Research interests
After completing my doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of Utah and clinical internship at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, I am thrilled to expand my research through the T32 Primary Care Research Fellowship at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.
Across my doctoral training, my research has centered on the wide-reaching mental health and quality of life impacts of pelvic floor injuries and conditions. Through two foundational mixed-method cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, I have examined physical and psychosocial adjustment trajectories among those who have experienced childbirth-related pelvic floor injuries and conditions. My research has also explored gaps in communication with healthcare providers and barriers to care, as well as the role of stigma and social factors in distress, treatment seeking, and functional impacts.
I have become increasingly interested in how clinical health psychology research can extend beyond both academia and the therapy room to shape public policy and healthcare delivery. During my postdoctoral fellowship, I aim to 1) better understand the burden of undisclosed and untreated pelvic floor disorders among patients being seen in primary care settings, 2) evaluate protocols for screening and optimizing associated discussions and referrals, and 3) develop and test a brief 8-12 session psychotherapy course targeting the mental health and quality of life impacts of pelvic floor injuries and conditions. I am eager to gain expertise in grant writing, implementation science, treatment development, and public health promotion through the mentorship and training opportunities afforded by this fellowship.
As a clinical scientist with mutually informative research and clinical interests, I am committed to addressing maternal and reproductive health-related concerns across the lifespan from a biopsychosocial perspective, enhancing patient-provider communication, and leading interdisciplinary research and policy efforts to improve both patient care and provider self-efficacy. Outside of my professional work, I am the mother to two young children, and enjoy mountain biking, hiking, camping, and cross-country skiing with my family. We recently relocated to the Upper Valley and are so excited to take advantage of all the outdoor opportunities afforded by this beautiful area.
Selected publications
Johnson, K. T. & Leifker, F. (2024). Cognitive Processing Therapy for childbirth-related PTSD: A case study and considerations for treatment. Cognitive Behavioral Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2024.04.007
Johnson, K. T., Williams, P. G., Aspinwall, L. G., Curtis, B. J. (2022). Resilience to sleep disturbance: Examination of early pandemic coping and affect [Special Issue: Development of Resilience in Response to Stress and Trauma]. Health Psychology, 45, 291-300. doi:10.1037/hea0001169
Johnson, K. T., Williams, P. G., Hill, A. J. (2022) The importance of information: Prenatal education surrounding birth-related pelvic floor trauma mitigates symptom-related distress. Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy. Journal of Women's Health Physical Therapy, 36, 62-72. https://doi.org/10.1097/JWH.0000000000000229