Stephen M. Auerbach

Professor, psychology and oral and maxillofacial surgery
Director, behavioral research in critical care medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University Reanimation Engineering Shock Center

Contact information

Phone: (804) 828-1172
E-mail: sauerbac@vcu.edu

Education

Ph.D. (1971), Florida State University

Program affiliation

Clinical Psychology

Research interests

My research work focuses on stress, coping and control with particular emphasis on the role of perceived control and manipulations designed to influence perceived control on adjustment to stress associated with medical and surgical treatment, and chronic disease. Emphasis also is on the role of perceptions of interpersonal impacts in physician-patient relationships on patient outcomes.

Current research projects include:
a) assessment of the role of physician-patient behaviors and interpersonal appraisals during oncology consultations (localized prostate cancer patients/urologists, radiation oncologists) and effects on patients’ satisfaction, quality of life and disease course,
b) evaluation of interventions designed to enhance communication between physicians and relatives of trauma patients hospitalized in the ICU, and
c) assessment of the role of optimism, perceived disfigurement, coping strategies and interpersonal communication with medical staff in the adjustment of traumatic facial injury patients.

Selected publications

Kiesler, D. J., & Auerbach, S. M. (2003).Integrating measurement of control and affiliation in studies of physician-patient interaction: The interpersonal circumplex. Social Science and Medicine, 57, 1707-1722. 

Auerbach, S. M., Penberthy, A. R., & Kiesler, D. J. (2004). Opportunity for control, interpersonal impacts, and adjustment to a long-term, invasive health care procedure. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 27, 11-29.

Auerbach, S. M., Kiesler, D. J., Wartella, J., Rausch, S., Ward, K., & Ivatury, R. (2005). Optimism, satisfaction with needs met, interpersonal perceptions of the healthcare team and emotional distress in family members during critical care hospitalization. American Journal of Critical Care, 14, 202-210.

Pegg, P. O., Auerbach, S. M., Seel, R. T., Buenaver, L. F., Kiesler, D. J., & Plybon, L. E. (2005). The impact of patient-centered information on patients’ treatment satisfaction and outcomes in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. Rehabilitation Psychology, 50, 366-374.

Kiesler, D. J., & Auerbach, S. M. (2006). Optimal matches of patient preferences for information, decision making and interpersonal behavior: Evidence, models and interventions. Patient Education and Counseling.

Recent/current courses taught at VCU

• Stress Management, undergraduate level
• Personality Assessment, graduate level