Lillian Robbins
Professor I
Ph.D., New York University
Rutgers University, Psychology Department
101 Warren Street
Smith Hall Rm 341
Newark, NJ 07102.
Phone: (973) 353 5440 x225
Fax: (973) 353-1171
E-mail: lrobbins at(@) psychology.rutgers.edu
Research interests
My research over the years has dealt with a variety of social issues: drug use
and abuse in school populations; parent-child relationships in connection with
the New York Longitudinal Study; children of mentally ill mothers and how they
fare; follow-ups of patients discharged from mental hospitals; achievement
motivation of men and women; educational reform; and sex discrimination in employment.
My current focus is on several of these areas: (1) the development and maintenance
of learning communities that transcend institutional boundaries, involving
students and faculty from Rutgers, NJIT, Essex County College, Central and
Malcolm X Shabazz High Schools; (2) the encouragement of student aspirations
and achievement at multiple levels in the Newark school system; and (3) the
continued monitoring of discriminatory practices in higher education, within
the context of recent attacks on affirmative action. All of these can provide
students with valuable experience in qualitative and quantitative assessment
of action research.
In addition, I hope to return and expand on the longitudinal data of child
development to investigate the role of grandparents and the nature of
multi-generational ties, as well as sibling relationships over the lifespan.
Selected publications
Robbins, L. The accuracy of parental recall of aspects of child development and of child- rearing practices. J. Abnormal Social Psychology, 1963, 66, 261-270.
Robbins, E., Robbins, L. et al. College student drug use. American Journal Psychiatric, 1970, 126, 1743-1751.
Robbins,L. Lost in the Maze: Mentally ill mothers and their children. New York: Citizens Committee on Children, 1976.
Kalln,E.D.& Robbins, L. (Issue Editors). Sex discrimination in academe. Journal Social Issues, 1985,41,4.
Robbins, L. Health and Safety Committees as a means of relieving psychological stress. in J. Quick, L. Murphy & J. Hurrell (Eds.) Stress and well-being at work: Assessments and interventions for occupational mental health. Washington,DC: American Psychological Association, 1992. Chap. 13, 193-206.
The current educational reform efforts are described in: McGrath,D. & Van Buskirk, W. Start with the faculty: The Newark Faculty Alliance for Education and Systemic Educational Reform. New York: National Center for Urban Partnerships, Ford Foundation, 1997.