Rate My Professor Leslie Kelley

Dr. Leslie J. Kelley serves as Associate Professor and Director of the M.S. and Psy.D. Counseling Psychology Programs in the Department of Psychology at Angelo State University, a position he has held since July 2024 following promotion from Assistant Professor, whom he joined full-time in 2020 after serving as adjunct from 2018. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Texas Woman’s University (2015), with a dissertation titled 'A Study Exploring the Feasibility and Integrity of Key Strategies Training'; an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from the same university (2011), with a thesis on 'Development and Evaluation of the Key Strategies Rating Questionnaire'; an M.A. in Philosophy from Franciscan University (2001); and a B.A. in Philosophy from Franciscan University (2000). Previously, Kelley was Psychology Professor and Associate Professor at Collin College (2002–2020), Department Chair of Behavioral and Cultural Sciences at North Central Texas College (2013–2017), Graduate Teaching Assistant at Texas Woman’s University (2012–2013), and adjunct instructor at various institutions including El Centro College (2001–2006).

Kelley’s research specializations include counseling psychology, multitheoretical psychotherapy, psychomythology, abnormal psychology, ethics in psychotherapy, human values across cultures, and philosophical foundations of psychology. He is co-author of key textbooks such as Abnormal Psychology: Myths of “Crazy” (1st ed., 2016; 2nd ed., 2017; 3rd ed., 2020) and Foundations of Abnormality: Myths, Misconceptions, and Movies (2018), both with Drew A. Curtis and published by Kendall Hunt. Notable publications encompass 'Accuracy and response time for modus ponens syllogisms vary by controversial topic and categorical emotion' (Psychological Reports, 2023), 'Amending the Polish Adaptation of the Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ PL)' (Przegląd Psychologiczny, 2023), and 'An analysis of Lilienfeld et al.'s (2015) problematic psychological terms' (The Journal of General Psychology, 2023). He has contributed to funded projects including a Trellis Foundation Mental Health and Well-Being Grant ($117,987; 2022–2024) as co-investigator and an ASU Faculty Mini-grant ($2,500; 2024–2025). A licensed Psychologist in Texas (License #38568), Kelley was elected President of the Southwestern Psychological Association (2024–2025), served as its Professional Representative (2021–2023), received the 2025 Angelo State University Faculty Excellence Award, and advises Psi Chi while reviewing for journals such as Psychological Reports.