Tara E. McKee
Chair and Associate Professor of Psychology
Tara McKee's research interests focus on families coping with children with varying challenges such as developmental disabilities and behavior disorders and on the impact of such behaviors on the transition to college. McKee is author or co-author of numerous papers published in Journal of Attention Disorders, Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Applied Social Psychology, Behaviour Research and Therapy, and Journal of the American Medical Association. She has made several invited presentations. McKee’s clinical work has focused on children in school settings and in-patient hospital settings. She conducts assessments for learning disabilities as part of a small private practice. She earned a doctorate and master's degree in clinical psychology from the University of Connecticut.
Recent Courses Taught
Statistics and Research Methods in Psychology
Adult Psychopathology
Research Design
Psychological Testing
Senior Thesis supervision
Distinctions
Dean’s Exceptional Service Award for Notable Year Achievement, 2017
The John R. Hatch, Class of 1925, Excellence in Teaching Award, 2005
Hewlett Pluralism and Unity Grant Recipient, 2004
Selected Publications
- McKee, T.E. (2017). Peer relationships in undergraduates with ADHD symptomatology: Selection and quality of friendships. Journal of Attention Disorders, 21, 1020-1029. doi: 10.1177/1087054714554934
- McKee, T.E. (2012). Examining the Dimensionality of ADHD Symptomatology in Young Adults Using Factor Analysis and Outcome Prediction. Journal of Attention Disorders, 16, 427-437. doi: 10.1177/1087054710396039
- Morris, A.T., & McKee, T.E. (2009). Disaster-related trauma and children: A proposed parent training program. Early Childhood Services: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Effectiveness, 3, 99-112.
- McKee, T.E. (2008). Comparison of a norm-based versus criterion-based approach to measuring ADHD symptomatology in college students. Journal of Attention Disorders, 11, 677-688.
- Danforth, J.S., Harvey, E., Ulaszek, W.R. & McKee, T.E. (2006). The outcome of group parent training for families of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and defiant/aggressive behavior. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 37, 188-205.
- McKee, T., Tennen, H., & Affleck, G. (2005). Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. In D.J. Keyser (Ed.) Test Critiques Volume XI (pp. 451-463). Austin, TX: PRO-ED, Inc.
- Gillen, R., Tennen, H., & McKee, T.E. (2005). Unilateral spatial neglect: Relation to rehabilitation outcomes in patients with right hemisphere stroke. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 86, 763-767.
- McKee, T.E., Harvey, E., Danforth, J.S., Ulaszek, W.R., & Friedman, J.L. (2004). The relation between parental coping styles and parent-child interactions before and after treatment for children with ADHD and oppositional behavior. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 33, 158-168.
- Ptacek, J.T., Leonard, K., & McKee, T.L. (2004). “I’ve got some bad news…”: Veterinarians’ recollections of communicating bad news to clients. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 34, 366-390.
- Harvey, E.A., Danforth, J.S., McKee, T.E., Ulaszek, W.R., & Friedman, J.L. (2003). Parenting of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): The role of parental ADHD symptomatology. Journal of Attention Disorders, 7, 29-40.
- McKee, T.E., & Ptacek, J.T. (2001). I’m afraid I have something bad to tell you: Breaking bad news from the perspective of the giver. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 31, 246-273.
- Gillen, R., Tennen, H., McKee, T.E., Gernert-Dott, P., Affleck, G. (2001). Depressive symptoms and history of depression predict rehabilitation efficiency in stroke patients. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 82, 1645-1649.
- Harvey, E.A., Danforth, J.S., Ulaszek, W.R., & McKee, T.E. (2001). Validity of the Parenting Scale for parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 731-743.
- Tennen, H., McKee, T.E., & Affleck, G. (2000). Social comparison processes in health and illness. In J. Suls & L. Wheeler (Eds.) Handbook of Social Comparison: Theory and Research (pp. 443-483). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
- Tennen, H., Eberhardt, T.L., & Affleck, G. (1999). Depression research methodologies at the social-clinical interface: Still hazy after all these years. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 18, 121-159.
- Gillen, R., Eberhardt, T.L., Tennen, H., Affleck, G., & Groszmann, Y. (1999). Screening for depression in stroke: Relationship to rehabilitation efficiency. Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, 8, 300-306.
- Ptacek, J.T., Fries, E.A., Eberhardt, T.L., & Ptacek, J.J. (1999). Breaking bad news to patients: Physicians’ perceptions of the process. Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer, 7, 113-120.
- Ptacek, J.T., & Eberhardt, T.L. (1996). Breaking bad news: A review of the literature. Journal of the American Medical Association, 276, 496-502.
College Service
COVID-19 Task Force, Spring 2020-Summer 2021
Middle States Steering Committee Co-chair Standard V, Spring 2019-Spring 2021
Integrated Advising/ALEX Steering Committee, Summer 2018-Summer 2021
Advisory Committee on Academic Advising, Spring 2018-June 2021
Associate Dean of Students for Academics, Summer 2018-Summer 2021
Junior Faculty Mentor, Fall 2017-Spring 2019
Town-Gown Fund Committee, Fall 2016-Fall 2021
CAP Subcommittee on the Curriculum, Chair, Fall 2015-Fall 2017
Committee on Academic Policy, Fall 2014-Spring 2017
Committee on Academic Standing, Fall 2010-Spring 2014; Chair Fall 2018-June 2021
Academic Assessment Committee, Spring 2009-Spring 2011; Fall 2017-Spring 2022
Writing Advisory Committee, 2009-2012 (Chair 2011-12)
Committee on Athletics, 2008- 2011 (Chair 2010-11)
Health Professions Advisory Committee, 2003-15
Professional Affiliations
American Psychological Association
Sigma Xi
Appointed to the Faculty
2002Educational Background
Professional Licensure in Psychology, State of NY
Ph.D., University of Connecticut
M.A., University of Connecticut
B.A., Bucknell University
Personal Interests
Hanging out with my family, cuddling with my dog and cat, vegetarian/vegan cooking, singing, jig-saw puzzles, tennis, watching movies
