Psychology pioneer Emory Cowen dies

Cowen

mory Cowen, an eminent professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University credited with revolutionizing mental health care by introducing prevention programs, died November 30. He was 74.

In 1957, Cowen and his colleagues initiated the Primary Mental Health Project (PMHP). The experimental program identified moderately troubled primary school children and, in a one-to-one setting, helped them learn to resolve conflicts and cope better. The goal was to prevent more serious problems in later years by providing early intervention.

Praised for its focus on building wellness rather than treating emotional damage after the fact, PMHP has been adopted in more than 1,000 school districts around the world.

"Emory Cowen is one of the major figures in the history of clinical psychology," said Dante Cicchetti, a colleague of Cowen's and the director of Mt. Hope Family Center, which is affiliated with the University's Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology. "His insistence on rigorous evaluations of the efficacy of prevention programs presaged current beliefs in the criticality of documenting the effectiveness of interventions. Without Dr. Cowen's insightful contributions, the quality of theory, research, and treatment in mental health prevention would be significantly poorer and far less respected."

Among Cowen's numerous awards were the American Psychological Association's (APA) Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest, the APA's Seymour B. Sarason Award for Community Research and Action, the Creative Community Program Award from the New York State Division of Youth, and the Outstanding Research Contribution Award from the New York State Psychological Association.

The author or co-author of more than 300 articles and research papers as well as numerous books, he served as the associate or advisory editor of several journals, including the American Journal of Community Psychology.

Cowen earned his bachelor's degree from Brooklyn College in 1944. After service in the Navy, he returned to graduate school and received his doctorate from Syracuse University in 1950, when he joined the faculty at Rochester.

In addition to teaching courses in clinical psychology and in research and community mental health, he was the founding director of the Center for Community Study, established in 1969. Cowen served as director of the undergraduate counseling service and as assistant and associate chairman of the psychology department. In 1992, he received the University's Graduate Teaching Award.

In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to send donations to the Mt. Hope Family Center, 187 Edinburgh St., Rochester, NY 14608, Attn.: Dante Cicchetti, for a memorial at the Mt. Hope Family Center to be established in Cowen's name.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 20, in the Interfaith Chapel on the River Campus.

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