Karen A. Matthews, Ph.D. Professor of Psychiatry, Epidemiology, and Psychology Director, Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Research Training Program Director, Pittsburgh Mind-Body Center University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine   Contact Information E-mail address: matthewska@upmc.edu Business Phone: 412-246-5950 Business Fax: 412-246-5333 Business Address: Department of Psychiatry, WPIC University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine 3811 O'Hara Street Pittsburgh, PA. 15213

Research Interests                                                            Publications -- Click here.

• Cardiovascular risk factors
• Women's health
• Menopause

Background

• University of California at Berkeley, Psychology -- A.B., 1968
• University of Texas at Austin, Psychology -- Ph.D., 1976

Professional Career

• 1976-1978        Assistant Professor of Psychology, Kansas State University
• 1979-1983        Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Epidemiology and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh
• 1983-1989        Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Epidemiology, and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh
• 1983-present    Program Director, Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Research Training Program, University of Pittsburgh
• 1989-present    Professor of Psychiatry and Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh
• 1990-present    Professor of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh
• 1999-present    Director, The Pittsburgh Mind-Body Center, University of Pittsburgh

Elected Honors and Awards

• Scientist-at-Large, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Network on Health-Promoting and Health-Damaging Behavior, 1983-1988; 1990-1993
• Council, American Psychosomatic Society, 1984-1986
• Prokasy Lecturer, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 1987
• President of Division 38, Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 1987-1988
• President, American Psychosomatic Society, 1990
• MERIT Award (Method to Extend Research in Time), NIH, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 1990
• One of 50 Highest Impact Authors in Psychology Based on Citations/Number of Publications from 1986-1990, Institute for Scientific Information
• Most Frequently Cited Author Between 1982-1991 in Health Psychology
• Award for Distinguished Contributions to Health Psychology, Division 38, American Psychological Association, 1992
• Award for Significant Research Contribution, Society of Pediatric Psychology, 1994
• Member, SES and Health Planning Initiative of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, 1994-1996
• Member, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Advisory Council of National Institutes of Health, July 1994-October 1997
• Member, National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute Behavioral Medicine Task Force, 1996-1997
• Distinguished Scientist Award, Society of Behavioral Medicine, 1999
• Member, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Council Working Group on Epidemiology, 1998-2002
• Member, American Heart Association Strategic Research Directions Task Force, 2001
• Chair, Center for Scientific Review Advisory Committee, National Institute of Health, 2001-2003
• Member, Board on Neuroscience and Behavioral Health Institute of Medicine, 2001-2004
• Cardiovascular Research Award, North American Menopause Society/Pfizer, 2004
• President's Award, American Psychological Association, 2005
• Member, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Program on Socioeconomic Status and Health, 1997-present
• Member, Center for Scientific Review Advisory Committee, National Institutes of Health, 1998-present
• Member, Board of External Advisors, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2002-present

Professional Services

• American Heart Association Established Investigatorship, July 1, 1980 - June 30, 1985
• Research Career Development Award, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, offered and declined, April 1, 1980
• Award for Outstanding Contributions to Health Psychology, Division 38, American Psychological Association, 1983
• Consulting Editor, Psychosomatic Medicine, 1982-present
• Editorial Board, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1982-present
• Consulting Editor, Behavioral Medicine Abstracts, 1982-1985
• Program Co-Chair, Division 38, American Psychological Association, 1982, 1987
• Editorial Board, Journal of Personality, 1983
• Co-Organizer of NHLBI/University of Pittsburgh Stress, Reactivity, and Cardiovascular Disease Conference, April 1984
• Ad Hoc Member, Clinical Applications and Prevention Advisory Council, National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute, 1984, 1986
• Associate Editor, Health Psychology, 1984-1987
• Co-Organizer of Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Conference on Epidemiologic Perspectives in Women's Health, October 1985
• Member, Clinical Applications and Prevention Advisory Council, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 1987-1991
• Editor-in-Chief, Health Psychology, 1989-1994
• Member, Data and Safety Monitoring Board of the Asymptomatic Cardiac Ischemia Pilot Study, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 1991-1993
• Member, Data and Safety Monitoring Board of Psychophysiological Investigations of Myocardial Ischemia, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 1991-1993
• Working Group Co-Chair, Conference on Status of Cardiovascular Health and Disease in Women: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention/Optimal Disease Recognition and Management, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 1992
• Co-Chair, Executive Committee, Women's Health Initiative, National Institutes of Health, 1993- 1995
• Chair, Behavioral Subcommittee, Women's Health Initiative, National Institutes of Health, 1993- 1995
• Co-Chair, National Working Conference on Research Frontiers in Behavioral Medicine, NIH Health and Behavior Coordinating Committee and National Institute of Mental Health, 1993
• Associate Editor, Women's Health: Research on Gender, Behavior and Policy, 1994-present
• Advisory Council, Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Yale University, 1994
• North American Advisory Board for CME Monograph on Postmenopausal Health Curriculum, Pragmaton, 1997
• Member, Committee for Emerging Science, CARDIA, 1998-present
• Member, Editorial Board, Menopause, 1999-present

Memberships in Professional and Scientific Societies

• Member, Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research, 1980
• Fellow, American Heart Association, Council of Epidemiology, 1981
• Fellow, American Psychological Association, 1982
• Fellow, Society of Behavioral Medicine, 1985

Selected Presentations & Invited Lectures

Matthews, K. A. (June, 1980). Type A behavior as a useful behavioral construct for behavioral medicine. Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research, Charlottesville, VA.

Matthews, K. A. (June, 1981). Assessment issues in coronary-prone behavior. German Conference on Coronary-Prone Behavior: Biological Bases of Coronary-Prone Behavior, Altenberg, West Germany.

Matthews, K. A. (April 30 - May 2, 1982). Developmental aspects of the Type A coronary-prone behavior pattern. Third National Conference on Emotional Stress and Cardiovascular Disease, Myrtle Beach, SC.

Matthews, K. A. (May, 1983). Role of psychology in understanding disease-proneness: A case study of Type A behavior. Georgia Psi Chi Conference Keynote Address, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

Matthews, K. A. (May, 1983). Familial origins of the Type A (coronary-prone) behavior pattern. American Association for the Advancement of Science, Detroit, MI.

Matthews, K. A. (December, 1983). Assessment of Type A, anger, and hostility. NIH Conference on Measures of Psychosocial Variables in Epidemiologic Studies, Galveston, TX.

Matthews, K. A. (February, 1984). Origins of the Type A behavior pattern. University of Miami Conference on Stress, Miami, FL.

Matthews, K. A. (April, 1987). Is reactivity a risk factor for hypertension? Invited lecture at the National Conference on High Blood Pressure Control, Las Vegas, NV.

Matthews, K. A. (May, 1992). Gender differences in cardiovascular responses to stress: When? Why? So what? University of Stockholm/Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Matthews, K. A. (July, 1994). Turning points: Menopause, behavior, and cardiovascular disease. Third International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Matthews, K. A. (August, 1997). Gender differences in cardiovascular disease: Patterns, predictors, and policy. William Bevan Invited Address, American Psychological Association, Chicago.

Matthews, K. A. (March, 1999). Health matters for women. Keynote Speaker, Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Diego.

Matthews, K. A., Kuller, L. H., Sutton-Tyrrell, K., & Edmundowicz, D. (October, 1999). Lipid changes during the peri- and post-menopause and subclinical cardiovascular disease. Invited Address, 9th International Menopause Society World Congress on Menopause, Yokohama, Japan.

Courses Taught

• Epidemiology 2400, Behavioral Factors in Disease

This class focuses on the basic principles of assessment of psychosocial variables and on the current status of research on psychosocial factors in chronic diseases.  The class has been offered biennially since 1980 as part of the Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology's curriculum.  Class size ranges between 15 -30 students. Graduate students in public health, nursing, and psychology, as well as medical residents, usually enroll.