School of Science and Technology

Department of Psychology

Kelly R. Morton, PhD

Associate Professor, Departments of Family Medicine and Psychology
Director of Research, Department of Family Medicine

Educational background:
- Bowling Green State University; Bowling Green, Ohio:
1992 PhD Life-Span Developmental Psychology; Gerontology Minor
- Wake Forest University; Winston-Salem, North Carolina,
1985 MA, General/Experimental Psychology
- Radford University; Radford, Virginia:
1983 BS, Psychology; Mathematics Minor

Current research projects:
 - Moral development in professionals
- Palliative care perceptions across cultural groups
- Religion, spirituality, and health
- Healthcare quality

Professional memberships:

Selected publications

Testerman, J.K., Morton, K.R., Ronan, A., & Mason, R.A. (2004). Patient Motivations for Using Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Complementary Health Practice Review, 9, 81-92.

Morton, K.R., Worthley, J.S., Testerman, J.K., Mahoney, M.L. (under review). Moral sensitivity as a mediator of medical student moral motivation and moral reasoning. Journal of Moral Education.

DeVille, D., Grover, M., Morton, K.R., Alexander, W. (under review). Family practice resident well-being: Focusing on the positive. Family Medicine.

Shultz, K.S., & Morton, K.R. (2001). Successful aging at work: How do older workers adapt? The Southwest Journal on Aging, 16, 2, 63-75.

Morton, K.R., Worthley, J., Nitch, S., Lamberton, H., Loo, L., & Testerman, J.K. (2000). Integration of cognition and emotion: A postformal operations model of physician-patient interaction. Journal of Adult Development, 7, 151-160.

Orr, R.D., Morton K.R., deLeon, D.M., Fals, J. (1998). Editorial Response to Patient and Family Perspectives are questionable. The American Journal of Medicine.

Testerman, J.K., Morton, K.R., Loo, L.K., Worthley, J.S., Lamberton, H.H. (1996). The Natural History of Cynicism in Physicians. Academic Medicine, 71 (10), S43-S45.

Orr, RD, Morton, K.R., deLeon, DM, Fals, J.C. (1996). Evaluation of an Ethics Consultation Service: Patient and Family Perspective. The American Journal of Medicine, 101, 135-141.

Morton, K. R., Lamberton, H. H., Testerman, J. K., Worthley, J. S., & Loo, L. K. (1996). Why does the development of moral reasoning plateau during medical school? Academic Medicine, 71, 5.

Cavanaugh, J.C., & Morton, K.R. (1990). Contextualism, naturalistic inquiry, and the need for new science: A rethinking of childhood sexual abuse and everyday memory aging. In D. Kramer & M. Bopp (Eds.), Transformation Through Form: Theoretical approaches in Clinical and Developmental Psychology, Springer-Verlag.

Selected professional presentations

Mason, R.A., & Morton, K.R. (2002). An examination of the affects of surviving cancer on death attitudes. Presentation at the Alumni Postgraduate Conference, Loma Linda University. 2nd place winner.

Lee, J.W., Morton, K.R., Mahoney, M.L. (2003). The impact of lifestyle, social support, and religiousness on health. Presented at the Western Psychological Association Convention, May, VanCouver, BC.

Lo, H. & Morton, K.R. (2003). Religious coping as a moderator for bereaved spouses experiencing grief. Presented at the Western Psychological Association Convention, May, VanCouver, BC.

Mahoney, M.L., & Morton, K.R. (2003). Moral sensitivity as a moderator of moral climate and moral reasoning. Presented at the Western Psychological Association Convention, May, VanCouver, BC.

Tauber, B., & Morton, K.R. (2003). The effects of surviving parent's religious coping style on the adaptive behaviors of children following the death of a parent. Presented at the Western Psychological Association Convention, May, VanCouver, BC.

DeVille, D., Grover, M., Morton, K.R., Alexander, W. (2004). Family medicine resident well-being: Focusing on the positive. Accepted for presentation at the Society for Teachers of Family Medicine, Toronto, Canada.

Stratis, T., & Morton, K.R. (2004). Reasons for complementary and alternative medicine usage in Japanese Americans. Submitted for presentation at the Western Psychological Association Convention, May, Pheonix, AZ.

Yu, I., & Morton, K.R. (2004). Moral motivation and moral reasoning in
Chinese Americans: Cultural values and identity formation. Submitted for presentation at the Western Psychological Association Convention, May, Pheonix, AZ.

Macias Chamorro, A., Sonne, J.S., Morton, K., & Shida, J. (2005). Pediatric Amputations: PTSD, Behavioral Tendencies and Quality of Life. Presentation at the American Psychological Association Convention, August, Washington, DC.

Morton, K.R., Worthley, J.S., Testerman, J.K., Mercer, H., McMillin, K.M., Flynn, P.M., & Mason, R.A. (2001). Cultural values and cognitive flexibility as predictors of moral reasoning. Presentation at the American Psychological Convention, San Francisco, CA.

Morton, K.R., Worthley, J.S., & Riggs, M. (2001). Predictors of growth in moral reasoning in medical school. Presentation at the American Psychological Association Convention, San Francisco, CA.

Morton, K.R., & Testerman, J.K. (2001). Predictors of complementary and alternative medicine usage by family practice patients. Presentation at the Alumni Postgraduate Convention, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA.

Morton, K.R., Flynn, P.M., McMillin, K.M., & Mason, R.A. (2001). The costs of palliative care in cancer patients. Presentation at the Western Psychological Association Convention, Maui, HI.

Morton, K.R., Worthley, J.S., & Testerman, J.K. (2001). The roles of cognition, spirituality, and affectivity in moral development. Presentation at the Western Psychological Association Convention, Maui, HI.

Morton, K.R., Testerman, J.K., Mercer, H.N., Mason, R.A., & Young, T.L. (2001). The effect of faith on depression following illness or accident related loss of functioning. Presentation at the Western Psychological Association Convention, Maui, HI.

Morton, K.R., J.K. Testerman, TL Young, Mercer, H., & Rowland, A.L. (2000). Meditational prayer and stress management intervention effects on quality of life. Poster presentation to the American Psychological Society, 12th Annual Convention, Miami Beach, FL, June 9th.

Morton, K.R., deLeon, DM, Mason, R.A., McMillin, K.M., Whalen, T.A., & King, K.T. (2000). Hospice verses Non-hospice Palliative care satisfaction effects on survivorÕs grief reactions. Poster presentation to the American Psychological Society, 12th Annual Convention, Miami Beach, FL, June 9th.

Morton, K.R., deLeon, DM, McMillan, K., Mason, R., & Straatmeyer, A. (1999). Palliative care and hospice satisfaction effects on grief. Presented at the American Psychological Association Convention, Boston, MA, August.

University service

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