Specialty Areas: Tourette, ADHD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Dr. Coffey is an internationally-recognized specialist in tics and Tourette’s Disorder and related problems including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). She is the Director of our Tics and Tourette's Clinical and Research Program and Associate Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine. Dr. Coffey has been regularly named among New York Magazine's and Boston Magazine's "Best Doctors." She is the author of hundreds of manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters. She previously served on the medical advisory board of the Tourette Syndrome Association.
Dr. Coffey’s research has focused on the natural history, course, clinical phenomenology and treatment of Tourette's and tic disorders, pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders with streptococcus (PANDAS), and the relationship between tics and the other psychiatric comorbid disorders. She has served as principal, co-principal or site investigator on multiple studies with federal or investigator-initiated industry sponsored funding; including National Institutes of Mental Health, National Institutes of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, Tourette Syndrome Association.
Dr. Coffey earned her M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine and her M.S. in epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health. She completed a residency in general psychiatry at Boston University Hospital and a residency in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Tufts University School of Medicine.
Dr. Coffey has served as a senior Examiner for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and former Chair and Steering Committee member of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Committee on Certification. Most recently, Dr. Coffery was recognized as one of three people who received the highest average ratings on speaker evaluations from the Lifelong Learning Institute at the annual American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) meeting.
Recognized by
Castle Connolly as one of the New York Metro Area's Top Doctors for 5 years in a row!
In the News
Dr. Coffey on Doctor Radio's Everyday Health - Audiocast
Listen to Dr. Barbara Coffey talk about Tourette's Syndrome and tic disorders on Doctor Radio's Everyday Health here. (November 7, 2011)
Ask the Expert
Dr. Barbara Coffey was interviewed in the "Ask the Expert" column in the National Tourette Syndrome Association's Quarterly Newsletter. She answers questions about Tourette's Syndrome and its co-morbidities. Read the full piece here. (Fall 2011)
'What do I say to someone with signs of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?'
Dr. Coffey was featured on the Huffington Post and AOL in the video clip below. She describes what to say and do if someone close to you is experiencing what seems like excessive anxiety and obsessive thoughts to the point where these symptoms are limiting their day-to-day activities. The video is part of AOL's series "What Do I Say?" in which experts discuss what people should and should not say to a friend dealing with sickness, mental illness, or other difficult personal issues.
You’re watching What Do I Say?: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. See the Web's top videos on AOL Video
New Treatment Options Target Underlying Causes of Childhood Obsessive-Compulsive and Tourettes Disorders
Dr. Coffey is a Guest Editor of the September 17 issue of Science Magazine. Dr. Coffey is co-author of the editorial, "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Tourette's Disorder: Where Are We Now?" Click here to read the editorial. (September 17, 2010)
Untreated Depression in Kids is a Risk Factor
Dr. Barbara Coffey talked to Newsday (PDF) about her current study of depressed teens who have recently attempted suicide. (November 22, 2005)
