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Chavis A. Patterson, PhD

About Chavis A. Patterson, PhD

Titles

Director of Psychosocial Services, Division of Neonatology

Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Leadership and Memberships

2011-present, National Perinatal Association
- 2024-2026, President
- 2021-2022, Director of Programs
- 2016-present, Board of Directors

Editorial and Academic Positions

Academic and Institutional Committees

2024-present, Supervisor, Pre-Doc Fellow, N/IICU
2023-present, Training, First Year NIICU Fellows Simulation
2023-present, Front Line Leader Skills Fair, CHOP NIICU Nurse Leaders
2020-present, Supervisor, Psychology Post Doctoral candidates

Education & training

Undergraduate Degree

BS in Psychology - Tufts University, Medford, MA

Graduate Degree

MA in Clinical Psychology - The American University, Washington, DC
PhD in Clinical Psychology - The American University, Washington, DC

Internship

Philadelphia Child Guidance Center, Philadelphia, PA

Team affiliations

 View fewer team affiliations View all team affiliations

Publications

Publications
2023

Baughcum, A.E., Clark, O.E., Lassen, S., Fortney, C.A., Rausch, J.A., Dunnells, Z.D.O., Geller, P.A., Olasvsky, A., Patterson, C. & Gerhardt, C.A. (2023). Preliminary validation of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool in the neonatal intensive care unit. Journal of Pediatric Psychology,48(6), 503-511. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsac081. 

Grunberg, V.A., Geller, P.A., Hoffman, C., & Patterson, C. A. (2023). A biopsychosocial model of NICU family adjustment and child development. Journal of Perinatology, 43(4):510-517. doi: 10.1038/s41372-022-01585-1.

2022

Geller, P. A., Posmontier, B., Stevens, N. R., Patterson, C., Sodowick, L. B., Horowitz, J. A., & Hamilton, N. A.: Adaptation of Efficacious Methodologies for High-Needs Perinatal Populations. In Annals of Behavioral Medicine. Journals Dept, 2001 Evans Rd, Cary, NC 27513 USA: Oxford Univ Press Inc. 56(1): S583-S583), April 2022.

Geller, P. A., Albanese, A., Grunberg, V. A., Chuo, J., & Patterson, C. A. “Research Across Fetal and Neonatal Care Settings.” In Behavioral Health Services with High-Risk Infants and Families: Meeting the Needs of Patients, Families, and Providers in Fetal, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Neonatal Follow-Up Settings. Oxford University Press, 2022.

Patterson, C. A., Elgohail, M., Hartman, A. R., Smith, V. C., & Geller, P. A. "Interdisciplinary Behavioral Health Teams." In Behavioral Health Services with High-Risk Infants and Families: Meeting the Needs of Patients, Families, and Providers in Fetal, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Neonatal Follow-Up Settings. Oxford University Press, 2022.

Grunberg VA, Geller PA, Hoffman C, Njoroge W, Ahmed A, Patterson CA: Parental mental health screening in the NICU: a psychosocial team initiative.  J Perinatol 42: 401-409, March 2022.

2021

Geller PA, Spiecker N, Cole JCM, Zajac L, Patterson CA. The rise of tele-mental health in perinatal settings. Semin Perinatol. 2021 Apr 5;151431. doi: 10.1016/j.semperi.2021.151431. Online ahead of print.

2020

Grunberg, V. A., Geller, P. A., & Patterson, C. A. (2020). Utilization of NICU Infant Medical Indices to Classify Parental Risk for Stress and Family Burden. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 34(1), 54-62.

2019

Grunberg, V. A., Geller, P. A., Bonacquisti, A., & Patterson, C. A. (2019). NICU infant health severity and family outcomes: a systematic review of assessments and findings in psychosocial research. Journal of Perinatology, 39(2), 156-172.

Bonacquisti, A., Geller, P.A., & Patterson, C.A. (2019). Maternal depression, anxiety, stress, and maternal-infant attachment in the neonatal intensive care unit. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. doi: 10.1080/02646838.2019.1695041

Hill D, Carroll K, Snyder K, Mascarenhas M, Erlichman J, Patterson C, Barakat L, Feudtner C. (2019). Development and Pilot Testing of a Coping Kit for Parents of Hospitalized Children. Academic pediatrics, 19(4), 454-463.

2018

Geller, P. A., Bonacquisti, A., & Patterson, C. A. (2018). Maternal Experience of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Hospitalization: Trauma Exposure and Psychosocial Responses. In Motherhood in the Face of Trauma (pp. 227-247). Springer, Cham.

2017

Steinberg, Z., & Patterson, C. (2017). Giving voice to the psychological in the NICU: a relational model. Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 16(1), 25-44.

Antiel RM, Halpem SD, Stevens EM, Vrecenak JD, Patterson CA, Tchume-Johnson T, Smith-Whitley K, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Baraket LP. (2017). Acceptability of In Utero Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Sickle Cell Disease. Medical Decision Making, 37(8), 914-921.

2016

Boyd, R. C., Scharko, A. M., Cole, J. C., Patterson, C. A., Benton, T. D., & Power, T. J. (2016). Training pediatric psychologists for perinatal behavioral health services in a pediatric hospital. Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings, 23(2), 99-111.

2015

Hall SL, Cross J, Selix NW, Patterson C, Segre L, Chuffo-Siewert R, Geller PA, Martin ML. Recommendations for enhancing psychosocial support of NICU parents through staff education and support. J Perinatol. 2015 Dec;35 Suppl 1:S29-36. doi: 10.1038/jp.2015.147.

Hynan MT, Steinberg Z, Baker L, Cicco R, Geller PA, Lassen S, Milford C, Mounts KO, Patterson C, Saxton S, Segre L, Stuebe A. Recommendations for mental health professionals in the NICU.  J Perinatol. 2015 Dec;35 Suppl 1:S14-8. doi: 10.1038/jp.2015.144.

Lectures by Invitation

2025

Patterson C. You can't walk through water without getting wet: Interview. The Incubator. Podcast. Denver, CO. Nov 2025.

Patterson C. Supporting Families in the NIICU. CHOP. Philadelphia, PA Virtual. Nov 2025.

Patterson C. Strengthening Mental Health Support for NICU Families and Teams. Children's Hospital NICU Consortium. Panel Discussion. Denver, CO. Nov 2025.

Patterson C. "Trauma Informed Care and the NICU Journey", Course faculty, GWCMC-CHOP Joint Training program in Academic Pediatrics. Course directors: Huayan Zhang, MD and Justin Lockman, MD MSEd. Guangzhou, China. Sept 2025.

Patterson C. "Words Matter", Course faculty, GWCMC-CHOP Joint Training program in Academic Pediatrics. Course directors: Huayan Zhang, MD and Justin Lockman, MD MSEd. Guangzhou, China. Sept 2025.

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