Randy Kamphaus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Randy W. Kamphaus is an American psychologist, researcher, and academic administrator known for his work in psychological assessment and child mental health.[1] He is currently a Professor Emeritus at the University of Oregon College of Education and serves as Research Professor at the for External Affairs at the Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health at the University of Oregon.[2] He is also Professor Emeritus at the Georgia State University.[3] He is known for co-developing the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) with Cecil Reynolds.
Kamphaus earned his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Georgia in 1983, where he specialized in school psychology under the mentorship of John D. Nolan.[1] He also holds an M.A. in General Psychology from the University of Illinois at Springfield in 1976 and a B.A. in Psychology from Quincy University in 1974, where he also earned a secondary teaching certificate in social studies.[4] He is a first-generation college student.[5]
Academic career
He served as Dean of the College of Education at the University of Oregon from 2014 to 2020,[6] and earlier at Georgia State University from 2007 to 2012.[7] Prior to those roles, he was a Research Professor at the University of Georgia, where he also held several leadership positions, including department head.[8] He was the acting executive director of the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health in Portland, Oregon, and continues to support the institute’s research and policy efforts as a senior advisor.[9]
A licensed psychologist, Kamphaus has contributed to boards and professional committees, including the APA Board of Professional Affairs and the APA Council of Representatives. His research continues to focus on child mental health prevention, often in collaboration with former students and colleagues.[10]
At the University of Oregon, he worked with university administration, donors, and faculty to secure philanthropic support for endowed scholarships, faculty positions, the expansion of the HEDCO Clinic, and the creation of the HEDCO Institute.[11] He was also part of the original design team for the Ballmer Institute, which was launched with a $425 million gift from Connie and Steve Ballmer.[12]
Research
Kamphaus is known as the co-developer, along with Cecil Reynolds, of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC), a psychological assessment tool designed to evaluate behavioral and emotional functioning in children and adolescents.[13]
Kamphaus's research centers on the development and validation of psychological and educational assessments, with particular emphasis on tools used in school settings to identify emotional and behavioral disorders.[14] His work has addressed measurement invariance, construct validity, and the applicability of assessment tools in culturally and linguistically diverse populations.[15] Additional research has examined comorbidities involving attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, and intellectual disabilities.[16]
His recent projects include the development of universal mental health screening tools for schools, with a focus on early identification and prevention.[17] This work, including BESS, is part of the Ballmer Wellness Project (BWP), supported by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration , where Kamphaus serves as co-principal investigator.[18]
He has served as principal investigator or co-investigator on federally funded research projects sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES)[19] and SAMHSA, and holds one patent.[10]
