Melissa M. Root, PhD

University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), UConn Health, & Neag School of Education (Affiliate)

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Research Overview

(1) I am interested in conducting research related to mind-body interventions with a focus on Relaxation and Guided Imagery (RGI) across a variety of participant criteria. I am also interested in the use of the self-modeling intervention across many need areas. (2) I currently engage in research (planning stage) related to stress reduction for participants with ovarian cancer, participants undergoing chemotherapy (planning stage), and parents of children with developmental disabilities (planning stage). The first two developed out of a partnership established through a cancer-related InCHIP event in Hartford approximately two years ago. (3) I ran a post-school outcomes grant for the State of Connecticut and an English/Language arts grant for the Providence Public Schools while employed at UConn previously. (4) I spent the past several years working at a teaching institution but continued to pursue a research agenda on my own. I took my current position as a faculty member at the UCEDD to expand my research capacity and engage heavily in grant writing initiatives. My partners and I are establishing a base of evidence for the use of the RGI intervention to support an National Institutes of Health R34 grant application.

Education

Ph.D. (2000) School Psychology/Educational Psychology, University of Connecticut

B.A. (1992) Psychology/Criminal Justice, University of New Hampshire

Featured Publications

Bray, M. A., Kehle, T. J., Root, M. M., Sassu, K., & Theodore, L. A. (in preparation). Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Asthma and Respiratory Impairments. Handbook of Applied Interventions for Children and Adolescents. NY: Springer.

Kehle, T. J., Bray, M. A., Root, M. M., & Theodore, L. A. (in preparation). Single case methodology with patients with selective mutism. Research Methods Cases. CA: Sage.

Root, M. M., Bray, M.A., Maykel, C., & Kehle, T. J. (in preparation). Single case methodology with patients with cancer. Research Methods Cases. CA: Sage.

Root, M. M. & Kehle, T. (2015). Intelligence. In G. Scarlett (Ed.), Classroom Management: An A-to-Z Guide. Boston: Sage.

Root, M. M. & Molteni, J. (2015). Children with Autism: Including in Classrooms. In G. Scarlett (Ed.), Classroom Management: An A-to-Z Guide. Boston: Sage.

Molteni, J., McCombes-Tolis, J., & Root, M. (2014). Special Education. In International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2nd edition. United Kingdom: Elsevier Ltd.

Madaus, M. M. R. (Root), Kehle, T. J., Madaus, J. W., & Bray, M. (2003). Effectiveness of the mystery motivator intervention in improving math homework completion and accuracy percentages. School Psychology International, 24 (4), 369-377.

Madaus, J. W., & Madaus, M. M. R. (Root) (2001). Effective documentation practices at the postsecondary level. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 1 (1), 31-35.

Kehle, T. J., Madaus, M. R. (Root), Spackman, V. S., & Bray, M. A. (1998). Augmented self-modeling as a treatment for children with selective mutism. School Psychology Review, 36 (3), 247-260.