriers. Master’s Thesis.
- Fenn, Natalie. (2022). Do Good to Feel Good? Investigating Civic Engagement Among Non-Collegiate Young Adults. Dissertation.
- Mushkat, Zoe. (2021). Longitudinal Decision-Making in a Transtheoretical Model for Pursuing Living Donor Kidney Transplant. Dissertation.
- Monahan, Kathleen. (2021). Transtheoretical Model for Exercise: Measure Re-development and Assessing the Role of Barriers in a Diverse Population. Master’s Thesis.
- Cheyenne Reyes. (2020). Pain Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Pain Treatment Among Undergraduate Students in the Health Professions. Research Competency.
- Sorensen, Donya. (2020). Psychometric Properties and Generational Differences in Self-reporting on the Clinically Useful Substance Abuse Problems Outcomes Scale. Dissertation.
- Fenn, Natalie. (2019). Civic Engagement’s as a Health Determinant: Get Engaged to get Healthy? Master’s Thesis.
- Murray (Nobel), Alexandra. (2019). Development of Measures for Self-Efficacy for Advance Care Planning in Older Adults and Surrogate Decision-Makers. Dissertation.