Catherine E. Mosher, Ph.D.
Professor
Research
The long-term goal of my research is to improve the physical and psychological health of adults diagnosed with cancer and their family caregivers. My primary research interests are: (1) developing, evaluating, and disseminating psychosocial interventions for cancer patients and their family caregivers; and (2) identifying demographic, medical, and social predictors of physical and psychological health outcomes in cancer patients and their family caregivers. My recent projects have focused on novel applications of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for these populations. I employ a wide range of designs, including descriptive studies involving quantitative and qualitative methods and randomized controlled trials. My research studies have been supported by the National Cancer Institute (R01CA289486, R01CA230542, R21CA235788; PI: Mosher), the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, the Walther Cancer Foundation, and the American Cancer Society.
My doctoral students have earned fellowships and grants from the National Cancer Institute, the Walther Cancer Foundation, and the American Psychological Association and have access to numerous research and training opportunities through the Indiana University Comprehensive Cancer Center's Cancer Prevention and Control Program. I also co-direct our Cancer Center’s pre- and postdoctoral training program in cancer prevention and control. Learn more about this National Cancer Institute-supported T32 program.
I am not accepting a new PhD student for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Research Areas
- Clinical Psychology
- Health
Education
- 2002, B.A., Psychology, Youngstown State University
- 2004, M.A., Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York
- 2007, Clinical Psychology Internship, Duke University Medical Center
- 2007, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York
- 2010, Post-doctoral Fellowship, Psycho-Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Publications & Professional Activity
*Student/mentee work
*Krueger, E., *Secinti, E., Stewart, J. C., Rand, K. L., & Mosher, C. E. (2024). Cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based interventions for distress in patients with advanced cancer: A meta-analysis. Psycho-Oncology, 33, e6259.
*Burns, M., *Secinti, E., Johns, S. A., Wu, W., Helft, P. R., Turk, A. A., Loehrer P. J., Sehdev, A., Al-Hader, A. A., & Mosher, C. E. (2023). Impact of acceptance and commitment therapy on physical and psychological symptoms in advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients and caregivers: Secondary results of a pilot randomized trial. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 27, 107-115.
*Chinh, K., Wu, W., Johns, S. A., Stutz, P. V., McGrew, J. H., & Mosher, C. E. (2023). Development and preliminary validation of the Brief Self-Compassion Inventory. PLOS ONE, 18, e0285658.
*Secinti, E., *Snyder, S., Wu, W., & Mosher, C. E. (2023). Preliminary validation of the Injustice Experience Questionnaire in patients with advanced cancer. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 65, e345-e351.
*Tometich, D. B., Mosher, C. E., Cyders, M., McDonald, B. C., Saykin, A. J., Small, B. J., Zhai, W., Zhou, X., Jim, H. S. L., Jacobsen, P., Ahles, T. A., Root, J., Graham, D., Patel, S. K., & Mandelblatt, J. (2023). An examination of the longitudinal relationships between cognitive function and physical activity among older breast cancer survivors in the Thinking and Living with Cancer Study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 57, 237-248.
Mosher, C. E., *Secinti, E., Wu, W., Kashy, D. A., Kroenke, K., Bricker, J. B., Helft, P. R., Turk, A. A., Loehrer, P., Sehdev, A., Al-Hader, A. A., Champion, V. L., & Johns, S. A. (2022). Acceptance and commitment therapy for patient fatigue interference and caregiver burden in advanced gastrointestinal cancer: Results of a pilot randomized trial. Palliative Medicine, 36, 1104-1117.
*Secinti, E., Wu, W., Kent, E. E., Demark-Wahnefried, W., *Lewson, A. B., & Mosher, C. E. (2022). Examining health behaviors of chronic disease caregivers in the United States. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 62, e145-e158.
*Krueger, E., *Secinti, E., Wu, W., Hanna, N., Durm, G., Einhorn, L., Jalal, S., & Mosher, C. E. (2021). Measurement of patients’ acceptable symptom levels and priorities for symptom improvement in advanced lung cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer, 29, 5895-5904.
Mosher, C. E., *Krueger, E., *Secinti, E., & Johns, S. A. (2021). Symptom experiences in advanced cancer: Relationships to acceptance and commitment therapy constructs. Psycho-Oncology, 30, 1485-1491.
*Secinti, E., *Lewson, A. B., Wu, W., Kent, E. E., & Mosher, C. E. (2021). Health-related quality of life: A comparative analysis of caregivers of people with dementia, cancer, COPD/emphysema, and diabetes and non-caregivers, 2015-2018 BRFSS. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 55, 1130-1143.
*Chinh, K., Mosher, C. E., Brown, L. F., Beck-Coon, K. A., Kroenke, K., & Johns, S. A. (2020). Psychological processes and symptom outcomes in mindfulness-based stress reduction for cancer survivors: A pilot study. Mindfulness, 11, 905-916.
Mosher, C. E., *Secinti, E., Hirsh, A. T., Hanna., N., Einhorn, L. H., Jalal, S. I., Durm, G., Champion, V. L., & Johns, S. A. (2019). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for symptom interference in advanced lung cancer and caregiver distress: A pilot randomized trial. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 58, 632-644.
*Secinti, E., Rand, K. L., Johns, S. A., O’Neil, B. H., Helft, P. R., Shahda, S., & Mosher, C. E. (2019). Social correlates of mental health in gastrointestinal cancer patients and their family caregivers: Exploring the role of loneliness. Supportive Care in Cancer, 27, 2077-2086.
*Secinti, E., *Tometich, D. B., Johns, S. A., & Mosher, C. E. (2019). The relationship between acceptance of cancer and distress: A meta-analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 71, 27-38.
Mosher, C. E., *Secinti, E., Johns, S. A., O’Neil, B. H., Helft, P. R., Shahda, S., Jalal, S. I., & Champion, V. L. (2018). Examining the effect of peer helping in a coping skills intervention: A randomized controlled trial for advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients and their family caregivers. Quality of Life Research, 27, 515-528.
Mosher, C. E., *Secinti, E., Li, R., Hirsh, A. T., Bricker, J., Miller, K. D., Schneider, B., Storniolo, A. M., Mina, L., Newton, E., Champion, V. L., & Johns, S. A. (2018). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for symptom interference in metastatic breast cancer patients: A pilot randomized trial. Supportive Care in Cancer, 26, 1993-2004.
*Tometich, D. B., Mosher, C. E., Hirsh, A. T., Rand, K. L., Johns, S. A., Matthias, M. S., Outcalt, S. D., Schneider, B. P., Mina, L., Storniolo, A. M. V., Newton, E. V., & Miller, K. D. (2018). Metastatic breast cancer patients' expectations and priorities for symptom improvement. Supportive Care in Cancer, 26, 3781-3788.
*Winger, J. G., Rand, K. L., Hanna, N., Jalal, S. I., Einhorn, L. H., Birdas, T. J., Ceppa, D. P., Kesler, K. A., Champion, V. L., & Mosher, C. E. (2018). Coping skills practice and symptom change: A secondary analysis of a pilot telephone symptom management intervention for lung cancer patients and their family caregivers. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 55, 1341-1349.
Mosher, C. E., *Winger, J. G., Given, B. A., Shahda, S., & Helft, P. R. (2017). A systematic review of psychosocial interventions for colorectal cancer patients. Supportive Care in Cancer, 25, 2349-2362.
Mosher, C. E., *Adams, R. N., Helft, P. R., O’Neil, B. H., Shahda, S., Rattray, N. A., & Champion, V. L. (2016). Family caregiving challenges in advanced colorectal cancer: patient and caregiver perspectives. Supportive Care in Cancer, 24, 2017-2024.
Mosher, C. E., *Winger, J. G., Given, B. A., Helft, P. R., & O’Neil, B. H. (2016). Mental health outcomes during colorectal cancer survivorship: A review of the literature. Psycho-Oncology, 25, 1261-1270.
Mosher, C. E., *Winger, J. G., Hanna, N., Jalal, S. I., Einhorn, L. H., Birdas, T. J., Ceppa, D. P., Kesler, K. A., Schmitt, J., Kashy, D. A., & Champion, V. L. (2016). Randomized pilot trial of a telephone symptom management intervention for symptomatic lung cancer patients and their family caregivers. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 52, 469-482.
*Adams, R. N., Mosher, C. E., Blair, C. K., Snyder, D. C., Sloane, R., & Demark-Wahnefried, W. (2015). Cancer survivors’ uptake and adherence in diet and exercise intervention trials: An integrative data analysis. Cancer, 121, 77-83.
*Winger, J. G., Mosher, C. E., Rand, K. L., Morey, M. C., Snyder, D. C., & Demark-Wahnefried, W. (2014). Diet and exercise intervention adherence and health-related outcomes among older long-term breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 48, 235-245.