Elizabeth Vella, PhD
SHE | HER | HERS
Psychology Department Chair
Psychology Department Internship Coordinator
Professor of Psychology
Science Building, Room 512 (A-wing), Portland campus
Territory/Specialty
Health Psychologist
Education
- Virginia Tech, M.S., 2003; Ph.D., 2005
- Sonoma State University, B.A., 1998
Current Courses
PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology (Online - Summer 2024)
PSY 365 Physiological Psychology (Online - Summer 2024)
Research Interests
Cardiovascular Reactivity to and Recovery from Lab-Induced Stress
Stress Reduction Interventions to Improve Quality of Life among Cancer Patients and Combat Veterans
Elizabeth Vella, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Southern Maine. Dr. Vella received her Ph.D. in Psychological Sciences from Virginia Tech in 2005 and completed her postdoctoral fellowship in Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh in 2007. Her research interests include the link between psychosocial factors and cardiovascular risk, the physiological mechanisms that may explain these associations, as well as the implications for stress management interventions in improving quality of life and reducing physiological responses to stressors among at-risk populations. She has authored or co-authored numerous articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented her research at a variety of conferences.
Selected Publications
Vella, E.J., McDonough, C., & Goldstein, H. (2024). Musical mood induction: The relative influences of music type and the importance of music preference. Psychology of Music. https://doi.org/10.1177/03057356241254361
Vella, E.J., Lyman, T., & Lovering, T. (2023). Pilot study: The effects of a mountain wilderness experience on combat veteran psychosocial wellness. Military Behavioral Health, 11(1-2), 54-65. https://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2023.2221463
Vella, E.J. (2021). Psychosocial factors in coronary heart disease. In M.L. Robbins and K. Sweeney (Eds.), The Wiley Encyclopedia of Health Psychology (Vol#2): The social bases of health behavior (pp. 529-535). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119057840.ch103
Vella, E.J. & Mills, G.J. (2017). Personality, uses of music, and music preference: The influence of openness to experience and extraversion. Psychology of Music, 45(3), 338-354. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735616658957
Vella, E.J., Turesky, E.F., & Hebert, J. (2016). Predictors of academic success in web-based courses: Age, GPA, and instruction mode. Quality Assurance in Education, 24(4), 586-600. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-08-2015-0035
Vella, E.J., Milligan, B., & Bennett, J.L. (2013). Participation in outdoor recreation program predicts improved psychosocial well-being among veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: A pilot study. Military Medicine, 178(3), 254-260. https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-12-00308
Vella, E.J., Kamarck, T.W., Flory, J.D., & Manuck, S. (2012). Hostile mood and social strain during daily life: A test of the transactional model. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 44(3), 341-352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9400-7
Vella, E.J. & Budd, M. (2011). Pilot study: Retreat intervention predicts improved quality of life and reduced psychological distress among breast cancer patients. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 17, 209-214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2011.01.005
Vella, E.J., & Friedman, B.H. (2009). Hostility and anger-in: Cardiovascular reactivity and recovery to mental arithmetic stress. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 72, 253-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2009.01.003
Vella, E.J., Kamarck, T.W., & Shiffman, S. (2008). Hostility moderates the effects of social support and intimacy on blood pressure in daily social interactions. Health Psychology, 27(Suppl. 2), S155-S162. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0278-6133.27.2(Suppl.).S155
Vella, E.J., & Friedman, B.H. (2007). The autonomic characteristics of defensive hostility: Reactivity and recovery to active and passive stressors (invited paper). International Journal of Psychophysiology, 66, 95-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2007.03.014
Science Building, Room 512 (A-wing), Portland campus
Territory/Specialty
Health Psychologist
Education
- Virginia Tech, M.S., 2003; Ph.D., 2005
- Sonoma State University, B.A., 1998
Current Courses
PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology (Online - Summer 2024)
PSY 365 Physiological Psychology (Online - Summer 2024)
Research Interests
Cardiovascular Reactivity to and Recovery from Lab-Induced Stress
Stress Reduction Interventions to Improve Quality of Life among Cancer Patients and Combat Veterans