Kevin Masters headshot
Professor
Clinical Health Psychology
KEVIN.MASTERS@UCDENVER.EDU
(303) 315-7062

Mailing Address:
Department of Psychology 
Campus Box 173, PO Box 173364 
Denver, CO 80217-3364

Physical Location:
North Classroom Building
1200 Larimer Street
Room 5008G (5th floor)

Office Hours:
By appointment

Expertise Areas:
I specialize in clinical health psychology with particular research interests in cardiovascular health psychology and the influence of religiousness/spirituality on health. I am also interested in how sense of meaning and purpose can be used to increase adherence to healthy behavior regiments, particularly physical activity and exercise. You can read more about my research on my lab's website.

B.A. Cedarville University, 1980
M.A., Clinical Psychology, University of Dayton, 1982
Clinical Psychology Internship, Duke University Medical Center, 1988
Ph.D. Clinical Psychology, Brigham Young University, 1989

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 Annals of Behavioral Medicine and former editor of Journal of Behavioral Medicine. he is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association 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 practices and his meta-analytic reviews on distant intercessory prayer and health outcomes have been influential. Currently he is involved in research examining religious practices and cardiovascular stress reactivity in the lab, spiritually based interventions for individuals with congestive heart failure, and how meaning/purpose may increase adherence to healthy behavior regimens.

Dr. Masters is the Program Director for the Ph.D. training program in Clinical Health Psychology. He has written extensively on issues of training in clinical health psychology and was a member of the committee charged with drafting the restablishment of clinical health psychology as an officially recognized area of specialization within the American Psychological Association. Dr. Masters is also an accreditation site visitor for the Commission on Accreditation of the APA.

Selected Recent Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications

Selected Recent Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications

Rush, C.L., Hooker, S.A., Ross, K.M., Frers, A.K., Peters, J.C., & Masters, K.S. (In press).        Meaning in life is mediated by self-efficacy in the prediction of physical activity. Journal         of Health Psychology.

Masters, K.S., Ross, K.M., Hooker, S.A., & Wooldridge, J.L. (2018). A psychometric approach to theory-based behavior change intervention development: Example from the Colorado     Meaning-Activity Project. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 52, 463-473.

Hooker, S.A., & Masters, K.S. (2018). Daily meaning salience predicts daily physical activity      in previously sedentary exercise initiates. Health Psychology, 37, 344-354.

Caldwell, A.E., Masters, K.S., Peters, J.C., Bryan, A.D., Grigsby, J. Hooker, S.A., Wyatt, H.R.,             & Hill, J.O. (2018). Harnessing centered identity transformation to reduce executive     function burden for maintenance of health behavior change: The Maintain IT Model.         Health Psychology Review, 12, 231-253. DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2018.1437551

Brown, C., S., Masters, K.S., & Huebschmann, A. (2018). Identifying motives of midlife black    triathlete women using survey transformation to guide qualitative inquiry. Journal    of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 33, 1-20.

Pittman Wagers, T., Stevens, C.J., Ross, K.V., Leon, K.K., & Masters, K.S. (2018).          Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD): Female survivors’ experiences of stress          and support. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention.

Hooker, S.A., Masters, K.S., & Park, C.L., (2018). A meaningful life is a healthy life: A    conceptual model linking meaning and meaning salience to health. Review of General       Psychology, 22,11-24.

Hooker, S.A., Wooldridge, J.S., Ross, K.M. & Masters, K.S. (2018). Do monetary incentives       increase fitness center utilization: It depends. American Journal of Health Promotion, 32,       606-612.

Hooker, S.A., Ross, K., Masters, K.S., Park, C. Hale, A.E., Allen, L.A., & Bekelman, D.B.           (2017). Denver Spirited Heart: Mixed methods pilot study of a psychospiritual     intervention for heart failure patients. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 32, 226-235.

Park, C.L., Masters, K.S., Salsman, J.M., Wachholtz, A., Clements, A.D., Salmoirago-Blotcher,   E., Trevino, K., & Wischenka, D. (2017). Advancing our Understanding of        Religion and Spirituality in the Context of Behavioral Medicine. Journal of Behavioral      Medicine, 40, 39-51

Steffen, P.R., Masters, K.S. & Baldwin, S. (2017). What mediates the relationships between         church attendance and aspects of well-being? Journal of Religion and Health, 56, 158- 170.

Hooker, S.A., Ross, K., Ranby, K.W., Masters, K.S., Peters, J.C., & Hill, J.O. (2016).      Identifying Groups at Risk for 1-Year Membership Termination from a Fitness Center at         Enrollment.  Preventive Medicine Reports, 4, 563-568.

Hooker, S.A., & Masters, K.S. (2016). Purpose in life is associated with physical activity            measured by accelerometer. Journal of Health Psychology, 21, 962-971. DOI:      10.1177/1359105314542822

Masters, K.S., Beacham, A.O., & Clement, L.R. (2015). Use of a standardized patient      protocol to assess clinical competency: the University of Colorado Denver         Comprehensive Clinical Competency Examination. Training and Education in        Professional Psychology, 9, 170-174.

Masters, K.S. (2014). Cardiovascular reactivity to stress: A potentially important link between   religion and cardiovascular health. Spiritual Care, 78-86. (German language publication).

Jordan, K., Masters, K.S., Hooker, S.A., Ruiz J.M., & Smith, T.W. (2014). An interpersonal       approach to individual differences in religiousness and spirituality as influences on    health and well-being. Journal of Personality, 82, 418-431.

DeBerard, M.S., & Masters, K.S. (2014). Psychosocial correlates of the Short-Form 36    Multidimensional Health Survey in university students. Psychology, 5, 941-949.

Hooker, S.A., Masters, K.S., & Carey, K.B. (2014). Multidimensional assessment of        religiousness/spirituality and health behaviors in college students. The International        Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 24, 228-240. Doi:     10.1080/10508619.2013.808870

Masters, K.S., & Hooker, S.A. (2013). Religiousness/Spirituality, cardiovascular disease and        cancer: review with emphasis on cultural sensitivity and methodological innovation.     Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 81, 206-216.

Nash, J.M., McKay, K., Vogel, M.E., & Masters, K.S. (2012). Functional roles and          foundational characteristics of psychologists in integrated primary care. Journal of         Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 19, 93-104.

Masters, K.S. (2012). If God is in Control of My Health, What Should I Do? The Importance      of Religious, Ethnic, and Social Culture: A Comment on Umezawa et al. Annals of       Behavioral Medicine, 44, 3-4.

Masters, K.S., & Knestel, A. (2011). Religious orientation and cardiovascular reactivity among     middle aged adults: is being pro-religious really that good for you? Journal of     Behavioral Medicine, 34, 449-461.

O’Dell, K., Masters, K.S., Spielmans, G.I., & Maisto, S.A. (2011) Does Type-D Personality predict outcomes among patients with cardiovascular disease? A meta-analytic review.      Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 71, 199-206.

Deaner, R.O., Masters, K.S., Ogles, B.M., & LaCaille, R.A. (2011). Marathon performance as     a predictor of competitiveness and training in men and women. Journal of Sport        Behavior, 34, 325-342.

 

Beacham, A.O., Kinman, C., Harris, J.G., & Masters, K.S. (2011). The patient-centered medical home: Unprecedented workforce growth potential for professional psychology.       Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 43, 17-23. doi:10.1037/a0025320

Masters, K.S., Spielmans, G.I., LaCaille, R.A., Goodson, J.T., Larsen, B.T., Heath, E.M., &        Knestel, A. (2011). Effects of home exercise on immediate and delayed affect and mood among rural individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes. Journal of Social, Behavioral, and        Health Sciences, 5, 1-16.

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, 21, 63-76.

Kapuscinski, A.N., & Masters, K.S. (2010). The current status of measures of spirituality: A      critical review of scale development. Psychology of Religion 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, 17, 393-400.

Gillum R.F, & Masters, K.S. (2010). Religiousness and blood donation: Findings from a    National Survey. Journal of Health Psychology, 15, 163-172

Health Psychology II - Graduate Course
Cardiovascular Health Psychochology - Graduate Course