Robert Crosby, Ph.D.

Single-Subject Teaching Credential SB2042 - English/Psychology (2009), Azusa Pacific University

BEH 250 - Foundational Skills in Behavioral Sciences I
BEH 290 - Foundational Skills in Behavioral Sciences II
BEH 383 - Statistical Techniques in Behavioral Sciences w/ SPSS
BEH 385 - Methods of Research w/ SPSS
EDU 525 - Survey of Educational Research (Graduate Level)

Religion as a source of social support for children
Evidence-based instruction in higher education
Adolescent literacy

Areas of Expertise:

Quantitative methodology, research design, behavioral science methodology
Social support, cognition, individual differences, motivation
Test and measurement

University of California, Riverside, Graduate School of Education:
EDUC 109 - Diversity in Education
EDUC 110 - Educational Psychology

BOOKS

Crosby, R. G., & Crosby, L. A. (2022). Trauma-informed children’s ministry: A practical guide to reaching hurting kids. Cascade Books.

Crosby, R. G. (2020). IBM SPSS Statistics lab manual for the behavioral sciences. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt.

PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES

Crosby, R. G., Smith, E. I., Gage, J. & Blanchette, L. (2021). Trauma-informed children’s ministry: A qualitative descriptive study. Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, 14, 493-505. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-020-00334-w

Crosby, R. G., Smith, E. I., LaChausse, R. G., Blanchette, L., & Palardy, G. J. (2021). Practices of supportive church children’s ministries: An exploratory multilevel investigation of Church of the Nazarene congregations in the United States. Review of Religious Research, 63, 381-409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13644-021-00446-1

Smith, E. I. & Crosby, R. G. (2021). The effect of socially supportive church ministry on children’s prosocial behaviour: An experimental study of Latin American Protestant Congregations [Special issue]. Journal for Prevention and Intervention in the Community. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10852352.2021.1924591

Crosby, R. G., & Smith, E. I. (2018). Creating a new survey for a specific population: The Kids' Church Survey. SAGE Research Methods Cases. doi:10.4135/9781526447333

Crosby, R. G., *Ritt, B., & Slunaker, J. (2018). Motivation for religious sacrifice: Classification, measurement, and longitudinal association with psycho-spiritual well-being. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/rel0000162

Crosby, R. G., & Smith, E. I. (2017). Measuring children's church-based social support: Development and initial validation of the Kids' Church Survey. Social Development. Social Development, 2, 423-442. doi:10.1111/sode.12198

Putulowski, J. R., Crosby, R. G. (2017). The effect of personalized instructor-student email and text messages on online students' perceived course quality, social integration with faculty, and institutional commitment. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice, 21, 184-201. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025117696823

Smith, E. I., & Crosby, R. G. (2016). Unpacking religious affiliation: Exploring associations between Christian children's religious cultural context, God image, and self-esteem across development. British Journal of Developmental Psychology. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 35, 76-90. doi:10.1111/bjdp.12156

Blanchette, L., & Crosby, R. G. (2016). The measurement and evaluation of children's ministry praxis. Christian Education Journal, 13, 247-265. https://doi.org/10.1177/073989131601300202

Avila, J., Jacobs, F., & Crosby, R. G. (2015). An exploration of family business dynamics in the restoration industry. The Journal of Cleaning, Restoration, and Inspection, 2, 10-17.

Crosby, R. G. (2015). Examining the formal education of children’s ministers in the United States: Suggestions for professional development, Christian education, and emerging research. Christian Education Journal, 12, 26-44. https://doi.org/10.1177/073989131501200103

Crosby, R. G., & Smith, E. I. (2015). Church support as a predictor of children’s spirituality and prosocial behavior. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 43, 243-254. https://doi.org/10.1177/009164711504300402

Crosby, R. G., Smith, E. I., & Frederick, T. (2015). The kid-friendly church: What makes children feel loved, valued, and part of a supportive community? Journal of Family and Community Ministries, 28, 87-109.

Crosby, R. G., Davis, D., & Simnjanovski, R. (2015). Evidence-based online course development practices using three years of incoming student data. Journal of US-China Education Review A, 5, 602-609.

Crosby, R. G. (2013). Reading attitudes as a predictor of Latino adolescents' reading comprehension (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1465060053).

PROFESSIONAL PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS

Crosby, R. G., Smith, E. I., LaChasse, R. G., Blanchette, L. M. (2019). Religious communities as a health resource for children: characteristics of socially supportive churches. Paper presented at the Clute Institute Education Conference, Orlando, FL.

Putulowski, J. R., & Crosby, R. G. (2018, January). Marketing a mental health care specialization: The 4 P’s of Play Therapy. Paper presented at the Clute Institute Business and Education Conference, Orlando, FL.

Love, J.*, Smith, E. I., & Crosby, R. G. (2017, May). Understanding science rejection: Using memory to investigate implicit biases about scientists. Poster session presented at the 29th Annual Convention for the Association for Psychological Science, Boston, MA.

Putulowski, J. R., Crosby, R. G. (2017, January). Building strong faculty-student relationships: A path to lower attrition rates at online universities. Paper presented at Clute International Conference on Education, Maui, HI.

*Ritt, B., & Crosby, R. G. (2017, January). Motivated sacrifice as a predictor of religiosity and spirituality. Poster presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Convention, San Antonio, TX.

Crosby, R. G., and Smith, E. I. (2015, July). A measure of children’s church-based social support. Poster session presented at the meeting of the Second European Conference on Ethics, Religion, and Philosophy, Brighton, UK.

Crosby, R. G., and Smith, E. I. (2015, July). God-image as a mediator between religious influences and children’s self-esteem. Paper presented at the meeting of the Second European Conference on Psychology and the Behavioral Sciences, Brighton, UK.

Simnjanovski, R., Morris E., Crosby, R. G., & Davis, D. (2015, January). A pilot study: The relationship between non-cognitive factors and student retention for distance education. Paper presented at the meeting of the Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, HI.

Smith, E. I., & Crosby, R. G. (2015, March). Church support as a predictor of children’s spirituality and prosocial behavior. Poster presented at the biannual conference of the Society of Research in Child Development, Philadelphia, PA.

Crosby, R. G., Davis, D., & Simnjanovski, R. (2014, January). Effective course development for online delivery: Evidence-based practices utilizing incoming student data. Paper presented at the Clute Institute Education Conference, Orlando, FL.

Crosby, R. G., Davis, D., & Simnjanovski, R. (2014, January). Evidence-based online course development practices using three years of incoming student data. Paper presented at the International Conference on Information Communication Technologies in Education, Kos, Greece.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

Crosby, R. G., & Smith, E. (2021, November 6). Ministry to Hurting Kids: How Trauma Impacts the Kids We Love and What to Do About It. Toronto Children’s Ministry Conference 2021, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Crosby, R G., & Smith, K. (2021, April 23-25). Whole child worship: Leading children in multidimensional engagement with God. SPARK Children's Ministry Conference, Nashville, TN, United States.

Crosby, R G., & Smith, K. (2021, March 4-6). Whole child worship: Leading children in multidimensional engagement with God. SPARK Children's Ministry Conference, Nashville, TN, United States.

Crosby, R. G. (2014, November). Foundations of children’s ministry: The value of authentic relationship. Presented at Flipside Church, Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

I attend Life Bible Fellowship in Upland with my wife Lori and children Reagan and RJ. My wife and I are both active in the Sunday morning children's ministry.