A photo of Scott Powers.

Scott W. Powers, PhD, ABPP, FAHS

  • Pediatric Psychologist, Research, Division of Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology
  • Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation Endowed Chair
  • Scientific Director, Clinical Research and Trials
  • Co-Director, Headache Center
  • Director, Center for Child Behavior and Nutrition Research and Training
  • Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

About

Biography

As a pediatric psychologist, as well as a clinical child and adolescent psychologist, I practice evidence-based behavioral medicine. I treat children with migraine and other types of headache.

At Cincinnati Children’s, I am the scientific director of Clinical Research and Trials for the Research Foundation, the co-director of the Headache Center, and the director of the Center for Child Behavior and Nutrition Research and Training.

My research includes clinical trials in the areas of migraine and headache as well as child behavior and nutrition science. Migraine affects 10% of youth today. It’s one of the most common chronic illnesses of childhood and is the second most prevalent disabling condition worldwide. It affects people from childhood throughout most of their lives. My colleagues and I strive to develop the evidence-based treatments of tomorrow while building teams to provide the best care we can today. If youth have improvements in headache occurrence and related disability, then we may change the course of their lives.

Our team has published game-changing clinical trials in prestigious journals, such as the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), JAMA Pediatrics and Pediatrics.

During my career, I am honored to have received both the research and mentoring awards from the Society of Pediatric Psychology, a division of the American Psychological Association.

AB: Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN, 1985.

MS: Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, 1987.

PhD: The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 1991.

Residency: Clinical Psychology, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI.

Fellowship: Pediatric Psychology, Brown University School of Medicine / Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI.

Certification: Clinical Psychology, Ohio State Board of Psychology, 1992. American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), 2003.

Interests

Preschoolers and toddlers; dietary adherence / nutrition and behavior; cystic fibrosis; chronic illness, coping and adherence; pediatric pain; pediatric headache; encopresis.

Services and Specialties

Behavioral Medicine, Headache Medicine

Interests

Clinical trials; migraine/headache; pediatric pain; adherence medicine; nutrition and behavior; cystic fibrosis

Research Areas

Clinical Psychology

Publications

Structural lung disease in preschool children with cystic fibrosis: An 18 month natural history study. Brody, AS; Huang, R; Zhang, B; Long, FR; Powers, SW. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis. 2021.

Multimodal Assessment of Medication Adherence Among Youth With Migraine: An Ancillary Study of the CHAMP Trial. Reidy, BL; Powers, SW; Coffey, CS; Chamberlin, LA; Ecklund, DJ; Klingner, EA; Yankey, JW; Korbee, LL; Porter, LL; Peugh, J; et al. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 2021.

Advancing our commitment to our peer reviewers. Halker Singh, RB; Bobker, SM; Roberts, JL; Charleston, L; Robbins, MS; Pradhan, A; Sprenger, T; Pozo-Rosich, P; Orr, SL; Powers, SW; et al. Headache. 2021; 61:1299-1301.

Prevalence of Headache Days and Disability 3 Years After Participation in the Childhood and Adolescent Migraine Prevention Medication Trial. Powers, SW; Coffey, CS; Chamberlin, LA; Ecklund, DJ; Klingner, EA; Yankey, JW; Peugh, JL; Korbee, LL; Simmons, K; Sullivan, SM; et al. JAMA Network Open. 2021; 4.

Learning the full impact of migraine through patient voices: A qualitative study. Estave, PM; Beeghly, S; Anderson, R; Margol, C; Shakir, M; George, G; Berger, A; O’Connell, N; Burch, R; Haas, N; et al. Headache. 2021; 61:1004-1020.

The value of the patient perspective in understanding the full burden of migraine. Wells, RE; Estave, PM; Burch, R; Haas, N; Powers, SW; Seng, E; Buse, DC; Lipton, RB. Headache. 2021; 61:985-987.

The promise of mechanistic approaches to understanding how youth with migraine get better-An Editorial to the 2020 Members' Choice Award Paper. Nahman-Averbuch, H; Hershey, AD; Peugh, JL; King, CD; Kroon Van Diest, AM; Chamberlin, LA; Kabbouche, MA; Kacperski, J; Coghill, RC; Powers, SW. Headache. 2021; 61:803-804.

Predictors of Improvement in Pediatric Chronic Migraine: Results from the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Amitriptyline Trial. Rettig, EK; Ergun, G; Warfield, JR; Slater, SK; LeCates, SL; Kabbouche, MA; Kacperski, J; Hershey, AD; Powers, SW. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings. 2021.

Virtual issue: Kids (with headache disorders) are not just little adults (with headache disorders). Orr, SL; Powers, SW. Headache. 2021; 61:563-564.

Spatial aspects of pain modulation are not disrupted in adolescents with migraine. Nahman-Averbuch, H; Thomas, PL; Schneider, VJ; Chamberlin, LA; Peugh, JL; Hershey, AD; Powers, SW; Coghill, RC; King, CD. Headache. 2021; 61:485-492.

From the Blog


How Can CBT Be Expanded Beyond Specialty Headache Centers?
Mind Brain Behavior

How Can CBT Be Expanded Beyond Specialty Headache Centers?

Scott W. Powers, PhD, ABPP, FAHS2/2/2022

Research Reinforces Alternatives to Medication in Migraine Care
Mind Brain Behavior

Research Reinforces Alternatives to Medication in Migraine Care

Scott W. Powers, PhD, ABPP, FAHS, Andrew D. Hershey, MD, PhD, FAHS7/27/2021

Teaming Up to Solve a Headache About Headaches
Mind Brain Behavior

Teaming Up to Solve a Headache About Headaches

Scott W. Powers, PhD, ABPP, FAHS, Robert C. Coghill, PhD ...7/3/2019

Migraines in Kids: How Can We Best Prevent Them?
BlogHealthy Living

Migraines in Kids: How Can We Best Prevent Them?

By Scott Powers, PhD10/28/2016

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