Chiara Acquati

Assistant Professor, University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work

Cancer is a relational illness; however, most research has focused on the individual, neglecting the role of close relationships and the social environment which are key to coping and adjusting to the disease. Dr. Acquati's research program focuses on the role of psychosocial factors and social networks on health and well-being in the context of cancer survivorship. Specifically, her research examines relationship processes that affect the quality of life and psychosocial adjustment of patients and their informal caregivers with an emphasis on generating translational results to inform the development of interventions that capitalize on these processes and mechanisms to promote patient and caregiver’s outcomes. The goal is to develop evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing the burden of the disease for individuals disproportionately impacted by cancer, their families, and caregivers by enhancing symptoms management and coordination of care to sustain adjustment across the cancer control continuum. Scholarship activities are organized in three intersecting areas: the role of relational factors in coping with the disease, the development and evaluation of supportive interventions, and quantitative (dyadic data analysis) and qualitative methodologies to appraise and advance theories of stress and dyadic coping

Dr. Acquati supports and consults for multiple research projects at AYA CARE.