Rebecca R. West, MS, APRN, BC

Office Address: K6/391 - Clinical Science Center
600 Highland Ave.
Madison, WI, 53792
Office Phone: 608/263-6474
Email: rrwest@wisc.edu       

DEGREE INFORMATION:

DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH FOCUS:

I have an overall interest in the relationships among contemplative practice, health behavior, and health outcomes.   Reduction of stress is recognized as a national and global health priority.   One place where people experience significant stress is in workplace.  I am interested in low income working women as high risk population.  Regulation of emotion is one strategy for reducing stress.  The contemplative practice of mindfulness is proposed as means of emotion regulation.  Mindfulness practice is characterized as the cultivation of open awareness and focused attention to the events of the present moment, without judgment or evaluation.  According to self-regulation theorists, awareness and attention are key components of optimal self-regulatory processes.  I want to develop and test mindfulness interventions in the workplace to reduce stress and to improve the mental and physical health of workers.  I am especially interested in applying these principles to low income working women who often experience a large burden of stress associated with high demand/low control jobs.

MAJOR ADVISOR:

Dr. Diane Lauver

SECONDARY AREA OF CONCENTRATION:

Psychology & Spirituality

SECONDARY AREA ADVISOR:

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS:

Presentations:

West, R.R., Johannson, J., Connelly-Nelson, K., Lauver, D. (2007, March).  Coping Strategies and Outcomes After Completing Cancer Treatment.  Abstract accepted for presentation at the annual conference of the Mid-West Nursing Research Society, Omaha, Nebraska.

RESEARCH TEAM AFFILIATION: