School of Psychology: Academic Staff

 DR. ANNMARIE GROARKE

  Office: Rm. 201, St. Anthony's
  Telephone: 353-91-493098
  E-mail: AnnMarie Groarke

Dr. AnnMarie Groarke, BA, MA, HDipEd, PhD, AFPsSI, C Psychol

AnnMarie Groarke is a graduate of NUI, Galway. She was appointed to the staff of the Dept in 1986. Senior Lecturer in the Dept of Psychology she is currently responsible for teaching courses in Cognitive Psychology and Psychological Measurement to final year students as well as overseeing the delivery of research projects for final year denominated students. At postgraduate level she contributes to 2 courses on health psychology to the MSc in Health Psychology , teaches psychological measurement and supervises research projects for the 2 Higher Diploma in Psychology courses. In previous years she has also taught courses in cognitive psychology, personality and social psychology, and health psychology to diverse groups. She was the second Director of the MPsychSc in Health Psychology Programme ( 2 year) from 1998 - 2002 and was Chair of the PSI Health Psychology Special Interest Group for a two year term during this time. She served as National Delegate for Ireland to the European Health Psychology Society (EHPS) for a number of years and served as a member of the Scientific Committee for the EHPS Health Psychology Conferences 2005 and 2006. She was appointed by the Psychological Society of Ireland to serve on the Accreditation Review Panel for Health Psychology in Ireland. Dr Groarke was elected Vice Dean of the Arts Faculty 2003 - 2006 and is currently Head of School in Psychology. Prior to her appointment to NUI Galway, she carried out research in cognitive psychology for the MA Degree after which she worked as a Research Officer with the Brothers of Charity Services, Galway Her work and publications here focused on community integration of persons with learning difficulties.

Research Interests

Dr Groarke's research interests include the efficacy of psychological interventions for patients with cancer. illness cognitions and health outcomes, coping and adjustment in chronic illness.

Recent research

• The Galway Rheumatoid Arthritis Stress Project (funded by private foundation)

  Dr Groarke completed a longitudinal investigation of the role of illness perceptions, coping and disease status on adjustment in rheumatoid arthritis. Other aspects of this research examined the impact of psychological stress and social support on disease status and adjustment in RA.

  Co-investigators: Professor Ruth Curtis, Department of Psychology, NUI,Galway; Dr Robert Coughlan, Department of Rheumatology, UCHG.

Current Psycho-Oncology Research

• Managing the Psychological Challenges of Breast Cancer
  (funded by the National Breast Cancer Research Institute, Jan. 2005-Jan. 2009)
  

  This longitudinal study (i) tracks and assesses the experience of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, pre-surgery, post surgery, during treatment and again one year later (ii) conducts a randomised controlled trial (RCT) testing the effectiveness of a specially designed psychological intervention on adjustment in women with breast cancer.

  Co-investigators: Professor Ruth Curtis, Department of Psychology, NUI Galway; Professor Michael Kerin, Department of Surgery, NUI Galway.

• Attitudes towards Medical and Psychological Therapies in Patients with Cancer
  (funded by the Millennium Research Fund, NUI Galway)
  

  This study examines perceived needs and attitudes to adjuvant therapy and psychological support services in men and women who have been diagnosed with diverse cancers and are in University Hospital Galway.

  Co-investigator: Professor Ruth Curtis, N.U.I., Galway.

• Psychological Impact of Prostate Cancer-An Evidence-Based Study
  (Funded by Cancer care West)
  

  Co-investigators: Professor Ruth Curtis, School of Psychology, NUI, Galway, Professor Frank Sullivan, & Mr Eamon Rodgers, University Hospital Galway

Publications (Health Psychology)

• Groarke, A., Curtis, R. & Kerin, M. Global stress predicts both positive and negative emotional adjustment at diagnosis and post surgery in women with breast cancer. Psycho-Oncology (in press)
• Groarke, A., Curtis, R., Coughlan, R. & Gsel, A. (2004). The role of perceived and actual disease status on adjustment to rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology, 43, 1142-1149.
• Groarke, A., Curtis, R., Coughlan, R. & Gsel., A. (2005).The impact of illness representations and disease activity on adjustment in women with rheumatoid arthritis. A longitudinal study Psychology and Health, 20, 597-613.
• Groarke, A., Curtis, R., Coughlan, R. & Gsel., A. (2005). Predictors of physical, psychological and social adjustment in women with rheumatoid arthritis. Irish Journal of Psychology, 26, 161-176.
• Curtis R., Groarke, A., Coughlan, R., & Gsel, A. (2004). The influence of disease severity, perceived stress, social support and coping in patients with chronic illness: A one year follow-up. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 9, 456-482.
• Curtis, R., Groarke, A., Coughlan, R. & Gsel, A. (2005). Psychological stress as a predictor of health status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Patient Education and Counselling, 59, 186-192.
• Lavin, D. & Groarke, A. (2005). Dental floss behaviour: A test of the predictive utility of the theory of planned behaviour and the effects of implementation intentions. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 10, 243-252.
• Swords, L. & Groarke, A.(2005). Experience with breast cancer: Effects on comparative optimism, anxiety, attitudes, and breast self-examination. Irish Journal of Psychology, 24, 76-89.
• Chan, J., Ong, J., Avalos, G., Regan, P., McCann, J., Groarke, A., Kelly, J. (2008) Illness representations in patients with hand injury. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 20,1-6

Recent Conference Presentations

• Groarke, A. Curtis, R. & Kerin, M. Psychological adjustment in women with breast cancer : An intervention study. 23rd European Health Psychology Conference, Pisa September 2009
• Groarke, A. Curtis, R. & Kerin, M. Managing the psychological challenges of breast cancer: An intervention study. 32nd Sir Peter Freyer Memorial Lecture and Surgical Symposium, NUI, Galway 2007
• Groarke, A. & Curtis, R. Adjustment to Illness and loss: The Irish Experience. International Conference ’New Innovations in Health Psychology and Psychosomatic Medicine’ Fiji April 2005.
• Groarke, A. & Curtis, R. The role of psychological stress, social support and coping on adjustment in patients with a chronic illness. 18th European Health Psychology Conference, Helsinki, June 2004.
• Groarke, A. Illness representations, coping and health outcomes in patients with chronic disease. Invited Address, Psychology and Illness Conference, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin July 2003.
• Groarke, A. & Curtis, R. A longitudinal study of the impact of psychological variables and clinical disease variables on adjustment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. 16th European Health Psychology Conference, Lisbon, October 2002.
• Groarke, A. & Curtis, R. Predictors of adjustment in patients with arthritis; A comparison of the role of psychological and medical factors. 32nd Annual Conference of the Psychological Society of Ireland, Westport, November 2001.
• Groarke, A. & Curtis, R. Clinical and psychological correlates of perceived health status in rheumatoid arthritis. 6th International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, Brisbane, Australia, November 2000.
• Curtis, R. & Groarke, A. Psychological stress as a predictor of health status in patients with rheumatoid arthrits. 17th European Health Psychology Conference, Kos, October 2003.

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