Meet a Civitan Scientist is a series that highlights the impactful research of Civitan scientists and their contributions to understanding and addressing neurodevelopmental challenges.

In this installment, Brandon Rocque, M.D., a professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, explores his research on the psychological and support needs of pediatric patients and families experiencing neurosurgical problems.

The Rocque Lab studies how psychological issues, including traumatic stress and anxiety, can stem from pediatric conditions requiring neurosurgical intervention. Identifying these psychological responses allows researchers to provide support that improves family experiences and overall child outcomes.

“Having a child with a disability alone is stressful for families,” Rocque said. “Having an issue that might need neurosurgical treatment just compounds that stress. Our program has the potential to make a huge impact by providing psychological and social support.”

Civitan’s impact on research and training

Civitan has played a critical role in supporting this work. Rocque said Civitan’s backing helped launch the early research that led to the development of his current program.

“Civitan has been a huge supporter of my work,” Rocque said. “They provided critical funding for some of the early research that led us to the program we are now developing.”

He added that the collaboration between UAB and Civitan allows researchers to approach complex problems from multiple perspectives.

"Civitan International is a leader in the field of neurological and developmental disabilities in children,” Rocque said. Having an institution like Civitan on campus at UAB and having Civitan scientists available as collaborators allows us to think deeply about these problems and approach from a variety of perspectives.”

Looking ahead, Rocque hopes his research becomes a model and standard of pediatric neurosurgical care around the nation.

“If families are well adjusted and have good coping skills, they can take better care of their kids,” Rocque said. “Healthy families lead to better outcomes for kids with special needs.