Karen
S. Lyons, Ph.D.
|
|
Assistant
Professor |
"My program of research focuses on family care experiences of chronic illness in an older adult with an emphasis on psychological and relational issues. In particular, I am very interested in balancing the needs of both members of the care dyad throughout the illness trajectory, and how incongruence between patient and family member impacts care transitions and the health and well-being of both members. I have published in the areas of family care and family relationships, most notably the interface between family and formal service use, dyadic incongruence in the care situation, the effects of changing physical and mental health on relationship quality in the care dyad, and early-warning signs in predicting long-term health, depression, and strain of Parkinson’s disease spouses. My current research examines symptom incongruence, communication, decision-making, and family relationships in both end-of-life and chronic illness contexts, involving both care dyads and couples."
EDUCATION
Dr. Lyons is a research psychologist with a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from Pennsylvania State University.
ONGOING RESEARCH SUPPORT
R21 AR053597-01A2 Lyons (PI) 7/1/08-6/30/10
NIAMS
Couple Perceptions of Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Fibromyalgia patients and spouses struggle together to manage symptoms based on their individual perceptions. When these perceptions are incongruent it may compromise the supportive nature of the couple and lead to poor couple well-being and quality of life. The primary goal of the proposed study is to examine patient-spouse symptom incongruence in 200 couples to design a couple-based intervention.
Role: Principal Investigator
RSGPB-07-171-01-CPPB Lyons (PI) 7/1/07-6/30/11
American Cancer Society
The Family Living with Lung Cancer: Perceptions and Outcomes.
The primary goal of the proposed study is to examine patient-family member incongruence in perceptions of patient physical function, pain, fatigue and shortness-of-breath over a 12-month period. In particular, the individual, dyad, and family-level variables that predict incongruenceand the effect of that incongruence on satisfaction with the decision to shift focus to symptom palliation only.
Role: Principal Investigator
Betty Gray Rural Health Development Award Lyons (PI) 6/1/07-5/31/08
Health Status of Rural Chronically-Ill Elderly Couples: A Pilot Study.
The goals of this pilot study are to 1) establish the feasibility of conducting a larger, longitudinal study of health trajectories in rural chronically-ill elderly couples, and 2) explore patterns of physical and mental health of men and women in rural chronically-ill elderly couples; associations with individual, dyad, and family-level variables; and important cross-spouse effects..
Role: Principal Investigator
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Carter, J. H., Stewart, B. J., Lyons, K.S., & Archbold, P. (In Press). Do Motor and Non-motor Symptoms in PD Patients Predict Caregiver Strain and Depression? Movement Disorders.
White, D., Newton-Curtis, L., & Lyons, K.S. (In Press). Development and initial testing of a measure of person-directed care. The Gerontologist.
Lyons, K. S., Sayer, A.G., Archbold, P. G., Hornbrook, M., & Stewart, B. J. (2007). The Enduring and Contextual Effects of Physical Health and Depression on Care Dyad Mutuality. Research in Nursing & Health, 30, 84-98.
Lyons, K. S., & Sayer, A.G. (2005). Longitudinal dyad models in family research. Journal of Marriage & Family, 67, 1048-1060.
Lyons, K. S., Stewart, B. J., Archbold, P. G., Carter, J. H., & Perrin, N. A. (2004). Pessimism and optimism as early-warning signs in Parkinson’s disease caregiving. Nursing Research, 53, 354-362.
Lyons, K. S., Zarit, S. H., Sayer, A. G. & Whitlatch, C. J. (2002). Caregiving as a dyadic process: Perspectives from caregiver and receiver. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 57B, P195-P204.
Lyons, K. S., Zarit, S. H., & Townsend, A. L. (2000). Families and formal service usage: Stability and change in patterns of interface. Aging and Mental Health, 4, 234-243.
Lyons, K. S., & Tiernan, J. (1999). Dependency, life satisfaction and context in the urban elderly. The Irish Journal of Psychology, 20, 58-68.
Lyons, K. S. & Zarit, S. H. (1999). Formal and informal support: The great divide. The International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 14, 183-192.