Christopher Kearney

Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Psychology
Expertise: Clinical child psychology, School absenteeism, Anxiety disorders

Biography

Christopher A. Kearney is Distinguished Professor and chair of psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is also the director of the UNLV Child School Refusal and Anxiety Disorders Clinic.

Kearney’s research interests include school refusal behavior, selective mutism, posttraumatic stress disorder in maltreated youth, perfectionism, and other anxiety-related conditions in children and adolescents as well as issues of quality of life in persons with severe handicaps. He has published several books and numerous book chapters and journal articles on these topics. Kearney also conducts workshops for school districts and mental health and other agencies regarding school refusal behavior and selective mutism.

Kearney is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 12; Clinical Psychology). He has received the William Morris Award for Scholarship, the Barrick Scholar Award, the Barrick Distinguished Scholar Award, the Harry Reid Silver State Research Award, the Distinguished Teaching Award, the Alumni Association Outstanding Faculty Award, the UNLV Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award, the Academic Advisor Award-Graduate, and a Black Mountain Institute Research Fellow Award from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is a member of Phi Kappa Phi.

Kearney received his B.A. in psychology and sociology from the State University of New York at Binghamton and his M.A. and Ph.D. in psychology from the State University of New York at Albany. He completed his internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center before moving to Las Vegas. 

Education

  • Ph.D. Psychology, State University of New York at Albany
  • MA Psychology, State University of New York at Albany
  • BA Psychology and Sociology, State University of New York at Binghamton

Christopher Kearney In The News

Las Vegas Sun
Rob Lang, a renowned public policy expert in Southern Nevada, may have died in June 2021, but his legacy won’t soon be forgotten. You can drive around Las Vegas and see the fruits of his labor everywhere, from UNLV’s Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine to Allegiant Stadium — two projects on which Lang consulted. UNLV, where Lang was a longtime professor, is looking to raise some of the next “Rob Langs,” and the university has found its first of many.
Parents
Imagine this scenario: you're making dinner one night and your 4-year-old, who has just finished putting together a puzzle with their older sibling, looks up and asks, "Where do babies come from?"
Healthline
Individuals of all ages can be anxious about needles, although this fear is particularly prevalent among children. Distraction tools, such as toys, can help reduce feelings of anxiety and pain among infants undergoing needle-based procedures. And now, new research finds that virtual reality (VR) devices may be an even more effective distraction aid, leading to greater positive outcomes.
Yahoo!
“It started in sixth grade: First, it was a stomachache. Then it was problems with other kids.” That’s how a New York City mom (who requested anonymity) recalls the start of her daughter’s descent in what’s known among mental health professionals as “school refusal” — or “anxiety-based school absenteeism,” according to the country’s pioneering expert in the field, psychologist Christopher Kearney.

Articles Featuring Christopher Kearney

Scarlet and Gray, “REB's Glitter Squad”, Lester Cruz and Isabel Ferguson, take pictures and hype up students and families during the October 2022 homecoming football game.
Campus News | November 8, 2022

A collection of news stories highlighting UNLV students and faculty who made headlines locally, regionally, and internationally.

Dancers with the U.N.L.V. Ewalu Club
Campus News | October 4, 2022

A collection of news stories highlighting research wins, expert insights, and academic achievement.

2022 U.N.L.V. Spring Commencement Ceremony for the Graduate College.  May 13, 2022 (Josh Hawkins/UNLV)
Campus News | June 2, 2022

A collection of news stories highlighting the experts and student changemakers at UNLV.

nurse administers shot to woman
Campus News | December 29, 2021

A collection of news stories from 2021 highlighting UNLV’s continuing response to COVID-19 and faculty experts who have helped make sense of the pandemic and its impact to daily life.