Cynthia A. Gerhardt, PhD

Cynthia A. Gerhardt, PhD, is a psychologist in the Pediatric & Psychology Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, a principal investigator in the Center for Biobehavioral Health at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Her primary focus is research on child and family adjustment to cancer and bereavement.

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Gender:

• Female

Languages Spoken:

• English

Research Center:

• Center for Biobehavioral Health

Areas of Interest:

• Dr. Gerhardt's research focuses on risk and resilience factors associated with family adjustment to bereavement and childhood chronic illnesses, such as cancer. In addition, she is currently involved in research that examines the impact of palliative care education, family communication, and health promotion interventions on the care and quality of life of families affected by childhood cancer.
• Parent-Child Communication about Cancer R01 CA 118332 (Compas, PI) Funding period: 04/01/07 – 03/31/12 Funding agency: NIH/NCI Role: Site PI Collaborating Investigators: Bruce E. Compas, Ph.D; MaryJo Gilmer, PhD.; Tammi Young-Saleme, Ph.D.; Kathryn Vannatta, Ph.D.
• Symptom Clusters and Quality of Life among Families in Pediatric Palliative Care The goal of this pilot study is to document the feasibility of conducting prospective research in pediatric palliative care, as well as documenting symptom overlap and quality of life for 40 children in palliative care and 40 matched controls. Funding period: 7/1/10 – 5/30/12 Funding agency: NPCRC Collaborating Investigator(s): Janine Winters, M.D.
• Social Outcomes in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury R01 HD048946 (Yeates, PI) Funding period: 04/01/06-03/31/11 Funding agency: NIH/NICHD Role: CI Collaborating Investigators: Keith Yeates, Ph.D. ABPP/CN, Kathryn Vannatta, Ph.D., H. Gerry Taylor, Ph.D. ABPP/CN, Maureen Dennis, Erin Bigler.
• Sibling and Parent Bereavement from Childhood Cancer The goal of this multi-site project is to evaluate the psychosocial functioning of siblings and parents following the death of a child from cancer. Project: R01-CA098217-01 (Cynthia Gerhardt, Ph.D.) Funding period:8/01/05-07/31/10 Funding agency:NCI Collaborating Investigator(s): Kathryn Vannatta, Ph.D.; Maru Barrera, Ph.D.; MaryJo Gilmer, Ph.D.; Bruce E. Compas, Ph.D.; Diane L. Fairclough, DrPH

Research Funding*:

• Sibling and Parent Bereavement from Childhood Cancer, National Cancer Institute, $443,420
• Parent-Child Communication about Cancer, Vanderbilt University Medical Center/National Institutes of Health, $178,566
• Symptom Clusters and Quality of Life among Families in Pediatric Palliative Care, National Palliative Care Research Center, $140,000

Internship

• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
  Date Completed: 06/30/1997

Graduate School

• University of Vermont
  Date Completed: 10/01/1997

Fellowship

• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
  Date Completed: 06/30/1999

Department:

• Pediatrics

Section:

• Pediatric Psychology & Neuropsychology

Date of Appointment at Children's Hospital:

• 12/12/2003

2009–present

• Associate Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

2009–present

• Associate Professor of Pediatrics, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Depatrment of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, College of Medicine

2003–present

• Clinical Supervisor, Nationwide Children's Hospital & The Ohio State University, Pediatric Psychology Internship & Post-doctoral Fellowship Program

2005–2009

• Assistant Professor of Psychology, The Ohio State University, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

2003–2009

• Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, College of Medicine and Public Health

2002–2003

• Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine

1999–2002

• Instructor of Clinical Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medicial Center, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine

• Foster TL, Gilmer MJ, Davies B, Dietrich M, Barrera M, Fairclough DL, Vannatta K, Gerhardt CA. 2011. Comparison of continuing bonds reported by parents and sibllings after the death of a child from cancer.  Death Studies. (Formally Accepted)
• Dunn MJ, Rodriguez EM, Miller KS, Gerhardt CA, Vannatta K, Saylor MM, Schuele CM, Compas BE. 2011. Observation of mother-child communication in pediatric cancer: Assessment of verbal and non-verbal behavior and emotion.  Journal of Pediatric Psychology. no. 36. : 565-575.
• Gerhardt CA, McGoron K, Thompson AL, Vannatta K, McNamara KA, Taylor J, Passo M, Noll RB. 2011. Social outcomes among emerging adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.  Children's Health Care. Vol. 40. : 70-84. (Formally Accepted)
• Thompson AL, Miller KS, Barrera M, Davies B, Fairclough DL, Foster TL, Gilmer M, Hogan N, Vannatta K, Gerhardt CA. 2011. A qualitative study of advice from bereaved parents and siblings.  Journal of Social Work in End-of-life and Palliative Care. (Formally Accepted)
• Rutherford CG, Vannatta K, Gerhardt CA, Noll RB. 2010. Social self-perception accuracy: Variations as a function of child age and gender.  Self and Identity. Vol. 9: 209-223.
• Sterry, T. W., Reiter-Purtill, J., Gartstein, M.A., Gerhardt, C. A., Vannatta, K., & Noll, R. B. 2010. Temperament and peer acceptance: The role of social behavior.  Merrill Palmer Quartly. Vol. 56: 189-219.
• Noll RB, Kiska R, Reiter-Purtill J, Gerhardt CA, Vannatta K. 2010. A controlled longitudinal study of the social functioning of children with sickle cell disease.  Pediatrics. Vol. 125: e1453-e1459.
• Fitzgerald-Butts SM, Byrne L, Gerhardt CA, Vannatta K, Hoffman TM, & McBride KL. 2010. Parental knowledge and attitudes towards hypertropic cardiomyopathy genetic testing.  Pediatric Cardiology. Vol. 31, no. 2: 195-202.
• Vannatta K, Ramsey RR, Noll RB, & Gerhardt CA. 2010. Associations of child adjustment with parent and family functioning: Comparison of families of women with and without breast cancer.  Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Vol. 31, no. 1: 9-16. (IF: 2.487)
• Vannatta, K., Rutherford, C. G., & Gerhardt, C. A. 2009. Pediatric oncology: Progress and future challenges. In Handbook of Pediatric Psychology (4th ed., pp.x-x). 4th ed. Edited by M. C. Roberts & R. Steele. New york, NY: Guilford Press. 319-333.
• Foster TL, Gilmer MJ, Davies B, Barrera M, Fairclough DL, Vannatta K, & Gerhardt CA. 2009. Bereaved parents' and siblings' reports of legacies created by children with cancer.  Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing. Vol. 26, no. 6: 369-376.
• Robinson, K. E., Gerhardt, C. A., Vannatta, K., & Noll, R. B. 2009. Survivors of childhood cancer: The influence of early family factors on distress in emerging adulthood.  Journal of Family Psychology. no. 23: 23-31.
• Gerhardt, C. A., Grollman, J. A., Baughcum, A. E., Young-Saleme, T., Stefanik, R., & Klopfenstein, K. J. 2009. Longitudinal evaluation of a pediatric palliative care educational workshop for oncology fellows. Journal of Palliative Medicine. Vol. 12: 323-328.
• Miller, K. S., Vannatta, K., Compas, B. E., Vasey, M., McGoron, K., Salley, C. G., & Gerhardt, C. A. 2009. The role of coping and temperament in the adjustment of children with cancer.  Journal of Pediatric Psychology, no. 34: 1135-1143.
• Gerhardt, C. A., Baughcum, A. E., Young-Saleme, T., & Vannatta, K. 2009. Palliative care, end of life, and bereavement. In Handbook of Pediatric Psychology (4th ed., pp.x-x). 4th ed. Edited by M. C. Roberts & R. Steele. New York, NY: Guilford Press. 216-226.
• Thompson, A. L., Gerhardt, C. A., Miller, K. S., Vannatta, K., & Noll, R. B. 2009. Survivors of childhood cancer and comparison peers: The influence of early peer factors on externalizing behavior in emerging adulthood.  Journal of Pediatric Psychology. Vol. 10, no. 34: 1119-1128.
• Gerhardt CA, McGoron KD, Vannatta K, McNamara KA, Taylor J, Passo M, Noll RB. 2008. Educational and occupational outcomes among young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. Vol. 59, no. 10. (October 15): 1385-1391. (IF: 7.677)
• Vannatta K, Getzoff EA, Gilman DK, Noll RB, Gerhardt CA, Powers SW, Hershey AD. 2008. Friendships and social interactions of school-aged children with migraine. Cephalalgia. Vol. 28, no. 7. (July): 734-743. (IF: 2.808)
• Vannatta K, Getzoff EA, Powers SW, Noll RB, Gerhardt CA, Hershey AD. 2008. Multiple perspectives on the psychological functioning of children with andwithout migraine. Headache. Vol. 48, no. 7. (July): 994-1004. (IF: 2.358)
• Reiter-Purtill J, Schorry EK, Lovell AM, Vannatta K, Gerhardt CA, Noll RB. 2008. Parental distress, family functioning, and social support in families with and without a child with neurofibromatosis 1. J Pediatr Psychol. Vol. 33, no. 4. (May): 422-434.
• Vannatta K, Grollman JA, Noll RB, Gerhardt CA. 2008. Impact of maternal breast cancer on the peer interactions of children at school. Psychooncology. Vol. 17, no. 3. (March): 252-259. (IF: 2.589)
• Reiter-Purtill J, Schorry EK, Lovell AM, Vannatta K, Gerhardt CA, Noll RB. 2007. Parental Distress, Family Functioning, and Social Support in Families with and without a Child with Neurofibromatosis 1.  Journal of Pediatric Psychology.
• Noll RB, Reiter-Purtill J, Vannatta K, Gerhardt CA, Short A. 2007. Peer relationships and emotional well-being of children with sickle cell disease: a controlled replication.  Child Neuropsychology. Vol. 13, no. 2: 173-187.
• Baughcum AE, Gerhardt CA, Young-Saleme T, Stefanik RJ, & Klopfenstein K. 2007. Evaluation of a pediatric palliative care education for oncology fellows. Pediatric Blood and Cancer. Vol. 49: 154-159.
• Yeates KO, Bigler ED, Dennis M, Gerhardt CA, Rubin KH, Stancin T, Taylor HG, Vannatta K. 2007. Social outcomes in childhood brain disorder: a heuristic integration of social neuroscience and developmental psychology. Psychological Bulletin. Vol. 133, no. 3: 535-556.
• Baughcum AE, Gerhardt CA, Young-Saleme T, Stefanik R, Klopfenstein KJ. 2007. Evaluation of a pediatric palliative care educational workshop for oncology fellows. Pediatric Blood and Cancer. Vol. 49, no. 2: 154-159.
• Vannatta K, Gerhardt CA, Wells RJ, Noll RB. 2007. Intensity of CNS treatment for pediatric cancer: prediction of social outcomes in survivors. Pediatric Blood and Cancer. Vol. 49, no. 5: 716-722.
• Gerhardt CA, Dixon M, Miller K, Vannatta K, Valerius KS, Correll J, & Noll RB. 2007. Educational and occupational outcomes in emerging adulthood among survivors of childhood cancer. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. Vol. 28: 448-455.
• Noll RB, Reiter-Purtill J, Moore BD, Schorry EK, Lovell AM, Vannatta K, Gerhardt CA. 2007. Social, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children with NF1. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A. Vol. 143, no. 19: 2261-2273.
• Gerhardt CA, Yopp JM, Leininger L, Valerius KS, Correll J, Vannatta K, Noll RB. 2007. Brief report: post-traumatic stress during emerging adulthood in survivors of pediatric cancer. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. Vol. 32, no. 8: 1018-1023.
• Robinson KE, Gerhardt CA, Vannatta K, Noll RB. 2007. Parent and family factors associated with child adjustment to pediatric cancer. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. Vol. 32, no. 4: 400-410.
• Vannatta K, Grollman JA, Noll RB, Gerhardt CA. 2007. Impact of maternal breast cancer on the peer interactions of children at school. Psycho-Oncology.
• Gerhardt CA, Vannatta K, Valerius KS, Correll J, Noll RB. 2007. Social and romantic outcomes in emerging adulthood among survivors of childhood cancer. Journal of Adolescent Health. Vol. 40, no. 5: 462e9-462e15.
• Gerhardt CA, Gutzwiller J, Huiet KA, Vannatta K, Fischer S, & Noll RB. 2007. Parental adjustment to childhood cancer: A replication study. Journal of Families, Systems, and Health. Vol. 25: 263-275.
• Salley CG, Hewitt LL, Patenaude AF, Yeates KO, Gerhardt CA, Vannatta K,, Presenter. 2010. Social cognitive differences in pediatric brain tumor survivors and comparison peers. Presented at 42nd Congress of the International Society of Paediaric Oncology Conference. Boston, MA. (October) [Peer Reviewed]
• Foster TL, Gilmer MJ, Davies B, Dietrich MS, Barrera M, Fairclough DL, Vannatta K, Gerhardt, Presenter. 2010. Comparison of continuing bonds reported by parents and siblings after a child's death from cancer. Presented at 2010 National State of the Science Congress on Nursing Research. Washington, DC. (September) [Peer Reviewed]
• Thompson AL, Miller KS, Grossenbacher JC, Barrera M, Compas BE, Davies B, Fairclough DL, Gilmer MJ, Hogan N, Vannatta K, Gerhardt CA, Poster Presenter. 2010. Multiple perspectives of children's emotional and behavioral adjustment after a sibling's death from cancer. Presented at 13th Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence. Philadelphia, PA. (March) [Peer Reviewed]
• Gerhardt, C. A., McGoron, K., Thompson, A. L., Vannatta, K., McNamara, K. A., Taylor, J., Passo, M., & Noll, R. B. 2009. Social outcomes among emerging adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Journal of Adolescent Health. [Peer Reviewed] (Revised submission)
• Foster TL, Gilmer MJ, Davies B, Barrera M, Fairclough DL, Vannatta K, & Gerhardt CA, Presenter. 2009. Bereaved parents and siblings continue bonds with children who died of cancer. Presented at 2009 Annual Assembly of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Austin, TX. (March) [Peer Reviewed]
• Grossenbacher JC, Thompson AL, Miller KS, Barrera M, Compas BE, Davies B, Fairclough DL, Gilmer M, Hogan N, Vannatta K, Gerhardt CA, Presenter. 2009. Multiple perspectives of children's social adjustment after a sibling's death from cancer. Presented at 27th Annual Meeting of the Society of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Portland, OR. (October) [Peer Reviewed]
• Hogan NS, Schmidt LA, Camp N, Barrera M, Compas BE, Davies B, Faircloug DL, Gilmer MJ, Vannatta K, Gerhardt CA, Presenter. 2010. Development and testing of the Hogan Inventory of Bereavement-Short Form. Presented at Association for Death Education an Counseling 32nd Annual Conference. Kansas City, MO. (April) [Peer Reviewed]
• Sterry, T. W., Reiter-Purtill, J., Gartstein, M.A., Gerhardt, C. A., Vannatta, K., & Noll, R. B. 2009. Temperament and peer acceptance: The role of social behavior. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly. [Peer Reviewed] (Forthcoming)
• Foster, T. L., Gilmer, M. J., Davies, B., Dietrich, M., Barrera, M., Fairclough, D. L., Vannatta, K., & Gerhardt, C. A. 2009. Comparison of continuing bonds reported by parents and siblings after the death of a child from cancer. Death Studies. [Peer Reviewed] (Forthcoming)