Office: Holroyd Hall 136
Phone: 215-951-5174
E mail: ohea@lasalle.edu

Curriculum Vita

Research Interests
My primary interests are in women’s health, psycho-oncology, and health disparities.  Areas of research have specifically included body-image in women with breast cancer, addiction/smoking cessation, obesity management, racial/ethnic differences in cancer screening behaviors, and the testing of health behavior theories. I am also interested in quality of life and coping with chronic and/or fatal illnesses, as well as the use of spirituality in coping with illness.

Clinical Interests
I am a clinical health psychologist and am of a cognitive-behavioral orientation. I believe in using empirically supported therapies with clients, and emphasize classic cognitive-bheavioral interventions as well as more third-wave (i.e., ACT) interventions in my supervision of students. I have been trained in a primary care model of clinical practice. I oversee a clinical health psychology clinic team at the Good Shepherd Clinic at La Salle University. Within this clinic team, students gain experience treating addictions, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, sexual dysfunction, and personality disorders, which can co morbid with some of the aforementioned disorders. Students also have the opportunity to run smoking cessation, weight management, and chronic pain groups.  Clinically, though I am now specialized in cancer, I have experience working with individuals with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and HIV/AIDS . I currently hold a faculty position at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, NJ, and am the director of a division of behavioral medicine at Cooper Cancer Institute in Voorhees, NJ. Students at La Salle have the opportunity to train with me at Cooper Hospital at the cancer institute where we provide individual, group, and inpatient therapy to patients diagnosed with various types of cancer.

Education:
B.A., Psychology, Lafayette College
M.A., Clinical Health Psychology, Connecticut College
Ph.D., Clinical Health Psychology, Louisiana State University
Clinical Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship in Behavioral Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Publications:
O’Hea, E. L., Houseman, J., Bedek, K., & Sposato, R. (in progress). Cognitive Behavioral Management of Depression/Distress in Congestive Heart Failure Patients. Heart Failure Review.

Helms, R., Corso, M., & O’Hea, E.L. (in press). Body Image Issues in Women with Breast Cancer. Psychology, Health, and Medicine.

Boudreaux, E.D., Baumann, B.M., Camargo, C.A., O’Hea, E. L., & Ziedonis, D.M. (2007)
Changes in Smoking Associated with an Acute Health Event: Theoretical and Practical Implications. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 33, 189-199.

Ramasamy, R., Hildebrandt, T., O’Hea, E.L., Patel, M., Clemow, L., Freudenberger, R., & Skotzko, C. (2006). Psychological and Social Factors That Correlate With Dyspnea in Heart Failure. Psychosomatics, 47, 430-434.

O’Hea, E.L., Wood, K.B., Bodenlos, J.A., Boudreaux, E.D., & Brantley, P.J. (2005). Predicting medical regimen adherence: The interaction of health locus of control beliefs. Journal of Health Psychology,10(5), 705-717.

O’Hea, E.L., Boudreaux, E.D., Jeffries, S.K., Carmack, C.L., Scarinci, I.C., & Brantley, P.J. (2004).  Stage of change movement across three health behaviors: The role of self efficacy.  American Journal of Health Promotion, 19(2) 32-40.

Boudreaux, E.D., & O’Hea, E.L. (2004). Patient satisfaction in the emergency department: A review of the literature and implications for practice. Journal of Emergency Medicine, 26, 13-26.

O’Hea, E.L., Wood, K., & Brantley, P.J. (2003). The Transtheoretical Model: Gender differences across three health behaviors. American Journal of Health Behavior, 27, 645-656.

O’Hea, E.L., Dutton, G., & Boudreaux, E.D. (2002). Identifying and managing patients with panic disorder in the emergency department. Emergency Psychiatry, 8, 21-26.

Brantley, P.J., O’Hea, E.L., Jones, G.N., & Mehan, D. (2002). The influence of income level and ethnicity on coping strategies.  Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 24, 39-45.

Boudreaux, E.D., O’Hea, E.L., & Chasuk, R. (2002).  Spirituality and healing: An alternative way of thinking. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice, 29, 1-16.

O’Hea, E.L., Sytsma, S.E., Copeland, A., & Brantley, P.J. (2001).  The Attitudes Toward Women with HIV/AIDS Scale: Development and validation.  AIDS Education and Prevention,13, 220-230 . 

Schulte, B., O’Hea, E.L., & Darling, P.  (2001).  Implementing asthma guidelines into a low-income family practice clinic.  Family Practice Management, 45-46. 
Ziedonis, D.M., Day, E., O’Hea, E.L., Krejci, J., Berman, J.A., & Smelson, D. (2005). Treatment of Co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders. Invited chapter for the Handbook of Effective Treatments in Psychiatry. 

Hyer, L., Rafelson, L., & O’Hea, E. (2004).  Aging and Adjustment in the Elderly. Invited chapter for the Handbook Stress, Trauma, and the Family.

Chrisler, J.C., & O’Hea, E.L. (1999). Gender, culture, and autoimmune  disorders.  In R.M. Eisler & M. Hersen (Eds.). Handbook of gender, culture, and health (pp. 321-342). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Selected Presentations (student names are underlined):
Kelly A. Foran, K.A., Fink, S., Myers, S., Barry, V., Lavery, M.E., & O’Hea, E.L. (November, 2008). Human Papillomavirus Virus (HPV): The Relationship Between Health Locus of Control and Decision to Vaccinate in University Affiliated Women. Poster to be presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Orlando, Fl.

O’Hea, E.L., Bedek, K., Houseman, J., Patal, S., Barry, V., & Booth, T. (November, 2008). Racial differences in predictors of White, Black, and Latino women’s intentions to adhere to breast cancer screening recommendations. Poster to be presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Orlando, Fl.

Boudreaux, E.D., O’Hea, E.L., Houseman, J.E., Lord, S.A., & Grissom, G. (November, 2008). The Mental Health and Dynamic Referral for Oncology System (MHADRO): Development and Feasibility. Poster to be presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Orlando, Fl.

Barry, V., O’Hea, E.L. (November, 2008). Choosing to Receive the Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine: An Investigation of Group Differences. Poster to be presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Orlando, Fl.

Fink, S.,  O’Hea, E.L. (November, 2008). Mindfulness and Sexual Body Image. Poster to be presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Orlando, Fl.

Marks, D., Sposato, R., Foy, T., Sgrenci, A., & O’Hea, E.L (November, 2008). Negative Capability: Does Mindfulness Moderate the Relationship between Uncertainty and Psychological Distress in Oncology Patients? Poster to be presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Orlando, Fl.

Sposato, R., Marks, D., Wolfman, J., Myers, S., & O’Hea, E.L. (November, 2008). Experiential Avoidance and Psychological Distress in a Heterogeneous Oncology Population.  Poster to be presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Orlando, Fl.

Helms, R., O’Hea, E.L., Corso, M., & Sposato, R. (November, 2007). Body Image Issues and Psychological Distress in Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Poster presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Philadelphia, PA.

Bedek, K., & O’Hea, E.L. (November, 2007). Differences in African American, Latino American, and Caucasian American Women’s Perceptions of Barriers, Benefits and Cues to Action for Mammography and Clinical Breast Examination.  Poster presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Philadelphia, PA.

Helms, R., Foran, K., Fink, S., & O’Hea, E.L. (March, 2007). The relationship between age and measures of adjustment in patients with cancer.  Poster to be presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Washington, DC.

O’Hea, E.L., Corso, M., Helms, B., Bedek, K., Giorgio, J., & Mancuso, J. (November, 2006). Benefits of Exercise Scale: Initial Development and Validation. Poster presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy, Chicago, IL.

Robles-Rodriquez, E., Grana, G., & O’Hea, E.L. (April, 2006). Racial/Ethnic disparities in women utilizing a complementary breast cancer screening program. Poster presented at the Conference of Health Disparities, Washington, DC.

O’Hea, E.L., Appolonio, K., Decker, M., Robles-Rodriquez, E., & Grana, G. (March, 2006). Results from a breast cancer outreach program. Poster presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Francisco, California.

O’Hea, E. L., Wolanin, A., Bedek, K., Corso, M., & Napier, K. (November, 2005). Mental health services us in a disadvantaged community. Poster presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Washington, DC.

Appolonio, K.K., Fingerhut, R., Hryshko-Mullen, A., O’Hea, E.L., & McClure, K.
(2006, March).  Postpartum depression within a military population.  Poster session
presented at the APA Division 19 Mid-year Conference, Washington, D.C.

Appolonio, K.K., Fingerhut, R., Hryshko-Mullen, A., O’Hea, E.L., & McClure, K.
(2005, November).  Postpartum depression within a military population.  Student poster
session presented at the Association for the Advancement of Behavioral Therapy Annual
Convention, Washington, D.C.

Bishop, C.T., Francies, S., Fusco, J.E., & O’Hea, E. L. (November, 2005). The relationship between parental involvement, level of delinquency, and somatic complaints in adolescents. Poster presented at the Association for the Advancement of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Washington, DC.

O’Hea, E.L., Appolonio, K., Hoyt, E., & Boudreaux, E.D. (April, 2005).  An evaluation to improve health care providers bedside manner. Poster presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts. 

O’Hea, E.L., Appolonio, K., & Hoyt, E. (April, 2005).  Perceived health locus of control and perceived disease severity in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Poster presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.

Research Grants:
Primary Investigator – NIH Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities. Fully funded, May 2004 and renewed August 2007.

Co-Investigator – RO1 - The Sentinel Event Model: A New Model for Investigating Health Behavior Change. National Institute of Health, fully funded April 2008.

Primary Investigator – Cooper Cancer Institute Faculty Grant.  Funded by Cooper Cancer Institute to investigate Mindfulness and Cancer. Fully funded, April 2007.

Co-Investigator- Susan G. Komen Foundation. Project funded to provide psychological counseling to disadvantaged women with cancer who are living in Camden, NJ. Fully funded, April 2007.

Co-Investigator – Mental Health Assessment and Dynamic Referral for Oncology.  Funded by National Institute of Health - NIMH (Small Business Technology Transfer Grant). Fully funded, July 2006.

Primary Investigator – National Ovarian Cancer Coalition funded grant to fund a postdoctoral fellow who will assist in clinical services for women with ovarian cancer and conduct research in area of psycho-oncology with ovarian cancer patients. Fully funded, October 2006.

Consultant/Primary Investigator – Hired by state of New Jersey as a consultant to oversee a study to examine reasons for non-adherence in women who receive abnormal breast screening results who are participating in the Breast Cancer Screening Outreach Program. This grant is a state-wide effort (3 sites across New Jersey) to examine a myriad of psychosocial variables to determine causes for poor follow up behaviors among low-income, minority women who participate in New Jersey’s Breast Cancer Screening program. Fully funded, April 2005.

Primary Investigator – Faculty research grant from La Salle University  Received funds to conduct small longitudinal study examining psychosocial variables that predict psychological distress in women with breast cancer. The data from this grant to be used as pilot data for larger federal funding. Fully funded, May 2005.

Opportunities for student research involvement:
I run an active health psychology research group which meets during the academic year. Students have opportunities to engage in group research projects, individual research projects, and to assist more senior students in their dissertation data collection. Students who are active in my research group have opportunities for poster presentations as well as publications. Research projects have focused on college populations (e.g., eating disorders, relationship satisfaction, body image, sexual/intimacy satisfaction, exercise dependency) as well as medical populations (e.g., coping with cancer, mindfulness and cancer, body image in women with cancer, marital discord in breast cancer survivors, helping children who have parents with cancer).

Professional Organizations:
Society of Behavioral Medicine
Association for Advancement of Behavioral Therapy
American Psychological Association

Courses at La Salle University:

• PSY 751 Clinical Health Psychology I
• PSY 752 Clinical Health Psychology II
• PSY 711 Human Diversity: Implications for Clinical Practice
• PSY 782 Clinical Practicum