Lifespan Health Promotion Research Programs
Browse below to learn about the work our scientists are doing within the field of lifespan health promotion.
Judith T. Moskowitz, PhDMoskowitz’s program studies the unique role positive emotion plays in coping with health-related and other life stress.
Moskowitz’s program studies the unique role positive emotion plays in coping with health-related and other life stress.
Research Description
Moskowitz is a social/health psychologist who conducts patient-oriented research regarding behavioral and psychosocial factors in the context of significant illness or other life stress. Her current research is focused on the adaptive role of positive emotion regulation for support of beneficial health behavior change and prevention of maladaptive health behaviors.
Funded by NIMH, NIDDK, NIDA, NINR and NIA, she examines the unique adaptive role of positive emotion in the process of coping with various types of health-related and other life stress and, through randomized trials, determines whether a positive emotion regulation intervention developed by her team can increase positive affect, reduce stress and depression and improve health behaviors in at risk samples.
In addition to her individual program of research, Moskowitz is committed to supporting research at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Behavioral, Social and Implementation Sciences Core and the International Positive Psychology Association.
For more information, see the Moskowitz Lab website.
Publications
See Moskowitz’s publications on PubMed.
Contact
judith.moskowitz@northwestern.edu
312-503-7712
Program Staff
Amanda Summers, MA
Research Manager
Elaine Cheung, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
Elizabeth Addington, PhD
Assistant Professor
Patricia Moreno, PhD
Assistant Professor
Sarah Bassett
Doctoral Student
Daniel K. Mroczek, PhDMroczek’s program studies the effects of personality on health outcomes across the lifespan.
Mroczek’s program studies the effects of personality on health outcomes across the lifespan.
Research Description
Mroczek’s research focuses on lifespan personality development — including change, stability and trajectory models of key traits — and the influence of personality and personality change on physical health, mortality and other important life outcomes (e.g., income/net worth, well-being dimensions). He also has several methodological interests, in particular multilevel modeling, survival analysis, longitudinal design, secondary and archival data analysis and integrated data analysis. His research is supported by the National Institute on Aging.
For more information, see Mroczek's faculty profile.
Publications
See Mroczek’s publications on PubMed.
Contact
daniel.mroczek@northwestern.edu
847-467-0915
Darius Tandon, PhDTandon’s program studies the prevention of mental disorders and promotion of positive well-being among vulnerable populations, with a particular emphasis on low-income perinatal populations.
Tandon’s program studies the prevention of mental disorders and promotion of positive well-being among vulnerable populations, with a particular emphasis on low-income perinatal populations.
Research Description
Much of Tandon’s mental health research is with perinatal populations, including intervention studies aimed at preventing postpartum depression. The Mothers and Babies stress management and postpartum depression preventive intervention is an evidence-based intervention that is being implemented by home visiting programs and other early childhood providers across the United States. His program’s research studies are currently examining various aspects of the Mothers and Babies intervention, including a comparative effectiveness study examining delivery by mental health clinicians vs. paraprofessional home visitors; an effectiveness-implementation hybrid trial examining the rollout of Mothers and Babies across the entire state of Florida; the use of text messages to enhance engagement with core intervention components; and the development of an ancillary Fathers and Babies curriculum aimed at supporting the partners of women receiving the Mothers and Babies intervention. He also has considerable expertise in the science and practice of community-engaged research. Tandon is co-director of Northwestern's Center for Community Health, which aims to promote patient and stakeholder engagement among clinical and translational research across the institution. From 2011-2018, he was editor-in-chief of the only peer-reviewed journal solely focused on publishing community-engaged research: Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education & Action. He also served as co-chair of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute's Patient Engagement Advisory Panel from 2013-2017. Tandon was recently an Aspen Ascend fellow, allowing him to work alongside other national leaders in promoting two-generation strategies that support children and parents together to create an intergenerational cycle of opportunity.
For more information, see Tandon's faculty profile or the Tandon Research Program website.
Publications
See Tandon’s publications on PubMed.
Contact
dtandon@northwestern.edu
312-503-3398
Program Staff
Erin Ward, MA, MSW
Clinical Research Associate
312-503-3389
Jaime Hamil, MPH
Research Project Manager
312-503-2645
Jessica Johnson, MPH
Research Project Manager
312-503-6808
Alicia Diebold, MSW
Research Project Coordinator
312-503-4817
Molly McGown, MPH, MA
Research Project Coordinator
312-503-4282
Melissa Segovia, MS
Research Coordinator
312-503-6421
Aria Degillio, BA
Research Assistant
312-503-3379
Cindy Jimenez, BA
Research Assistant
312-503-3347
Dana Zakieh, BA
Research Assistant
312-503-5050
David E. Victorson, PhDVictorson’s program studies evidence-based methodologies and practices to improve health, quality of life and well-being in medical patient populations (e.g., those with cancer), caregivers and healthcare professionals.
Victorson’s program studies evidence-based methodologies and practices to improve health, quality of life and well-being in medical patient populations (e.g., those with cancer), caregivers and healthcare professionals.
Research Description
Victorson’s research currently focuses on advancing the evidence base of contemplative awareness practices (mindfulness, yoga, exposure to nature), self-compassion, gratitude, resilience and emotion regulation in cancer patient populations and other chronic illness, as well as medical students and healthcare providers; developing novel digital health solutions to increase mindfulness, self-management, engagement and social connection in cancer and rehabilitation populations; and improving measurement precision and utility of self-reported outcomes using qualitative and item response theory approaches. New areas of research interest include exploring the role of nature and natural environments on indicators of health and well-being. Woven throughout is a focus on health disparities reduction, community-engaged research and assessment of biological and physiological outcomes (e.g., cortisol, inflammation, heart rate variability) using minimally invasive approaches and wearable technologies.
Victorson’s lab not only investigates ways to reduce symptoms and suffering within the context of illness and disease, but also ways to promote and accelerate healthy lives, meaning, purpose and overall human flourishing.
For more information, visit Victorson’s faculty profile or the Consciousness in Health Research Lab website.
Publications
See Victorson’s publications on PubMed.
Contact
d-victorson@northwestern.edu
847-467-3060
Program Staff
Bruriah Horowitz, MEdResearch Project Manager
312-503-3465
Elizabeth Addington, PhDPostdoctoral Fellow
312-503-3808