Dr. Edwards is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and a licensed clinical psychologist. Her program of research is focused on the development, testing, and implementation of behavioral interventions for chronic pain and substance use. Dr. Edwards was recently awarded a NIDA K23 career development award to develop and test a web-based behavioral pain intervention for people with chronic pain and opioid use disorder. Her work also explores barriers to receiving adequate pain treatment, particularly the impacts of stigma, on patient health outcomes. Her work utilizes quantitative and qualitative methods across observational and clinical trial studies. Dr. Edwards also serves as a co-investigator on TREETOP, a research center funded through the NIH HEAL initiative that aims to develop and evaluate innovative treatments designed to improve outcomes for people with chronic pain and opioid use disorder.
Clinically, Dr. Edwards delivers evidence-based behavioral pain treatments across a wide range of chronic pain conditions and specializes in acceptance and mindfulness-based interventions. She currently sees patients in the specialty fibromyalgia clinic within the UPMC General Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinic.
Dr. Edwards completed her doctoral degree at the University of New Mexico, clinical internship at the Seattle VA, and a NIDA T32 postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University. Dr. Edwards then transitioned to the University of Pittsburgh where shew as a NIDA K12 scholar before securing her NIDA K23 career development award.
- BA, Psychology, University of Puget Sound, 2014
- MS, Clinical Psychology, University of New Mexico, 2018
- PhD, Clinical Psychology with Quantitative Psychology Emphasis, University of New Mexico, 2021
- Clinical Internship, Clinical Psychology, VA Puget Sound, Seattle Division, 2021
- NIDA T32 Postdoctoral Fellow, Pain and Substance Use, Stanford University, 2023
- NIDA K12 Scholar, Substance Use Research, University of Pittsburgh, 2025
Education & Training
Edwards KA, Merlin JS, Webster F, Mackey SC, Darnall BD. Breaking barriers: Addressing opioid stigma in chronic pain and opioid use disorder. PAIN. 2024; 166(6):1268-1273.
Edwards KA, Buonora MJ, Merlin JS, Liebschutz JM. Recent advances in the treatment of chronic pain and substance use disorders. Current Opinion in Psychology. 2025; 62:101977.
Edwards KA, Vowles KE, McHugh RK, Venner KL, Witkiewitz K. Changes in pain during buprenorphine maintenance treatment among patients with opioid use disorder and chronic pain. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 2022; 90(4):314-325.
Edwards KA, Dildine T, You DS, Herrick A, Darnall BD, Ziadni MS. Zoom-delivered Empowered Relief for chronic pain: Observational longitudinal pilot study exploring feasibility and pain-related outcomes in patients on long-term opioids. JMIR Formative Research. 2025; 9:e682923.
Click here for a more complete bibliography of Dr. Edwards' works.
- Best Trainee Abstract, Society of Behavioral Medicine, 2018
- Certificate of Excellence for Outstanding Community Service, University of New Mexico, 2018
- Graduate Student Success Scholarship, Graduate Studies, University of New Mexico, 2020
- Frances Everett Letchworth Scholarship, University of New Mexico, 2020
