Lab Members
- Christopher R. France , Laboratory Director
- Dominic Ysidron , Graduate Student
- Caroline Martine, Graduate Student
Pain Research Projects
Pain research in the lab ranges from basic biopsychosocial influences on experimental pain to interventions for chronic low back pain. There is a particular interest in the role of both vulnerability factors (e.g., pain-related fear, kinesiophobia, catastrophizing) and resilience factors (e.g., pain resilience, self-efficacy, positive affect) and how they influence perception of acute pain in the laboratory as well as chronic pain and related disability in the real world. Recent and ongoing studies include:
- The effect of pain-related fear on pain perception, behavior, and psychosocial adjustment.
- The relationship between pain-related fear and patterns of movement.
- The use of virtual reality technology to restore normal spinal motion.
Blood Donation Research
Given the growing demand for blood products, attracting and retaining blood donors has become a national priority. The ultimate aim of work in the lab in this area is to enhance the donation experience in order to sustain an adequate blood supply for individuals in need of blood products. Recent and ongoing studies include:
- Coping strategies to attenuate donation reactions (e.g., nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness)
- Psychosocial and physiological predictors of donor return behavior (e.g., physical reactions, self-efficacy, satisfaction)
- Post-donation interventions to enhance donor return (e.g., motivational interviewing)