John A. Astin, Ph.D.

Email: AstinJA@cpmcri.org

Introduction  |  Publications

Introduction

I am a health psychologist by training. My research has been focused on two areas. First, I have been studying psychological, attitudinal, and sociocultural barriers to the integration of mind-body factors in medicine. I am particularly interested in understanding why, despite quite compelling evidence pointing to the influence of psychosocial factors such as stress, anxiety, and depression on physical health, medicine has been slow to fully embrace the biopsychosocial model, in both medical training and practice. Toward this end, I am now in the final stages of an NIH-funded project that is examining physicians, medical students, and residents attitudes toward the role of psychosocial/mind-body factors and therapies in medicine.

A second related area of interest is of the role contemplative practices, particularly meditation, to improve mental and physical health.. Previously, I have published research examining the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions to reduce psychological distress and enhance sense of control in healthy subjects, reduce stress and burnout in health care professionals, and as a complementary treatment for fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition. Together with my colleague Cassi Vieten, we are currently funded to develop and pilot test a series of mindfulness-based interventions to help substance-dependent individuals manage stress and negative affect more effectively which we believe may in turn help reduce the likelihood that they will relapse following successful treatment.

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Publications

Click to see List of publications by John A. Astin in PubMed.

Representative Publications

1. Astin, J.A., Soeken, K., Sierpina, V.S., Clarridge, B.R. (2006). Barriers to the integration of psychosocial factors in medicine: Results of a national survey of physicians. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 19: 557-565.

2. Shapiro, S.L., Carlson, L.E., Astin, J.A., Freedman, B. (2006). Mechanisms of mindfulness. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62: 373-386.

3. Astin, J.A., Goddard, T., Forys, K. (2005). Barriers to the integration of mind-body medicine: Perceptions of physicians, residents and medical students. Explore: The Journal of Science & Healing, 1: 278-283.

4. Shapiro, S.L. Astin, J.A., Bishop, S, Cordova, M. (2005). Mindfulness-based stress reduction for health care professionals: Results from a randomized trial. International Journal of Stress Management, 12: 164-176.

5. Astin, J.A., Berman, B., Bausell, B. Lee, W.L., Forys, K. (2003). The efficacy of mindfulness meditation plus chi gong movement therapy in the treatment of fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Rheumatology, 30: 2257-2262.

6. Astin, J.A., Shapiro, S., Eisenberg, D, Forys, K. (2003) Mind-body medicine: State of the science, implications for practice. Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, 16: 131-147.



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