Pediatric Psychology Behavioral Health Lab

Dr. Chaney's primary area of research addresses psychosocial adjustment challenges (especially depression) in youth with a variety of pediatric chronic illnesses. For the past decade, the majority of Dr. Chaney's research has focused on youth adjustment to juvenile rheumatic diseases (JRD), targeting a host of parent and child cognitive appraisal variables associated with illness outcomes. His lab has produced a number of innovative cross-sectional and longitudinal examinations in an attempt to better understand conceptual models of adjustment to improve the delivery of clinical services to this population.

Currently, Dr. Chaney and his lab are initiating a collaborative investigation with faculty at the OU Health Sciences Center that examines adjustment outcomes in youth with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This line of research is intended to examine a variety of variables associated with youth outcomes from a resource model of self-regulation perspective. It is hoped that through examining variables such as stigma consciousness and concealment, peer rejection and acceptance, and their relation to youth depressive symptoms, new insights will emerge and contribute to our understanding of adjustment issues faced by youth with IBD.

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