Rate My Professor Maureen Kenny

Maureen Kenny is a Professor of Psychology and Associate Chair of Academic Personnel and Diversity in the Department of Psychology at Florida International University’s College of Arts, Sciences, and Education. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University, M.S. in Psychology from Nova University, and B.A. in Psychology from Rutgers College. A licensed psychologist in Florida, Nationally Certified Counselor, and Qualified Supervisor, Dr. Kenny began her career providing direct clinical care to abused children and their families. She contributed to research teams studying the effects of maltreatment and trauma on children, aiding their recovery. Transitioning to prevention, she educated mandated reporters on identifying and reporting abuse early for timely intervention. With funding from the Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade County, she founded and led the KLAS: Kids Learning About Safety program from 2006 to 2011, delivering safety education to preschoolers and parents throughout Miami-Dade County.

Dr. Kenny directs the Maltreatment, Abuse, and Sexual Trauma (MAST) Lab, investigating interpersonal violence, child abuse prevention, mandatory reporting laws, commercial sexual exploitation, and victimization among marginalized groups including Latinx youth, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ youth, and trauma survivors. Her research emphasizes community settings and collaborations with victim-serving agencies. She has published over 90 peer-reviewed articles, more than 100 professional presentations, over 18 book chapters, and three books. Highly cited publications include “Child abuse reporting: Teachers’ perceived deterrents” (2001, 517 citations), “Cyberbullying and LGBTQ youth: A systematic literature review and recommendations for prevention and intervention” (2018, 481 citations), “Teachers’ attitudes toward and knowledge of child maltreatment” (2004, 469 citations), and “Mandatory reporting legislation in the United States, Canada, and Australia” (2008, 383 citations). An international expert in sexual abuse prevention and reporting compliance, her scholarship has garnered over 7,300 citations on Google Scholar. Dr. Kenny has received FIU’s highest Faculty Senate Awards in Teaching, Research, and Service, and the College Dean’s Service Award for four consecutive years. She continues to educate the public and FIU community on mandatory child abuse reporting while teaching psychology courses in person and online.