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Robert C. Gibler, PhD

Professional Background

I am a pediatric psychologist and researcher with interests in helping children, teenagers, and young adults who are living with chronic pain conditions including musculoskeletal pain, abdominal pain, and headache disorders like migraine.

Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists or recurs for 3 or more months, and this affects 1 in 5 children today. Pain can impact many important areas of life including school, extracurricular activities, and time with family and friends. My research focuses on finding ways to help children and teens stay physically active and cope the best they possibly can with chronic pain. I'm interested in non-medicine treatments for chronic pain, especially those that combine pain coping skills training with physical activity. I study how we can use and improve these interventions for patients with chronic pain and co-occurring medical conditions. As a researcher, I highly value working with teams of experts from many disciplines, including physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and dieticians. I am proud to have served as a therapist for several federally funded studies examining nonpharmacological treatments for juvenile fibromyalgia and migraine.

My clinical practice in the Department of Pediatrics is called the Pain Coping Clinic. I offer cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on teaching coping skills, including relaxation strategies, cognitive (thinking) techniques, and skills to improve lifestyle habits like sleep, hydration, and physical activity. This treatment has strong research support for helping young people improve their ability to cope with chronic pain. My goal is to meet my patients where they are, validate their experiences, and learn their unique strengths and areas of challenge so that my treatment is as helpful as possible. I hope to help my patients live the best life they possibly can, learn strategies to minimize the impact of pain on daily life, and become independent and functional.

In addition to my research and clinical activities, I enjoy teaching students, residents, and fellows about psychology. I am a member of several professional societies, including the Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP), the American Headache Society (AHS), and the United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP). I also serve on the editorial board for the peer-reviewed journal Headache.

When I am not at work, I like to stay active and busy. I enjoy being outdoors, playing sports, spending time with friends and family, taking trips to the beach, making new recipes, going to concerts and shows, and playing with my dog.

Education and Training
  • BA, Psychology, Miami University, Oxford, OH
  • MA, Clinical Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
  • PhD, Clinical Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
  • Residency, Behavioral Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
  • Post Doctoral Fellowship, National Institutes of Health T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Child Behavior and Nutrition Research (T32DK063929), Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
Licensure, Accreditations & Certifications
  • Psychologist, State of Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board
Professional Affiliations
  • American Headache Society, Associate Editor, 2024 - Present
  • American Headache Society, Member, 2021 - Present
  • United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP), Member, 2019 - Present
  • International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), Member, 2017 - Present
  • Society of Pediatric Psychology, Member, 2015 - Present

Research

Overview

Dr. Gibler's research program aims to promote psychological well-being and improve physical functioning among children and adolescents living with chronic pain. The long-term goal of his research is to extend the reach of evidence-based pain rehabilitation interventions to youth who historically have faced structural barriers to receiving care.

Publications
  • Gibler, Robert., C., Peugh, James., L., Pfeiffer, Megan, Thomas, Staci, Williams, Sara., E., Beasley, Katie, Bonnette, Scott., H., Collins, Sara, Beals-Erickson, Sarah., E., Ounpuu, Sylvia, Briggs, Matthew, Stinson, Jennifer., N., Myer, Gregory., D., Kashikar-Zuck, Susmita., M.. 2023. Associations between patient-reported functional disability and measures of physical ability in juvenile fibromyalgia. PAIN
  • Li , R, Gibler, R., C, Rheel, E, Slack, K, Palermo, T., M. 2023. Recommendations for Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System pediatric measures in youth with chronic pain: a COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments systematic review of measurement properties.. Pain
  • Gibler, R., C, Marzouk, M., A, Peugh, J, Reidy, B., L, Ernst, M., M, Daffin, M., L, Powers, S., W, Kabbouche Samaha, M, Kacperski, J, Hershey, A., D, O'Brien, H, Slater, S., K. 2024. Clinic-Based Characterization of Adolescents and Young Adults With Migraine: Psychological Functioning, Headache Days, and Disability.. Neurology. Clinical practice, 14 (3), e200294
  • Gibler, R., C, Knestrick, K., E, Reidy, B., L, Lax, D., N, Powers, S., W. 2022. Management of Chronic Migraine in Children and Adolescents: Where are We in 2022?. Pediatric health, medicine and therapeutics, 13, 309-323
  • Noser, A., E, Gibler, R., C, Ramsey, R., R, Wells, R., E, Seng, E., K, Hommel, K., A. 2022. Digital headache self-management interventions for patients with a primary headache disorder: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.. Headache, 62 (9), 1105-1119
  • Gibler, R., C, Jastrowski Mano, K., E. 2021. Systematic Review of Autonomic Nervous System Functioning in Pediatric Chronic Pain.. The Clinical journal of pain, 37 (4), 281-294
  • Gibler, R., C, Abelson, E, Williams, S., E, Lynch-Jordan, A., M, Kashikar-Zuck, S, Jastrowski Mano, K., E. 2022. Establishing the Content Validity of a Modified Bank of School Anxiety Inventory Items for Use Among Adolescents With Chronic Pain.. Journal of pediatric psychology, 47 (9), 1044-1056
  • Daffin, M, Lynch-Milder, M., K, Gibler, R., C, Murray, C, Green, C., M, Kashikar-Zuck, S. 2021. A qualitative study of risk and resilience in young adult women with a history of juvenile-onset fibromyalgia.. Pediatric rheumatology online journal, 19 (1), 128
  • Gibler, R., C, Beckmann, E., A, Lynch-Jordan, A., M, Kashikar-Zuck, S, Mano KEJ. 2019. Characterizing Social and Academic Aspects of School Anxiety in Pediatric Chronic Pain.. The Clinical journal of pain, 35 (7), 625-632
  • Jastrowski Mano, K., E, O'Bryan, E., M, Gibler, R., C, Beckmann, E. 2019. The Co-occurrence of Pediatric Chronic Pain and Anxiety: A Theoretical Review of a Developmentally Informed Shared Vulnerability Model.. The Clinical journal of pain, 35 (12), 989-1002