Research

Publications

1.      Reese, J.B., El-Jawahri, A., Sorice, K., Cruz, C., Bober, S.L.., Daly, M.B., Zimmaro, L.A., Beach, M.C., Wittenberg, E., Wolff, A.C., Handorf, E., & Lepore, S.J., (2022). Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Breast Cancer Clinicians’ Communication about Sexual Health. Supportive Care in Cancer, 30(7): 5801-5810.

2.      Reese, J.B., Zimmaro, L.A., McIlhenny, S., Sorice, K., Porter, L.S., Zaleta, A.K., Daly, M.B., Cribb, B., Gorman, J.R. (2022). Coping with Changes to Sex and Intimacy after a Diagnosis of Metastatic Breast Cancer: Results from a Qualitative Investigation with Patients and Partners. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 864893.

3.      Zimmaro, L.A., Sorice, K.A., Handorf, E., Daly, M.B., & Reese, J.B. (2022). Understanding clinical communication about mood in breast cancer patients: A mixed methods analysis. Patient Education and Counseling, 105(7), 2089–2095.

4.      Zimmaro, L.A., Moss, A., Reibel, D.K., Handorf, E., Reese, J.B., & Fang, C. (2021). A Telephone-Adapted Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program: Preliminary Effects among Healthcare Employees. Behavioral Sciences, 11(10), 139. doi:10.3390/bs11100139

5.      Reese, J.B., Zimmaro, L.A., Bober, S.L., Sorice, K., Handorf, E., Wittenberg, E., El-Jawahri, A., Beach, M.C., Wolff, A.C., Daly, M.B., Izquierdo, B., & Lepore, S.J. (2021). Mobile Technology-based (mLearning) Intervention to Enhance Breast Cancer Clinicians’ Communication about Sexual Health: A Pilot Trial. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 19(10), 1133-1140. doi:10.6004/jnccn.2021.7032

6.      Siwik, C., Phillips, K., Zimmaro, L.A., Salmon, P., Sephton, S.E. (2021). Depressive symptoms among patients with lung cancer: Elucidating the roles of shame, guilt, and self-compassion. Journal of Health Psychology, 27(5), 1039–1047.

7.      Zimmaro, L.A., Deng, M., Handorf, E., Fang, C.Y., Denlinger, C.S, Reese, J.B. (2021). Understanding benefit finding among patients with colorectal cancer: A longitudinal study. Supportive Care in Cancer, 29, 2355-2362.

8.      Reese, J.B., Sorice, K.A., Pollard, W.R., Zimmaro, L.A., Beach, M.C., Handorf, E., Lepore, S.J. (2020). Understanding sexual help-seeking for women with breast cancer: What distinguishes women who seek help from those who do not? The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 17(9), 1729-1739.

9.      Bayley-Veloso, R., Szabo Y.Z., Cash, E., Zimmaro, L.A., Siwik, C., Kloecker, G., Salmon, P., can der Gryp, K., & Sephton, S.E. (2020). The association between history of traumatic events and health-related quality of life among lung cancer patients. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 38(5), 627-634.

10.      Reese, J. B., Sorice, K. A., Zimmaro, L. A., Lepore, S. J., & Beach, M. C. (2020). Communication about Sexual Health in Breast Cancer: What Can We Learn from Patients’ Self-Report and Clinic Dialogue? Patient Education and Counseling, 103(9), 1821-1829.

11.      Zimmaro, L.A., Lepore, S.J., Beach, M.C., Reese, J.B. (2020). Patients’ Perceived Barriers to Discussing Sexual Health with Breast Cancer Healthcare Providers. Psycho‐Oncology, 29(7), 1123-1131.

12.  Reese, J.B., Zimmaro, L.A., Lepore, S.J., Handorf, E.A., Daly, M.B., Schover, L.R., Stein, K., Kashy, D., Westbrook, K, & Porter, L.S. (2020). Evaluating a Couple-Based Telephone Intervention Addressing Sexual Concerns for Breast Cancer Survivors: Study Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Trials, 21(1), 173.

13.  Hicks, A., Siwik, C., Phillips, K., Zimmaro, L.A., Salmon, P., Burke, N., Albert, C., Fields, O., Dorsel, D., Sephton, S.E. (2020). Dispositional Mindfulness is Associated Lower Basal Sympathetic Arousal and Less Psychological Stress. International Journal of Stress Management, 27(1), 88-92.

14.  Zimmaro, L.A., Carson, J.W., Olsen, M.K., Sanders, L.L., Keefe, F.J., Porter, L.S. (2019). Greater Mindfulness Associated with Lower Pain, Fatigue, and Psychological Distress in Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer. Psycho‐Oncology, 29(2), 263-270.

15.  Zimmaro, L.A., Sephton, S.E., Siwik, C.J., Phillips, K., Rebholz, W.N., Kraemer, H.C., ... & Cash, E. D. (2018). Depressive symptoms predict head and neck cancer survival: Examining plausible behavioral and biological pathways. Cancer, 124(5), 1053-1060.

16.  Rebholz, W.N., Cash, E., Zimmaro, L.A., Baley-Veloso, R., Phillips, K., Chagpar, A.B., Dhabhar, F. S., Spiegel, D., Bell, B.S., Sephton, S. E. (2018). Distress and QOL in an ethnically diverse sample awaiting breast cancer surgery. Journal of Health Psychology, 23(11), 1438-1451.

17.  Siwik, C., Hicks, A., Phillips, K., Rebholz, W.N., Zimmaro, L.A., Weissbecker, I., ... & Sephton, S.E. (2017). Impact of coping strategies on perceived stress, depression, and cortisol profiles among gynecologic cancer patients. Journal of Health Psychology, 25(7), 993-1003.

18.  Altman, J.K., Zimmaro, L.A, & Woodruff-Borden, J. (2017). Targeting body compassion in the treatment of body dissatisfaction: A case study. Clinical Case Studies, 16(6), 431-445.

19.  Zimmaro, L.A., Salmon, P., Naidu, H., Rowe, J., Phillips, K., Rebholz, W.N., Giese-Davis, J., Cash, E., Dreeben, S.J., Bayley-Veloso, R., Jablonski, M.E., Hicks, A., Siwik, C., Sephton, S.E. (2016). Association of dispositional mindfulness with stress, cortisol, and well-being among university undergraduate students. Mindfulness, 7(4), 874-885.

20.  Cash, E., Sephton, S.E., Chagpar, A.B., Spiegel, D., Rebholz, W.N., Zimmaro, L.A., Tillie, J.M., Dhabhar, F.S. (2015). Circadian disruption and biomarkers of tumor progression in breast cancer patients awaiting surgery. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 48, 102-114.

21.  Cash, E., Salmon, P., Weissbecker, I., Rebholz, W.N, Bayley-Veloso, R., Zimmaro, L.A., Floyd, A., Dedert, E., Sephton, S.E. (2015). Mindfulness meditation alleviates fibromyalgia symptoms in women: Results of a randomized trial. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 49(3), 319-330.

22.  Sepeta, L.S., Croft, L., Zimmaro, L.A., Duke, E.S., Terwilliger, V.K., Yerys, B.E., You X., Vaidya, C.J., Gaillard, W.D., Berl, M.M. (2015). Reduced language connectivity in pediatric epilepsy. Epilepsia, 56(2), 273-282.

23.  Croft, L., Baldeweg, T., Sepeta, L.S., Zimmaro, L.A., Berl, M.M., Gaillard, W.D. (2014). Vulnerability of the ventral language network in children with focal epilepsy. Brain, 137(8), 2245-2257.

24.  Berl, M.M., Zimmaro, L.A., Khan, O.I., Dustin, I., Ritzl, E., Duke, E.S., Sepeta, L.N., Sato, S., Theodore, W.H., & Gaillard, W.D. (2014). Characterization of atypical language activation patterns in focal epilepsy. Annals of Neurology, 75(1), 33–42.     

Current Grant Funding

Current Funding

K08 NCI Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (PI: Zimmaro)
Project Title: Addressing Colorectal Cancer-Related Distress: Developing and Evaluating a Couple-Based Mindfulness Intervention
Role: Principle Investigator

R01 CA222124 (PI: Reese)
National Cancer Institute, NIH
Title: Addressing Sexual Concerns in Breast Cancer Survivors: RCT of a Novel Couple-Based Intervention; Role: Postdoctoral Associate

RSG-20-029-01-CPPB (PI: Reese)
American Cancer Society
Title: Sexual Quality of Life Intervention for Couples Facing Metastatic Breast Cancer; Role: Clinical Supervisor

Completed Funding

U54 Pre-Pilot Health Disparities Research Grant
TU-FCCC/HC Regional Comprehensive Cancer Health Disparity Partnership (NIH U54 CA221705)
Title: Evaluating a biobehavioral model of distress and resilience among racially diverse colorectal cancer patients; Role: Principle Investigator

T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship
NCI Funded; Fox Chase Cancer Center (T32CA009035); Role: Postdoctoral Trainee

NIH Loan Repayment Program
National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD; Role: Awardee

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