Brenda A Bursch

Brenda A Bursch is a Professor of Clinical in both Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine. She maintains active clinical and research roles across multiple departments focusing on pediatric psychological health and complex medical conditions.

Dr. Bursch's research spans pediatric psychology with specialized expertise in factitious disorder, Munchausen by proxy, pediatric pain management, and end-of-life care. Her work frequently addresses military-connected families, psychological aspects of pediatric seizures, and mental health interventions for children with complex medical conditions. She has developed expertise in telemental health delivery and mindfulness-based stress reduction for healthcare providers.

Her publication record shows consistent scholarly output since the 1990s with recent emphasis on military family resilience, hybrid mental health delivery models, and specialized care for vulnerable pediatric populations. Her research demonstrates interdisciplinary collaboration across pediatrics, psychiatry, nursing, and oncology.

Dr. Bursch has mentored numerous researchers and clinicians, particularly in pediatric psychology and psychiatry. Her work has contributed significantly to understanding factitious disorders, pediatric pain, and psychological aspects of chronic medical conditions in children.

She is actively involved in clinical care, research, and education at UCLA, with recent work addressing the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers and developing innovative mental health delivery models for pediatric populations.