University of Colorado Denver College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Bio

Dr. Masters is a clinical psychologist and a leader in the fields of health psychology and behavioral medicine. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Behavioral Medicine and is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 38 Health Psychology) and the Society of Behavioral Medicine. Dr. Masters is interested in studying cardiovascular processes and disease from the perspective of behavioral medicine as well as the relations between spirituality, religiousness, and health. He has published laboratory studies on cardiovascular reactivity to stress based on religious orientation and his meta-analytic reviews on distant intercessory prayer and health outcomes have been influential. Currently he is involved in research to design spiritually based interventions for individuals with congestive heart failure and he has recently written several reviews on religion, spirituality, and health in general and cardiovascular disease in particular. Dr. Masters also maintains interest in psychological aspects and treatments for pain and has general interest in positive psychology and health.

Dr. Masters is the Program Director for the doctoral training program in clinical health psychology at University of Colorado Denver. In this regard, he is an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Council of Clinical Health Psychology Training Programs (CCHPTP) and has written extensively on issues of training in clinical health psychology. He was recently a member of the committee charged with drafting the document to reestablish clinical health psychology as an officially recognized area of specialization within the American Psychological Association. Dr. Masters is also a trained site visitor to serve in that role as part of the accreditation review process by the American Psychological Association.

Selected Publications (out of approximately 80)

Masters, K.S., & Knestel, A. (In press).  Religious orientation and cardiovascular reactivity among middle aged adults:  is being pro-religious really that good for you?  Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

 O'Dell, K., Masters, K.S., Spielmans, G.I., & Maisto, S.A.  (In press).  Does Type-D Personality predict outcomes among patients with cardiovascular disease?  A meta-analytic review.  Journal of Psychosomatic Research.

Deaner, R.O., Masters, K.S., Ogles, B.M., & LaCaille, R.A. (In press).  Marathon performance as a predictor of competitiveness and training in men and women.  Journal of Sport Behavior.

Beacham, A.O., Kinman, C., Harris, J.G., & Masters, K.S. (In press).  Unprecedented workforce and leadership growth potential for professional psychology.  Professional Psychology:  Research and Practice.

Masters, K.S. (In press).  "Religion, Spirituality, and Cardiovascular Disease."  In S. Waldstein, K. Kaatzel, and W. Kop (Eds.) Handbook of Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine.  Springer:  New York.

Masters, K.S., & Hooker, S.A. (In press).  "Religion, Spirituality, and Health."  In R.F. Paloyutzian & C.L. Park (Eds.) Handbook of the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality (2nd edition).  Guilford Press:  New York.

Masters, K.S., & Knestel, A. (2011).  Religious orientation among a random sample of community dwelling adults:  Relations with health status and health relevant behaviors.  The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 2, 63-76.

Kapuscinski, A.N., & Masters, K.S. (2010).  The current status of measures of spirituality:  A critical review of scale development.  Psychology of Relgion and Spirituality, 2, 191-205.

Hyland, M.E., Wheeler, P., Kamble, S., & Masters, K.S. (2010).  A sense of 'special connection,' self-transcendent values and a common factor for religious and non-religious spirituality.  Archive for the Psychology of Religion, 32, 293-326.

Masters, K.S. (2010).  The role of religion in therapy:  time for psychologists to have a little faith?  Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 15, 163-172.

Masters, K.S., France, C.R., & Thorn, B.E. (2009).  Enhancing preparation among entry level clinical health psychologists:  Recommendations for "best practices" from the First Meeting of the Council of Clinical Health Psychology Training Programs (CCHPTP).  Training & Education in Professional Psychology, 3, 193-201.

Masters, K.S., Carey, K.B., Maisto, S.A., Caldwell, P.E., Wolfe, T.V., Hackney, H.L., France, C.R., & Himawan, L. (2009).  "Psychometric Examination of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality:  A Measure for Use in Health Studies."  The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 19, 106-120.

France, C.R., Masters, K.S., Belar, C.D., Kerns, R.D., Klonoff, E.A., Larkin, K.T., Smith, T.W., Suchday, S., & Thorn, B.E. (2008).  "Application of the Competency Model to Clinical Health Psychology."  Professional Psychology:  Research and Practice, 39, 573-580.

Masters, K.S. (2008).  "Mechanisms in the Relation Between Religion and Health with Emphasis on Cardiovascular Reactivity to Stress."  Research in the Scientific Study of Religion, 19, 91-115.

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Courses Taught

Health and Clinical Psychology courses for the doctoral program in Clinical Health Psychology