Dr. Hayley Whitford

Area of research

My main area of research is psychooncology (research into the psycho-social aspects of the cancer journey including diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship). I also have a strong interest in research methodology and quantitative statistics.

Senior Appointments and Memberships

Behavioural Research Officer, Cancer Council Australia

Visiting Research Fellow, School of Psychology, University of Adelaide

Research Affiliate, Royal Adelaide Hospital Cancer Centre

Member of Health, Disability, and Lifespan Development Unit (HDLD)

Awards

Best Poster Award, European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, 2002

Dean’s Merit List, Flinders University

Psychology Research Interests

My primary research interest is in the area of health psychology. Specifically, I work in the area of psychooncology which focuses on the psycho-social aspects of the experience of cancer. However, I’m also interested in research methodology, quantitative statistics, and clinical psychology. I also have a background in forensic psychology.

Specific topics of interest include:

• Quality of life in cancer including research into spiritual wellbeing (meaning, peace, and faith)
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  Coping styles of the chronically ill.
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  The effectiveness of clinical interventions, especially in the chronically ill (the treatment of depression, anxiety, pain, etc, using CBT, Hypnotherapy, Mindfulness, etc)
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  Expectations versus experience in medical treatment
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  The cognitive impact of chemotherapy
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  Psychoneuroimmunology
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  Informed consent to medical treatment
  

Recent Key Publications

Olver, I. N., Whitford, H. S., Denson, L. A., Peterson, M. J., & Olver, S. I. (2009). Improving informed consent to chemotherapy: Written information versus and interactive CD-ROM. Patient Education & Counseling, 74(2), 197-204.

Whitford, H. S., Olver, I. N., & Peterson, M. J. (2008) Spirituality as a core domain in the assessment of quality of life in oncology. Psychooncology, 17(11), 1121-1128.

Venning, A., Eliott, J., & Whitford, H. (2007). The impact of a child’s chronic illness on hopeful thinking in children and parents. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 26, 708-727.

Shepherd, L., Goldstein, D., Whitford, H., Thewes, B., Brummell, V., & Hicks, M. (2006). The utility of videoconferencing to provide innovative delivery of psychosocial treatment for rural cancer patients: Results of a pilot study. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 32(5), 453-461.

Olver, I., Taylor, A., & Whitford, H. (2005). Relationships between patients’ pretreatment expectations and post chemotherapy experiences. Psychooncology, 14(1), 25-33.