Carolyn S. Rabin, PhD

   
Staff Psychologist 
The Miriam Hospital

Assistant Professor (Research)
Dept. of Psychiatry & Human Behavior
Brown Medical School

Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine
Coro Building, Suite 500
One Hoppin Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
Phone:  (401) 793-8234
Email:  CRabin@lifespan.org
Fax: (401) 793-8078

Carolyn Rabin, PhD, is an assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown Medical School and The Miriam Hospital. She received her PhD in clinical psychology from Rutgers University and completed her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral training at Brown University. Her primary research interests are in: 1. studying the factors that predict adjustment to life after a cancer diagnosis and 2. developing psychoeducational and behavioral interventions to improve the emotional and physical health of cancer survivors.  Recent research projects have included an NCI-funded study of the connection between cancer-related beliefs and health behavior change after cancer treatment. She is currently funded by the Susan G. Komen Foundation to conduct a pilot study of a physical activity and relaxation training intervention for breast cancer survivors.

Health Behavior Change in Cancer Patients and Families
Carolyn Rabin, PhD (PI)

The goal of this NCI-funded study was to develop a better understanding of why some cancer survivors and their first-degree relatives are motivated by the cancer experience to make healthy lifestyle changes (e.g., improve eating habits, exercise) while others are not.  Based on the Leventhal self-regulation model, this study investigated the hypothesis that healthy changes are associated with certain cancer-related beliefs.

Feasibility of Physical Activity and Relaxation Training for Cancer Survivors 
Carolyn Rabin, PhD (PI)

The goal of this study, funded by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, is to test the feasibility of breast cancer survivors simultaneously adopting a program of moderate-intensity physical activity and a relaxation strategy.  The physical activity component of the intervention is based on the Moving Forward intervention developed and tested by Bernardine Pinto, PhD.  If this study demonstrates that the intervention is feasible, a larger efficacy trial would be conducted.

Rabin, C., Leventhal, H., & Goodin, S. (2004).  Conceptualization of disease time-line predicts post-treatment distress in breast cancer patients.  Health Psychology, 23 (4), 407 - 412.  

Trask, P., Rabin, C., Whiteley, J., Nash, J., Rogers, M., Frierson, G. & Pinto, B.  (In press).  Cancer screening practices among cancer survivors.  American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 

Pinto, B.M., Frierson, G.M., Rabin, C., Trunzo, J., & Marcus, B.  (In press). A home-based physical activity intervention for breast cancer patients.  Journal of Clinical Oncology. 

Pinto, B.M., Trunzo, J.J., Rabin, C., Cady, B., Fenton, M.A., Herman, A., Legare, R., & Sikov, W.   (2004).  Recruitment strategies for a home-based physical activity intervention for breast cancer patients. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 11 (3), 171 - 178. 

Rabin, C., Leventhal, H., Ward, S., & Schmitz, M. (2001).  Explaining retrospective reports of symptoms in patients undergoing chemotherapy: Anxiety, initial symptom experience, and posttreatment symptoms.  Health Psychology, 20 (2), 91-98. 

Leventhal, H., Rabin, C., Leventhal, E. A., & Burns, E. (2001).  Health risk behaviors and aging.  In J. E. Birren  & K. W. Schaie (Eds.), Handbook of the psychology of aging (5^th ed.) (pp. 186 -214). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.