My primary research interests involve interventions to reduce the negative effects of child and parental mental disorders on the functional outcomes of youth; the development of health in childhood and its influence on school performance; the nature and measurement of functioning in youth with mental health problems; the role of health services in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders in youth; and the development of instruments to assess health and mental health.

My collaborator, Christopher Forrest, now at U Penn, and I are conducting a longitudinal study of the influence of child health on the school performance of students as they transition from elementary to middle school and also begin their pubertal development. Using an accelerated longitudinal design, we will be able to describe the trajectories of health and school performance for children from 9 through 13 years. We are planning to continue monitoring these youth and families into high school. Also planned is a study of the effects of school-level and neighborhood factors health and school performance in these rural youth.

Currently, I am writing up the results of a study of the outcomes of a group of low-income, multi-ethnic, 4-10 year old children whose mothers were treated for depression.

Based on the poor outcomes of the children of depressed mothers who receive evidence-based depression treatment, we have developed and are refining an intervention to build resilience in children and families affected by parental depression. We work in mental health clinics to ensure the program becomes a viable, sustainable adjunct to the treatment of depression in mothers and fathers. Currently staff in 2 local outpatient mental health settings are delivering the program as a routine service.

In collaboration with Dr. Linda Rose in the JH School of Nursing, we are investigating the needs and preferences of patients in primary care settings regarding the invovlement of their family members in their treatment for depression.

In collaboration with faculty at the University of Maryland, I am continuing to foster the adoption of an internet-based system for monitoring the progress and outcomes of youth in mental health treatment or in out-of-home placement. This system can be used to improve the quality of care for youth with special needs.

My colleagues and I have recently completed the development and validation of a new generic health status instrument, the Child Health and Illness Profile-Child Edition (CHIP-CE) which allows children 6-11 years to report on their own health. A parent version has also been developed and validated. This instrument complements the CHIP-AE for adolescents. Together health can be assessed in youth 6 years old through young adulthood to describe their needs, and evaluate and monitor outcomes over time. The CHIP-CE has been translated into 21 languages and is being used around the world to evaluate the outcomes of children. Information on the CHIP family of questionnaires is available of the CHIP website www.chip.jhu.edu.

I am co-developing a seminar series and a course on family health and health policy, and will continue to teach the course on "Teaching at the University Level," 3rd term.

I am active on the Board of Directors of the Advocates for Children and Youth (ACY), a state-wide organization that evaluates the needs of families and children to help set the legislative agenda to promote child well being, and monitors and testifies on legislation affecting children and families. Opportunities for students to participate in this process are available.

Child health, mental health, family health policy, health services research, health status, measurement, maternal depression, parental depression, family intervention, prevention of psychiatric disorders

Joint Appointment, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

2000-2001 - Advising, Mentoring, and Teaching Recognition Award

Gerson, A.C., Riley, A.W., Fivush, B., et al & Furth, S.L. (2005). Assessing health status and health care utilization in adolescents with chronic kidney disease. J Am Society of Nephrology Express, doi: 10.1681/ASN.2004040258.

Forrest, C.B., Riley, A.W. (2004) Childhood origins of adult health: a basis for life course health policy. Health Affairs, 23:155-164.

Riley, A.W. (2004) Evidence that school-age children can self-report on their health. Ambulatory Pediatrics, 4(4):374-376.

Leaf P.J., Owens P.L., Leventhal J.M., Forsyth B.W.C., Vaden-Kiernan M., Epstein L.D., Riley A.W., Horwitz S.M. (2004). Pediatricians' training and identification and management of psychosocial issues. Clinical Pediatrics, 43:355-365.

Rajmil, L., Serra-Sutton, V., Estrada, M.D., Fernandez de Sanmamed, M.J., Guillamon, I., Riley, A.W., Alonso, J. (2004) Adaptación de la version española del Perfil de Salud Infantil (Child Health and Illness Profile-Child Edition, CHIP-CE). An Pediatr (Barc), 60:522-9.

Riley, A.W., Forrest, C.B., Rebok, G., Starfield, B., Green, B.F., Robertson, J., Friello, P. (2004) The Child Report Form of the CHIP-Child Edition: Reliability and Validity. Medical Care, 42(3):221-231.

Riley, A.W., Forrest, C.B., Starfield, B., Rebok, G., Green B.F., Robertson, J. (2004) The Parent Report Form of the CHIP-Child Edition: Reliability and Validity. Medical Care, 42(3):210-220.

Forrest, C.B., Riley, A.W., Vivier, P.M., Gordon, N.P., Starfield, B. (2004). Predictors of children’s healthcare use: the value of child versus parental perspectives on healthcare needs. Medical Care, 42(3):232-238.

Ensminger, M.E., Hanson, S.G., Riley, A.W., Juon, H.S. (2003). Maternal psychological distress: adult sons’ and daughters’ mental health and educational attainment. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 42(9):1108-1115.

Rajmil, L., Serra-Sutton, V., Alonso, J., Herdman, M., Riley, A.W., Starfield, B. (2003) Validity of the Spanish version of the Child Health and Illness Profile-Adolescent Edition (CHIP-AE). Medical Care, 41(10):1153-1163.

Witt, W.P., Kasper, J.D., Riley, A.W. (2003). Mental health services use among school-aged children with disabilities: the role of sociodemographics, functional limitations, family burdens, and care coordination. Health Services Research, 38(6):1441-1466.

Rajmil, L, Serra-Sutton, V., Alonso, J., Starfield, B., Riley, A.W., Vazquez, J.R. (2003). The Spanish version of the Child Health and Illness Profile-Adolescent Edition (CHIP-AE). Quality of Life Research, 12:303-313.

Witt, W.P., Riley, A.W., Coiro, M.J. (2003). childhood functional status, family stressors, and psychosocial adjustment among school-aged children with disabilities in the United States. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 157(7):687-695.

Starfield, B., Riley, A.W., Robertson, J., Witt, W.P., Shi, L. (2002). Social gradients in health during adolescence. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 56:354-361.

Starfield, B., Robertson, J., Riley, A.W. (2002). Social class gradients and health in childhood. Ambulatory Pediatrics, 2:238-246.

Janicke, D.M., Finney, J.W., Riley, A.W. (2001). Children’s health care use: A prospective investigation of factors related to care seeking. Medical Care, 39:990-1001.

Rebok, G., Riley, A.W., Forrest, C., Starfield, B., Green, B.F., Robertson, J.A., Tambor, E. (2001.) Elementary school-aged children’s reports of their health: A cognitive interviewing study. Quality of Life Research, 10:59-70.

Ryan, S., Riley, A., Kang, M., Starfield, B. (2001). Effects of regular source of care and health need on medical care use among rural adolescents. Archives of Child and Adolescent Medicine, 155:184.

Ensminger, M., Forrest, C.B., Riley, A.W., Kang, M., Green, B.F., Starfield, B., Ryan, S. (2000). Validity of measures of socioeconomic status of adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 15:392-419.

Forrest, C.B., Tambor, E., Riley, A.W., Ensminger, M.E., Starfield, B. (2000). The health profile of incarcerated male youths. Pediatrics, 105:286-291.

Varon, S. & Riley, A.W., (1999). Maternal attendance at religious services as a factor in adolescent well-being. Psychiatric Services, 50:799-805.

Riley, A.W., Green, B., Forrest, C.B., Starfield, B., Kang, M., Ensminger, M. (1998). A taxonomy of adolescent health: Development of the adolescent health profile types. Medical Care, 36:1228-1236.

Riley, A.W., Forrest, C.B., Starfield, B., Green, B.F., Kang, M., Ensminger, M.E. (1998). Reliability and validity of the adolescent health profile types. Medical Care, 36:1237-1248.

Riley, A.W., Ensminger, M.E., Green, B., Kang, M. (1998) Social role functioning by adolescents with psychiatric disorders. Journal of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 37:620-628.