Chun Tao, Ph.D., L.P., ABPP

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SUMMARY

The research of Chun Tao, Ph.D., L.P., ABPP, examines and promotes the resilience and strengths shown by individuals facing health challenges and psychosocial stress. Her current research focuses on the development and implementation of innovative interventions to enhance the emotional well-being and quality of life for people. These interventions are aimed at individuals who are coping with diverse cancer diagnoses and their caregivers. She aims to enhance relationships between patients and their healthcare teams and promote integrated behavioral health in a global health context.

Focus areas

• Psychosocial interventions following diverse cancer diagnoses. Dr. Tao develops and evaluates individual and group-based therapeutic interventional programs aimed at ameliorating psychological and physical distress. These interventional programs also enhance psychological flexibility, dignity, personhood, and meaning and purpose in life. Individuals in these programs have received diverse cancer diagnoses and are navigating cancer-related challenges. Her research derives from acceptance and commitment therapy, meaning-centered psychotherapy, compassion-based therapy, and dignity therapy frameworks. Dr. Tao also collaborates on technological innovation concerning intervention delivery.
• Couples-based physical activity intervention. Dr. Tao collaborates with a multidisciplinary team on a couples-based physical activity intervention that draws strengths from relationship interdependence. This intervention strives to improve physical activity engagement, physical endurance, and global physical health for stem cell transplant recipients and their romantic partners.
• Enhancement of patient-healthcare team relationships. Dr. Tao collaborates with multidisciplinary teams across outpatient and inpatient settings to pilot and examine processes to enhance compassion and satisfaction perceived in patient-clinician relationships.

Significance to patient care

Dr. Tao views research as a way to raise awareness of social and health differences and to advance change. She strives to optimize the quality of and access to intervention and patient care for individuals and their caregivers in the face of cancer and other health challenges. Dr. Tao's goal is to translate research into larger-scale intervention and prevention programs to improve health outcomes in wider populations.