Lee Robins
Encyclopedia
Lee Nelken Robins was an American professor of social science in psychiatry and a leader in psychiatric epidemiology
research. She was affiliated with the Washington University in St. Louis
for more than 50 years from 1954 until 2007.
. In 1942 and 1943, she received bachelor's and master's degrees from Radcliffe College
, and in 1951 she received a doctoral degree in sociology from Harvard University
. After completing her doctoral program, Robins worked as a research assistant in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital
.
During her career at Washington University, Robins was recognized as a leader in research into psychiatric epidemiology
, the study of the root causes of abnormal behavior. She was also "a leader in the development of diagnostic criteria for psychiatric diagnosis." The Los Angeles Times reported that Robins "pioneered the field of psychiatric epidemiology" and "played a key role in determining the prevalence of mental problems in the United States and the world."
Robins' research in the 1960s showed that abnormal and antisocial behavior in childhood was by far the most important predictor of psychiatric problems in adulthood. The data from her research showed that, as an indicator of adult problems including alcoholism, divorce and incarceration, childhood antisocial behavior was a more accurate indicator than factors such as social class, family background, and childhood fears. Her first major study on the subject was published in 1966 under the title, "Deviant Children Grown Up: A Sociological and Psychiatric Study of Sociopathic Personality." Her research in the field led to new thinking in the mental health field on issues including teen suicide and drug abuse.
Robins also conducted studies on psychiatric epidemiology among Vietnam veterans, disaster survivors and other groups. In the 1970s, the federal government funded her research into Vietnam veterans who were addicted to heroin or opium. Her research showed that many drug-addicted veterans recovered spontaneously when they returned to the United States -- a finding that challenged the idea that such addiction was irreversible.
Kathleen Bucholz, a professor of psychiatry at Washington University, stated that Robins' "particular genius" was in "developing carefully honed questions for surveys that gathered information about the origins and incidence of mental illness." She wrote the diagnostic interview schedule and was one of the principal investigators for the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study that involved interviews of more than 20,000 Americans to determine the prevalence of psychiatric illness in the general population. Robins later prepared a multicultural version of her diagnostic interview schedule for international use by the World Health Organization
.
Robins pulished more than 250 papers on topics including suicide, substance abuse among adolescents and Vietnam War veterans, alcoholism, and antisocial disorders and behavior in children.
In 2001, Robins retired as an active professor, but continued as a professor emerita and researcher at Washington University until 2007.
and the Society for the Study of Addiction to Alcohol and Other Drugs. She was also a recipient of the Paul Hoch Award from the American Psychopathological Association
, the Nathan B. Eddy Award from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs section of the American Public Health Association
. She was also named an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Psychiatrists and of the American Society of Psychiatrists.
Robins also served on the editorial boards of numerous journals, including Criminal Behavior and Mental Health, Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale, International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, Development and Psychopathology, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Psychological Medicine, and Social and Community Psychiatry.
In September 2009, she died of cancer at her home in St. Louis.
Psychiatric epidemiology
Psychiatric epidemiology is a field which seeks to study the conceptualization, etiology, and prevalence of mental illness in society. It is a subfield of the more general epidemiology. It is very difficult to accurately study mental illness conceptualization, etiology, and prevalence, and current...
research. She was affiliated with the Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
for more than 50 years from 1954 until 2007.
Early years
Robins was born in New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. In 1942 and 1943, she received bachelor's and master's degrees from Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
, and in 1951 she received a doctoral degree in sociology from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. After completing her doctoral program, Robins worked as a research assistant in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
.
Academic career and research
In 1954, Robins became a member of the faculty at Washington University School of Medicine as a research assistant. She continued to work at Washington University for the next 50 years, being promoted to assistant professor in 1959, associate professor in 1962 and full professor (in sociology in psychiatry) in 1966. She founded and served as the director of the school's Master's Program in Psychiatric Epidemiology.During her career at Washington University, Robins was recognized as a leader in research into psychiatric epidemiology
Psychiatric epidemiology
Psychiatric epidemiology is a field which seeks to study the conceptualization, etiology, and prevalence of mental illness in society. It is a subfield of the more general epidemiology. It is very difficult to accurately study mental illness conceptualization, etiology, and prevalence, and current...
, the study of the root causes of abnormal behavior. She was also "a leader in the development of diagnostic criteria for psychiatric diagnosis." The Los Angeles Times reported that Robins "pioneered the field of psychiatric epidemiology" and "played a key role in determining the prevalence of mental problems in the United States and the world."
Robins' research in the 1960s showed that abnormal and antisocial behavior in childhood was by far the most important predictor of psychiatric problems in adulthood. The data from her research showed that, as an indicator of adult problems including alcoholism, divorce and incarceration, childhood antisocial behavior was a more accurate indicator than factors such as social class, family background, and childhood fears. Her first major study on the subject was published in 1966 under the title, "Deviant Children Grown Up: A Sociological and Psychiatric Study of Sociopathic Personality." Her research in the field led to new thinking in the mental health field on issues including teen suicide and drug abuse.
Robins also conducted studies on psychiatric epidemiology among Vietnam veterans, disaster survivors and other groups. In the 1970s, the federal government funded her research into Vietnam veterans who were addicted to heroin or opium. Her research showed that many drug-addicted veterans recovered spontaneously when they returned to the United States -- a finding that challenged the idea that such addiction was irreversible.
Kathleen Bucholz, a professor of psychiatry at Washington University, stated that Robins' "particular genius" was in "developing carefully honed questions for surveys that gathered information about the origins and incidence of mental illness." She wrote the diagnostic interview schedule and was one of the principal investigators for the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study that involved interviews of more than 20,000 Americans to determine the prevalence of psychiatric illness in the general population. Robins later prepared a multicultural version of her diagnostic interview schedule for international use by the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
.
Robins pulished more than 250 papers on topics including suicide, substance abuse among adolescents and Vietnam War veterans, alcoholism, and antisocial disorders and behavior in children.
In 2001, Robins retired as an active professor, but continued as a professor emerita and researcher at Washington University until 2007.
Honors and awards
Robins received numerous honors and awards in her career, including being named as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
and the Society for the Study of Addiction to Alcohol and Other Drugs. She was also a recipient of the Paul Hoch Award from the American Psychopathological Association
American Psychopathological Association
The American Psychopathological Association is an organization, "devoted to the scientific investigation of disordered human behavior, and its biological and psychosocial substrates."The association was founded in 1910...
, the Nathan B. Eddy Award from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs section of the American Public Health Association
American Public Health Association
The American Public Health Association is Washington, D.C.-based professional organization for public health professionals in the United States. Founded in 1872 by Dr. Stephen Smith, APHA has more than 30,000 members worldwide...
. She was also named an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Psychiatrists and of the American Society of Psychiatrists.
Robins also served on the editorial boards of numerous journals, including Criminal Behavior and Mental Health, Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale, International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, Development and Psychopathology, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Psychological Medicine, and Social and Community Psychiatry.
Personal life
Robins was married to Eli Robins, and they had four sons. Her husband died in 1994. In 1998, she married Hugh Chaplin, Jr., an emeritus professor in the Washington University School of Medicine Departments of Medicine and Pathology.In September 2009, she died of cancer at her home in St. Louis.
Selected list of publications
- "The epidemiology of aggression," in E. Hollander and D.J. Stein, Impulsivity and Aggression, John Wiley and Sons, 1995.
- "Childhood conduct problems, adult psychopathology, and crime," in S. Hodgins, Mental Disorder and Crime, Sage, 1993.
- "Antisocial Personality" (with J. Tipp and T. Przybeck), in L.N. Robins & D. Regier, Psychiatric Disorders in America, The Free Press, 1991.
- "Intentional and Unintentional Injury in Black Americans", (with Carlson V, Bucholz K, Sussman L.), Report to Panel on Health Status and Demography of Black Americans, NRC Committee on the Status of Black Americans, 1988.
- "Family factors in the development of violent behavior", in D. Clark, Children and Violence, February 18-21, 1994: Congressional Program, The Aspen Institute, 1994.
- "Risk factors in the continuation of childhood antisocial behaviors into adulthood," (with K.S. Ratcliff), International Journal of Mental Health, Vol. 9, 1979.
- "Arrests and delinquency in two generations: a study of black urban families and their children," (with P.A. West & B. Herjanic), Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol. 16, 1975.
- "The role of prevention experiments in discovering the causes of children's antisocial behavior", in J. McCord, RE Tremblay, Preventing Antisocial Behavior, Guilford Press, 1992.
- "Early family predictors of child and adolescent antisocial behavior: Who are the mothers of delinquents?" (with B. Henry, T. Moffitt, F. Earls & P. Silva), Criminal Behavior and Mental Health, Vol. 3, 1993.
- "Sociocultural trends affecting the prevalence of adolescent problems", in M. Rutter, Psychosocial Disturbances in Young People: Challenges for Prevention, Cambridge University Press, 1995, pp. 369-384.