Richard E. Adams

Richard E. Adams is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Kent State University's College of Arts & Sciences. He serves as Department Chair (2019-2024) and has active roles in curriculum development and graduate education. His research focuses on mental health, community sociology, positive youth development, and disaster response.

• PhD: Indiana University, Bloomington (1989)
• MA: The Catholic University of America (1982)
• BA: California State University at Long Beach (1979)

Research Interests: His work spans trauma epidemiology, examining PTSD in veterans and police officers, neighborhood effects on adolescent substance use, and resilience mechanisms in post-disaster contexts. He developed the Medic Mettle Scale (2012-2013) for trauma assessment in military medics and studies emotional management in healthcare providers.

Publications & Trends: Recent works (2015-2022) focus on moral injury among veterans, trauma exposure patterns in law enforcement, and developmental assets in urban youth. These publications span interdisciplinary topics bridging criminology, public health, and social psychology.

Awards:

• 2018 Distinguished Honors Faculty Award for excellence in teaching and advising

Grants: Principal Investigator for DoD-funded Medic Mettle Scale development (2012-2013), and Subaward PI for National Guard mental health study (2015-2018).