Rachel Neff Greenley, PhD

Dr. Rachel Neff Greenley is a Professor in the Department of Psychology. Dr. Greenley obtained her PhD in clinical psychology, with an emphasis in clinical child psychology, from Loyola University Chicago. She completed an internship in Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology at Lurie Children’s Hospital and a fellowship in Child Behavioral Health Research and Pediatric Psychology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

She joined the faculty of RFUMS in 2009. Her research interests focus on youth and family adjustment in the context of acute and chronic pediatric chronic illnesses, as well as adherence and self-management skill development among adolescents and emerging adults with chronic illnesses. Dr. Greenley teaches courses in Statistics, Health Psychology, Research Methods and Child and Adolescent Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She is licensed in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Dr. Greenley will be accepting a student for 2025-2026 academic year Please note that to remain unbiased in the review of applications and to be equitable across all applicants, it is our department’s policy to not meet individually with applicants prior to our PhD Interview Day. However, if you have a specific question that cannot be answered through our webpage and would influence your decision to apply, you are welcome to reach out with brief questions.

Want to Know More About Dr. Greenley’s Research Lab?

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Research

My research interests center on understanding factors that contribute to optimal psychosocial and physical functioning among youth affected by acute or chronic medical conditions and their families. In particular, I am interested in the role of individual, familial, and health professional systems in promoting positive adjustment, adherence to treatment and self-management skill development among youth, adolescents, and emerging adults with chronic medical conditions. My research interests include both descriptive studies to better understand factors that promote optimal functioning,, as well as intervention studies to evaluate the efficacy of programs to enhance adherence and promote positive adjustment.

Recent Publications

• *Bieniak, K. H., *Bedree, H., *Geanous, N., Greenley, R. N., Miller, S. A., Buscemi, J., & Tran, S. T. (2024). Thematic analysis of COVID-19’s impacts on transitions among emerging adults. Health Care Transitions, 2, 100052, DOI: 10.1016/j.hctj.2024.100052
• *Lampert-Okin, S., *Howe, M., & Greenley, R. N. (2023). Clinically significant psychological distress is associated with poorer physical health in adolescents and young adults with IBD. Children's Health Care. 1-20, DOI: 10.1080/02739615.2023.2226394
• *Durkin, L.K., *Flynn, E.M., *Johnson, M.L., Davies, W. H., & Greenley, R. N. (2023). Vaccine Attitudes Mediate Relationships Between Caregiver Political Ideology and Likelihood of Child Vaccination for COVID-19. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 27, 984–990 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03642-3
• *Feldman, E. C., *Lampert-Okin, S. L., & Greenley, R. N. (2023). Relationships Between Abdominal Pain, Mental Health, and Functional Disability in Youth with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Pain Catastrophizing as a Longitudinal Mediator. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 38(12), 711-720.
• *Lampert, S. L., *Feldman, E. C., *Durkin, L. K., Davies, W. H., Greenley, R. N. (2022). Medication adherence among emerging adults: The influence of provider communication and patient personality. Children's Health Care, 51(1), 101-117. https://doi.org/10.1080/02739615.2021.1971986
• *Howe, M. M., *Feldman, E., *Lampert, S. L., *Kenney, A. E., Davies, W. H., & Greenley, R. N. (2021). Caregiver perceptions of importance of COVID-19 preventative health guidelines and difficulty following guidelines are associated with child adherence rates. Families, Systems & Health, 39(4), 632–637. https://doi.org/10.1037/fsh0000641
• *Feldman, E.C.H., *Durkin, L.K, *Bugno, L., Davies, W.H, Miller, S. A., & Greenley, R.N. (2021). Communication about Medication by Providers-Adolescent and Young Adult Version: A confirmatory factor analysis. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 46(5), 599–608. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsab009
• *Feldman, E. C. H., *Durkin L.K , & Greenley, R. N. (2021). Family support is associated with fewer adherence barriers and greater intent to adhere to oral medications in pediatric IBD. Journal of Pediatric Nursing,60, 58-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2021.01.026

*Denotes a student author.

Current Projects

Patient-Healthcare Professional Communication and Medication Adherence. We have two ongoing projects in this area. First, we have an ongoing data collection initiative aimed at better understanding how students in health professional clinical disciplines communicate with patients around medication taking and factors that explain variability in communication practices. Second, in partnership with NorthShore Health Systems, we are examining how a match between patient preferences and provider behavior may facilitate psychosocial and disease self-management outcomes in emerging adults with Type I Diabetes. We hope to better understand strengths and weaknesses in patient-health professional communication so that we may develop interventions to improve communication and intervention skills as a method of enhancing medication adherence.

Parent Trauma Symptoms in Response to Youth PICU Admission. In collaboration with an interprofessional team of researchers at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and Medical College of Wisconsin, we are conducting a project to examine cognitive risk factors for parent trauma symptoms in a sample of parents whose children were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). A parallel project is investigating broader experiences of parents of adolescents who have been traumatized with the goal of understanding salient cognitive risk and protective factors. The long-term goal of this program of research is to better understand how to prevent parental post traumatic stress symptoms via delivery of brief interventions during the child’s hospital stay.

Experience of Spanish Speaking Caregivers of Children Hospitalized in the PICU. In collaboration with an interprofessional team of researchers at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and Medical College of Wisconsin, we are developing a pilot study to better understand the experiences of Spanish-speaking caregivers of children hospitalized in the PICU. We are developing a mixed-methods study that will investigate caregiver experiences and determine whether certain experiences or cognitions associated with the child’s PICU admission are linked with greater caregiver distress.

Current Students

	Erin Flynn, BA Erin is a 1st year student in the PhD program. Her research interests include stress and coping in pediatric populations, including children with chronic illnesses. She is also broadly interested in family influences on mental and physical health outcomes within pediatric populations. Erin is thrilled to be back in the Chicago area and closer to family. In her free time, she enjoys exploring cute towns around campus, getting outside, and running.
	Meghan Howe, MS Meghan is a 5th year student in the PhD program. She is interested in identifying processes by which child- and family-level factors confer risk or promote resilience in children diagnosed with chronic medical conditions and psychometrics of existing pediatric psychology assessment tools. Her long-term goals are to conduct collaborative research and clinical work to improve psychosocial outcomes in children and families coping with chronic illness. This year, Meghan is completing a pediatric psychology practicum at Shriners Children's Hospital. Meghan enjoys dancing, running along the lakefront, and hanging out with her dog in her free time.
	Sara Lampert-Okin, MS Sara is a 4th year student in the PhD program. Her research interests include adjustment and self-management among adolescents and emerging adults with chronic health conditions, adherence behaviors, and the influence of various systems (e.g., healthcare system, family system) on adjustment and self-management. This year, Sara is completing a pediatric psychology practicum at Endeavor Health. In her free time, Sara enjoys baking, doing puzzles, and going for walks.
	Sophia Rintell Sophia is a 2nd year student in the PhD program. She is interested in psychosocial outcomes associated with chronic illness and medical complexity in children and families. Specifically, she is interested in medication adherence, caregiver well-being, family/caregiver-based interventions targeting adjustment to illness, and research methods inclusive of individuals who speak languages other than English. This year, Sophia is completing a practicum in pediatric neuropsychology at Endeavor Health. Sophia is getting to know Chicago one coffee shop, bakery, or pizza parlor at a time. She enjoys biking by the lake, cooking for friends, and listening to live music in her free time.

Alumni

Pediatric Psychology or Pediatric Neuropsychology:

• Estée Hoy Feldman
  
  • Internship: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
  • Fellowship: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
• Lindsey Bugno, PhD
  • Internship: Indiana University School of Medicine/Riley Children’s Hospital
  • Fellowship: Northwest Suburban Psychology Group (pediatric neuropsychology)
• Samantha Carreon, PhD
  • Internship: Children’s Hospital Boston
  • Fellowship: Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital
• Eve Nguyen, PhD
  • Internship: Kennedy Krieger Institute
  • Fellowship: Children’s Hospital Orange County
• Jill Plevinsky, PhD
  • Internship: Brown University School of Medicine
  • Fellowship: Cinicinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
• Natasha Poulopoulos, PhD
  • Internship: Jackson Miami Medical Center
  • Fellowship: Children’s Hospital Boston
• Molly Thomason, PhD
  • Internship: University of New Mexico
  • Fellowship: Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital (pediatric neuropsychology)
• Jennifer Walter PhD
  • Internship: University of New Mexico
  • Fellowship: Neuropsychological Services of New Mexico (pediatric neuropsychology)
• Andrea Wojtowicz, PhD
  • Internship: Nationwide Children’s Hospital
  • Fellowship: Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Health Psychology:

• Amitha Gumidayala, PhD
  • Internship: VA Palo Alto Health Care System
  • Fellowship: VA Palo Alto Health Care System
• Cassandra Kandah, PhD
  • Internship: Lovell Federal Health Care Center
  • Fellowship: Loyola University Medical Center
• Jessica Naftaly, PhD
  • Internship: Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital
  • Fellowship: Michigan Medicine