Robert J. Gatchel, Ph.D., ABPP
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Robert J. Gatchel, Ph.D., ABPP supervises psychology undergraduate and graduate students, interns and psychiatry residents in clinical health psychology, and in the assessment and treatment of comorbid mental and physical health disorders. To date, he has mentored 65 Ph.D. dissertations, 34 Masters theses, 6 postdoctoral fellows, and served on more than 75 other dissertation committees. Many of his students have gone on to accept postdoctoral and research positions at various prestigious institutions. Finally, as testimony to his prolific clinical research productivity, he has published 23 books, 108 book chapters and over 320 scientific journal articles. His research has focused on three major areas: 1) translating clinical research findings to "real world" situations and environments; 2) the application of the biopsychosocial approach to the etiology, assessment, treatment and prevention of chronic pain; and 3) conducting treatment-outcomes research in order to advance the field of evidence-based medicine.
Academic Titles:
Professor and Chairman, Department of Psychology, College of Science, The University of Texas at Arlington. Recipient of the Nancy P. and John G. Penson Endowed Professorship in Clinical Health Psychology.
Clinical Professor and Director of Clinical Research, The Eugene McDermott Center for Pain Management, Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Management, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.
Clinical Professor, Departments of Psychiatry/Division of Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.
Clinical Professor & Director of Biopsychosocial Research, The University of North Texas Health Sciences Center, Ft. Worth, TX
Dr. Gatchel can be reached in the Department of Psychology, College of Science at Phone: (817) 272-2541, Fax: (817) 272-2364, or Email gatchel@uta.edu
Link to UTA Research Profiles
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Publications - DO NOT EDIT
Articles on Pain by Dr. Robert J. Gatchel
Recent Submissions
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Early Treatment of TMJ May Prevent Chronic Pain and Disability
(PPM Communications, Inc., 2011-08-31)An estimated 75% of Americans will experience symptoms of temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder (TMJMD) in their lifetime.1 Studies show that the prevalence of TMJMD varies widely. In any given year, approximately ... -
Back Surgery That Does Not Relieve Pain: An Update
(PPM Communications, Inc., 2011-01) -
Osteopathic Medicine Approach to Pain Management
(PPM Communications, Inc., 2010-09)With a holistic approach to patient care—encompassing the integration of structure and function, emotional and social aspects of health and healing, and a more heuristic biopsychosocial approach to pain assessment and ... -
Efficacy of a Patient-Educational Booklet for Neck Pain Patients with Workers' Compensation: A Randomized Controlled Trial
(Lippincott Williams & WilkinsDepartment of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2009-01-15)Study Design. A randomized controlled trial of an educational booklet for patients with first-time neck pain. Objective. To assess the clinical impact of a novel educational book on patients‟ functional outcomes and beliefs ... -
The Relationships Among Depression, Pain, and Masticatory Functioning in Temporomandibular Disorder Patients
(Quintessence Publishing Co. Inc., Chicago, 2006)Aims: To evaluate the effect of comorbid depression and pain on an early biopsychosocial intervention for acute temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients. Methods: Depressed (either - 3 - current or lifetime; n = 32) or ... -
Treatment- and Cost-Effectiveness of Early Intervention for Acute Low Back Patients: A One-Year Prospective Study
(Springer Science & Business Media B.V.Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2003-03)In an attempt to prevent acute low back pain from becoming a chronic disability problem, an earlier study developed a statistical algorithm which accurately identified those acute low back pain patients who were at high ... -
Failure to Complete a Functional Restoration Program for Chronic Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Prospective One-Year Outcome Study
(The American Congress of Rehabilitation MedicineDepartment of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2005-08)This large prospective study determined that noncompleters of interdisciplinary tertiary rehabilitation for CDOMDs had comparatively poor socioeconomic outcomes in the year after discharge from treatment, especially on ... -
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical Axis Dysregulation in Acute Temporomandibular Disorder and Low Back Pain: A Marker for Chronicity?
(Wiley-BlackwellDepartment of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2006-07)Dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) axis is believed to be a valid biological marker of stress. This study evaluating changes in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and low back ... -
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
(PPM Communications, Inc.Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2004)Back pain is a widespread public health problem, affecting a staggering 80% of Americans at some point in their lives. Each year, an estimated one out of every 14 people will seek medical care for back or neck pain, amounting ... -
Evidence-Based Review of the Efficacy of Functional Restoration for the Management of Chronic Low Back Pain
(ElsevierDepartment of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2008-01)There are now almost 20 years of evidence-based clinical outcome data, from the United States as well as from other countries around the world, demonstrating the therapeutic effectiveness of functional restoration, a ... -
Emotional Distress and Medication Use in Two Acute Pain Populations: Jaw and Low Back
(Wiley-BlackwellDepartment of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2006-12)The present study was undertaken to compare emotional distress and functional ability between two common acute pain populations - - jaw pain (JAW; n = 135) and low back pain (LB; n=71). Patient groups were evaluated and ... -
The Biopsychosocial Approach to Chronic Pain: Scientific Advances and Future Directions
(American Psychological AssociationDepartment of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2007-07)The prevalence and cost of chronic pain is a major physical and mental health care problem in the United States today. As a result, there has been a recent explosion of research on chronic pain, with significant advances ... -
The Biopsychosocial Approach to Pain Management
(PPM Communications, Inc.Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2008-05)Although pain research has traditionally focused on the sensory modalities and the neurological transmissions identified solely on a biological level, more recent theories (integrating the body, mind, and society) have ... -
Decreases in Cortisol Variability Between Treated and Untreated Jaw Pain Patients
(Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2006-08)The study evaluated the impact of treatment on cortisol levels in acute pain patients at high risk for chronic jaw-related pain. Twenty-five patients with jaw pain or facial discomfort (< 6 months) participated in the ... -
Criticisms of the Biopsychosocial Model in Spine Care: Creating and Then Attacking a Straw Person
(Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2008-12)A previous article in Spine provided an erroneous and illogical critique of the biopsychosocial model. Evidence is used to refute concerns raised. We describe an evolving literature demonstrating the heuristic value of the ... -
Development of a Self-Report Screening Instrument for Assessing Potential Opioid Medication Misuse in Chronic Pain Patients
(ElsevierDepartment of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2004)This study comprised the first step in the psychometric development of a self-report screening instrument for risk of opioid medication misuse among chronic pain patients. A 26-item instrument, the Pain Medication Questionnaire ... -
Vita of Robert J. Gatchel, PhD., ABPP
(2010-08-26) -
Methods for Monitoring Medication Use in Chronic Patients
(Remedica Medical Education and PublishingDepartment of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2008)In this article, the best methods for assessing chronic pain patients who are potentially at risk of misuse or abuse of painreduction medications are highlighted. The author recommends that comprehensive biopsychosocial ... -
Comorbidity of Chronic Pain and Mental Health Disorders: The Biopsychosocial Perspective
(American Psychological AssociationDepartment of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, 2009-11-20)We are entering an exciting period in mental and physical health research, resulting from a paradigm shift away from an outdated biomedical reductionism approach, to a more comprehensive biopsychosocial model, which ...
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