School of Psychology: Academic Staff

PROFESSOR RUTH CURTIS

Office Rm. 215, St. Anthony's
Telephone 353-91-493002
E-mail Ruth Curtis

Professor Ruth Curtis BA, MA, HDipEd, PhD, AFPsSI, AFBPsS, CPsychol

Ruth Curtis is a graduate of University College Cork and University College Galway (now NUI, Galway). She carried out research in educational and clinical topics at National University of Ireland, Galway and was awarded MA and PhD degrees by The National University of Ireland. She is a Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society. She held Visiting Scholar appointments in Health Psychology with Howard Friedman at the University of California, Riverside, (1992) and with Shelley Taylor, University of California, Los Angeles (2003). She was the first Director of the 2 Year MPsychSc in Health Psychology programme in NUI Galway (1994-98). She was Conference President of the 19th European Health Psychology Conference in 2005 and a member of its Scientific Committee.

She is a member of the International Advisory Board of the British Journal of Health Psychology and a member of the Health Research Board’s Ethics Committee. She was appointed in 2007 to the dedicated REC for the National Longitudinal Study of Children in Ireland (NCSLI) commissioned by the Dept of Health & Children for a five year term.

She is a Director and Deputy Chair of the Board of Directors of Cancer Care West and is Chair of its Management Advisory Board (Cancer Care West is a Not-For-Profit organisation, dedicated to supporting those whose lives have bee affected by a cancer diagnosis).

She was appointed to the Council of State by President Mary McAleese in 1998, and as a member of the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering & Technology, by the Minister for Education in 2001. She is a member of the Governing Authority of NUI Galway elected by graduates since 1998. She is a member of the Council of Galway University Foundation and of the Advisory Board on University Access for the disadvantaged. She is a member of the Governing Body of St. Angela’s College, Sligo. A founder member of Business & Professional Women in Galway, she is also a member of the International Women’s Forum.

From 1996-2002, Prof. Curtis served as Vice-President of NUI, Galway with responsibility for Development and External Affairs She was a member of the NUI Senate for 8 years.

Research Interests

Ruth Curtis' current research interests lie in psychophysiological explanations of stress and coping; cognitive behavioural interventions with cancer patients; personal dispositions and health.

Recent research

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

  A longitudinal investigation of the impact of psychological stress, coping and social support on disease status and adjustment in women with rheumatoid arthritis.

  Co-investigators: Dr. AnnMarie Groarke, Dept. of Psychology, NUI, Galway; Dr. Robert Coughlan, Dept. of Rheumatology, University College Hospital, Galway.

Current Research

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

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

  Co-investigators: Dr. AnnMarie Groarke, NUI,Galway; Professor Michael Kerin, Dept. of Surgery, UCHG.

• Attitudes towards Medical and Psychological Therapies in Patients with Cancer
  (funded by the Millennium Research Fund, N.U.I. 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 receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy in University College Hospital, Galway.

  Co-investigator: Dr AnnMarie Groarke, Dept. of Psychology, NUI Galway

Recent Publications

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Walsh, J.C., Curtis, R. & Mylotte, M. (2004). Anxiety levels in women attending a colposcopy clinic: A randomised trial of an educational intervention using video colposcopy. Patient Education and Counselling, Vol. 55 (2), 247-251.
• McCann S. & Curtis, R. (2003). Psychosocial and attitudinal variables affecting intention to breastfeed among women attending ante-natal classes in Galway. The All Ireland Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, Vol. 2, (9), 28-37.

Recent Presentations

Invited Keynote Presentations

• Curtis, R. Challenging Breast Cancer Together: A Randomised Controlled Trial: First Wave of Results. International Conference 'New Developments in the Psychology of Illness and Health Care’, Atiutaki, April 2007.
• Curtis R. Enhancing adjustment in women with stressful medical conditions: Retrospect and Prospect. Division of Health Psychology PSI, April 2006.
• Curtis, R. Conceptualisation of Stress, its Classification and Impact on Health. 10th Cuban Health Psychology Conference, Havana, Sept 2004.

Selected Conference Presentations

• 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. & 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 arthritis. 17th European Health Psychology Conference, Kos, October 2003.

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