UTHSCSA - Faculty Profiles

Search All | Profile | Publications | Grants | Faculty Index

Roberts, David L

School of Medicine
Psychiatry
(210) 562-5263
robertsd5@uthscsa.edu

Dr. Roberts develops, studies, teaches and disseminates psychosocial treatments for mental illness. He is the lead developer of Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT), which is designed to improve social functioning by way of improved social cognition among people with serious mental illness. SCIT has been the subject of over 25 peer-reviewed publications and has been implemented in 11 countries. The SCIT treatment manual is published in Oxford University Press`s "Treatments that Work" series and has been translated into eight languages. Roberts trains clinicians and researchers in the US and abroad to implement SCIT in routine clinical settings and as part of clinical trials. At UT Health, he is Clinical Director of the Transitional Care Clinic (TCC), which provides post-hospitalization medication, psychotherapy and social work services for 100 new patients each month. At the TCC, Roberts supervises psychotherapy and oversees an interdisciplinary training curriculum for over twenty trainees from seven disciplines and four affiliated universities each year. Through UT Heath's Division of Community Recovery Research and Training, Roberts and Dawn Velligan lead a patient-centered treatment development initiative in which they use patient and community stakeholder input to develop patient-centered clinical models and funding opportunities for clinical service expansion.

Appointments Education Expertise Teaching Publications Grants

10/2014 - Present	Clinical Director	University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Psychiatry, San Antonio, TX
8/2010 - Present	Assistant Professor	The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Psychiatry, San Antonio, TX

Patient-centered research and program development

- My research and clinical administrative work has always been aimed at meeting outcome goals identified by patients. My social cognitive treatments for schizophrenia target interpersonal outcomes because these are identified by patients as their greatest area of unmet need. I am PI on two grant-funded projects and Co-I on a third that use patient focus groups, interviews and advisory committees to guide the development of new treatment initiatives. I regularly bring in consultant experts in this area to advise our division, and I promote patient-centered activities throughout Texas through my involvement in MHMR clinician training initiatives (PI: Maples).

Psychotherapy training

- I have trained and/or supervised over 500 clinicians and researchers from the US and nine foreign countries in provision of social cognitive training for serious mental illness. At UTHSCSA, I supervise 2-4 clinical psychology interns, learners from several other disciplines (psychiatry residents, social work interns, counseling interns, marriage and family therapy interns), and approximately 6 mid-level clinic staff in the provision of psychotherapy in the context of the Department of Psychiatry`s Transitional Care Clinic. I have been recognized for excellence in this area both locally, by the UTHSCSA Psychology Internship program, and internationally, by Columbia University`s Cognitive Remediation in Psychiatry conference. I was also recognized for exemplary teaching during graduate school at both the departmental and university levels.

Social cognition in psychiatry

- This has been the primary focus of my research. I have published over 20 peer-reviewed articles, two books, an encyclopedia entry, and numerous book chapters on this topic. I co-developed the most widely studied and disseminated social cognitive intervention for serious mental illness (Social Cognition and Interaction Training; SCIT), have co-developed several other interventions, have been the principle investigator on four grant-funded clinical trials of social cognitive intervention, and co-investigator or consultant on nearly a dozen other trials. In addition to social cognitive intervention, I also study basic mechanisms of social cognition using models from social psychology, and I have developed two instruments for measuring social cognition in psychiatric patients.

Book Chapter

Roberts DL. Alien intentionality in schizophrenia. In: Mishara A, Schwartz M, Corlett P, & Fletcher P. Phenomenological Neuropsychiatry: Bridging the Clinic with Clinical Neuroscience. New York, NY: Springer Science; 2017.

Horan WP, Roberts DL, Holshausen K. Addressing social cognition in cognitive remediation. In: A. Medalia & C. Bowie (Eds.). Cognitive Remediation to Improve Functional Outcomes. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2016. p. 186-208.

Roberts DL. Social Cognition. In: Fathali Moghaddam (Ed). SAGE Encyclopedia of Political Behavior. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc; 2016.

Fernandes J, Roberts DL. Social Cognition and Interaction Training. In: PH Lysaker, G DiMaggio, M Brune (Eds.). Social Cognition and Metacognition in Schizophrenia: Psychopathology and Treatment Approaches. New York, NY: Elsevier; 2014. p. 151-162.

Roberts DL, Pinkham AE. The future of social cognition in schizophrenia: Implications from the normative literature. In: Roberts DR, Penn DL. Social Cognition in Schizophrenia: From Description to Treatment. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2013. p. 401-414.

Roberts DL, Pinkham AE, Penn DL. Group cognitive behavioral therapy for schizophrenia. In: Bieling PJ, Anthony M, McCabe R. Cognitive Behavioral Groups: Skills and Processes. New York: Guilford Publications; 2006.

Book/Monograph

Roberts DL, Penn DL, Combs DR. Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT): Treatment Manual. [Chinese Translation] Hangzhou, China: Zheijiang University Press; 2016.

Roberts DL, Penn DL, Combs DR. Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT): Group Psychotherapy for Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders, Clinician Guide New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2015. 256 p.

Roberts DL, Penn DP (Eds.). Social Cognition in Schizophrenia: From Evidence to Treatment New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2013. 360 p.

Journal Article

Velligan DI, Fredrick MM, Sierra C, Hillner K, Kliewer J, Roberts DL, Mintz J. Engagement-focused care during transitions from inpatient and emergency psychiatric facilities Patient Preference and Adherence 2017 May;11:919-928.

Roberts DL, Liu PY-T, Busanet H, Maples NJ, Velligan DI. A tablet-based intervention to manipulate social cognitive bias in schizophrenia American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation 2017 Apr;20(2):143-155.

Voutilainen G, Tupala T, Roberts DL, Oksanen J. Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) for Adults with Psychotic Disorders: An open pilot study in Finland Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy 2016 Nov;44(6):711-716.

Velligan DI, Roberts DL, Curtis L, Martinez M, Fredrick M, Hillner K, Luber P. Following the guidelines for transitions in care: A case example Psychiatric Services 2016 Mar;67(3).

Dunne PW, Roberts DL, Quinones MP, Velligan DI, Paredes M, Walss-Bass C. Immune markers of social cognitive bias in schizophrenia Schizophrenia Research 2016 Jan;.

Roberts DL, Velligan DI, Fredrick M. The use of access groups for engagement in community mental health post hospitalization Community Mental Health Journal 2016 Jan;.

Buck BE, Healey KM, Gagen EC, Penn DL, Roberts DL. Social Cognition in Schizophrenia: Factor structure, clinical and functional correlates Journal of Mental Health 2016 Jan;:1-8.

Velligan DI, Roberts DL, Sierra C, Fredrick M. What patients with severe mental illness transitioning from hospital to community have to say about care and shared decision making Issues in Mental Health Nursing 2016 Jan;37(6):400-405.

Fiszdon JM, Roberts DL, Penn DL, Choi K-H, Tek C, Bell M. Understanding Social Situations (USS): A proof-of-concept social-cognitive intervention targeting theory of mind and attributional bias in individuals with psychosis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal 2016 Jan;.

Glenthoj LB, Faberlund B, Hjorthoj C, Jepsen JRM, Bak N, Kristensen TD, Wenneberg C, Krakauer K, Roberts DL, Nordentoft M. Social cognition in patients at ultra-high risk for psychosis: What is the relation to social skills and functioning? Schizophrenia Research: Cognition 2016 Jan;5:21-27.

Roberts DL, Brown M. Treating social cognitive dysfunction in first episode psychosis: Current Psychiatry Reviews 2016 Jan;.

Velligan DI, Roberts DL, Mintz J, Maples NJ, Li X, Medellin E, Brown M. A randomized pilot study of MOtiVation and Enhancement training (MOVE) for negative symptoms in schizophrenia Schizophrenia Research 2015 May;165(2-3):175-180.

Velligan DI, Tai S, Roberts DL, Maples NJ, Brown M, Mintz J, Turkington D. A randomized controlled trial comparing cognitive behavior therapy, cognitive adaptation training, their combination and treatment as usual in chronic schizophrenia Schizophrenia Bulletin 2015 Jan;41(3):567-603.

Healey KM, Combs DR, Gibson CM, Keefe RS, Roberts DL, Penn DL. Observable Social Cognition--A Rating Scale: An interview-based assessment for schizophrenia Cognitive Neuropsychiatry 2015 Jan;20(3):198-221.

Fredrick MM, Mintz J, Roberts DL, Maples NJ, Li X, Velligan DI. Is Cognitive Adaptation Training (CAT) compensatory, restorative, or both? Schizophrenia Research 2015 Jan;166(1-3):290-296.

Wang YG, Shi JF, Roberts DL, Jiang XY, Shen ZH, Wang YQ, Wang K. Theory of mind use in remitted schizophrenia patients: The role of inhibition and perspective-switching Psychiatry Research 2015 Jan;229(1-2):332-339.

Glenthoj LB, Faberlund B, Randers L, Hjorthoj CR, Wenneberg C, Krakauer K, Vosgerau A, Gluud C, Medalia A, Roberts DL, Nordentoft M. The FOCUS trial: Cognitive remediation therapy plus standard treatment versus standard treatment for patients at ultra-high risk of psychosis. Study protocol of a randomised clinical trial Trials 2015 Jan;16(1).

Zik J, Roberts DL. The many faces of oxytocin: Implications for psychiatry Psychiatry Research 2015 Jan;226(1):31-37.

Wang Y, Roberts DL, Liang Y, Shi J F, Wang K. Theory-of-mind understanding and theory-of-mind use in unaffected first-degree relatives of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder Psychiatry Research 2015 Jan;230(2):735-737.

Kanie A, Hagiya K, Ashida S, Pu S, Kaneko K, Mogami T, Oshima S, Motoya M, Niwa S, Inagaki A, Ikebuchi E, Kikuchi A, Yamazaki S, Iwata K, Roberts DL, Nakagome K. A new instrument for measuring multiple domains of social cognition: Construct validity of the Social Cognition Screening Questionnaire (Japanese version) Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 2014 Sep;68(9):701-11.

Roberts DL, Combs D, Willoughby M, Mintz J, Marks-Gibson C, Rupp B, Penn DL. A randomized, controlled trial of Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) for outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders British Journal of Clinical Psychology 2014 Sep;53(3):281-98.

Hasson-Ohayon I, Mashiach-Eizenberg M, Avidan M, Roberts DL, Roe D. Social Cognition and Interaction training: Preliminary results of a RCT study in a community setting in Israel Psychiatric Services 2014 Apr;65(4):555-558.

Liefland L, Roberts DL, Ford R, Stevens BJ. Depressive symptoms among help-seeking Latinas in a disadvantaged, urban, northeastern community mental health center Community Ment Health J 2014 Apr;50(3):331-335.

Yan L, Wang Y, Roberts DL, Chen Z, Wang Y, Shen Z. The dissociation of understanding others' false beliefs from applying others' false beliefs in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia Chinese Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases 2014 Feb;10:596-600.

Velligan DI, Maples NJ, Roberts DL, Medellin E. Integrated psychosocial treatment for negative symptoms American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation 2014 Jan;17:1-19.

Walss-Bass C, Fernandes JM, Roberts DL, Service H, Velligan D. Differential correlations between plasma oxytocin and social cognitive capacity and bias in schizophrenia Schizophrenia Research 2013 Jul;147(2-3):387-392.

Xu Z Roberts DL Wang Y Shen Z Cao R. Social cognition and interaction training in patients with schizophrenia: An ERP study Chinese Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases 2013 Jan;.

Wang Y, Roberts DL, Xu B, Cao R, Yan M, Jiang Q. Dissociation of understanding from applying others? false beliefs in remitted schizophrenia: Evidence from a referential communication task BMC Psychiatry 2013 Jan;13(141).

Wang Y, Roberts DL, Xu B, Cao R, Yan M, Jiang Q. Social cognition and interaction training for patients with stable schizophrenia in Chinese community settings Psychiatry Research 2013 Jan;13(141).

Roberts DL, Velligan DI. Can social functioning in schizophrenia be improved through targeted social cognitive intervention? Rehabilitation Research and Practice 2012 Jun;2012.

Roberts DL, Kleinlein, P, Stevens, BJ. An alternative to generating alternative interpretations in social cognitive therapy for psychosis Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 2012 Jan;40(4):491-495.

Roberts DL, Velligan DI. Medication adherence in schizophrenia Drug Discovery Today: Therapeutic Strategies 2011 Dec;8(1-2):11-15.

Roberts DL, Fredrick MM, Carr HN, Velligan DI. Interventions to improve oral medicaion adherence in psychosis: The role of adherence measurement Neuropsychiatry 2011 Jan;1:361-369.

Roberts DL, Penn DL, Labate D, Margolis S, Sterne A. Transportability and feasibility of Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) in community settings Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapy 2010 Jan;38:35-47.

Roberts DL, Penn DL, Corrigan P, Lipkovitch I, Kinon B, Black RA. Antipsychotic medication and social cue recognition in chronic schizophrenia Psychiatry Research 2010 Jan;178:46-50.

Roberts DL, Penn DL. The effects of task engagement and interpersonal rapport on WCST performance in schizophrenia American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation 2009 Jan;12:57-72.

Roberts DL, Penn DL. Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) for outpatients with schizophrenia: A preliminary study Psychiatry Research 2009 Jan;166:141-147.

Couture SM, Penn DL, Roberts DL. The functional significance of social cognition in schizophrenia: A review Schizophrenia Bulletin 2006 Jan;32:44-63.

Couture SM, Roberts DL, Penn DL, Cather C, Otto M, Goff DC. Do baseline client characteristics predict the therapeutic alliance in the treatment of schizophrenia? Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 2006 Jan;194:10-14.

Roberts DL, Penn DL, Cather C, Otto M, Goff DC. Should CBT target the social impairments associated with schizophrenia? Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly 2004 Jan;18:255-264.

McCoy ML, Roberts DL, Hanrahan P, Clay R, Luchins DJ. Jail linkage ACT services for individuals with mental illnesses Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal 2004 Jan;27:243-250.

Hanrahan P, Luchins DJ, Savage C, Patrick G, Roberts DL, Conrad KJ. Representative payee programs for mentally ill persons in Illinois: Census survey Psychiatric Services 2002 Jan;53:190-194.

Federal
Funding Agency	Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Title	Improving transitional care experience for individuals with serious mental illness
Status	Complete
Period	9/2013 - 8/2016
Role	Co-Investigator
Grant Detail	This grant is designed to investigate patient centered outcomes through comparing the triage group vs. standard intake appointment processes at the Transitional Care Clinic. The clinic serves post-acute psychiatric patients discharged from inpatient units and emergency rooms. The additional treatment component of shared decision making will be offered to participants whom are randomized to the group triage process. Outcomes will be assessed based upon patient satisfaction and attainment of treatment goals.
Private
Funding Agency	Hogg Foundation for Mental Health
Title	Dissemination of the Recovery to Practice Curricula: Psychology
Status	Active
Period	7/2015 - Present
Role	Contributor
Grant Detail	The aim of this project is to disseminate recovery-oriented curriculum content to clinical psychology training and internship programs throughout Texas. The content is designed to improve early career psychologists` knowledge and skill in treating individuals with serious mental illness. I function as the liaison of the program to UTHSCSA`s internship program and to the psychiatry curriculum group`s work with the UTHSCSA psychiatry residency program.
Funding Agency	Hogg Foundation for Mental Health
Title	Recovery-oriented crisis services for individuals with mental illness
Status	Active
Period	7/2016 - 6/2017
Role	Principal Investigator
Grant Detail	This project is assessing the feasibility of implementing a novel psychiatric crisis services that is an alternative to the emergency room. This has the potential to decrease crisis-related costs and to provide more patient-centered care. The project uses survey, focus group, and stakeholder meeting methodologies to determine patient needs/preferences and the feasibility of meeting these needs given limitations related to safety, logistics and billing.
Funding Agency	Brain and Behavior Research Foundation--NARSAD Young Investigaor Grant
Title	Testing a novel social cognitive intervention for schizophrenia
Status	Complete
Period	7/2012 - 6/2015
Role	Principal Investigator
Grant Detail	This grant extends research in my lab on the feasibility of delivering social cognitive intervention for schizophrenia using a in-home tablet-based interface. Findings from a previous grant-funded study showed that it is feasible to deliver this tablet based intervention and highlighted limitations in efficacy. This grant sought to enhance the intervention. Findings showed a combination of positive and paradoxically negative findings. Conclusions are that tablet-based intervention clearly engages the target cognitive processes and can manipulate them, but that bias-based processes may actually be worsened by intervention. Work is underway to enhance the bias-focused intervention techniques.
State
Funding Agency	UTHSCSA Institute for the Integration of Medicine and Science
Title	Improving mental health outcomes for adults who have experienced trauma
Status	Active
Period	8/2015 - 2/2016
Role	Principal Investigator
Grant Detail	The purpose of this grant is to develop a clinical and research center at UTHSCSA that specializes in treatment and treatment-research for San Antonians who have experienced psychological trauma (e.g., abuse, rape). The treatment arm of the center was established in early 2016, and is growing quickly. Our work has spawned a second patient-guided grant that was funded to improve crisis services for patients with trauma.

Year	Degree	Discipline	Institution
2010	Postdoctoral Fellowship	Clinical Psychology	Yale University School of Medicine New Haven , CT
2008	PhD	Clinical Psychology	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill , NC
2008	Internship	Clinical Psychology	Yale University School of Medicine New Haven , CT
2005	MA	Clinical Psychology	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill , NC
2001	MA	Social Sciences Curriculum	University of Chicago Chicago , IL
1996	BA	Anthropology (Honors)	Wesleyan University Middletown , CT

Date	Description	Institution	# Students
8/2015 - Present	Membership on Supervising Committee	University of Iceland

7/2015 - Present	Rotation Student Supervision	UTHSCSA

7/2015 - Present	Individual Instruction	UTHSCSA

6/2015 - Present	Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision	UTHSCSA

3/2015 - Present	Membership on Supervising Committee	UTSA

6/2014 - Present	Visiting Graduate Students	UTHSCSA

11/2012 - Present	Clinical Psychology Internship Program Didactics	UTHSCSA	10 students
Since 2012, I have annually provided a 2.5 hour seminar on psychosocial treatments for schizophrenia to the current cohort of UTHSCSA clinical psychology interns. Preparation time: 3 hours.
9/2012 - Present	Post-Doctoral Student Supervision	UTHSCSA

11/2011 - Present	PGY-1 & 2 Psychiatry Seminar - Thought Disorders	UTHSCSA	10 students
Co-lead annual didactic for psychiatry residents on phenomenology, diagnosis and psychosocial treatment of thought disorders, such as schizophrenia. Four 2-hour weekly sessions per year.
7/2011 - Present	Rotation Student Supervision	UTHSCSA

Faculty

FAQ

Suggestions