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Are mindful people better at regulating their emotions?

Emotions such as fear, sadness, anger, and so on often need to be "regulated" for us to behave in healthy, adaptive ways. How can people better regulate their emotions when stressed? read more...

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Can we help children with ADHD succeed in school?

Adolescents with ADHD often experience significant problems in school, such as failing grades and low achievement test scores. Can we predict these problems before they occur? read more...

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Why do African American youth trade cigarettes for cigars?

Many youth perceive cigars to pose fewer health risks than cigarettes. But, is this true? read more...

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Are cultural issues important in rehabilitation medicine?

Many health problems and disabilities disproportionately affect ethnic minority communities. But what can rehabilitation specialists do to change that? read more...

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Is religious counseling effective?

Many religious people say they want religious counseling. But is it effective? And, if it is not available, is secular counseling less effective for religious people than religious counseling? read more...

rybarczyk

Dr. Bruce Rybarczyk

Associate Professor

Director, Clinical Psychology Program

 

PhD (1988), Virginia Commonwealth University

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Virginia

Diplomate, American Board of Professional Psychology (Rehabilitation Psychology)

Associate Editor, Journal of Clinical Psychology

Contact Information

Phone: 804-828-1675

Office: 806 W Franklin, rm 202

E-mail: bdrybarczyk@vcu.edu

Research Interests

My research focus throughout my career has been on understanding and facilitating the psychological adaptation to chronic medical illness and disability. This work has covered several areas: examining psychological adjustment to amputation, heart transplant and stroke; designing and testing coping enhancement and wellness interventions for older medical patients; testing home and classroom cognitive-behavioral treatments for medical patients with co-morbid insomnia; and, most recently, testing brief interventions that can be administered by psychologists in the primary care setting. Clinical interests include clinical health psychology, behavioral sleep medicine, primary care psychology, and clinical geropsychology.

Selected Publications

Rybarczyk, B., Mack, L., Huang Harris, J., Costabilo, J., & Stepanski, E. (in press). Testing two self-help CBT interventions for older adults with insomnia comorbid with osteoarthritis or coronary artery disease. Rehabilitation Psychology. 

Vitiello, M., Rybarczyk, B., VonKorff, M., & Stepanski, E. (2009). Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia improves both sleep and pain in older adults with co-morbid osteoarthritis and insomnia. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 5, 355-362.

Rybarczyk, B., Lund, H., Mack, L., & Stepanski, E. (2009). Comorbid insomia: New developments. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 4, 571-582.

Rybarczyk, B., Syzmanski, L., & Behel, J. (2009). Limb amputation (pp. 29-48). In R. G. Frank, M. Rosenthal, B. Caplan (Eds.), Handbook of rehabilitation psychology, Second Edition.  Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Rybarczyk, B., Stepanski, E., Fogg, L., Lopez, M., Barry, P., & Davis, A. (2005). A placebo-controlled test of CBT for comorbid insomnia in older adults. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 1164-1174.

Recent Courses Taught at VCU
Recent Grants

A Training Program in Lifespan Primary Care Psychology for the Underserved. Principal Investigator. 2010-2013. Graduate Psychology Education grant funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). D40HP19638, $390,000.

Primary Care Psychology Clinic Initiative. Principal Investigator. 2010-2014. Virginia Health Care Foundation. $120,000.

Classroom Cognitive-behavioral Treatment Program for Comorbid Insomnia. Principal Investigator. 2000-2006. National Institute on Aging. RO1.

Efficacy of a Cognitive-behavioral Home Treatment Program for Older Adults with Comorbid Insomnia. Site Principal Investigator (in collaboration with Dr. Alsten of Inner Health, San Diego, CA). 2001-2006. SBIR II grant, National Institute on Aging.