Nicholas Hobbs: A Pioneer Whose Legacy Still Applies at PEP
Nicholas Hobbs was a pioneer in the field of child psychology and the architect of PEP’s foundational philosophy, Re-Education or Re-ED.
In 1961, Hobbs launched a pilot project funded by the National Institutes of Health known as Project Re-ED, which stood for the re-education of emotionally disturbed children. The initiative represented a shift in thinking about young people with mental and behavioral health challenges, emphasizing teaching rather than therapy. Re-ED focused on addressing a child’s challenges within his or her full environment (family, school, community) rather than treating the child separately. It provided parents and caregivers with effective tools to help manage difficult situations.[1] His findings were published in his 1982 book, The Troubled and Troubling Child.[2]
In addition to his development of Re-ED, Hobbs’ career included dozens of remarkable highlights, including:
- Serving as director, John F. Kennedy Center for Research on Education and Human Development, (now known as the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center), which he established with Susan Gray in 1953.[3]
- Serving as the vice-chair of the board of trustees of the Joint Commission on mental illness, the body which played a critical role in the movement for deinstitutionalization of those with mental illness, emphasizing instead, community care.[4]
- Chairing the American Psychological Association’s committee that created the organization’s first code of ethics, introduced in 1953.[5]
- Serving as president of the American Psychological Association in 1966.[6]
As a result of his leadership during his time as chair of the Division of Human Development at Peabody, interest grew in socially vulnerable children, leading to educational and research emphases in intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, and sensory-motor disorders.[7]
Hobbs’ career profoundly influenced the way young people with emotional and behavioral challenges experience the world today. Thanks to his efforts, young people – like the ones we serve at PEP – have opportunities to learn, heal and grow in environments that not only see their unique gifts but ones that holistically support their development and ensure they have the chance to meet their full potential.
[1] Warren, S. (2007). Project Re-ED. In C Reynolds et. Al. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Special Education: A Reference for the Education of Children, Adolescents and Adults with Disabilities and Other Exceptional Individuals. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Press.
[2] Lewis, Wilbert W.; Lewis Beverly L., (1989). The Psychoeducational Model: Cumberland House after 25 Years. In Gabel, Stewart; Lyman, Robert D.; Prentice-Dunn, S. (eds.). Residential and Inpatient Treatment of Children and Adolescents. New York: Plenum Press. pp. 97–112.
[3] Smith, M. B. (1985). “Nicholas Hobbs (1915-1983)”. American Psychologist. 40 (4): 463-465.
[4] Peace Corps (1962). First Annual Report. Washington D.C.: Peace Corps, p. 9.
[5] “The First Code,” Monitor on Psychology. 34 (1): 63. January 2003.
[6] Thomas Fagan; Paul G. Warden (January 1, 1966). Historical Encyclopedia of School Psychology. Greenwood Publishing Group. P. 152.
[7] Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. “Nicholas Hobbs, ‘A National Resource for Children.’” Nicholas Hobbs, “A National Resource for Children" Accessed 4/3/2026.