Regents Professor Ph.D., University of Florida, 1982 Member, Clinical Psychology and NBN Programs Mail: Dept. Psychology, P.O. Box 5010, Atlanta, GA 30302-5010 In person/delivery: GSU, 140 Decatur St., 758 Urban Life - Atlanta, GA 30302-5010 Telephone: (404) 413-6284 Fax: (404) 651-1150 robinmorris@gsu.edu Georgia Psychology License No. 872 Vice President for Research Mail: P.O. Box 3999, Atlanta, GA 30302-3999 In person/delivery: GSU, Suite 326 Alumni Hall, 30 Courtland St., Atlanta, GA 30303 Telephone: (404) 651-4437 Fax: (404) 651-3157 Dr. Morris' vita

Developmental neuropsychology is the study of the developing brain and its influence on children's behavior. My research explores basic issues related to nervous system development (laterality, modularity, attentional systems) using experimental paradigms, the development of higher cognitive abilities (language, reading, executive functions) in typical and atypical populations, and applied issues focused on developmental or acquired brain disorders (primarily reading disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, and brain injuries) in children and young adults. Core research issues have centered on the measurement of change and those nervous system and/or environmental factors that influence developmental variations in these groups of children.  Other interests include multivariate approaches to classification and measurement, bilingual reading, and reading instruction.

Currently, my research activities are focused on understanding the development and neurodevelopment correlates of reading and dyslexia/reading disabilities in children and adults, including those with multi-lingual or disabled language backgrounds.  This research is based on a number of large, multi-site, federally funded grants that have studied reading development, reading interventions, and reading disabilities.  A component of these studies includes FMRI brain imaging studies of children and adults learning to read.

My interest in the development of children following brain injury has led in the past to a series of related studies including those of children with brain tumors and acquired brain injuries (head injuries, brain tumors, penetrating foreign objects, strokes, etc.) and the investigation of effective interventions to maximize their recovery.  Follow-up studies of these children are currently underway.

Representative Grants

• "Research on Reading Instruction for Low Literate Adults" NICHD/NIH
• Testing the Effectiveness, Sustainability and Scalability of an Individualized Reading Program for African-American, Latino and Euro-American Inner City Children, IERI, joint NSF/NICHD/.DOE program
• "Development of Fluent and Automatic Reading:  Precursors to Learning"
• "Treatment of Developmental Disabilities," NICHD, NIH
• "A Developmentally-based Preventive Reading Intervention for Children Placed at Risk for Reading Disabilities," U.S. Deptartment of Education
• "Neuroimaging in the Evaluation of Reading Disability Interventions," NICHD
• "Linguistic Factors in Early Reading in Bilingual Readers," NICHD

Representative Publications

Fletcher, J.M., Francis, D.J., Morris, R.D., & Lyon, G.R. (2005).  Evidence-Based Assessment of Learning Disabilities in Children and Adolescents.  J. of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34(3), 506-522.

Pae, H. P., Wise, J.C., Cirino, P.T., Sevcik, R.A., Lovett, M.W., Wolf, M. & Morris, R. (2005).  The Woodcock Reading Master Test: Impact of Normative Changes. Assessment, 12(3), 347-357.

Cirino, P.T., Israelian, M.K., Morris, M.K. & Morris, R.D. (2005). Evaluation of the Double-Deficit Hypothesis in College Students Referred for Learning Disabilities. J. of Learning Disabilities, 38(1), 29-44.

Rashid, F.L., Morris, R.D. & Sevick R.A. (2005). Relationship Between Home Literacy Environment and Reading Achievement in Children with Reading Disabilities. J. of Learning Disabilities, 38(1), 2-11.

Wagner, R.K, Francis, D.J. & Morris, R.D. (2005). Identifying English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities: Key Challenges and Possible Approaches. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 20(1), 6-15.

Ledesma, H.M.L. & Morris, R.D. (2005). Patterns of Language Preference Among Bilingual (Filipino-English) Boys. The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 8(1) 1-19.

Pae, H.K., Sevcik, R.A. & Morris, R. (2004).  Cross-language links between English & Korean in second language reading acquisition.  J. of Multilingual Communication Disorders, 2(1), 68-79.

Wolf, M. Goldberg, A., Cirino, P., Gidney, C., Morris, R. & Lovett, M. (2003).  The unique and combined contribution of naming speed and phonological processes in reading disability:  A test of the Double-Deficit hypothesis.   Reading and Writing (Special issue on Timing in Dyslexia).

Kullgren, K.A., Morris, R.D., Morris, M.K. & Krawiecki, N. (2003).  Risk factors associated with long-term social and behavioral problems among children with brain tumors.  J. Psychosocial Oncology, 21(1), 73-83.

Cirino, P.T., P.T., Rashid, F.L., Sevcik, R.A., Lovett, M.W., Frijters, J., Wolf, M., & Morris, R. (2002).  Psychometric stability of nationally normed and experimental decoding and related measures in children with reading disability.  J. of Learning Disabilities,  35(6), 525-538.

Zucker, M., Morris, M.K., Ingram, S.M., Morris, R.D., & Bakeman, R. (2002).  Concordance of self- and informant ratings of adult's current and childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms.  Psychological Assessment, 14(4), 379-389.

Cirino, P.T., Morris, M., and Morris, R. (2002). Neuropsychological concomitants of calculation skills in college students referred for learning disabilities.  Developmental Neuropsychology, 21(2), 201-218.

Bone, R.B., Cirino, P. T., Morris, R.D., Morris, M.K. (2002).  Reading and phonological awareness in reading disabled adults.  Developmental Neuropsychology  21, 305-320.

Haist, F., Song, A.W., Wild K., Faber, T.L., Popp, C.A., & Morris, R.D., (2001).  Linking sight & sound: FMRI evidence of primary cortex activation during visual word recognition.  Brain & Language, 76, 340-350.

Barrett, D.H., Morris, R.D., Akhtar, F.Z., Michalek, J.E. (2001).  Serum dioxin and cognitive functioning among veterans of operation ranch hand.  NeuroToxicology, 22(4), 491-502.

Rashid, F.L. , Morris, M.K. & Morris, R.D. ( 2001).  Naming and verbal memory skills in adults with ADHD and Reading Disability.  Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57, 829-838.

Liss, M., Fein, D., Allen, D., Dunn, M., Feinstein, C., Morris, R., Waterhouse, L. & Rapin, I. (2001). Executive functioning in high-functioning children with autism.  J. of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 42(2), 261-270.

Liss, M., Harel, B., Fein, D., Allen, D., Dunn, M., Feinstein, C., Morris, R., Waterhouse, L. & Rapin, I. (2001).  Predictors and correlates of adaptive functioning in children with developmental disorders.   J. of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31(2), 219-230.

Lewis, J. K., Morris, M. K., Morris, R. D., Krawiecki, N. & Foster, M. A. (2000).  Social problem solving in children with acquired brain injuries.  Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 15(3), 930-942.

Fowler, L.A., Hopkins, W.D., Albers, H.E., Morris, R.D. & Hyatt, C.W. (1999).  Establish the presence of  a body temperature rhythm in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) using a tympanic membrane thermometer.  Primate, 40(3), 499-508.

Green, M.L., Foster, M.A., Morris, M.K., Muir, J.J. & Morris, R.D. (1998). Parent assessment  of psychological and behavioral functioning following pediatric acquired brain injury. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 23(5), 289-299.

Waldrop, S. M., Davis, P. C., Padgett, C. A., Shapiro, M. B., Morris, R. D. (1998).  Treatment of  brain tumors in children is associated with abnormal MRS ratios in brain tissue remote from the tumor site.  Am. J. Neuroradiology, 19, 963-970.

Morris, R.D., Stuebing, K.K., Fletcher, J.M., Shaywitz, S.E., Lyon, G.R., Shankweiler, D.P., Katz, L., Francis, D.J. & Shaywitz, B.A.  (1998).   Subtypes of reading disability coherent variability around a phonological core.  Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(3), 1-27.

Buono, L. B., Morris, M.K., Morris, R.D., Krawiecki, N., Norris, F.H., Foster, M.A. and Copeland, D.  (1998).   Evidence for nonverbal learning disability in children with brain tumors.  Child Neuropsychology, 4(2), 144-157.