Education
1994Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Michigan
1991MA in Clinical Psychology from the University of Michigan
1985BA with majors in Government and German Literature, from Cornell University

Professional Positions

2004-Current	Associate Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University
1999-2004	Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University
1997-1999	Clinical Director, Bosnian Mental Health Program, Chicago, Illinois
1996-1999	Adjunct faculty member, Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago
1996-1999	Program Evaluation Consultant, Midwest Hispanic AIDS Coalition
1995-1996	Post-doctoral Fellow in Prevention Research, Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago
1994-1995	Post-doctoral Fellow in Prevention Research, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University

Publications
Miller, K., Kulkarni, M., & Kushner, H. Beyond trauma-focused psychiatric epidemiology: A constructivist approach to bridging research and practice with war-affected populations. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Miller, K., Omidian, P., Quraishy, A.S., Nasiry, M.N., Quraishy, N., Nasiry, S., Karyar, N.M., & Yaqubi, A.  The Afghan Symptom Checklist: A culturally grounded approach to mental health assessment in a conflict zone.  Manuscript submitted for publication.

Miller, K., Kushner, H., McCall, J., Martell, Z, Kulkarni, M., & Laurel, D. Growing up in exile: Psychosocial challenges facing refugee youth in the United States. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Miller, K., Martell, Z., Pazdirek, L., Caruth, M., & Lopez, D. (In press). Interpreting in psychotherapy with refugees: An exploratory study. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry.

Miller, K. (2004). Lessons from the field: Working with refugees in refugee camps and conflict zones. The Community Psychologist (37), 38-40.

Miller, K. (2004).  Beyond the frontstage: Trust, access, and the relational context in research with refugee communities.  American Journal of Community Psychology, 33, 217-227. abstract

Miller, K., & Rasco, L. (Eds.). (2004). The mental health of refugees: Ecological approaches to healing and adaptation. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers, Inc.

Miller, K., & Rasco, L. (2004). An ecological framework for addressing the mental health needs of refugee communities.  In K. Miller & L. Rasco (Eds.), The mental health of refugees: Ecological approaches to healing and adaptation (pp. 1-64). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers, Inc.

Rasco, L., & Miller, K. (2004). Innovations, challenges, and critical issues in the development of ecological mental health interventions with refugees. In K. Miller & L. Rasco (Eds.), The mental health of refugees: Ecological approaches to healing and adaptation (pp. 375-416). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers, Inc.

Hubbard, J., & Miller, K. (2004).  Evaluating community-based mental health and psychosocial interventions in refugee communities.  In K. Miller & L. Rasco (Eds.), The mental health of refugees: Ecological approaches to healing and adaptation (pp. 337-374).  Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers, Inc. 

Miller, K., Worthington, G., Muzurovic, J., Tipping, S., & Goldman, A.  (2002).  Bosnian refugees and the stressors of exile: A narrative study. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 72, 341-354.  abstract

Miller, K., Weine, S., Ramic, A., Brkic, N., Djuric Bjedic, Z., Smajkic, A., Boskailo,  E., & Worthington, G. (2002). The relative contribution of  war experiences and exile-related stressors to levels of psychological distress among Bosnian refugees.  Journal of Traumatic Stress, 15, 377-387.  abstract

Weine, S., Razzano, L., Ramic, A., Brkic, N., Miller, K., Smajkic, A., & Djuric-Bjedic, Z. (2000). Comparing the clinical profiles of Bosnian refugees who have presented for mental health services versus those who have not. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 188, 416-421.

Miller K. (1999). Rethinking a familiar model: Psychotherapy and the mental health of refugees. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 29, 283-306. abstract

Miller, K. (1998). Research and intervention with internally displaced and refugee children. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 4, 365-379. abstract

Banyard, V., & Miller, K. (1998). The powerful potential of qualitative research in community psychology. American Journal of Community Psychology, 24, 485-505. Special issue: Qualitative Methods In Community Psychology (K. Miller & V. Banyard, Guest Eds.). 

Miller, K. (1996). The effects of state terrorism and exile on indigenous Guatemalan refugee children: A mental health assessment and an analysis of children's narratives. Child Development, 67, 89-106. abstract

Miller, K., & Billings, D. (1994). Playing to Grow: A primary mental health intervention with Guatemalan refugee children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 64, 346-356. abstract

Miller, K. (1994). Jugando Para Crecer: Técnicas creativas para la promoción de la salud mental infantil (Playing to Grow: Creative Techniques for the Promotion of Children's Mental Health). In Farías, P. & R. Miranda (Eds.), Experiencias del Refugio Centroamericano: Perspectivas de Salud Mental (pp. 95-104). San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico: Colegio de la Frontera Sur.

Miller, K., King, C., Shane, B., & Naylor, M. (1992). Suicidal adolescents' perceptions of their families' environments. Suicide and Life-threatening Behavior, 22, 226-239. abstract

Intervention and Instructional Manuals
Miller, K., Billings, D., Adkins, M., Beitel, M., Bembenutty, H., Burden, E., Fierstien, J., Freels, J.,  Fuller, D., Irizarry, A., Kaloustian, A., Kaye, J., Miller, V., Moroschan, M., Scherer, C., Tourek, M. (1993).  Playing to Grow: Creative education workshops for children.  A written guide.  Ann Arbor, MI: OCSL Press.

Miller, K. (1995).  Children’s mental health: An introductory workbook for child mental health workers. Dysart, AZ: Migrant Education Program.

Miller, K. (1999).  Program evaluation for HIV/AIDS prevention services: A manual for community organizations.  Chicago: The Midwest Hispanic AIDS Coalition.

Selected Conference Presentations and Invited Talks
Miller, K. (June, 2003). The Afghan Community Wellness Center: Addressing refugee wellbeing through a university-community partnership. Presented as part of a symposium on "Navigating the complexity of university-community partnerships" (K. Miller, Chair), 9th Biennial Meeting of the Society for Community Research and Action, Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Miller, K., Kushner, H., Martell, Z., McCall, J., Laurel, D, Brent, K., Westheimer, J., Kulkarni, M., Lopez, D., Williams, M., & Ortega, D. (May, 2003). Growing up in exile: Psychosocial challenges facing Southeast Asian, Afghan, and other refugee youth in the United States. Invited presentation to the Refugee Studies Programme at the University of Oxford, Oxford, England.

Miller, K. (February, 2002). Interviewing torture survivors seeking asylum. Invited presentation to the International Human Rights Law Clinic, University of California at Berkeley. presentation (will open as a new window)

Miller, K., & Worthington, G. (August, 2001).  Assessing inter-coder agreement in the coding of narrative data.  Presented as part of a symposium on "Qualitative Methods in Community Research: Methodological Issues and Challenges" (K. Miller, Chair), at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA presentation  (PDF file will open as new window)

Miller, K., Pazdirek, L., Silber, Z., & Caruth, M. (August, 2001). Interpreting in psychotherapy with refugees: The interpreter's experience.  Presented as part of a symposium on "Interpreting in Refugee Mental Health Settings" (K. Miller, Chair), at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA. presentation (will open as new window; close to return to this page)

Silber, Z., Pazdirek, L., Caruth, M., & Miller, K. (August, 2001). Complex Emotional Reactions within the Therapist/Client/Interpreter Triad. Presented as part of a symposium on "Interpreting in Refugee Mental Health Settings" (K. Miller, Chair), at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA. presentation (will open as new window, close to return to this page)

Miller, K. (August, 2001). Enhancing the fit: Matching services to the needs and values of refugee communities. Presented as part of a symposium on "Psychosocial Assistance to Refugees: Interventions, Ethics, and Social Reconstruction" (K. Miller, Chair), at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA. presentation (will open as new window; close to return to this page)

Miller, K. (June, 2001).  The role of qualitative methods in research with refugee communities.  Presented as part of a symposium on "Qualitative Approaches to Researching Refugee Communities" (K. Miller, Chair), at the biennial meeting of the Society for Community Research and Action (Division 27 of the American Psychological Association), Atlanta, Georgia.

Zahir, G., Kakar, K., Zahir, M., & Miller, K. (June, 2001). Psychosocial Challenges Facing Afghan Women Refugees in the United States. Presented as part of a symposium on "Qualitative Approaches to Researching Refugee Communities" (K. Miller, Chair), at the biennial meeting of the Society for Community Research and Action (Division 27 of the American Psychological Association), Atlanta, Georgia. .

Capella, E., Rasco, L., & Miller, K. (June, 2001). Community-Based Interventions for Refugee Children: Theory and Evaluation. Roundtable presentation & discussion held at the biennial meeting of the Society for Community Research and Action (Division 27 of the American Psychological Association), Atlanta, Georgia.

Miller, K. (Sept., 2000).  From clinic to community: Ecological approaches to refugee mental health.  Invited presentation to the 3rd Annual International Conference of the Disaster Mental Health Institute, on "Refugee Mental Health".  Rapid City, South Dakota.  Click here for an updated version of this presentation.

Miller, K., Worthington, G., Muzurovic, J., Goldman, A., Tipping, S., & Muzurovic, J. (August, 2000). Bosnian refugees and the experience of exile. Presented at the 108th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, in Washington, DC. poster  (requires Microsoft Word to open)

Miller, K., Worthington, G., Muzurovic, J., Tipping, S., Goldman, A., & Muzurovic, J.  (August 2000). Older refugees and the crisis of exile. Presented at the 108th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, in Washington, DC

Miller, K., Weine, S., Ramic, A., Brkic, N., Djuric Bjedic, Z., Smajkic, A., Boskailo,  E., & Worthington, G. (Nov., 1999). The relative contribution of war events, social isolation, and daily activities to levels of PTSD and depression among Bosnian refugees. Presented at the 15th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Miami, FL.

Miller, K. (September, 1999). Language and the experience of exile. Invited address to the 1999 Pennsylvania Refugee and Immigrant Consultation, Philadelphia, PA.

Miller, K. (September, 1999). The value of a comprehensive approach to mental health work with political refugees. Invited address to the 1999 Pennsylvania Refugee and Immigrant Consultation, Philadelphia, PA.

Miller, K. (November, 1998). Challenges in psychotherapy with Bosnian refugees in Chicago. Presented at the 14th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Washington, DC.

Miller, K. (October, 1998). Healing the wounds of war: Responding to the mental health needs of Bosnian refugees in the United States. Invited address to the 1998 Pennsylvania Refugee Consultation, Philadelphia, PA.

Miller, K. (May, 1996). The value of discrepant findings: On combining qualitative and quantitative strategies in our research endeavors. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Illinois Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.

Miller, K. (March, 1995). "Children and political violence: New directions for research and intervention". Presented as part of a symposium on "Children and political violence" (K. Miller, Chair), at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Indianapolis, IN.

Miller, K. (June, 1993). The Children and Family Violence Project: A community-based domestic violence intervention in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico. Presented at the Fourth Biennial Meeting of the Society for Community Research and Action (Division 27 of the American Psychological Association), Williamsburg, VA.

Miller, K. (June, 1993). Methodological issues in cross-cultural mental health research with children. Presented at the Fourth Biennial Meeting of the Society for Community Research and Action (Division 27 of the American Psychological Association), Williamsburg, VA.

Miller, K., & Billings, D. (May, 1993). Playing to Grow: A primary mental health intervention with Guatemalan refugee children. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Orthopsychiatric Association, San Francisco, CA.

Reviewer for the Following Journals
Journal of Traumatic Stress (Editorial Board)
American Journal of Community Psychology (Ad hoc Reviewer)
Social Science and Medicine (Ad hoc Reviewer)
Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved (Ad hoc Reviewer)

Membership in Professional Associations

• Member, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS)
• Western Regional Co-coordinator for the Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA), Division 27 of the American Psychological Association  
• Book Review Editor,  The Community Psychologist
• Member, Peace Psychology, Division 48 of the American Psychological Association
• Co-coordinator, Bay Area Community Psychology Network
• Member, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI)

Beyond the Frontstage: 
Trust, Access, and the Relational Context in Research with Refugee Communities

Miller, K. (In press). American Journal of Community Psychology

This paper examines the role of trust and the concept of access as they affect the relational context in which community research, and research with refugee communities in particular, is conducted. It is argued that gaining authentic ("backstage") access to refugee communities, as well as other communities with a self-protective insularity, depends on the relational context that develop between researchers and community members. Goffman’s metaphor of frontstage and backstage behavior is used to illustrate the complexity and importance of developing of relations of trust, and thereby gaining “backstage” access, in communities that are generally closed to outsiders. Throughout the paper, key points are illustrated with examples drawn from the author's research with refugees from Guatemala, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. The paper also examines the puzzling lack of discussion regarding issues of trust, access, and the relational context in the literature on refugee mental health. Explanations for this apparent inattention are sought in the influence of the prevailing scientific paradigm that guides most research with refugees, and that shapes the values of the field's "gatekeepers", the editors and reviewers of scholarly journals.

 Miller, K., Weine, S., Ramic, A., Brkic, N., Djuric Bjedic, Z., Smajkic, A., Boskailo, E., & Worthington, G. (In press). Journal of Traumatic Stress.

This paper examines with a somewhat critical eye the primary role that psychotherapy and other clinic-based services currently play in addressing the mental health needs of political refugees in the industrialized countries. Two factors are considered which suggest that refugee mental health needs might be better served with a variety of community-based interventions. The first factor concerns the pervasiveness of psychological distress within refugee communities, coupled with the reluctance of many refugees to utilize formal psychological and psychiatric services. This calls into question both the adequacy and appropriateness of clinical-based services as cornerstones of our response to the mental health needs of refugees. More precisely, it suggests the need to complement such services with a variety of culturally grounded, community-based strategies that do not require attendance in formal mental health settings. Second, recent findings have shown consistently that a considerable amount of the distress reported by refugees is related not to prior exposure to violent events, but rather to a constellation of exile-related stressors such as the loss of one's community and social network, the loss of important life projects, changes in socioeconomic status and related concerns about economic survival, the loss of meaningful structure and activity in daily life, and the loss of meaningful social roles. It is suggested that while psychotherapy can play an important adjunctive role in helping confront these exile-related stressors, they may most effectively be addressed through targeted community-based interventions. Examples of such community-based interventions are briefly described, and suggestions are offered for community-level strategies that might be explored. The paper concludes by emphasizing the complementary nature of clinical and community-based programs, and by suggesting that psychotherapy might best be conceptualized as one component of a more comprehensive approach to addressing the mental health needs of refugees communities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

This article examines the G. Machel Study, The Impact of Armed Conflict on Children (1996), with a focus on the mental health of internally displaced and refugee children. Observations of the Machel Study are located within the context of the current psychological literature on refugee and displaced children and families. Gaps in our current knowledge that might be the focus of future research efforts are considered, and several issues are identified that are not discussed in the Machel Study, but that are particularly salient for psychologists working in this area.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Examined the mental health and psychosocial development of 58 Guatemalan Mayan Indian children (aged 7-16 years) living in 2 refugee camps in Chiapas, Mexico. Assessment instruments and semi-structured interviews were utilized to gather phenomenological data from Ss regarding developmental, sociocultural, and political topics. Results show minimal evidence of psychological trauma in this sample, and various factors are suggested to account for this finding. A positive relationship between Ss' mental health and the physical and mental health status of their mothers was found. A strong association between depressive symptomatology in girls and poor health status in their mothers was also found. Qualitative data from the interviews are presented, focusing on Ss' understanding of why their families fled Guatemala, the nature and causes of the violence, and their thoughts and feelings regarding the prospect of returning to Guatemala in the future.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Describes a mental health intervention program undertaken in Guatemala, focusing on the mental health and psychosocial development of Guatemalan refugee children. The program uses a variety of expressive arts techniques to assist children in safely and creatively exploring salient issues related to the experience of growing up in exile, including individual and collective drawing, sociodrama, and role-playing. The goals of the intervention include providing the children with expressive arts techniques through which to share their thoughts and feelings, creating a supportive context in which they can examine positive aspects of their homeland and culture, and facilitating the development of children's capacity for creative thinking and activity.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

15 suicidal adolescents (SADs [mean age 14.93 yrs]), 14 age-matched psychiatric controls (PCTLs), and 14 age-matched normal controls (NCTLs) rated their families on cohesiveness, adaptability, parent-adolescent communication, parental caring, and parental overprotectiveness. SADs rated their families as the least cohesive and most rigid of the 3 groups, suggesting that adolescent suicidal behavior may occur when isolation is experienced within an inflexible family system. SADs and PCTLs rated their families as similarly dysfunctional along the remaining variables, and as more dysfunctional than families of NCTLs. It is suggested that several characteristics commonly attributed to families of suicidal adolescents may actually be general risk factors for adolescent psychopathology, rather than for suicidal behavior specifically.