Name: Courtney Jewell
Program of study/Year in program: Ph.D. Candidate, The Ohio State University, 4 years
University: Ohio State University
ANCDS Fellow Mentor: Sarah Wallace, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Area(s) of research, teaching, and/or clinical interest: Impact of psychosocial factors on post-stroke aphasia rehabilitation outcomes
My dissertation project aims to explore the sources and self-management strategies of chronic stress in people with aphasia (PWA). PWA often experience profound emotional disturbances secondary to their cognitive-linguistic impairments. The endorsement of emotional distress has been found to significantly associate with decreased well-being and overall quality of life. Critically, the study of psychological constructs, specifically that of chronic stress, in the field of aphasiology is nascent, leaving mental health commonly unaddressed in PWA. My dissertation study was motivated by the presence and universal acknowledgment of profound chronic stress in PWA, but the lack of empirical research identifying the sources of stress and the self-management strategies, both adaptive and maladaptive, currently being utilized. Through the conduction of a mixed-methods research paradigm, I will seek to explore how stress manifests and is managed through personal narratives of lived experiences. The study also aims to collect longitudinal chronic stress data in PWA for the first time to our knowledge. Findings will have broad implications for the future development of psychotherapeutic interventions that address the mitigation of emotional distress and promotion of adaptive coping mechanisms for a successful life following aphasia from stroke. Specifically, we will inform potential psychotherapeutic targets to enhance coping mechanisms for PWA experiencing chronic stress.
Why did you decide to apply for the ANCDS Student Fellowship?
ANCDS is an exceptional space for evidence-based resource exchange, networking opportunities, and career growth for both my clinical and research agendas, which led me to apply for the Student Fellowship. Being provided the opportunity to engage with an established mentor in the field is an unparalleled experience that would aid in my own personal professional development and success as a clinical researcher. I am honored to be selected as an ANCDS Student Fellow and look forward to engaging with renowned clinicians, researchers, and emerging professional students with similar career goals as myself.
