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Division Head, Pediatric Psychology Clinical Director, Obesity Center
Education: PhD, Texas Tech University
Residency: The Medical College of Georgia/Augusta VA Psychology Residency Consortium
Fellowship: The Medical College of Georgia, Hartford Hospital/The Institute of Living
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Dr. Santos is a psychologist specializing in the family treatment of pediatric obesity. She works with adolescents and their families preparing for bariatric surgery and families participating in non-surgical weight management programming. Dr. Santos supervises psychology and medical students in clinical and research activities within the obesity program. In addition to her work at Connecticut Children’s, Dr. Santos serves as the President of the Society of Pediatric Psychology.
Santos, M., Cadieux, A., Gray, J. & Ward, W. (2016). Pediatric Obesity in Early Childhood: A Physician Screening Tool. Clinical Pediatrics, 55, 356-362.
Cadieux, A., Getzoff, E., Baughcum, A., Shaffer, L., Santos, M., Gaffka, B., Gray, J., Burton, E. & Ward, W. (2016). Recommendations for Psychologists in Stage III Pediatric Obesity Programs. Children’s Health Care, 45, 126-145.
Gray, J.S., Cadieux, A., Sweeney, B., Beck, A., Edgar, S., Eneli, I., Getzoff Testa, E., Paguio, K., Santos, M., & Ward, W. (in press). Medical neglect and pediatric obesity: Insights from tertiary care obesity treatment programs. Children’s Health Care.
Astur, R.S., Carew, A.W., Palmisano, A., Deaton, B.E., Kuhney, F., Niezrecki, R., & Santos, M. (2016). Cravings in a Virtual Reality Room Paired with Chocolate Predict Eating Disorder Risk. International Journal of Child Health and Human Development, 9, 9-19.
Santos, M., Murtaugh, T., Pantaleao, A. Zempsky, W. & Guite, J. (In Press) Chronic Pain and Obesity within a Pediatric Interdisciplinary Pain Clinic Setting: A Preliminary Examination of Current Relationships and Future Directions. Clinical Journal of Pain.
View Dr. Santos’s full list of publications
July Is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, also known as BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month. BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous and People of Color. This month brings awareness to the unique mental health needs these groups face. Connecticut Children’s Dr. Melissa Santos, Division Head of Pediatric Psychology and Associate Chair for […]
Posted In: Diversity + Equity + Inclusion, Mental Health
Many of us did not grow up using gender pronouns beyond he, she, his, hers, her and him. This has all changed in recent years as many social justice and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) issues have reshaped our thinking to be more inclusive. The pronouns we use are only one piece of the complex […]
A recent study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) revealed a possible link between social media and brain changes in young adolescents. MRI brain scans showed that teens who frequently check social media had increased activation in certain parts of their brain, which could lead to changes in impulse control and regulation. […]
Posted In: Behavioral Health, Media Use/Screen Time
