Myrna B. Shure, Ph.D.

Myrna Shure, professor emeritus at Drexel, celebrated child psychologist, researcher, and author, has died at 85
The Philadelphia Inquirer Obituary (2023)

Dr. Shure's work continues through the I Can Problem Solve® and Raising a Thinking Child® programs. Learn more on the ICPS website.

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Read a welcome message from Dr. Shure.

Myrna B. Shure, received her Ph.D from Cornell University in 1966, and is professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Her Interpersonal Cognitive Problem Solving (ICPS) programs, now called I Can Problem Solve (also ICPS) and her pioneering research with George Spivack have won four national awards. One of these, the Lela Rowland Prevention Award (1982) was from the National Mental Health Association. Three were from the American Psychological Association: the Division of Community Psychology’s Distinguished Contribution Award (1984), the Task Force on Promotion, Prevention, and Intervention Alternatives in Psychology (1986), and the Division of Clinical Psychology, Child Clinical Section (1993). ICPS has also been recognized by the 1999 President’s Report on School Safety, by the Center for the Study of Prevention and Violence, by the Expert Panel, Safe, Disciplined, and Drug Free Schools, US Department of Education (2001), the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, 2001, in 2002 by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning {CASEL}, and again in 2012, and in 2006 and in 2012 by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention {OJJDP}. In 2011, ICPS became included in the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP). From the Society of Counseling Pyschology - Prevention Section, American Psychological Association, she was awarded the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award. She also received the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Center for the Promotion of Social & Emotional Learning (CPSEL).

Dr. Shure is the author or coauthor of six books, I Can Problem Solve curriculum guides for preschool through grade six for use in schools, and numerous book chapters and journal articles. Her most recent books for parents, Raising a Thinking Child {Holt, 1994; paperback, Pocket Books, 1996; audiotape, BDD Audio, 1996}, Raising a Thinking Child Workbook {Original Publication, Holt, 1996; Research Press, 2000}, and Raising a Thinking Preteen {Holt, 2000; paperback, Owl/Holt, 2001), help children learn to resolve everyday conflicts and get along with others. Her third trade book for parents, Thinking Parent, Thinking Child, originally published by McGraw Hill in 2005, now published by Research Press, helps families turn their most challenging problems into solutions.

The Raising a Thinking Child Workbook (for families of preschool children through age 6) has been recognized as an exemplary research-based prevention program by the Strengthening America’s Families project, sponsored by the University of Utah and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention {OJJDP}{1996} and also, in 2000 in collaboration with the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP).

Both the I Can Problem Solve programs (for schools) and Raising A Thinking Child (for families) were recognized by the Mid-Atlantic Region of Health and Human Services as among the top six violence prevention programs in a six state area {1997}.

The Raising A Thinking Child book and audio are 1996 Parents’ Choice Award Winners, and Raising A Thinking Preteen is a 2001 Parents’ Choice Award Winner.

In recognition of her parlaying three decades of scientific research into a prevention program that teaches children how to think and resolve problems, and her contributions to teachers and families through her books and two multi-part radio series on WHYY FM, Philadelphia, the latter called Talking About Kids which aired January 8th through April 9th, 1998, Dr. Shure was a recipient of the 1998 Sarah Award in the category of Education given by the Philadelphia Chapter of Women in Communications.

Based on her contributions of psychology to the media. Dr. Shure was the 1999 recipient of the Psychology in the Media Award, Pennsylvania Psychological Association. She also wrote a weekly parenting column for the Philadelphia Daily News, a Knight-Ridder newspaper (1999-2003), and has been a regular expert for Early Childhood Today, e-version, published by Scholastic. Dr. Shure speaks nationwide on issues relating to our nation’s youth.

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