Dr. Creech conducts research on the associations between coping skills, social support, and relationship problems with mental health outcomes in women Veterans and other vulnerable Veteran populations. She also investigates the health and well-being of Veterans and Veteran families who are coping with PTSD.

Research Description

Dr. Creech's research has been historically in the area of trauma and physical health problems such as chronic pain. It is now focused broadly on mediators of the relationship between traumatic events and health with a focus on women's mental health and Veteran family functioning. For example, she is studying the roles of coping skills, social support, and relationship adjustment as important concomitants of outcomes after trauma. Within this framework, Dr. Creech is especially interested in women's mental health, and the specific needs of women Veterans and family functioning in vulnerable Veteran populations (e.g. homeless Veterans). Dr. Creech is also involved in research in the areas of interpersonal violence and PTSD.

Affiliations

Providence VA Medical Center
Boston VA Medical Center

Funded Research

Principal Investigator "Development of an intervention to improve interpersonal functioning in returning women veterans exposed to deployment stress." Department of Veterans Affairs VISN-1 Career Development Award- mentored. $180,000.

Principal Investigator "Development of an intervention to improve interpersonal functioning in returning women veterans exposed to deployment stress." Ocean State Research Institute seed funding award. $5,000.

Principal Investigator "Development of an intervention to improve interpersonal functioning in returning women veterans exposed to deployment stress." TJX Foundation. $5,000.

Courses Taught

• Modern abnormal psychology in Research, Practice and Media (CEPY0926)

Selected Publications

• Orchowski, L.M., Creech, S.K., Reddy, M., Capezza, N., Ratcliff, T. (2012). College Women's Perceived Risk to Experience Sexual Victimization: A Prospective Analysis. Violence and Victims 27(2) 194-214.(2012)
• Taft CT, Creech SK, Kachadourian L. Assessment and treatment of posttraumatic anger and aggression: A review. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development. 2012;49(5):777–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2011.09.0156(2012)
• Creech, S.; Davis,K.; Howard, M.; Pearlstein, T.; Zlotnick, C. Psychological/verbal abuse and utilization of mental health care in perinatal women seeking treatment for depression. Article in press at Archives of Women's Mental Health.DOI: 10.1007/s00737-012-0294-y(2012)
• Creech, S. K., Smith, J., Grimes, J. & Meagher, M. (2011) Written emotional disclosure of trauma and trauma history impacts pain sensitivity in females. Journal of Pain 12, 7, 801-810.(2011)
• Creech, S. K., Evardone, M., Braswell, L & Hopwood, C. J., (2010) Validity of the Personality Assessment Screener in Veterans referred for psychological testing. Military Psychology 22;4, 465-473.(2010)
• Grimes, J.S., Creech, S.K., Young, Vichaya & Meagher, M.W. (2009) Distraction speeds the decay of shock-induced hypoalgesia: evidence for the contribution of memory systems in affective pain modulation. The Journal of Pain : 2009;10(3):282-92(2009)
• Hopwood, C. J., Creech, S. K., Clark, T., Meagher, M.W., & Morey, L. C. (2008). Predicting the completion of an integrative and intensive outpatient chronic pain treatment with the Personality Assessment Inventory. Journal of Personality Assessment. Volume 90, Issue 1 , pages 76 – 80.(2008)
• Hopwood, C.J., Creech, S.K., Clark, T.S., Meagher, M.W., & Morey, L.C. (2008). Optimal Multidimensional Pain Inventory scoring in a chronic pain sample. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings 15(4), 301-307.(2008)
• Hopwood, C. J., Creech, S. K., Clark, T., Meagher, M.W., & Morey, L. C. (2007). Convergence of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory and the Personality Assessment Inventory among patients with chronic pain. Rehabilitation Psychology. vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 443-450(2007)
• Karlin, B., Creech, S. Grimes, J., Clark, T., Meagher, M., Morey, L. (2006) The Personality Assessment Inventory with Chronic Pain Patients: Psychometric Properties and Clinical Utility. Journal of Clinical Psychology, (61; 12).(2006)