Faculty - Lisa J. Merlo, Ph.D.
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Lisa J. Merlo, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Psychiatry e-mail: lmerlo@ufl.edu |
Dr. Merlo is a licensed clinical psychologist and currently serves as chief of the Division of Undergraduate Education and director of the Addiction Medicine Public Health Research Group. She is active in research, teaching, clinical intervention, and service. Dr. Merlo has been involved in advocacy efforts for mental health parity and has assisted with the Gainesville Law Enforcement “Project Safe Kids” training program. She is involved with campus promotion of Mental Illness Awareness Week and collaborates with the Area Health Education Centers across Florida to provide training in motivational interviewing interventions for smoking cessation counselors and other healthcare providers. Dr. Merlo is a member of several scientific and professional societies, and serves as a reviewer for various academic journals in psychology and psychiatry.
| Degree Program |
Institution | Field/Specialty |
| B.A. |
Transylvania University |
Psychology, Spanish, & Drama |
| M.A. |
Wayne State University |
Psychology |
| Internship | University of Florida |
Clinical Child/Pediatric Psychology |
| Ph.D. | Wayne State University | Clinical Psychology |
| Post Doc | University of Florida |
Clinical Child/Pediatric Psychology |
| Post Doc | Washington University (St. Louis) |
Substance Abuse Epidemiology/Prevention |
Educational Interests and Accomplishments:
Dr. Merlo’s primary research focus is on psychosocial factors related to addiction. She is particularly interested in binge drinking and drug use among college students and adolescents, the phenomenology/nosology of various addictions, substance use disorders among medical professionals, improving awareness and education related to the disease of addiction, and motivational and cognitive-behavioral interventions for behavior change. Dr. Merlo collaborates with researchers in Emergency Medicine, Public Health, Epidemiology, Advertising, Anesthesiology, Psychiatry, Surgery, and Neuroscience.
With regard to teaching, Dr. Merlo provides instruction in the areas of psychological assessment and intervention, as well as addiction medicine and general patient care. Dr. Merlo serves as a medical student instructor for Essentials of Patient Care I & II, Interdisciplinary Family Health, and Human Behavior. She also gives several lectures for the Psychiatry clerkship. Dr. Merlo teaches resident/fellow seminars in Introductory Psychotherapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Psychological Assessment, and Therapeutic Interventions for Children and Adolescents. She contributes to undergraduate education through serving as the course director for several online courses and lecturing for the Junior Honors Seminar in Neuroscience. Additionally, Dr. Merlo serves as a research mentor to numerous undergraduate students.
Dr. Merlo specializes in cognitive-behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing treatments, particularly with children and adolescents. Her primary area of expertise is in treating anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder. Dr. Merlo also conducts therapy for patients with mood disorders, disruptive behavior disorders, tic disorders, adjustment disorders, and psychological factors related to chronic illness.
Selected Publications (from 9/05 to 9/08)
Merlo, L.J., Storch, E.A., Geffken, G., & Murphy, T.K. (2005). Assessment of pediatric OCD: A critical review of current methodology. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 36, 195-214.
Lewin, A., Storch, E.A., Merlo, L.J., Adkins, J.W., Murphy, T.K., & Geffken, G.R. (2005). Intensive cognitive behavioral therapy for pediatric obsessive compulsive disorder: A treatment protocol for mental health providers. Psychological Services, 2, 91-104.
Merlo, L.J., & Storch, E.A. (2006). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Tools for recognizing its many expressions. Journal of Family Practice, 55, 217-222.
Storch, E.A. & Merlo, L.J. (2006). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Strategies for using CBT and pharmacotherapy. Journal of Family Practice, 55, 329-333.
Merlo, L.J., Bowman, M. & Barnett, D. (2007). Parental nurturance promotes reading achievement in low SES children. Early Education and Development, 18, 51-69.
Heidgerken, A.D., Merlo, L.J., Williams, L.B., Lewin, A.B., Gelfand, K., Malasanos, T., Silverstein, J.H., Storch, E.A., & Geffken, G.R. (2007). Diabetes Awareness and Reasoning Test: A preliminary analysis of development and psychometrics. Children’s Health Care, 36, 117-136.
Storch, E.A., Merlo, L.J., Larson, M.J., Fernandez, M., Jacob, M.L., Geffken, G.R., Grabill, K.,
Murphy, T.K., & Goodman, W.K. (2007). Family accommodation in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 36, 207-216.
Storch, E.A., Geffken, G.R., Merlo, L.J., Mann, G., Duke, D., Munson, M., Adkins, J., Grabill, K., Murphy, T.K., & Goodman, W.K. (2007). Family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: Comparison of intensive and weekly approaches. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 46, 469-478.
Gold, M.S. & Merlo, L.J. (2007). Performance-enhancing medications and drugs of abuse (Introduction to the Special Issue). Journal of Addictive Diseases, 25, 1-4.
Storch, E.A., Merlo, L.J., Bengtson, M., Murphy, T.K., Lewis, M.H., Yang, M.C., Jacob, M.L., Larson, M., Hirsh, A., Fernandez, M., Geffken, G.R., Goodman, W.K. (2007). D-Cycloserine does not enhance exposure-response prevention therapy in obsessive-compulsive disorder. International Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 22, 230-237.
Merlo, L.J. & Lakey, B. (2007). Trait and social Influences in the links among adolescent attachment, coping, and depressive symptoms. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 36, 195-206.
Grabill, K., Merlo, L.J., Duke, D., Harford, K. L., Keeley, M. L., Geffken, G. R., & Storch, E.A. (2008). Assessment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: A review. Journal of AnxietyDisorders, 22, 1-17.
Storch, E. A., Merlo, L. J., Larson, M., Marien, W. E., Geffken, G. R., Jacob, M. L., Goodman, W. K., & Murphy, T. K. (2008). Clinical features associated with treatment resistant pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 49, 35-42.
Merlo, L.J., Collins, A., & Bernstein, J. (2008). CUDCP-affiliated clinical psychology student views of their science training. Training & Education in Professional Psychology, 2, 58-65.
Storch, E.A., Merlo, L.J., Larson, M.J., Geffken, G.R., Lehmkuhl, H.D., Jacob, M.L., Murphy, T.K., Goodman, W.K. (2008). Impact of comorbidity on cognitive-behavioral therapy response in pediatric obsessive compulsive disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 47, 583-92.
Graham, N.A., Merlo, L.J., Goldberger, B.A., & Gold, M.S. (2008). Methadone- and heroin-related deaths in Florida. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 34, 347-53.
Merlo, L.J. & Gold, M.S. (2008). Prescription opioid abuse and dependence among physicians: Treatment & hypotheses. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 16, 181-194.
Merlo, L.J. & Gold, M.S. (2008). Addiction research and treatment: The state of the art in 2008. Psychiatric Times, 25, 52-57.
Merlo, L.J., Goldberger, B., Kolodner, D., Fitzgerald, K. & Gold, M.S. (2008). Fentanyl & propofol exposure in the operating room: Sensitization hypotheses and further data. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 27, 67-76.
Storch, E.A., Keeley, M., Merlo, L.J., Jacob, M.L., Correia, C., & Weinstein, D.A. (2008). Psychosocial functioning in youth with glycogen storage disease type 1. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 33(7):728-738. Epub 2008 Feb 23.
Merlo, L.J. & Gold, M.S. (in press). Elements of successful treatment programs for physicians with addictions. Psychiatric Times.
Merlo, L.J., Lehmkuhl, H.D., Geffken, G.R., & Storch, E.A. (in press). Family accommodation associated with improved therapy outcome in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
Lehmkuhl, H.D., Merlo, L.J., Storch, E.A., Heidgerken, A., Silverstein, J.H., & Geffken, G.R. (in press). Cognitive Abilities in a Sample of Youth with Poorly Controlled Type I Diabetes. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities.