Selected research investigations (Updated 8/23/2024)
Research Investigations
| 1. | Murrell AR, Lester EG, Sandoz EK. Grounding turbulent minds: The challenges of mindfulness-based interventions for college students with ADHD and how to overcome them. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy. 2015; 29:314-328 |
| 2. | Lester EG, Murrell AR. Mindfulness interventions for college students with ADHD: A multiple single case research design. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy. 2018; 33(3):199-220 |
| 3. | Murrell AR, Jackson R, Lester EG, Hulsey T. Psychological flexibility and resilience in parentally bereaved college students. Omega (Westport). 2018 Feb;76(3):207-226. PMID: 28198653. |
| 4. | Murrell AR, Lester EG, Moyer DN, Lincoln T. Three tweets to the wind: Providing context via simulated social media to decrease stigma toward problematic drinking. The Behavior Therapist. 2018; 4(41). |
| 5. | Moyer DN, McMakin DQ, Page AR, Murrell AR, Lester EG, Walker H. The impact of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on positive parenting strategies among parents who have experienced relationship violence. Journal of Family Violence. 2018; 4(33):269-279 |
| 6. | Lester EG, Murrell AR, Dickson D. A mixed methods approach to understanding misconceptions of mindfulness meditation. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine. 2018 |
| 7. | Murrell AR, Hulsey TC, Erguder L, Lester EG. Making a difference, starting with me: Mindfulness, values based self-care, and self-compassion for psychologists who work with children and families. The Behavior Therapist. 2019; 42(5):163-169 |
| 8. | Al-Jabari R, Murrell AR, Callahan JL, Cox RJ, Lester EG. Do distress level and waitlists impact termination in a training clinic? Training and Education in Professional Psychology. 2019; 13(2):127-137 |
| 9. | Lester EG, Murrell AR. Becoming mindful of measurement: An experimental-experiential study of state mindfulness measures. Mindfulness. 2019; 10(10):2133-2142. |
| 10. | Greenberg J, Carter S, Lester EG et al. Cultivating resiliency in patients with neurofibromatosis 2 who are deafened or have severe hearing loss: a live‑video randomized control trial. J Neurooncol 145, 561–569 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-019-03326-5 |
| 11. | Meyers E, Lin A, Lester EG, Shaffer K, Rosand J, Vranceanu AM. Baseline resilience and depression symptoms predict trajectory of depression in dyads of patients and their informal caregivers following discharge from the Neuro-ICU. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2020 Jan-Feb;62:87-92. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2019.12.003. Epub 2019 Dec 20. PMID: 31887641; PMCID: PMC6948176. |
| 12. | Lester EG, DiStefano S, Mace R, Macklin E, Plotkin S, Vranceanu AM. Virtual mind-body treatment for geographically diverse youth with neurofibromatosis: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2020 Jan-Feb;62:72-78. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2019.12.001. Epub 2019 Dec 6. PMID: 31841875. |
| 13. | Meyers EE, McCurley J, Lester EG, Jacobo M, Rosand J, Vranceanu AM. Building resiliency in dyads of patients admitted to the neuroscience intensive care unit and their family caregivers: Lessons learned from William and Laura. Cogn Behav Pract. 2020 Aug;27(3):321-335. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2020.02.001. Epub 2020 Mar 12. PMID: 32863700; PMCID: PMC7454168. |
| 14. | Lester EG, Macklin EA, Plotkin S, and Vranceanu AM. Improvement in resiliency factors among adolescents with neurofibromatosis who participate in a virtual mind-body group program. J Neurooncol. 2020 Apr;147(2):451-457. PMID: 32078086. |
| 15. | Bannon S, Lester EG, Gates MV, McCurley J, Lin A, Rosand J, Vranceanu AM. Recovering together: building resiliency in dyads of stroke patients and their caregivers at risk for chronic emotional distress; a feasibility study. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2020;6:75. PMID: 32509320. |
| 16. | Lester EG, Gates MV, Vranceanu AM. Mind-body therapy via videoconferencing in patients with neurofibromatosis: Analyses of 1-Year follow-up. Ann Behav Med. 2020 May 18;. PMID: 32421171. |
| 17. | Mace RA, Gates MV, Bullard B, Lester EG, Silverman IH, Quiroz YT, Vranceanu AM. Development of a novel mind-body activity and pain management program for older adults with cognitive decline. Gerontologist. 2020 Jun 30;. PMID: 32601670. |
| 18. | Lester EG, Silverman IH, Gates MV, Lin A, Vranceanu AM. Associations between gender, resiliency factors, and anxiety in Neuro-ICU caregivers: A prospective study. Int J Behav Med. 2020 Jun 3;. PMID: 32488793. |
| 19. | Vranceanu A, Bannon S, Mace R, Lester, EG, et al. Feasibility and efficacy of a resiliency intervention for the prevention of chronic emotional distress among survivor-caregiver dyads admitted to the neuroscience intensive care unit: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Oct 14;3(10):e2020807. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.20807 |
| 20. | Lester EG and Vranceanu AM. Adolescents with neurofibromatoses: Greater life satisfaction and less perceived stress following an 8-Week virtual mind-body intervention. J Psychosoc Oncol. 2020 Nov 16:1-6. doi: 10.1080/07347332.2020.1830331. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33191871. |
| 21. | Lester EG, Mace RA, Bannon SM, Popok PJ, Gates MV, Meyers E, Tehan T, Sagueiro D, Rosand J, Macklin EA, Vranceanu AM. Can a Dyadic Resiliency Program Improve Quality of Life in Cognitively Intact Dyads of Neuro-ICU Survivors and Informal Caregivers? Results from a Pilot RCT. Neurocrit Care. 2021 Apr 21. PMID: 33880701. |
| 22. | Lester EG, Hopkins SW, Popok PJ, Vranceanu A Adaptation of a Live Video Mind–Body Program to a Web-Based Platform for English-Speaking Adults With Neurofibromatosis: Protocol for the NF-Web Study; JMIR Res Protoc 2021;10(6):e27526; doi: 10.2196/27526 PMID: 34110294 |
| 23. | Bannon SM, Cornelius T, Gates MV, Lester EG, Mace RA, Popok P, Macklin EA, Rosand J, Vranceanu AM. Emotional distress in neuro-ICU survivor-caregiver dyads: The recovering together randomized clinical trial. Health Psychol. 2021 Sep 09. PMID: 34498896 |
| 24. | Lester EG, Murrell AR. An experimental study of mindfulness and acceptance-based skills for internalized ageism in older adults and college students. Aging Ment Health. 2021 Jul 19; 1-8. PMID: 34281430. |
| 25. | Bannon SM, Cornelius T, Gates MV, Lester E, Mace RA, Popok P, Macklin EA, Rosand J, Vranceanu AM. Emotional distress in neuro-ICU survivor-caregiver dyads: The recovering together randomized clinical trial. Health Psychol. 2022 Apr; 41(4):268-277. PMID: 34498896. |
| 26. | Lester EG, Popok PJ, Grunberg VA, Baez A, Herrawi F, Vranceanu AM. Stopping to Listen: Using Qualitative Methods to Inform a Web-Based Platform for Adults With Neurofibromatosis. J Patient Exp. 2021; 8:23743735211049644. PMID: 34869834. |
| 27. | Lester EG, Fishbein NS, Higgins O, Rosand J, Vranceanu AM. Understanding the interplay between lifestyle factors and emotional distress for hemorrhagic stroke survivors and their informal caregivers: Protocol for a mixed methods dyadic natural history study. PLoS One. 2022; 17(1):e0261635. PMID: 35061739. |
| 28. | Presciutti A, Greenberg J, Lester E, Newman MM, Elmer J, Shaffer JA, Vranceanu AM, Perman SM. Mindfulness is inversely associated with psychological symptoms in long-term cardiac arrest survivors. J Behav Med. 2022 Feb 14. PMID: 35157171. |
| 29. | Sagar I, Popok PJ, Reichman M, Lester EG, Doorley J, Bakhshaie J, Vranceanu AM. Orthopedic Providers' Preferences for Education and Training on Psychosocial Clinical Research Initiatives: A Qualitative Investigation. J Patient Exp. 2022; 9:23743735221092570. PMID: 35450087. |
| 30. | Bannon SM, Grunberg VA, Manglani HR, Lester EG, Ritchie C, Vranceanu AM. Together from the start: A transdiagnostic framework for early dyadic interventions for neurodegenerative diseases. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022 Apr 18. PMID: 35435998 |
| 31. | Vranceanu AM, Woodworth EC, Kanaya MR, Bannon S, Mace RA, Manglani H, Duarte BA, Rush CL, Choukas NR, Briskin EA, Cohen J, Parker R, Macklin E, Lester EG, Traeger L, Rosand J, Grunberg VA. The Recovering Together study protocol: A single-blind RCT to prevent chronic emotional distress in patient-cargiver dyads in the Neuro-ICU. Contemp Clin Trials. 2022 Dec; 123:106998. PMID: 36368480. |
| 32. | Lester EG, Wang KE, Blakeley JO, Vranceanu AM. Occurrence and Severity of Suicidal Ideation in Adults With Neurofibromatosis Participating in a Mind-Body RCT. Cogn Behav Neurol. 2023 Mar 01; 36(1):19-27. PMID: 36651958. |
| 33. | Lester EG, Fishbein NS, Peterson A, Vranceanu AM. Early feasibility testing of a web-based mind-body resiliency program for adults with neurofibromatosis: The NF-Web study. PEC Innov. 2022 Aug 20;1:100076. doi: 10.1016/j.pecinn.2022.100076. PMID: 37213775; PMCID: PMC10194129. |
| 34. | Vranceanu AM, Woodworth EC, Kanaya MR, Bannon S, Mace RA, Manglani H, Duarte BA, Rush CL, Choukas NR, Briskin EA, Cohen J, Parker R, Macklin E, Lester EG, Traeger L, Rosand J; Neuro-ICU Recovering Together Team; Grunberg VA. The Recovering Together study protocol: A single-blind RCT to prevent chronic emotional distress in patient-cargiver dyads in the Neuro-ICU. Contemp Clin Trials. 2022 Dec;123:106998. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2022.106998. Epub 2022 Nov 8. PMID: 36368480; PMCID: PMC10161144. |
| 35. | Rush CL, Lester EG, Berry JD, Brizzi KT, Lindenberger EC, Curtis JR, Vranceanu AM. A roadmap for early psychosocial support in palliative care for people impacted by ALS-reducing suffering, building resiliency, and setting the stage for delivering timely transdiagnostic psychosocial care. Transl Behav Med. 2023 Sep 12;13(9):722-726. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibad024. PMID: 37043596. |
| 36. | Vranceanu AM, Manglani HR, Choukas NR, Kanaya MR, Lester EG, Zale EL, Plotkin SR, Jordan J, Macklin E, Bakhshaie J. Effect of Mind-Body Skills Training on Quality of Life for Geographically Diverse Adults With Neurofibromatosis: A Fully Remote Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Jun 1;6(6):e2320599. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.20599. PMID: 37378983; PMCID: PMC10308247. |
| 37. | Rush CL, Lester EG, Manglani H, Woodworth E, Vitolo O, Fava M, Berry JD, Brizzi K, Babu S, Lindenberger EC, Curtis JR, Vranceanu AM. Resilient together-ALS: leveraging the NDD transdiagnostic framework to develop an early dyadic intervention for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and their informal care-partners. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2023 Jun 22:1-8. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2224400. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37345437. |
| 38. | Presciutti AM, Lester EG, Woodworth EC, Greenberg J, Bakhshaie J, Hooker JE, McDermott KA, Vranceanu AM. The impact of a virtual mind-body program on resilience factors among international English-speaking adults with neurofibromatoses: secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial. J Neurooncol. 2023 Jul;163(3):707-716. doi: 10.1007/s11060-023-04389-1. Epub 2023 Jul 13. PMID: 37440099. |
| 39. | Lester EG, Vitolo OV, Flaherty A, Beaussant Y, Cramer M, Harley R, Cohen JN. "When Will All of This End?": A 65-Year-Old Man With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Psychiatric Distress. J Clin Psychiatry. 2023 Dec 13;85(1):23ct15038. doi: 10.4088/JCP.23ct15038. PMID: 38127305. |
| 40. | Wang KE, Vranceanu AM, Lester EG. Resiliency outcomes after participation in an asynchronous web-based platform for adults with neurofibromatosis: The NF-Web study. PLoS One. 2023 Dec 21;18(12):e0295546. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295546. PMID: 38127915; PMCID: PMC10735002. |
| 41. | Gates MV, Lester EG, Reichman M, Silverman IH, Lin A, Vranceanu AM. Does gender moderate resiliency variables and posttraumatic stress symptoms in informal caregivers of neurocritical care patients? An exploratory study. Psychol Health Med. 2024, 1-17. PMID: 36878877. |
Other peer-reviewed scholarship
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2.
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Lester EG. I still think of you. J Psychosoc Oncol. 2020 Sep-Oct;38(5):642-644. PMID: 32459142.
Lester, EG, Armstrong, GW, Vranceanu, AM. Emotional recovery after ocular trauma: is there more than meets the eye? Eye (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-020-01389-7 |
| 3. | Lester, E.G. Working with Silence in ALS Care: The Role of Mindfulness. Mindfulness 12, 2096–2097 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01645-1 |
| 4. | Lester EG, Shankar G. A Clinical Psychologist's Reflections on the Process of Electing for Neurosurgery. J Patient Exp. 2022 Aug 2;9:23743735221119023. doi: 10.1177/23743735221119023. PMID: 35957652; PMCID: PMC9358335. |
| 5. | Lester EG, Psychologically informed nurse support. American Nurse Journal. 2023;18(5):26-58. doi:10.51256/anj052326 https://www.myamericannurse.com/psychologically-informed-nurse-support/ |
Non-peer reviewed scholarship in print or other media:
| 1. | Reichman M, Grunberg V, Doorley J, Bakhshaie J, Lester E, Mace RA, Vranceanu AM. Being Flexible While Maintaining Fidelity for Medical Patients. Eds Kendall, P.C., Flexibility within Fidelity: Breathing Life into a Psychological Treatment Manual. In Flexibility within Fidelity. Oxford University Press |
| 2. | Grunberg VA, Doorley JD, Reichman M, Lester EG, Bannon SM, Greenberg J, Bakhshaie J, Vranceanu AM (2023). Behavioral Medicine Strategies in Medical Settings. In: Sprich, S.E., Petersen, T., Wilhelm, S. (eds) The Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Current Clinical Psychiatry. Humana, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29368-9_24 |
Professional Educational Materials or Reports in print or other media
| 1. Lester EG. How psychological flexibility can change our college experience. self-care in academic, professional, and personal lives. Texas Psychological Association Student Division Newsletter. 2015 Jan 1. |
| 2. Lester EG. How psychological flexibility can change our college experience. self-care in academic, professional, and personal lives. Texas Psychological Association Student Division Newsletter. 2015 Apr 1. |
| 3. Lester EG. Self-care through mindfulness and meditation. Self-care in academic, professional, and personal lives. Texas Psychological Association Student Division Newsletter. 2015 Jul 1. |
| 4. Lester EG. Disabilities on campus and psychological interventions. Psychology and Social Justice: Why we do what we do. Texas Psychological Association Student Division Newsletter. 2015 Oct 1. |
| 5. Lester EG. How psychological flexibility can change our college experience. TPA 2016 Branches of Psychology: Exploring All We Have to Offer. Texas Psychological Association Student Division Newsletter. 2016 Jan 1. |
| 6. Lester EG. Geriatric Psychology. TPA 2016 Branches of Psychology: Exploring All We Have to Offer. Texas Psychological Association Student Division Newsletter. 2016 Apr 1. |
| 7. Lester EG. Mindfulness: Science and practice in the here and now. TPA 2017 The Good Psychologists Do. Texas Psychological Association Student Division Newsletter. 2016 Jul 1. |
| 8. Reichman M, Grunberg V, Doorley J, Bakshai J, Lester EG, Mace RA, Vranceanu AM, Being flexibile while maintaining fidelity for medical patients: Patient-centered and team-based strategies. Eds Kendall, P. et al. 2020. |
| 9. Lester EG. Making an Emotional Recovery Together in the COVID-19 ICU. Psychology Today – Psychological Trauma, Coping, and Resilience Blog. Eds O’Reilly-Landry, M et al. 2020 Dec 4. |
| 10. Lester EG. Managing Emotional Distress in the Hospital and ICU. Psychology Today – Psychological Trauma, Coping, and Resilience Blog. Eds O’Reilly-Landry, M et al. 2020 Dec 4. |
* Co-author, ** Mentee