Robert T. Ammerman, PhD, ABPP
- Staff Psychologist, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology
- Scientific Director, Every Child Succeeds
- CCRF Endowed Chair
- Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
- robert.ammerman@cchmc.org
- Board Certified
About
Biography
As a pediatric psychologist, I'm committed to using psychological science to ensure that all children reach their full potential. My goal is to foster healthy behavioral and emotional development for children. I believe this can only be done by also engaging parents and caregivers.
My research is focused on early childhood abuse prevention programs, as well as the impact of parental mental health and traumatic experiences on parenting and child development. We seek to develop effective interventions that will support parents so that they can foster healthy behavioral and emotional development in their children.
My colleagues and I have developed an in-home psychological treatment for postpartum depression. This highly effective and accessible approach supports mothers with their recovery from depression, ultimately helping both mothers and their children. Our research has demonstrated that even when mothers are at their lowest point, they have tremendous potential to thrive and provide a nurturing environment for their children. We are all capable of change and growth.
For my contributions to the field, I was named a fellow of both the American Psychological Association and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. I'm also a Diplomate in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology with the American Board of Professional Psychology.
Internship: Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Pittsburgh, PA, 1986.
Certification: American Board of Professional Psychology, Diplomate in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology, 1995; Ohio State Board of Psychology, 1999.
Interests
Maternal depression; anxiety disorders.
Interests
Early childhood prevention programs and interventions to optimize the development of young children; enhancements of home visiting programs that improve outcomes for mothers and children; development of in-home treatment for postpartum depression; use of motivational interviewing to improve retention in home visiting; strategies to help new mothers and fathers co-parent to foster healthy child development.
Publications
Community Implementation and Evaluation of the Chicago Parent Program. Journal of Community Psychology. 2025; 53:e23176.
Impact of Adverse Experiences on Maternal Trust in Pediatric Primary Care. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma. 2024; 33:1530-1545.
Innovative Approaches to Addressing Pediatric Mental Health. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2024; 71:xvii-xix.
Innovative Approaches to Addressing Pediatric Mental Health. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2024; 71:i.
Caregivers on point: a randomized treatment-control prevention trial for foster and kinship caregivers to reduce behavior challenges among children in foster care. Trials. 2024; 25:670.
Expanding Access to Evidence-Based Mental Health Treatment: An Expert-Driven Training Model. Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. 2024; 9:300-317.
Association between maternal prenatal depressive symptoms and offspring epigenetic aging at 3-5 weeks. Annals of Epidemiology. 2024; 93:1-6.
Integrated Behavioral Health Prevention for Infants in Pediatric Primary Care: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 2024; 49:298-308.
Infant Obesity Prevention Programs for Underrepresented Mothers in a Home Visiting Program: A Qualitative and Community-Engaged Needs Assessment. 2024; 44:265-279.
Household Health-Related Social Needs in Newborns and Infant Behavioral Functioning at 6 Months. JAMA pediatrics. 2024; 178:160-167.
From the Blog
Early Behavioral Health Problems Need Earlier Interventions
Robert T. Ammerman, PhD, ABPP10/16/2023
Trauma-Informed Home Visits Support Mothers and Children
Robert T. Ammerman, PhD, ABPP, Alonzo T. Folger, PhD, MS4/27/2022
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