Youngmee Kim, Ph.D.
Youngmee Kim
Associate Professor, Health Division
Associate Editor, Quality of Life Research
Ph.D. earned from the University of Rochester, 1998
Research Interests
My research interests concern social motivation and emotion, close relationships, and cross-cultural psychology. I have applied these interests primarily to the field of psycho-oncology. My research focuses on various aspects of quality of life of cancer survivors and their family members and close friends, such as psychological, physical, behavioral, and spiritual adjustment, and the psychosocial correlates, such as coping with caregiving stress, gender, relationship quality, and cancer preventive behaviors. My program of research aims to examine the psychosocial, physical, and spiritual impact of cancer on the family at a national as well as community level, and develop programs and services to assist families in meeting their needs and to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors among cancer survivors and their family and friends.
Current Research
Quality of Life of Cancer Survivors and Their Family Caregivers
Cancer affects not only the quality of life of persons with the disease but also that of their family members and close friends. The impact on various aspects of the family caregivers' quality of life (QOL) is significant throughout the trajectory of the illness (the time of diagnosis and treatment, mid- to long-term survivorship, and bereavement). My program of research aims to fill gaps in our knowledge about this impact. One of my projects, the National Quality of Life Survey for Caregivers, funded by American Cancer Society, has documented indicators of cancer patient family caregivers' QOL (psychosocial, physical, spiritual, and behavioral) at 2-year post-diagnosis (n > 1,600). This project has also identified psychosocial correlates (personality, relationship quality, social support, gender) of better or poorer outcomes. Follow-up assessments at 5 years post-diagnosis (completed) and 8 years post-diagnosis (ongoing) provide evidence on the long-term impact of cancer on family caregivers facing each of three situations: These are caregivers whose care recipients now are in remission; caregivers whose care recipients are undergoing treatment for recurrence, second cancer, or late side-effects; and caregivers whose care recipients are deceased.
Another project, the Study of Informal Cancer Care, targeted the early phase of cancer caregivership and survivorship (from the time of diagnosis to 4 to 18-month post-diagnosis) and was conducted at community hospitals. Yet another project, the Hope Lodge Study, examined the psychosocial mechanisms of social support effects on patients' and their family caregivers' quality of life.
The gaps in knowledge about physical aspects of caregivership are particularly large. I am addressing these gaps in another project, Biomarkers of Cancer-related Stress, a study that examines the associations between characteristics of cancer-related stress and biobehavioral outcomes of patients and family members. Another project addresses the significant role of gender in stress processes and QOL outcomes. This project, Gender-based Coping Skills Training, investigates the effects of a tailored intervention based on individuals' gender and ethnicity, which is delivered to both cancer patients/survivors and their family members.
Cancer Preventive Behaviors
I am also conducting a randomized clinical trial, Nutrition and Physical Activity, with over 2,500 participants. This project compares the effectiveness of a telephone counseling program versus self-help materials only, for the purpose of establishing weight loss or weight management and improving healthy diet and physical activity. Tailoring the effective components of this intervention to individuals with personal or family history of cancer, another project, Cancer Preventive Behaviors, tests the psychosocial and environmental factors related to improving cancer preventive behaviors, including healthy diet, physical activity, and cancer screening.
Selected Publications
Kim, Y., Wellisch, D. K., & Spillers, R. L. (in press). Effects of psychological distress on quality of life of adult daughters and their mother with cancer. Psycho-Oncology.
Kim, Y., Carver, C. S., Deci, E., L., & Kasser, T. (2008). Adult attachment and psychological well-being in cancer caregivers" The mediational role of spouses' motives for caregiving. Health Psychology, 27, S144-S154.
Kim, Y., & Given, B. A. (2008). Quality of life of family caregivers of cancer survivors across the trajectory of the illness. Cancer, 112 (11 suppl), 2556-2568.
Kim, Y., Kashy D. A., Wellisch, D. K., Spillers, R. L., Kaw, C., & Smith, T. (2008). Quality of life of couples dealing with cancer: Dyadic and individual adjustment among breast and prostate cancer survivors and their spousal caregivers. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 35, 230-238.
Kim, Y., & Schulz, R. (2008). Family caregivers' strains: Comparative analysis of cancer caregiving with dementia, diabetes, and frail elderly caregiving. Journal of Aging and Health, 20, 483-503.
Kim, Y., & Morrow, G. R. (2007). The effects of family support, anxiety, and post-treatment nausea on the development of anticipatory nausea: A latent growth model. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 34, 265-276.
Kim, Y., Baker, F., & Spillers, R. L. (2007). Cancer caregivers' quality of life: Effects of gender, relationship, and appraisal. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 34, 294-304.
Kim, Y., Kashy, D. A., & Evans, T. V. (2007). Age and attachment style impact stress and depressive symptoms among caregivers: A perspective investigation. Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice, 1, 35-43.
Kim, Y., Schulz, R., & Carver, C. S. (2007). Benefit finding in the cancer caregiving experience. Psychosomatic Medicine, 69, 283-291.
Kim, Y., Wellisch, D. K., Spillers, R. L., & Crammer, C. (2007). Psychological distress of female cancer caregivers: Effects of type of cancer and caregivers' spirituality. Supportive Care in Cancer, 15, 1367-1374.
Kim, Y., & Carver, C. S. (2007). Frequency and difficulty in caregiving among spouses of individuals with cancer: Effects of adult attachment and gender. Psycho-Oncology, 16, 714-728.
Colgrove, L. A., Kim, Y., & Thompson, N. (2007). The effect of spirituality on the quality of life of spousal caregivers of cancer survivors. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 33, 90-98.
Kornblith, A. B., Regan, M. M., Kim, Y., Greer, G., Parker, B., Bennett, S., & Winer, E. (2006). Cancer-related communication problems between female patients and male spouses. Psycho-Oncology, 15, 780-794.
Kim, Y., Baker, F., Spillers, R. L., & Wellisch, D. K. (2006). Psychological adjustment of cancer caregivers with multiple roles. Psycho-Oncology, 15, 795-804.
Kim, Y., Hickok, J., & Morrow, G. R. (2006). Fatigue and depression in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: An emotion approach. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 32, 311-321.
Kim, Y., Loscalzo, M. J., Wellisch, D. K., & Spillers, R. L. (2006). Gender differences in caregiving stress among caregivers of cancer survivors. Psycho-Oncology, 15, 1086-1092.
Kim, Y. (2006a). Cognitive concepts of the self and romantic relationships. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 28, 169-175.
Kim, Y. (2006b). Gender, attachment, and relationship duration on cardiovascular reactivity to stress in a laboratory study of dating couples. Personal Relationships, 13, 103-114.
Kim, Y., DuHamel, K., Valdimarsdottir, H. B., & Bovbjerg, D. H. (2005). Psychological distress among women with family history of breast cancer: Effects of recent life events. Psycho-Oncology, 14, 555-563.
Kim, Y. (2005). Emotional and cognitive consequences of adult attachment: The mediating effect of the self. Personality and Individual Differences, 39, 913-923.
Grouzet, F., Kasser, T., Ahuvia, A., Fernandez Dols, J. M., Kim, Y., Lau, S., Ryan, R. M., Sanders, S. Schmuck, P., & Sheldon, K. (2005). The structure of goal contents across 15 cultures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89, 800-816.
Kim, Y., Duberstein, P. R., Sörensen, S. & Larson, M. R. (2005). Levels of depressive symptoms in spouses of people with lung cancer: Effects of personality, social support, and caregiving burden. Psychosomatics, 46, 123-130.
Ryan, R. M., La Guardia, J. G., Solky-Butzel, J., Chirkov, V., & Kim, Y. (2005). On the interpersonal regulation of emotions: Emotional reliance across gender, relationships and cultures. Personal Relationships, 12, 145-163.
Sheldon, K. M., Elliot, A. J., Ryan, R. M., Chirkov, V., Kim, Y., Wu, C., Demir M., & Sun, Z. (2004). Self-concordance and subjective well-being in four cultures. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 35, 209-223.
Kim, Y., Seidlitz, L, Ro, Y., Evinger, J. & Duberstein, P. R. (2004). Spirituality and affect: A function of changes in religious affiliation. Personality and Individual Differences, 37, 861-870.
Kim, Y., & Morrow, G. (2003). Changes in family relationships affect the development of chemotherapy-related nausea symptoms. Supportive Care in Cancer, 11, 171-177.
Kim, Y., Valdimarsdottir, H. B., & Bovbjerg, D. H. (2003). Family histories of breast cancer, coping styles, and psychological adjustment. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 26, 225-243.
Kim, Y., Kasser, T., & Lee, H. (2003). Self-concept, aspiration, and well-being in Korea and the United States. Journal of Social Psychology, 143, 277-290.
Chirkov, V., Ryan, R. M., Kim, Y., & Kaplan, U. (2003). Differentiating autonomy from individualism and independence: A self-determination theory perspective on internalization of cultural orientations, gender, and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 97-110.
Kim, Y., Deci, E. L., & Zuckerman, M. (2002). The development of the self-regulation of withholding negative emotions questionnaire. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 62, 316-336.
Kim, Y., & Seidlitz, L. (2002). Spirituality moderates the effect of stress. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 1377-1390.
Kim, Y., Roscoe, J., & Morrow, G. R. (2002). The effects of information and negative affect on cancer treatment-related side effects. Supportive Care in Cancer, 10, 416-421.
Elliot, A. J., Chirkov, V. I., Kim, Y., & Sheldon, K. M. (2001). A cross-cultural analysis of avoidance (relative to approach) personal goals. Psychological Science, 12, 505-510.
Sheldon, K., Elliot, A., Kim, Y., & Kasser, T. (2001). What's satisfying about satisfying events? Testing ten candidate psychological needs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 325-339.
Wheeler, L., & Kim, Y. (1997). The physical attractiveness stereotype has different content in collectivistic cultures: What is beautiful is culturally good. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 795-800.
Useful Links
American Cancer Society: www.cancer.org (for caregivers: www.cancer.org/caregivers)
National Cancer Institute: www.cancer.gov
Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov
American Psychosocial Oncology Society: www.apos-society.org
International Psychosocial Oncology Society: www.ipos-society.org
Society of Behavioral Medicine, Cancer Special Interest Group: www.sbm.org/sig/cancer
Gerontological Society of America: www.geron.org
American Association of Retired Persons: www.aarp.org
Family Caregiver Alliance: www.caregiver.org
National Alliance for Caregiving: www.caregiving.org