Faculty
Kimberly Mallett
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Washington
Research Associate, Prevention Research Center for the Promotion of Human Development
Contact Information
204 E. Calder Way, Suite 208
State College, PA 16801
(814) 863-3731
http://www.prevention.psu.edu/
Research Interests
Developing and evaluating interventions aimed at reducing high risk drinking and related consequences among college students; prevention of skin cancer among high-risk populations. As part of her skin cancer research, she is interested in enhancing communication between physicians and patients and how it impacts behavior change among patients.
Examples of Current Prevention Projects
Project SHINE
SHINE was a designed to evaluate an intervention strategy to prevent skin cancer in young adolescents. The intervention used parents as change agents to effectively communicate the risks of skin cancer and encourage their children to avoid high-risk sun-related behaviors while increasing positive sun-safe behaviors. Specifically, 340 parents in two regions of the United States were educated about the dangers of risky sun behaviors and how to convey information about skin cancer prevention to their children. Parents were then encouraged to talk with their children about these issues over a one-month period prior to the onset of summer. Following this time period, children whose parents received and implemented the intervention materials were compared with a control sample of children who did not receive the intervention. These two groups were matched on age, gender, and school on number of sunburns and sunburn severity, as well as sunbathing behavior and a number of related attitudes and beliefs. Children in the treatment condition differed significantly from controls in the predicted directions on all skin cancer risk outcome variables (e.g., sunbathing tendencies, sunburns, use of sun screens, attitudes and belief about tanning). The findings provide evidence of parental efficacy in reducing skin cancer risk behaviors of children via parent-based intervention approaches. Funded by the American Cancer Society. For more information email tanning@psu.edu
The LITES Project
The LITES Project was designed to evaluate a peer intervention strategy to reduce risky tanning behavior in college students. The intervention was an appearance based intervention designed to highlight the negative effects tanning can have on one’s appearance. The dangers of skin cancer are also an important aspect of this intervention. However, research has shown that among college students appearance based interventions have the most efficacious outcome in reducing risky tanning behavior. Funded by the American Cancer Society. For more information email tanning@psu.edu
Skin Self-Examination Project
This research project is a joint investigation between the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and The Pennsylvania State University, and will investigate whether married or cohabitating couples learn to and perform skin examination more effectively than solo learning by the person at risk to develop skin cancer. The effect of partner affiliation on dyadic learning is a novel area of research that is particularly relevant to early detection of skin cancer by SSE, which often requires the assistance of a partner to examine areas of the body that are difficult for the individual to see. The present study will examine two hundred participants at risk to develop skin cancer, who are between 50 and 70 years old and have partners, enrolled in a randomized trial with four month evaluation of SSE performance, by self –report responses, monthly diaries as body maps, and physician visits with diagnostic services. The effect on self-efficacy of performing SSE, knowledge of skin cancer and personal risk factors, attitude about the importance of skin cancer and performing SSE; is assessed by change in pre-test to post-test self-report responses. Funded by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Health. For more information email tanning@psu.edu
Recent Publications
- Mallett, K.A., Bachrach, R.L., & Turrisi, R. (2008). Examining the Unique Influence of Inter- and Intrapersonal Drinking Perceptions on Alcohol Consumption among College Students. In press Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
- Mallett, K.A., Bachrach, R.L. & Turrisi, R. (2008). Are All Negative Consequences Truly Negative? Assessing Variations Among College Students’ Perceptions of Alcohol Related Consequences. Journal of Addictive Behaviors, 33, 1375-1381.
- Mallett, K.A., Larimer, M.E., Turrisi, R., & Mastroleo, N.R. (2008). Have I had one drink too many? Assessing inaccurate judgments of drunkenness among college students. Manuscript submitted for publication.
- Mallett, K.A., Lee, C.M., Turrisi, R., & Larimer, M.E. (2008). Assessing college students’ perceptions of tolerance to alcohol using social cues: The social tolerance index. In Press. Journal of Addictive Behaviors.
- Turrisi, R., Abar, C., Mallett, K.A., & Jaccard, J. (2008). An examination of the mediational effects of cognitive and attitudinal factors of a parent intervention to reduce college drinking. Manuscript submitted for publication.
- Mastroleo, N.R., Mallett, K.A., Turrisi, R., & Ray, A.E. (2008). Validation of the peer proficiency assessment (PEPA): A tool for motivational interviewing fidelity and supervision with peer counselors. Manuscript submitted for publication.
In Press:
- Mastroleo, N.R., Mallett, K.A., Ray, A.E., & Turrisi, R. (in print). The process of delivering peer-based alcohol intervention programs in college settings. Journal of College Student Development.
- Turrisi, R., Mastroleo, N.R., Stapleton, J., Ray, A.E. & Mallett, K. (in press). A comparison of two brief intervention approaches to reduce indoor tanning behavior in high-frequency indoor tanners. Archives of Dermatology.
Published:
- Mallett, K.A., Robinson, J.K., & Turrisi, R. (2008). Enhancing Patient Motivation to Reduce UV Risk Behaviors: Assessing the Interest and Willingness of Dermatologists to Try a Different Approach. Archives of Dermatology, 144, 265-266.
- Turrisi, R., Mastroleo, N.R., Mallett, K.A., Larimer, M.E., & Kilmer, J.R. (2007). Examination of diverse drinking tendencies, peer norms, parent communications, and environmental influences in athletes and non-athletes. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 21, 453-461.
- Larimer, M.E., Lee, C.M., Kilmer, J.R., Fabiano, P., Stark, C., Geisner, I.M., Mallett, K.A., Lostutter, T.W., Cronce, J.M., Feeney, M., & Neighbors, C. (2007). Personalized mailed feedback for drinking prevention: One year outcomes from a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 75, 285-293.
- Mallett, K.A., Lee, C.M., Neighbors, C., Larimer, M.E., Turrisi, R. (2006). Do we learn from our mistakes? An examination of the impact of negative alcohol related consequences on college students’ drinking patterns and perceptions. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 67, 269-276.
- Turrisi, R., Mallett, K.A., Mastoleo, N.R., & Larimer, M.E. (2006). Heavy Drinking in College Students: Who is at risk and what is being done about it? Journal of General Psychology, 133, 401-420.
- Turrisi, R., Stapleton, J., Mallett, K., Hillhouse, J. (2006). Methods in skin cancer prevention: Using a question driven approach to guide the choice of assessment approaches. Archives of Dermatology, 142, 1348-1350.
- Kilmer, J.R., Walker, D.D., Lee, C.M., Palmer, R.S., Mallett, K.A., Fabiano, P., & Larimer, M.E. (2006). Misperceptions of college student marijuana use: Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 67, 276-281.
- Larimer, M.E., Turner, A.P., Mallett, K.A., & Geisner, I.M. (2004). Predicting drinking behavior and alcohol-related problems among fraternity and sorority members: Examining the role of descriptive and injunctive norms. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18, 203-212.
- Turrisi, R., Wiersma, K., & Hughes, K. (2001). Binge-drinking-related consequences in college students. Alcohol Research, 6, 90.
- Turrisi, R., Wiersma, K., & Hughes, K. (2000). Binge drinking-related consequences in college students: The role of drinking beliefs and parent-teen communications. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 14, 342-355.
- Turrisi, R., Hughes, K., & Wiersma, K. (2000). College student drinking: An examination of theoretical models of drinking tendencies in freshman and upperclassmen. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 61, 598-602.
- Turrisi, R. & Wiersma, K. (1999). Examination of judgments of drunkenness, binge drinking, and drunk driving tendencies in teens with and without a family history of alcohol abuse. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 23, 1191-1198.