Stephen S. Leff, PhD

Stephen S. Leff, PhD

Stephen S. Leff, PhD, is a psychologist in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Co-Director of the Violence Prevention Initiative at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Areas of Expertise: Aggression and bullying prevention programming, Community-based participatory research models for intervention and measurement development, Gender and social cognitive differences in aggression
Locations: Psychiatry and Behavioral Science in University City, PA
Appointments and Referrals: 1-800-TRY-CHOP (1-800-879-2467)

Background

Dr. Leff is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology in Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and a psychologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is the Co-Director of the new Violence Prevention Initiative at CHOP, and is a nationally recognized leader in aggression and bullying prevention programming, relational aggression (use of rumors and social exclusion to harm others), and the community-based participatory research (CBPR) process (working with community stakeholders to integrate their perspectives into best practice programming). He has been awarded five NIH grants and a Department of Education grant to support his aggression and bullying prevention programs in the urban schools. He lectures frequently both regionally and nationally, is on the Editorial Advisory Board for two leading journals, serves on two federal Review panels, and is a member of the National Bullying Research Network. He also is an attending psychologist in the ADHD Program at CHOP.

Education and Training

Internship

Philadelphia Child Guidance Center, Philadelphia, PA

Fellowship

Children's Seashore House of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Board Certification

Licensed Psychologist in PA

Undergraduate Degree

BA - Duke University, Durham, NC

Graduate Degree

PhD - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

Titles and Academic Titles

Psychologist

Co-Director of the Violence Prevention Initiative at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Professor of Clinical Psychology in Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania

Departments and Services

Research Interests

Aggression prevention programming
Gender and social cognitive differences in aggression
Social skills promotion
ADHD

Publications

Papers

2011

Leff SS, Lefler EK, Khera GS, Paskewich B, Jawad AF: Preliminary examination of a cartoon-based hostile attribution bias measure for urban African American boys. American Journal of Community Psychology 49: 332-346, 2011. Read the abstract

Leff SS, Thomas DE, Shapiro ES, Wilson K, Paskewich B, Necowitz-Hoffman B, Jawad AF: Developing and validating a new classroom climate observation assessment tool. Journal of School Violence 10: 165-184, 2011. PMCID: PMC3106103. Read the abstract

Books

Chapters

2014

Leff SS, Waasdorp TE, Waanders C, Paskewich BS. Better understanding and intervening to prevent relational aggression. In: Weist MD, Lever NA, Bradshaw CP, Owens JS, editors. Handbook of School Mental Health: Research, Training, Practice, and Policy, 2nd ed. New York: Springer; 2014. p. 171-84.