Michelle Leonard, Ph.D., L.P.

Professor of Psychology; Program Director, Health Psychology and Clinical Health Psychology

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Behavioral Sciences

CASL Graduate Programs

[email protected]

313-593-5520

4067 College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters Building | 4901 Evergreen Road | Dearborn, MI 48128

schedule Virtually on Mondays 10-11am and Tuesdays 1-2pm

Curriculum Vitae

Teaching Areas:

Master of Science in Psychology, Psychology

Research Areas:

Clinical Psychology, Couples, Health Psychology

Biography and Education

Dr. Leonard is a Clinical Psychologist who has been with the University of Michigan - Dearborn since 2008. Dr. Leonard's research focuses on how intimate relationships and couples dynamics (including empathy) influence physical and psychological health. Dr.Leonard's work has examined the etiology and maintenance of chronic health problems (such as chronic pain or long-haul COVID) within a relationship context. This includes how psychosocial processes impact and are impacted by physical health. The other area where her research is focused ethnic/racial differences in the link between relationships and health. More recently Dr. Leonard and her team have started to study the impact of AI on couples.

Teaching and Research

Research

Research Areas include: Couples Relationships, Health Psychology, Chronic Health Issues, Couples Communication, AI and Couples

Selected Publications

Giraud, C., & Leonard, M. (2024). Types of Discrimination as Predictors of Identity Concealment in a Sexual and Gender Minority Sample. Sexuality & Culture, 1-18.

*Abraham, C., Leonard, M.T., & Giraud, C. (2023) COVID-19 Stress and Its Impact on Self-Protective Behaviors in an Emerging Adult College Sample: The Importance of Trauma. American Journal of Health Education 55, no. 1 (2024): 14-23.

Leonard, M. T., *Krajewski-Kidd, K., *Shuler, R., *Wesolowicz, D., *Miller, C., & Chatkoff, D. (2019). The Impact of Emotional Regulation Strategies on Pain Catastrophizing in the Context of Interpersonal Relationships. The Clinical journal of pain, 35(12), 925-932.

Chatkoff, D., Leonard, M.T., and Maier, K., (2015) Pain Catastrophizing Differs between and within WHYMPI Pain Adjustment Classifications: Theoretical and Clinical Implications from Preliminary Data. Clinical Journal of Pain, 31(4), 349-354.

Leonard, M.T and Geisser, M (2014).Using What We Know about Couples in the Context of Chronic Pain to Push for Continued Progress: Commentary on Vivekanantham and Colleagues. Pain Medicine, 15(5), 726-727.

Leonard, M.T., Issner J.H., Cano, A. Williams, A.M. (2013). Correlates of Spousal Empathic Accuracy for Pain-related Thoughts and Feelings. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 29, 224-233.

*indicates student author