Rachel V. Aaron, PhD

Professional Titles

Director, Postdoctoral Fellowship in Pain Psychology

Primary Academic Title

Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Background

X Profile

https://twitter.com/RachelVAaron

Recent News Articles and Media Coverage

• How Psychologists Can Help Treat Chronic Pain | The New York Times (November 2021)

  Making Mental Health a Priority | Live Yes with Arthritis Podcast (January 2022)

  Building a Personalized Pain Plan | Live Yes with Arthritis Podcast (September 2020)

Research Interests

Co-occuring mental and physical health symptoms, Development and maintenance of chronic pain, Psychosocial interventions for chronic pain, The role of emotional factors in pain and illness

Research Summary

Dr. Aaron researches biopsychosocial factors related to the development and maintenance of chronic pain, particularly the role of emotional factors (e.g., emotion regulation, emotion awareness). She also investigates methods of improving pain-related outcomes in individuals with chronic pain.

Google Scholar - Publications

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zzzD-roAAAAJ&hl=en

PubMed - Publications

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/0000000

Research Gate - Research Profile

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rachel_Aaron

Selected Publications

• Aaron, R. V., Fisher, E. A., de la Vega, R., Lumley, M. A., & Palermo, T. M. (2019). Alexithymia in individuals with chronic pain and its relation to pain intensity, physical interference, depression, and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain, 160(5), 994-1006.

• Aaron, R.V., Finan, P., Wegener, S.T., Keefe, F. & Lumley, M.. Emotion Regulation as a Transdiagnostic Factor Underlying the Co-Occurrence of Chronic Pain and Problematic Opioid Use. 2020. American Psychologist, 75(6), 796. 

• Aaron, R., Noel, M., Dudeney, J., Wilson, A., Holley, A., & Palermo, T. (2019). The role of sleep quality on the relationship between posttraumatic stress symptoms and pain in women. Journal of behavioral medicine, 1-10.

• Law EF, Wan Tham S, Aaron RV, Dudeney J, Palermo TM. Hybrid Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Intervention for Adolescents With Co-Occurring Migraine and Insomnia: A Single-Arm Pilot Trial. Headache. 2018 Jul;58(7):1060-1073. doi: 10.1111/head.13355. PMID: 30152164

• Skolasky RL, Wegener ST, Aaron RV, Ephraim P, Brennan G, Greene T, Lane E, Minick K, Hanley AW, Garland EL & Fritz JM. The OPTIMIZE Study: Protocol of a pragmatic sequential multiple assessment randomized trial of nonpharmacologic treatment for chronic, nonspecific low back pain. 2020. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 21 (1-14).

Honors

• Clinician Scientist Award, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1/1/22
• 2020 Award for Excellence in Psychology Teaching and Supervision, Johns Hopkins Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Division of Rehabilitation Psychology, 6/30/20
• 2019 Award for Excellence in Psychology Teaching and Supervision, Johns Hopkins Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Division of Rehabilitation Psychology, 6/30/19
• John E. Carr Award for Outstanding Achievement in Empirically-Supported Psychotherapies, University of Washington Medical Center, 1/1/16

Memberships

• Member, United States Association for the Study of Pain
• Member, International Association for the Study of Pain
• Member, Rehabilitation Psychology
• Member, Society for Affective Science

Professional Activities

Social Media Committee, Society for Affective Science, Member, 1/1/18

Additional Training

• Vanderbilt University / Clinical Psychology Ph.D. (2016)

• University of Washington / Behavioral Medicine and Neuropsychology Internship (2016)