A5071602113- Urban Green Space and Health
- Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Health disparities and outcomes
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Cardiac Health and Mental Health
- Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life
- Gut microbiota and health
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Psychological and Temporal Perspectives Research
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Place Attachment and Urban Studies
- Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Adventure Sports and Sensation Seeking
- Climate Change and Health Impacts
- BRCA gene mutations in cancer
- Cancer survivorship and care
- T-cell and Retrovirus Studies
- EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
- Healthcare innovation and challenges
- Elder Abuse and Neglect
- Outdoor and Experiential Education
- Health, psychology, and well-being
Vermont State University
2023-2024
Northern Vermont University
2023-2024
East Carolina University
2023
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
2020-2022
University of California, Berkeley
2021
University of Utah
2018-2021
Berkeley College
2021
Provo College
2020
Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center
2014
Stress Recovery Theory (SRT) suggests that time spent in nature reduces stress. While many studies have examined changes stress physiology after exposure to imagery, virtual reality, or walks, this study is the first examine heart rate (HR) and vagally mediated HR variability, as assessed by Respiratory Sinus Arrythmia (RSA), a longer duration of exposure. Consistent with SRT, we hypothesized immersion would promote recovery, indexed an increase RSA decrease HR. We also predicted improve...
Abstract Exposure to environments that contain natural features can benefit mood, cognition, and physiological responses. Previous research proposed exposure nature restores voluntary attention – is directed towards a task through top down control. Voluntary limited in capacity depletes with use. Nature provides unique stimuli do not require attention; therefore, the neural resources needed for operate efficiently are theorized restore when spending time nature. Electroencephalography...
Despite its simplicity, single-item measures of self-rated health have been associated with mortality independent objective conditions. However, little is known about the mechanisms potentially responsible for such associations. This study tested association between heath and inflammatory markers as biological pathways, whether sleep quality and/or depression statistically mediated links.Eighty-six heterosexual married couples completed a standard measure health, Center Epidemiological...
Research suggests that spending time in natural environments is associated with cognitive and affective benefits, while increased use of technology spent urban are depletion resources an increasing prevalence mental illness. Attention Restoration Theory exposure to can restore depleted attentional thereby improve functioning mood. Specifically, recent meta-analyses have revealed the most improved abilities after nature include selective attention, working memory, flexibility.While existing...
Abstract Genetic testing of minors is advised only for conditions in which benefits early intervention outweigh potential psychological harms. This study investigated whether genetic counseling and test reporting the CDKN2A/p16 mutation, confers highly elevated melanoma risk, improved sun protection without inducing distress. Eighteen ( M age = 12.4, SD 1.9) from melanoma‐prone families completed measures protective behavior distress at baseline, 1 week (distress only), month, year following...
There is abundant evidence for both cognitive and affective improvements stemming from spending time in nature; however, the mechanism underlying these effects are still under debate. Frameworks such as Attention Restoration Theory (ART; Kaplan 1995) Stress Recovery (SRT; Ulrich et al. 1991) have been helpful understanding how restoration achieved. Using neurovisceral integration model (NIVM; Thayer Lane 2000, 2002), we suggest that stress recovery co-occur they bidirectional manifestations...
ABSTRACT Objective Despite the well-established association between self-rated health (SRH) and health, little is known about potential psychobiological mechanisms responsible for such links if these associations differ by age. The main goals of this study were to investigate SRH ambulatory blood pressure (ABP), age moderated risk, behavior/affective links. Methods A total 188 men women (94 married couples; ages, 18–63 years) completed a standard measure 1-day ABP assessment. Multilevel...
The underlying mechanisms of trauma-related disorders are challenging to discover and the difficult treat, in part due complex varied expressions response traumatic stress. These challenges will be easier overcome as more is understood about variability trauma. Incorporating assessment into animal models stress may allow better translation clinical research treatment development. In this study, we characterized behavioral responses following exposure using a predator (PE) model. Elevated...
ABSTRACT Introduction Acute Stress Reactions (ASRs) affect a subgroup of individuals who experience traumatic stress. In the context military operations, such reactions are often termed Combat and Operational (COSRs). COSRs not only encompass all symptoms ASRs but also include additional related to combat may develop at rate higher than general public experiences ASRs. Despite an obvious need, there currently no approved pharmacologic treatments or guidelines for ASR and/or COSR. Preclinical...
Greater executive functioning (EF) protects against cognitive decline and activities that increase heart rate variability (HRV) can improve inhibitory control. Therefore, EF HRV play a key role in healthy aging. Attention Restoration Theory Stress Recovery posit nature exposure HRV, but older adults are underrepresented this work. This study addressed gap by examining how contact with real-world (RWN) virtual reality (VRN) affected younger adults' EF, perceived stress, affect. Participants (...
ABSTRACT Although the gut and brain vastly differ in physiological function, they have been interlinked a variety of different neurological behavioral disorders. The bacteria that comprise microbiome communicate influence function various processes within body including nervous system function. However, effects social experience context dominance chronic stress on remain poorly understood. Here, we examined whether impacts host zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) microbiome. We studied how during...
Research suggests that spending time in nature is associated with numerous human behavioral health benefits, including improved executive functioning abilities, enhanced recovery from stressful situations, better mental health, and educational outcomes. Greener neighborhoods also tend to have positive population-level Although promising, much of this research has focused primarily on selective populations fails account for cultural differences how “nature” conceptualized. Therefore,...
Although the gut and brain vastly differ in physiological function, they have been interlinked a variety of different neurological behavioral disorders. The bacteria that comprise microbiome communicate influence function various processes within body, including nervous system function. However, effects social experience context dominance stress on remain poorly understood. Here, we examined whether impacts host zebrafish (Danio rerio) microbiome. We studied how during first 2 weeks...