Dwain Fehon, PsyD
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
My clinical, teaching, and research interests fall into three basic areas: a) the development and provision of integrated behavioral medicine services, b) psychotherapy to adults with advanced medical illness, and c) advocacy for socially responsive training in psychology.
Early in my career, my research interests focused on the developmental period of adolescence and the impact that traumatic events, such as childhood abuse and the exposure to community violence, played in the development and symptomatic expression of psychopathology—specifically as related to adolescent depression, aggression, substance abuse, PTSD, and personality dysfunction.
More recently, my clinical and research interests have shifted to behavioral medicine and the relationship between physical illness, emotional functioning, and quality of life. Clinically, my colleagues and I have developed a psychological behavioral medicine service that is integrated within several specialty medical services of Yale New Haven Hospital (oncology, palliative care, transplant, sleep, pain, tobacco, cardiovascular and digestive health). Within these settings, we have initiated several pilot studies to examine the relationship between coping, resilience and quality of life, while also exploring the psychological, behavioral, and neuropsychiatric comorbidities among patients facing serious, chronic, and life threatening illnesses. We are interested in developing novel therapies, and testing their feasibility and effectiveness for reducing the risk of adverse stress-related symptoms such as drug and alcohol abuse, depression, anxiety and PTSD in these vulnerable patient populations.
Specialized Terms: Behavioral Medicine; Resilience; Coping with chronic illness; Quality of life; Palliative Care; Depression; Psychotherapy
Extensive Research Description
Demoralization in cancer patients receiving palliative care. The specific aim of this research is to study the relationship between demoralization and certain other variables, such as spiritual well-being, sense of meaning, purpose in life, and overall quality of life in patients receiving palliative care. The long-term objective of this research is to contribute to the personalization of palliative care by designing an algorithm for evidence-based selection of psychotherapeutic interventions tailored to meet the needs of individual patients and aimed at countering demoralization, suicidal ideation or requests for hastened death. This study is ongoing and currently recruiting subjects (Primary Investigator: Dr. Dwain Fehon).
Psychiatric, psychological, and behavioral correlates in patients with end-stage liver disease awaiting organ transplantation. This exploratory study recruited and assessed 125 waitlisted liver transplant candidates using self-report measures of emotional adjustment and quality of life (Dr. Dwain Fehon, Primary Investigator).
Liver SMART: A Stress Management and Relaxation Training Intervention for Liver Transplant Candidates. This is a Stage 1A treatment development study examined the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an 8-session group cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention for liver transplant candidates (Dr. Dwain Fehon, Primary Investigator).
Text Messaging to Reduce Alcohol Relapse in Liver Transplant Patients. This study was an 8-week, randomized controlled pilot trial to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a text-messaging intervention for alcohol relapse prevention and stress reduction in 20 liver transplant patients with alcohol-related liver disease (Dr. Benjamin Toll, Primary Investigator; Dr. Dwain Fehon, Co-investigator).
Development of the Yale Liver Transplant Psychosocial Risk Scale (YLTRS). This study developed and performed an initial validation of a brief, evidence-based, clinician administered scale to assess level of psychosocial risk among liver transplant candidates (Dr. Dwain Fehon, Primary Investigator).
Coauthors
Research Interests
Alcoholism; Anxiety; Behavioral Medicine; Depression; Quality of Life; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Resilience, Psychological
Selected Publications
- Principles of Socially Responsive Shared Governance: Applying an Ethics Lens to Systems of Governance in Professional Psychology TrainingMaranzan K, Maynard-Pemba N, Çiftçi A, Fehon D, Nikalje A, Berry A. Principles of Socially Responsive Shared Governance: Applying an Ethics Lens to Systems of Governance in Professional Psychology Training. Training And Education In Professional Psychology 2023, 17: 53-62. DOI: 10.1037/tep0000430.
- Same storm, different boat: The global impact of COVID‐19 on palliative careWillis KD, Rao SR, Normen M, de Groot J, Calman L, Bahcivan O, Centeno I, Fehon D. Same storm, different boat: The global impact of COVID‐19 on palliative care. Psycho-Oncology 2022, 32: 148-154. PMID: 35793431, PMCID: PMC9350379, DOI: 10.1002/pon.5995.
- Perioperative Psychological InterventionsFehon D, Swanson A. Perioperative Psychological Interventions. 2018, 87-106. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-99774-2_7.
- The feasibility of a group stress management Liver SMART intervention for patients with end-stage liver disease: A pilot studyJutagir DR, Saracino RM, Cunningham A, Foran-Tuller KA, Driscoll MA, Sledge WH, Emre SH, Fehon DC. The feasibility of a group stress management Liver SMART intervention for patients with end-stage liver disease: A pilot study. Palliative & Supportive Care 2018, 17: 35-41. PMID: 29860964, PMCID: PMC6279612, DOI: 10.1017/s147895151800024x.
- Active Coping and Perceived Social Support Mediate the Relationship Between Physical Health and Resilience in Liver Transplant CandidatesSwanson A, Geller J, DeMartini K, Fernandez A, Fehon D. Active Coping and Perceived Social Support Mediate the Relationship Between Physical Health and Resilience in Liver Transplant Candidates. Journal Of Clinical Psychology In Medical Settings 2018, 25: 485-496. PMID: 29546621, DOI: 10.1007/s10880-018-9559-6.
- Psychiatric Comorbidity, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Mental Health Service Utilization Among Patients Awaiting Liver TransplantSaracino RM, Jutagir DR, Cunningham A, Foran-Tuller KA, Driscoll MA, Sledge WH, Emre SH, Fehon DC. Psychiatric Comorbidity, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Mental Health Service Utilization Among Patients Awaiting Liver Transplant. Journal Of Pain And Symptom Management 2018, 56: 44-52. PMID: 29526612, PMCID: PMC6360091, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2018.03.001.
- Text Messaging to Reduce Alcohol Relapse in Prelisting Liver Transplant Candidates: A Pilot Feasibility StudyDeMartini KS, Schilsky ML, Palmer A, Fehon DC, Zimbrean P, O'Malley SS, Lee HB, Toll BA. Text Messaging to Reduce Alcohol Relapse in Prelisting Liver Transplant Candidates: A Pilot Feasibility Study. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2018, 42: 761-769. PMID: 29498753, PMCID: PMC6438371, DOI: 10.1111/acer.13603.
- Measuring Coping Behavior in Liver Transplant CandidatesAmoyal N, Fernandez AC, Ng R, Fehon DC. Measuring Coping Behavior in Liver Transplant Candidates. Progress In Transplantation 2016, 26: 277-285. PMID: 27358343, DOI: 10.1177/1526924816655253.
- Resilience in Organ Transplantation: An Application of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD–RISC) With Liver Transplant CandidatesFernandez AC, Fehon DC, Treloar H, Ng R, Sledge WH. Resilience in Organ Transplantation: An Application of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD–RISC) With Liver Transplant Candidates. Journal Of Personality Assessment 2015, 97: 487-493. PMID: 25915726, PMCID: PMC4698319, DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2015.1029620.
- The Influence of Borderline Personality Features on Inpatient Adolescent Suicide RiskYalch MM, Hopwood CJ, Fehon DC, Grilo CM. The Influence of Borderline Personality Features on Inpatient Adolescent Suicide Risk. Personality Disorders Theory Research And Treatment 2014, 5: 26-31. PMID: 24128121, DOI: 10.1037/per0000027.
- The cycle of youth violenceFehon DC. The cycle of youth violence. Psychiatric Times, 2007, 24:7, 44-47.
- Differential relationships of childhood abuse and neglect subtypes to PTSD symptom clusters among adolescent inpatientsSullivan TP, Fehon DC, Andres‐Hyman R, Lipschitz DS, Grilo CM. Differential relationships of childhood abuse and neglect subtypes to PTSD symptom clusters among adolescent inpatients. Journal Of Traumatic Stress 2006, 19: 229-239. PMID: 16612815, DOI: 10.1002/jts.20092.
- A Comparison of Adolescent Inpatients With and Without a History of Violence PerpetrationFehon DC, Grilo CM, Lipschitz DS. A Comparison of Adolescent Inpatients With and Without a History of Violence Perpetration. The Journal Of Nervous And Mental Disease 2005, 193: 405-411. PMID: 15920381, DOI: 10.1097/01.nmd.0000165294.41091.fc.
- Gender Differences in Violence Exposure and Violence Risk among Adolescent InpatientsFEHON D, GRILO C, LIPSCHITZ D. Gender Differences in Violence Exposure and Violence Risk among Adolescent Inpatients. The Journal Of Nervous And Mental Disease 2001, 189: 532-540. PMID: 11531205, DOI: 10.1097/00005053-200108000-00006.
- Correlates of community violence exposure in hospitalized adolescentsFehon D, Grilo C, Lipschitz D. Correlates of community violence exposure in hospitalized adolescents. Comprehensive Psychiatry 2001, 42: 283-290. PMID: 11458302, DOI: 10.1053/comp.2001.24580.
- Gender Differences in the Associations Between Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Problematic Substance Use in Psychiatric Inpatient AdolescentsLIPSCHITZ D, GRILO C, FEHON D, McGLASHAN T, SOUTHWICK S. Gender Differences in the Associations Between Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Problematic Substance Use in Psychiatric Inpatient Adolescents. The Journal Of Nervous And Mental Disease 2000, 188: 349-356. PMID: 10890343, DOI: 10.1097/00005053-200006000-00005.
- A Comparison of Dependent and Self-Critically Depressed Hospitalized AdolescentsFehon D, Grilo C, Martino S. A Comparison of Dependent and Self-Critically Depressed Hospitalized Adolescents. Journal Of Youth And Adolescence 2000, 29: 93-106. DOI: 10.1023/a:1005125322629.
- Development of the drug abuse screening test for adolescents (Dast-a)Martino S, Grilo C, Fehon D. Development of the drug abuse screening test for adolescents (Dast-a). Addictive Behaviors 2000, 25: 57-70. PMID: 10708319, DOI: 10.1016/s0306-4603(99)00030-1.
- Correlates of suicide risk in adolescent inpatients who report a history of childhood abuseGrilo C, Sanislow C, Fehon D, Lipschitz D, Martino S, McGlashan T. Correlates of suicide risk in adolescent inpatients who report a history of childhood abuse. Comprehensive Psychiatry 1999, 40: 422-428. PMID: 10579373, DOI: 10.1016/s0010-440x(99)90085-8.
- Psychiatric Morbidity Differences in Male and Female Adolescent Inpatients With Alcohol Use DisordersGrilo C, Becker D, Fehon D, Walker M, Edell W, McGlashan T. Psychiatric Morbidity Differences in Male and Female Adolescent Inpatients With Alcohol Use Disorders. Journal Of Youth And Adolescence 1998, 27: 29-41. DOI: 10.1023/a:1022824730935.
- Diagnostic Comorbidity in hospitalized adolescents with conduct disorderFehon D, Becker D, Grilo C, Walker M, Levy K, Edell W, McGlashan T. Diagnostic Comorbidity in hospitalized adolescents with conduct disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry 1997, 38: 141-145. PMID: 9154369, DOI: 10.1016/s0010-440x(97)90066-3.
- A comparison of adolescent inpatients with and without substance abuse using the Millon Adolescent Clinical InventoryGrilo C, Fehon D, Walker M, Martino S. A comparison of adolescent inpatients with and without substance abuse using the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory. Journal Of Youth And Adolescence 1996, 25: 379-388. DOI: 10.1007/bf01537391.
Clinical Trials
| Conditions | Study Title |
|---|---|
| Diseases of the Nervous System; Genetics - Adult; Genetics - Pediatric; Mental Health & Behavioral Research | Brain Emotion Circuitry-Targeted Self-Monitoring and Regulation Therapy (BE-SMART) |