Bret A. Boyer, PhD
- Professor
- Coordinator of Health Psychology Concentration
Programs I Teach
- Clinical Psychology (PsyD)
- PsyD/MCJ
- PsyD/MBA
- PsyD/MBA in Health Care Management
- Clinical Psychology (PsyD) & Human Sexuality Studies (MEd)
Education
- PhD, Clinical Psychology (1991)
Temple University (PA)
About Me
In teaching clinical psychology topics, I bear upon research, clinical experience, and theoretical principles, and integrate these domains of knowledge into an apprenticeship style of instruction, assuming that the learning and application of material and skills generates the conditions for students to continually explore, build, integrate, and develop.
Research Interests
Although my research interests are broad, most of my research investigates the relationships between psychological factors and adjustment to chronic physical health conditions. These studies have explored relationships among variables such as family functioning, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress and adjustment, self-management, rehabilitation, and medical outcomes for individuals experiencing diabetes, cancer, spinal cord injury, and cardiac conditions. I am also interested in the development and application of therapies to help individuals, couples, and families who face chronic health conditions, and in the integration of therapeutic methods toward optimal effectiveness for these problems. I have piloted many interventions utilizing imagery as a medium for exploration and intervention. I have also worked in primary care medical settings, specialty care medical settings, and physical medicine & rehabilitation settings over the years, integrating psychological services into the integrated interdisciplinary medical care.
Publications
- Boyer, B. A. & Deatrich, K. G. (2015). Peri-traumatic and post-traumatic stress among individuals with diabetes mellitus. In C.R. Martin, V.R.Preedy, & V.B. Patel (Eds.), Comprehensive Guide to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
- Boyer, B. A., Matour, S. J., Crittenden, K. B., Larson, K. A., Cox, J .M., & Link, D. D. (2013). Appraisals of fear, helplessness, and perceived life-threat during emergent cardiac surgery: Relationship to pre-surgical depression, trauma history, and posttraumatic stress. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 20, 173–185.
- Boyer, B. A., Nowcid, C. A., & Ware, C. (2012). Functional independence in pediatric-onset spinal cord injury: Two levels of mediation. Rehabilitation Psychology, 57, 328–336. doi: 10.1037/a0030032.
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
American Psychological Association (APA), Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM)