Beatrice L. Wood PhD, ABPP
Beatrice L. Wood
PhD, ABPP
Professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics & Psychology
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Psychiatry
Professional Summary:
Dr. Wood is co-director of the Child and Family Asthma Studies Center where she conducts her research. She is Professor in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, teaching and supervising family and child psychiatric assessment and intervention. Dr. Wood is an internationally recognized, and federally funded, leader in family systems research, focusing on the impact of family relations on child emotional and physical well-being. She has a special interest in mentoring medical students, residents, fellows and junior faculty in research.
Education and Training:
- PhD, Experimental Psychopathology, University of Pennsylvania (1981)
- MA, Experimental Psychopathology, University of Pennsylvania (1976)
- BA, Psychology, University of Pennsylvania (1969)
Employment:
- 2008-Professor (Tenure) of Psychiatry & Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University at Buffalo (2008-present)
- Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University at Buffalo (1999–2008)
- Associate Director, Psychiatry, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Children’s Hospital of Buffalo (1995–2000)
- Director of Research Training, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University at Buffalo (1995–2000)
- Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University at Buffalo (1996–1999)
- Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Neurology, University of Rochester (1993–1996)
- Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania (1993–1996)
- Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania (1985–1993)
- Director of Psychotherapy and Psychosocial Consultation, Department of Human Development, Child Study Institute, Bryn Mawr College (1987–1992)
- Associate Director, Pediatric Consultation Liaison Service,, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (1986–1987)
- Senior Clinical Supervisor and Principal Investigator, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic (1981–1987)
- Visiting Lecturer, Psychology, Swarthmore College (1984–1985)
- Clinical Trainer, Family Therapy Training, Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic (1981–1984)
Awards and Honors:
- Award for Outstanding Contributions to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2024)
- Award for Distinguished Contribution to Family Systems Theory and Research (2011)
- Outstanding Achievements in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2008)
- NIMH African American Mental Health Research Scientist Mentor (2006)
- Presidential Recognition Award for Success as Top 100 Federal Grantee (2005)
- Award for Outstanding Research (2005)
- Presidential Recognition Award for Success as Top 100 Federal Grantee (2004)
- Ittleson Consultant to the Family Committee (2003)
- Diplomate, American Board of Professional Psychology, (Board Certification in Family Psychology) (2002)
- Elected Fellow of the Academy of Family Psychology (2002)
- Division of Family Psychology Award for Distinguished Contributions to the field of Family Psychology and Health (2000)
- President, Board of Directors (2000)
Research Expertise:
- A Biobehavioral Family Model of the Impact of family relational processes on child and adolescent emotional and physical well being and illness: a research and child psychiatry training model: Research focuses on childhood physical and emotional illness as influenced by specifically modeled and empirically tested family relational patterns. I have theoretically and empirically analyzed specific patterns of family relational process into measurable component dimensions and demonstrated their reliability, validity and clinical relevance to pediatric stress-related illness (The Biobehavioral Family Model). A confluent area of research is the investigation of psychophysiological mechanisms and pathways by which psychosocial factors and family patterns may impact childhood illness. Parent-child attachment and emotion regulation are examined as important mediators of the effect of family relational process on child physical and emotional well-being. Gender, ethnic and SES factors are being explored to address socio-cultural influences on pediatric stress-related illness. The long term goal is to develop an empirically substantiated heuristic model of pathways by which socio-cultural, family, and individual emotional factors interact to influence psychophysiological aspects of childhood physical and emotional illness. This model will inform translational research and evidence-informed interventions. Currently this model is being applied in the Family Relational Assessment and Intervention Component of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training
Grants and Sponsored Research:
- –July 2025
Principle Investigator (with multiple PIs: Bruce Miller, Sherwood Brown) Treating Caregiver Depression to Improve Childhood Asthma: Impact and Mediators. NHLBI. R01HL123609.
NHLBI
Role: Co-Principal Investigator - October 2022–November 2024
Using Secondary Analyses to Test Novel Pathways Linking Family Stress and Pain Incidence and Persistence Among African Americans.
NIH-NIA
Role: Consultant - October 2021–November 2024
Systems-based, Multidisciplinary Assessment of Adversity and Toxic Stress for Individualized Care (SYSTEMAATIC)
California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine,
Role: Contributor
$2,970,080 - August 2015–July 2023
Treating Caregiver Depression to Improve Childhood Asthma: Impact and Mediators
NIH/NHLBI
Role: Principal Investigator
$3,987,363 - July 2005–July 2009
Depression and Child Asthma: Effects of Family Relations
NIMH
Role: Principal Investigator - National Committee for Asthma and Toxic Stress
San Francisco Foundation.
Role: Contributor
$350,000
Journal Articles:
- 46. Wood, BL. (2023) The Biobehavioral Family Model and the Family Process Assessment Protocol: Map and GPS for Family Systems Training. Family Process (Oct)
- Gwak DY, Tea JC, Fatima FN, Palka JM, Lehman H, Khan DA, Zhou H, Wood BL, Miller BD, Brown ES. (2024) Contribution of caregiver and child anxiety and depressive symptoms to child asthma-related quality of life. Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (Sep), 133(3): 295-301.
- Woods SB, Roberson PNE, Booker Q, Wood BL, Booker SQ. (2024) Longitudinal Associations of Family Relationship Quality With Chronic Pain Incidence and Persistence Among Aging African Americans. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences (Jul), 79(7). doi:10.1093/geronb/gbae064
- Wood BL, Brown ES, Lehman HK, Khan DA, Lee MJ, Miller BD. (2018) The effects of caregiver depression on childhood asthma: Pathways and mechanisms. Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (Oct), 121(4): 421-427.
- Lim J, Wood BL, Miller BD, Simmens SJ. (2011) Effects of paternal and maternal depressive symptoms on child internalizing symptoms and asthma disease activity: mediation by interparental negativity and parenting. Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43) (Feb), 25(1): 137-46. doi:10.1037/a0022452
- Smith BA, Modi AC, Quittner AL, Wood BL. (2010) Depressive symptoms in children with cystic fibrosis and parents and its effects on adherence to airway clearance. Pediatric pulmonology (Aug), 45(8): 756-63.
- Lim J, Wood BL, Miller BD. (2008) Maternal depression and parenting in relation to child internalizing symptoms and asthma disease activity. Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43) (Apr), 22(2): 264-73.
- Wood BL, Lim J, Miller BD, Cheah P, Zwetsch T, Ramesh S, Simmens S. (2008) Testing the Biobehavioral Family Model in pediatric asthma: pathways of effect. Family process (Mar), 47(1): 21-40.
- Brown ES, Gan V, Jeffress J, Wood BL, Miller BD, Khan DA. (2008) Antidepressant treatment of caregivers of children with asthma. Psychosomatics (Jan), 49(5): 420-5.
- Smith BA, Wood BL. (2007) Psychological factors affecting disease activity in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis: medical adherence as a mediator. Current opinion in pediatrics (Oct), 19(5): 553-8.
- Wood BL, Cheah PA, Lim J, Ritz T, Miller BD, Stern T, Ballow M. (2007) Reliability and validity of the Asthma Trigger Inventory applied to a pediatric population. Journal of pediatric psychology (Jun), 32(5): 552-60.
- Wood BL, Lim J, Miller BD, Cheah PA, Simmens S, Stern T, Waxmonsky J, Ballow M. (2007) Family emotional climate, depression, emotional triggering of asthma, and disease severity in pediatric asthma: examination of pathways of effect. Journal of pediatric psychology (Jun), 32(5): 542-51.
- Wood BL, Miller BD, Lim J, Lillis K, Ballow M, Stern T, Simmens S. (2006) Family relational factors in pediatric depression and asthma: pathways of effect. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Dec), 45(12): 1494-502.
- Waxmonsky J, Wood BL, Stern T, Ballow M, Lillis K, Cramer-Benjamin D, Mador J, Miller BD. (2006) Association of depressive symptoms and disease activity in children with asthma: methodological and clinical implications. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Aug), 45(8): 945-954.
- Wood BL. (2005) Commentary: Is it time for family-based interventions in pediatric psychology?. Journal of pediatric psychology (Dec), 30(8): 694-7.
- Wood BL, Klebba K, Gbadebo O, Lichter D, Kurlan R, Miller B. (2003) Pilot study of effect of emotional stimuli on tic severity in children with Tourette's syndrome. Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society (Nov), 18(11): 1392-5.
- Miller BD, Wood BL. (2003) Emotions and family factors in childhood asthma: psychobiologic mechanisms and pathways of effect. Advances in psychosomatic medicine (Jan), 24: 131-60.
- Wood BL. (2001) Physically manifested illness in children and adolescents. A biobehavioral family approach. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America (Jul), 10(3): 543-62, viii.
- Wood BL, Klebba KB, Miller BD. (2000) Evolving the biobehavioral family model: the fit of attachment. Family process (Jan), 39(3): 319-44.
- Bleil ME, Ramesh S, Miller BD, Wood BL. (2000) The influence of parent-child relatedness on depressive symptoms in children with asthma: tests of moderator and mediator models. Journal of pediatric psychology (Jan), 25(7): 481-91.
- Miller BD, Wood BL. (1997) Influence of specific emotional states on autonomic reactivity and pulmonary function in asthmatic children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (May), 36(5): 669-77.
- Miller BD, Wood BL. (1994) Psychophysiologic reactivity in asthmatic children: a cholinergically mediated confluence of pathways. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Jan), 33(9): 1236-45.
- Wood BL. (1993) Beyond the "psychosomatic family": a biobehavioral family model of pediatric illness. Family process (Sep), 32(3): 261-78.
- Miller BD, Wood BL. (1991) Childhood asthma in interaction with family, school, and peer systems: a developmental model for primary care. The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma (Jan), 28(6): 405-14.
Abstracts:
- Wood, BL and Milled BD. (1900) Evidence that Family Relations May Affect Child Asthma Through Psychophysiologic Pathways, (with Miller, BD) International Society for the Advancement of Psychophysiology, Leuven, Belgium, September 7, 2023. Biological Psyhology, (Jan) Oral
Professional Memberships:
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Consultant, Family Committee (2008–present)
- American Psychological Society (1995–1997)
- Association for the Care of Children's Health (1993–1996)
- American Psychosomatic Society (1992–2023)
- International Association for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology (1992–present)
- Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (1991–1997)
- International Family Therapy Association (1990–1996)
- Society for Psychophysiological Research (1989–2000)
- American Family Therapy Academy; Research Committee (1989–1996)
- Society of Behavioral Pediatrics (1986–1998)
- Society of Behavioral Medicine (1985–1996)
- American Psychological Association; VP for Science, Division 43, 2011-2014 (1981–2025)
Presentations:
- "Evidence that Family Relations May Affect Child Asthma Through Psychophysiologic Pathways" Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Advancement of Psychophysiology (2023)
Service Activities:
- Chair, Committee on Appointments, Promotions to Tenure Ranks, JSBS; Chair (2023–2024)
- Committee on Inclusion and Diversity, University at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Committee Member (2015–present)
- Ad Hoc Committee on Appointments, Promotions and Tenure, University at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Chair, 2015. 2023 (2015–2023)
- Academic Affairs Committee Department of Psychiatry; Committee Member (2006–2012)
- Ad Hoc Committee on Promotions to Clinical Ranks ad hoc Committee on Promotions to Clinical Ranks, University at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Committee Member (2000–2007)
- Executive Committee, Department of Psychiatry Provide consultation to chair regarding academic and administrative matters relevant to the department.; Committee Member (1999–2017)
- Committee for Appointments, Promotions, Tenure and Privileges Department of Psychiatry, Chair, August 2006 to 2013; Committee Member (1998–2006)
- IFR Research Advisory Committee IFR Research Advisory Committee, Department of Psychiatry; Committee Member (1998–2000)
- Research Committee Research, Division Child & Adolescent Psychiatry; Chair (1996–2012)
- Continuing Medical Education Continuing Medical Education, Department of Psychiatry; Committee Member (1996–present)
- Curriculum Committee Curriculum, Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry; Committee Member (1996–present)
- Board of Advisory Editors: Family Process; Advisor (1995–present)
- Psychosomatic Medicine, Archives of General Psychiatry, Epilepsia, Psychosomatics, Pediatric Pulmonology, Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Pediatrics, Clinical and Experimental Allergy, Journal of Asthma and Clinical Immunology, Biological Psychiatry, Biological Psychology, Frontiers in Psychology, Frontiers in Psychiatry, Journal of Asthma and Clinical Immunology, Journal of Family Therapy, In Practice, Psychoneuroendocrinology, Psychosomatic Medicine, Family Systems and Health, Journal of Family Psychology, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Biological Psychology, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Social Science Medicine, Clinical and Experimental Allergy; Ad Hoc Reviewer