Samuel Sears
Encyclopedia
Samuel F. Sears, Jr., Ph.D. is a professor
of health psychology
at East Carolina University
in Greenville, NC.
clinical psychologist and psychology
professor
. Dr. Samuel Sears was born in Orlando, Florida
and raised in its surrounding suburbs. His parents are Samuel and Becky Sears and his brother Christian is the mayor
of Howey-in-the-Hills, FL. Dr. Sears married Staci Denise Evans in 1993 and the couple have two children, Jackson and Brandon.
Dr. Sears graduated from Lake Brantley High School in 1986 and enrolled at the University of Florida. He was a walk-on football player before incurring multiple injuries. These injuries prompted him to examine the psychological aspects of health
and recovery as a psychology major. He further pursued these studies in the Department of Clinical
and Health Psychology
at the University of Florida, where he obtained his Ph.D.
and was later hired onto the faculty. He served as an Assistant Professor and later as an Associate Professor for 12 years. During his time at the University of Florida, he established the first Cardiac Psychology
Lab at the University of Florida. Together with his doctoral students and physician colleague, Dr. Jamie Conti, Dr. Sears successfully published many papers on the topics of the psychology of heart disease
and particularly implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD).
by examining the effects of the life-saving high energy shock of the ICD.
His work is changing the way patients and society
view ICDs which ultimately saves many lives. As a part of the East Carolina Heart Institute, a new dimension to cardiac disease treatment is being pioneered. Dr. Sears is playing a critical role in a ground breaking program that integrates cardiac psychology
into overall patient treatment. Dr. Sears is also one of the most traveled speakers in the world related to ICD patient support group
s. Each year, Dr. Sears presents to thousands of patients at these venues about successful coping with cardiac disease.
, Dr. Sears has made notable contributions to the care of ICD patients via his ongoing research in collaboration with his doctoral students.
2) Vazquez, L.D., Sears, S.F., Shea, J.B., & Vazquez, P.M. (2010, in press). Sexual health and the ICD patient. Circulation.
3) Keren, A., Sears, S.F., Nery, P., Green, M.S., Lemery, R., Gollob, M.H., Amyotte, B., & Birnie, D.H. (2010, in press). Psychological adjustment in ICD patients living with advisory Fidelis leads. Journal of Cardiac Electrophysiology.
4) Cross, N.J., McCrae, C.S., Smith, K.M., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2010, In press) Comparison of actigraphic and subjective measures of sleep in ICD and CAD patients. Clinical Cardiology.
5) Vazquez, L.D., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2010, in press). Female-specific education, management, and lifestyle enhancement for implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: The FEMALE-ICD study. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology.
6) Dixit, N.K., Vazquez, L.D., Cross, N.J., Kuhl, E.A., Serber, E.,R., Kovacs, A., Dede, D.E., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2010). Cardiac resynchronization therapy: A pilot study examining cognitive change in patients before and after treatment. Clinical Cardiology, 33, 84-88.
7) Irvine, J., Firestone, J., Ong, L., Cribbie, R., Dorian, P., Harris, L., Ritvo, P., Katz, J., Newman, D., Cameron, D., Johnson, S., Bilanovic, A., Hill, A., O’Donnell, S., & Sears, S.F. (2010, In press). Cognitive behavior therapy tailored to psychological adaptation for recipients of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: An examination of participant characteristics related to therapy engagement. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy.
8) Sears, S.F., Kirian, K., Matchett, M., Benton, C., Nekkanti, R. (in press). Family matters: Research and clinical management of psychosocial issues for ICD patients and ICD partners. In A. Tsiperfal (Ed.), Practical Cardiac Arrhythmia Management for Nurses and Associated Professionals.
9) Sears, S.F., Matchett, M., Vazquez, L.D., & Conti, J.B. (in press). Innovations in psychosocial care for implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients. In R. Allen (Ed.), Heart and Mind: Cardiac Psychology (2nd Edition).
11) Kirian, K.B., Sears, S.F., Shea, J.B. (2009). How to respond to an implantable cardioverter defibrillator recall. Circulation, 119, e189-191.
12) Hazelton, A.G., Sears, S.F., Kirian, K., Matchett, M., & Shea, J.B. (2009). Cardiac partner page: Coping with cardiac disease and my partner’s ICD. Circulation, 120, e73-e76.
13) Kuhl EA, Sears SF, Vazquez LD, Conti JB. (2009). Patient Assisted Computerized Education for Recipients of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (PACER): A randomized controlled trial of the PACER Program. J Cardiovasc Nurs, 24, 225-231.
14) Sears, S.F., St Amant, J., & Zeigler, V. (2009). Psychosocial considerations for children and young adolescents with implantable cardioverter defibrillators: An update. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 32, s80-s82.
15) Hirsh, A.T., Sears, S.F., & Conti, J.B. (In press). Cognitive and behavioral treatments for anxiety and depression in a patient with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD): A case report and clinical discussion, J of Clin Psychology in Med Settings.
16) Passman, R., Kadish, A., & Sears, S.F. (2009). HRQL with defibrillator therapy or amiodarone in heart failure. New England Journal of Medicine, 360, 188-189.
17) Kovacs AH, Saidi AS, Kuhl EA, Sears S.F., Silversides C, Harrison JL, Ong L, Colman J, Oechslin E, Nolan RP. (2009). Depression and anxiety in adults with congenital heart disease: prevalence and predictors. International Journal of Cardiology, 137, 158-164.
18) Pedersen, SS, Sears, SF., Burg, M., van den Broek, KC (2009). Does ICD indication affect quality of life and levels of distress? Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 32: 153-156.
19) Matchett, M., Sears, S.F., Hazelton, G., Kirian, K., Wilson, E., & Nekkanti, R. (2009).The implantable cardioverter defibrillator: Its history, its current psychological impact, and its future. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 6, 43-50.
20) Birnie, D.H., Sears S.F., Green, M.S., Lemery, R, Gollob, M, & Amyotte, B. (2009). No long-term psychological morbidity living with an ICD under advisory: The Medtronic Marquis experience, Europace, 11, 26-30.
21) Matchett, M., Kirian, K., Hazelton, G., Brumfield, J., & Sears, S.F. (2009). Common presenting psychosocial problems for implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: A primer for consulting professionals. In L. Sher (Ed.), Psychological Factors and Cardiovascular Disorders.
22) Mishkin, JD, Saxonhouse, SJ, Woo, GW, Burkart, TA, Miles, WM, Conti, JB, Schofield, RS, Sears, SF, & Aranda, JM. (2009). Appropriate evaluation and treatment of heart failure patients after implantable cardiac defibrillator therapy: Time to go beyond the initial shock. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 54, 1993-2000.
Anxiety management in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators.
Stress and Health.24, 239-248.
24) Vazquez, L.D., Kuhl, E.A., Shea, J.B., Kirkness, A., Lemon, J., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2008). Age-specific differences in women with implantable cardioverter defibrillators: An international multi-center study. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 31, 1528-1534.
25) Shea, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2008). A patient’s guide to living with atrial fibrillation. Circulation, 117, e340-e343.
26) Pederson, S.S., Spindler, H., Johansen, J.B., Mortensen, P., & Sears, S.F. (2008). Correlates of patient acceptance of the cardioverter-defibrillator: Cross-validation of the Florida Patient Acceptance Survey in Danish patients. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 31, 1168-1177.
27) Kron, J., Aranda J.M., Miles, W.M., Burkart, T.A., Woo, G.W., Saxonhouse, S.J., Sears, S.F., & Conti, J.B. (in press). Benefit of cardiac resynchronization in elderly patients: Results from the Multicenter Insync Randomized Clinical Evaluation (MIRACLE) And Multicenter Insync Icd Randomized Clinical Evaluation (MIRACLE-ICD) trials. Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology.
29) Passman, R., Subacius, H., Ruo, B., Schaechter, A., Howard, A., Sears, S.F. , Kadish, A. (2007). Implantable cardioverter defibrillators and quality of life: Results from the Defibrillators in Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy Treatment Evaluation Study. Archives of Internal Medicine, 167, 2226-2232.
30) Stutts, L. A., Conti, J. B., Aranda, J. M., Miles, W. M., Burkart, T.A., Sears, S.F. (2007). Patient evaluation of ICD recall communication strategies: A vignette study. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 30, 1105-1111.
31) Saidi, AS, Paolillo, J, Fricker, FJ, Sears, SF, & Kovacs AH. (2007). Biomedical and psychosocial evaluation of “cured” adults with congenital heart disease. Congenital Heart Disease, 2, 44-54.
32) Pedersen, SS, van den Broek, KC, Sears, SF. (2007). Psychological intervention following implantation with an implantable defibrillator: A systematic review and future recommendations, Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 30, 1546-1554.
33) Stutts, L.A., Cross, N.J., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2007). Examination of research trends on patient factors in implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients. Clinical Cardiology, 30, 64-68.
34) Sowell, L.V., Walker, R.L., Sears, S.F., Kuhl, E.A., & Conti, J.B. (2007). Anxiety and marital adjustment in implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients and their spouses. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 27, 46-49.
35) Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2007). Cardiac resynchronization therapy: Can we make our patients smarter? Transactions of the American Clinical and Climatological Association, 118, 153-164.
36) Sears, S.F., Sowell, L.V., Cross, N.J., & Conti, J.B. (2007). Clinical management of key concerns for implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients. In Lu, F. & Benditt, D.G. (eds.) Cardiac pacing and defibrillation - Principle and practice. Beijing, China: People's Medical Publishing House.
37) Serber, E. R., Sears, S. F., Nielsen, C. D., Spencer, III, W. H., Smith, K. M. (2007). Depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 3 months after alcohol septal ablation. American Journal of Cardiology, 100, 1592-1597.
39) Sears, S.F., Stutts, L.A., Aranda, J.M., Handberg, E.M., & Conti, J.B. (2006). Managing congestive heart failure patient factors in the device era. Congestive Heart Failure, 12, 335-340.
40) Sowell, L.V., Kuhl, E.A., Sears, S.F., Klodell, C.T., & Conti, J.B. (2006). Device Implant Technique and the Consideration of Body File: Specific Procedures for Female ICD Patients. Journal of Women's Health, 15, 830-835.
41) Kuhl, E.A., Sears, S.F., & Conti, J.B. (2006). Internet based behavioral change and psychosocial care for cardiac patients: A review of cardiac disease-specific applications. Heart and Lung, 35, 374-382.
42) Urizar, G.G. & Sears, S.F. (2006). Psychosocial and cultural influences on cardiovascular health and quality of life among Hispanic cardiac patients in south Florida. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 29, 255-268.
43) Kovacs, A.H., Silversides, C., Saidi, A., & Sears, S.F. (2006). The role of the psychologist in adult congenital heart disease. Cardiology Clinics, 24, 607-618.
44) Kuhl, E.A., Sears, S.F., & Conti, J.B. (2006). Using computers to improve the psychosocial care of implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients, Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 12, 1426-1433.
45) Sears, S.F., Sowell, L.V., Kuhl, E.A., Handberg, E., Kron, J., Aranda, J.M., & Conti, J.B. (2006). Quality of death: Implantable cardioverter defibrillators and proactive care. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 29, 637-642.
46) Kuhl, E.A., Dixit, N.K., Walker, R.L., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2006). Measurement of patient fears about implantable cardioverter defibrillator shock: An initial evaluation of the Florida Shock Anxiety Scale. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 29, 614-618.
47) Kovacs, A.H., Feigofsky, S., Goff, J.S., Saidi, A.S., Curtis, A.B., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2006). ICD implant-explant-implant case study: Addressing the psychological adjustment to multiple shocks. Clinical Cardiology, 29, 274-276.
49) Sears, S.F., Serber, E.R., Alvarez, L.G., Schwartzman, D.S., Hoyt, R.H., Ujhelyi, M.R. (2005). Understanding atrial symptom reports: Objective vs. subjective predictors. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 28, 801-807.
50) Sears, S.F., Lewis, T.S., Kuhl, E.A., & Conti, J.B. (2005). Predictors of quality of life in implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients. Psychosomatics, 46, 451-457.
51) Burns, J.L., Serber, E.R., Keim, S., & Sears, S.F. (2005). Measuring patient acceptance of implantable cardiac device therapy: Initial psychometric investigation of the Florida patient acceptance survey (F-PAS). Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 16, 1-7.
52) Whang, W., Albert, C.M., Sears, S.F., Lampert, R., Conti, J.B., Wang, P.J., Singh, J.P., Ruskin, J.M., Muller, J.E., Mittleman, M.A. for the TOVA investigators. (2005). Depression as a predictor for appropriate shocks among patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: Results from the Triggers of Ventricular Arrhythmias (TOVA) Study. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 45, 1090-1095.
53) Kovacs, A.H., Sears, S.F., & Saidi, A. (2005). Biopsychosocial experiences of adults with congenital heart disease: Review of the literature. American Heart Journal, 150, 193-201.
54) Aranda, J., Woo, G.W., Schofield, R., Handberg, E., Hill, J., Curtis, A.B., Sears, S.F., Goff, S.J., Pauly, D., & Conti, J.B. (2005). Management of heart failure after cardiac resynchronization therapy: Integrating advanced heart failure treatment with optimal device function. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 46, 2193-2198.
56) Sears, S.F., Kovacs, A.H., Conti, J.B., & Handberg, E. (2004). Expanding the scope of practice for cardiac rehabilitation: Managing patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 24, 209-215.
57) Sears, S.F., Kovacs, A.H., Azzarello, L., Larsen, K., & Conti, J.B. (2004). Innovations in health psychology: the psychosocial care of adults with implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 35, 520-526.
58) Sears, S.F. & Conti, J.B. (2004). ICDs for children and young adolescents: Mortality benefit confirmed: What’s next? Heart, 90, 241-242.
59) Shedd, O., Sears, S.F., Harvill, J.L., Arsahd, A., Steinberg, J., Curtis, A.B., & Conti, J.B. (2004). Arrhythmic events before and after the World Trade Center attacks in implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: A Florida sample. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 44, 1265-1267.
60) Burns, J.L., Sears, S.F., Sotile, R., Schwartzman, D.S., Hoyt, R.H., Alvarez, L.G., & Ujhelyi, M.R. (2004). Do patients accept implantable atrial defibrillation therapy? Results from the Patient Atrial Shock Survey Of Acceptance And Tolerance Study (Passat Study). Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 15, 286-291.
61) Walker, R.L., Campbell, K.A., Sears, S.F., Glenn, B.A., Sotile, R., Curtis, A.B., Conti, J.B. (2004). Women and the implantable cardioverter defibrillator: A lifespan perspective on key psychosocial issues. Clinical Cardiology, 27, 543-546.
62) Urizar, G., Sears, S.F., Handberg, E., Curtis, A., & Conti, J.B. (2004). Psychosocial adjustment of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) patients: A case intervention for fear reduction related to ICD shocks. Psychosomatics, 45, 1-4.
psychosocial considerations for research and clinical care. Clinical Cardiology, 26, 107-111.
64) Serber, E.R., Sears, S.F., Sotile, R., Burns, J.L., Schwartzman, D.S., Hoyt, R.H., Alvarez, L., & Ujhelyi, M.R. (2003). Sleep quality among patients treated with implantable atrial defibrillation therapy: Effect of nocturnal shock delivery and psychological distress. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 14, 1-5.
65) Sirois, B., Sears, S.F., & Bertolet, B. (2003). Biomedical and psychosocial predictors of anginal frequency in patients following angioplasty with and without coronary stenting. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 26, 535-551.
66) Deaton, C., Dunbar, S.B., Moloney, M., Sears, S.F., & Ujhelyi, M. (2003). Patient experiences with atrial fibrillation and treatment with the atrial device therapy. Heart and Lung, 32, 291-299.
68) Wallace, R.L., Sears, S.F., Lewis, T.S., Griffis, J.T., Curtis, A.B., & Conti, J.B. (2002). Predictors of quality of life in long-term recipients of implantable cardioverter defibrillators, Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 22, 278-281.
70) Sears, S.F., Burns, J., Handberg, E., Sotile, W.M., & Conti, J.B. (2001). Young at heart: Understanding the unique psychosocial adjustment of young ICD patients. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 24, 1113-1117.
71) Conti, J.B. & Sears, S.F. (2001). Understanding and managing the psychological impact of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Cardiac Electrophyisology Review Journal, 5, 129-133.
72) Eads, A., Sears, S.F., Marhefka, S.L., Aranda, J., Schofield, R., & Conti, J.B. (2001). Psychological distress across the course of care: A case study from ICD to cardiac transplantation. Clinical Cardiology, 24, 627-629.
74) Eads, A., Sears, S.F., Sotile, W.M., & Conti, J.B. (2000). Supportive communication with implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: Seven principles to facilitate patient adjustment. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 20, 109-114.
76) Sears, S.F., Conti, J., Curtis, A., Saia, T.L., Foote, R., & Wen, F. (1999). Affective distress and implantable cardioverter defibrillators: Cases for psychological and behavioral interventions. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 22, 1831-1834.
77) Conti, J.B., Sears, S.F., & Mirabal, G. (1999). Psychological complications of implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy. Cardiac Electrophysiology Review Journal, 2, 342-344.
2) Sowell, L.V., Shea, J.B., Kirkness, A., Lemon, J., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. Effects of living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: The female perspective. [Abstract]. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, In press.
3) Cross, N.J., Sowell, L.V., Stutts, L., Smith, K., Miles, W., Conti, J., McCrae, C., & Sears, S.F. (2006). Secondary insomnia, depressive symptoms, and sleep self-efficacy in cardiovascular disease patients [Abstract]. Sleep, 29 (Suppl), 320.
4) Sears, S. F., Vazquez Sowell, L., Kuhl, E. A., Kovacs, A. H., Serber, E. R., Kneipp, S. M., Handberg, E. M., Zineh, I., & Conti, J. B. (May, 2007). Psychosocial treatment to optimize quality of life in shocked implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: a randomized controlled trial. Heart Rhythm, 4(5 Suppl), S142. Presented at the 28th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society, Denver, CO.
5) Dixit, N. K., Vazquez Sowell, L., Cross, N., Kuhl, E. A., Serber, E. R., Kovacs, A. H., Dede, D. E., Aranda, J. M., Burkart, T. A., Conti, J. B., & Sears, S. F. (May, 2007). Cardiac resynchronization therapy: improving cognition in heart failure patients. Heart Rhythm, 4(5 Suppl), S374. Presented at the 28th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society, Denver, CO.
6) Serber, E. R., Sears, S. F., Thomas, G. M., Slifka, C. N., Nielsen, C. D., Spencer, W. H., & Smith, K. M. (March, 2006). Improvement in depression and quality of life after alcohol septal ablation in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy patients. Poster presented at the 27th Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Francisco, CA.
7) Serber, E. R., Kuhl, E. A., Williams, C., Sears, S. F., Aranda, J. M., & Handberg, E. M. (September, 2005). Predictors of cardiac-specific quality of life among patients with congestive heart failure: Effects of psychosocial variables. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 11(6 Suppl), S177. Poster presented at Heart Failure Society of America’s 9th Annual Scientific Meeting, Boca Raton, FL.
8) Kuhl, E. A., Serber, E. R., Handberg, E., Heissenberg, C., Limacher, M., Pauly, D. F., & Sears, S. F. (September, 2005). Can quality of life differences be achieved with an exercise prescription in late-stage heart failure (HF) patients? A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 11(6 Suppl), S175. Poster presented at Heart Failure Society of America’s 9th Annual Scientific Meeting, Boca Raton, FL.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of health psychology
Health psychology
Health psychology is concerned with understanding how biological, psychological, environmental, and cultural factors are involved in physical health and illness. Health psychologists work alongside other medical professionals in clinical settings, work on behavior change in public health promotion,...
at East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
in Greenville, NC.
Early life and clinical training
Dr. Samuel Sears (Sam Sears) is an AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clinical psychologist and psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
. Dr. Samuel Sears was born in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
and raised in its surrounding suburbs. His parents are Samuel and Becky Sears and his brother Christian is the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Howey-in-the-Hills, FL. Dr. Sears married Staci Denise Evans in 1993 and the couple have two children, Jackson and Brandon.
Dr. Sears graduated from Lake Brantley High School in 1986 and enrolled at the University of Florida. He was a walk-on football player before incurring multiple injuries. These injuries prompted him to examine the psychological aspects of health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
and recovery as a psychology major. He further pursued these studies in the Department of Clinical
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
and Health Psychology
Health psychology
Health psychology is concerned with understanding how biological, psychological, environmental, and cultural factors are involved in physical health and illness. Health psychologists work alongside other medical professionals in clinical settings, work on behavior change in public health promotion,...
at the University of Florida, where he obtained his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
and was later hired onto the faculty. He served as an Assistant Professor and later as an Associate Professor for 12 years. During his time at the University of Florida, he established the first Cardiac Psychology
Cardiac psychology
Cardiac psychology is a specialization of health psychology that focuses on the primary and secondary prevention of heart disease by incorporating strategies to address the emotional and behavioral barriers to lifestyle changes , and that seeks to enhance recovery in cardiac patients by means of...
Lab at the University of Florida. Together with his doctoral students and physician colleague, Dr. Jamie Conti, Dr. Sears successfully published many papers on the topics of the psychology of heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
and particularly implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD).
Achievements
Dr. Sears is the world authority on cardiac psychology as it relates to ICD patients. This unique area of psychology is notable because it affects the patient experience of over 1 million people living with ICDs. Dr. Sears’s work is critical in offsetting the negatives associated with this life saving technologyTechnology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
by examining the effects of the life-saving high energy shock of the ICD.
His work is changing the way patients and society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
view ICDs which ultimately saves many lives. As a part of the East Carolina Heart Institute, a new dimension to cardiac disease treatment is being pioneered. Dr. Sears is playing a critical role in a ground breaking program that integrates cardiac psychology
Cardiac psychology
Cardiac psychology is a specialization of health psychology that focuses on the primary and secondary prevention of heart disease by incorporating strategies to address the emotional and behavioral barriers to lifestyle changes , and that seeks to enhance recovery in cardiac patients by means of...
into overall patient treatment. Dr. Sears is also one of the most traveled speakers in the world related to ICD patient support group
Support group
In a support group, members provide each other with various types of help, usually nonprofessional and nonmaterial, for a particular shared, usually burdensome, characteristic...
s. Each year, Dr. Sears presents to thousands of patients at these venues about successful coping with cardiac disease.
Research
As a prolific researcherResearcher
A researcher is somebody who performs research, the search for knowledge or in general any systematic investigation to establish facts. Researchers can work in academic, industrial, government, or private institutions.-Examples of research institutions:...
, Dr. Sears has made notable contributions to the care of ICD patients via his ongoing research in collaboration with his doctoral students.
- Designed and developed the most commonly used ICD specific quality of lifeQuality of lifeThe term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...
measure (Florida Patient Acceptance Survey-FPAS) - Designed and developed the first measurement tool for ICD patient shock anxietyAnxietyAnxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
(Florida Shock Acceptance Survey-FSAS) - Published one of the first and most comprehensive literature reviews on ICD Patient Quality of Life
- Established risk factors for psychological distressDistress (medicine)In medicine, distress is an aversive state in which an animal is unable to adapt completely to stressors and their resulting stress and shows maladaptive behaviors...
- Paper has been cited over 130 times in medical literature
- Established risk factors for psychological distress
- First treatment outcome study to reduce anxiety and improve QOL in shocked ICD patients
- First study to link optimismOptimismThe Oxford English Dictionary defines optimism as having "hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something; a tendency to take a favourable or hopeful view." The word is originally derived from the Latin optimum, meaning "best." Being optimistic, in the typical sense...
to ICD patient to QOL over time - First study to examine a customized psychosocialPsychosocialFor a concept to be psychosocial means it relates to one's psychological development in, and interaction with, a social environment. The individual needs not be fully aware of this relationship with his or her environment. It was first commonly used by psychologist Erik Erikson in his stages of...
treatment study for women with ICDs - First study to examine and establish the potential cognitive value of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on measures of attentionAttentionAttention is the cognitive process of paying attention to one aspect of the environment while ignoring others. Attention is one of the most intensely studied topics within psychology and cognitive neuroscience....
and concentration - First national study of physicianPhysicianA physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and nurse attitudes on ICD patient needs - Provided key papers in conceptualizing the challenges for special populations of ICD patients and key issues **Quality of death: Implantable cardioverter defibrillators and proactive care
- Women and the implantable cardioverter defibrillator: A lifespan perspective on key psychosocial issues
- Young at heart: Understanding the unique psychosocial adjustment of young ICD patients
- Provided ICD patients and families with information pages
- The cardiology patient page: How to respond to an ICD
- How to respond to an implantable cardioverter defibrillator RecallProduct recallA product recall is a request to return to the maker a batch or an entire production run of a product, usually due to the discovery of safety issues. The recall is an effort to limit liability for corporate negligence and to improve or avoid damage to publicity...
- Cardiac partner page: CopingCoping (psychology)Coping has been defined in psychological terms by Susan Folkman and Richard Lazarus as "constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing" or "exceeding the resources of the person".Coping is thus expending...
with cardiac disease and my partner’s ICD
2010
1) Sears, S.F., & Kirian, K. (2010, in press). Shock and patient centered outcomes research: Is an ICD shock still a critical event? Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology2) Vazquez, L.D., Sears, S.F., Shea, J.B., & Vazquez, P.M. (2010, in press). Sexual health and the ICD patient. Circulation.
3) Keren, A., Sears, S.F., Nery, P., Green, M.S., Lemery, R., Gollob, M.H., Amyotte, B., & Birnie, D.H. (2010, in press). Psychological adjustment in ICD patients living with advisory Fidelis leads. Journal of Cardiac Electrophysiology.
4) Cross, N.J., McCrae, C.S., Smith, K.M., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2010, In press) Comparison of actigraphic and subjective measures of sleep in ICD and CAD patients. Clinical Cardiology.
5) Vazquez, L.D., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2010, in press). Female-specific education, management, and lifestyle enhancement for implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: The FEMALE-ICD study. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology.
6) Dixit, N.K., Vazquez, L.D., Cross, N.J., Kuhl, E.A., Serber, E.,R., Kovacs, A., Dede, D.E., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2010). Cardiac resynchronization therapy: A pilot study examining cognitive change in patients before and after treatment. Clinical Cardiology, 33, 84-88.
7) Irvine, J., Firestone, J., Ong, L., Cribbie, R., Dorian, P., Harris, L., Ritvo, P., Katz, J., Newman, D., Cameron, D., Johnson, S., Bilanovic, A., Hill, A., O’Donnell, S., & Sears, S.F. (2010, In press). Cognitive behavior therapy tailored to psychological adaptation for recipients of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: An examination of participant characteristics related to therapy engagement. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy.
8) Sears, S.F., Kirian, K., Matchett, M., Benton, C., Nekkanti, R. (in press). Family matters: Research and clinical management of psychosocial issues for ICD patients and ICD partners. In A. Tsiperfal (Ed.), Practical Cardiac Arrhythmia Management for Nurses and Associated Professionals.
9) Sears, S.F., Matchett, M., Vazquez, L.D., & Conti, J.B. (in press). Innovations in psychosocial care for implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients. In R. Allen (Ed.), Heart and Mind: Cardiac Psychology (2nd Edition).
2009
10) Sears, S.F., Matchett, M., & Conti, J.B. (2009). Effective management of ICD patient psychosocial issues and patient critical events. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 20, 1297-1304.11) Kirian, K.B., Sears, S.F., Shea, J.B. (2009). How to respond to an implantable cardioverter defibrillator recall. Circulation, 119, e189-191.
12) Hazelton, A.G., Sears, S.F., Kirian, K., Matchett, M., & Shea, J.B. (2009). Cardiac partner page: Coping with cardiac disease and my partner’s ICD. Circulation, 120, e73-e76.
13) Kuhl EA, Sears SF, Vazquez LD, Conti JB. (2009). Patient Assisted Computerized Education for Recipients of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (PACER): A randomized controlled trial of the PACER Program. J Cardiovasc Nurs, 24, 225-231.
14) Sears, S.F., St Amant, J., & Zeigler, V. (2009). Psychosocial considerations for children and young adolescents with implantable cardioverter defibrillators: An update. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 32, s80-s82.
15) Hirsh, A.T., Sears, S.F., & Conti, J.B. (In press). Cognitive and behavioral treatments for anxiety and depression in a patient with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD): A case report and clinical discussion, J of Clin Psychology in Med Settings.
16) Passman, R., Kadish, A., & Sears, S.F. (2009). HRQL with defibrillator therapy or amiodarone in heart failure. New England Journal of Medicine, 360, 188-189.
17) Kovacs AH, Saidi AS, Kuhl EA, Sears S.F., Silversides C, Harrison JL, Ong L, Colman J, Oechslin E, Nolan RP. (2009). Depression and anxiety in adults with congenital heart disease: prevalence and predictors. International Journal of Cardiology, 137, 158-164.
18) Pedersen, SS, Sears, SF., Burg, M., van den Broek, KC (2009). Does ICD indication affect quality of life and levels of distress? Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 32: 153-156.
19) Matchett, M., Sears, S.F., Hazelton, G., Kirian, K., Wilson, E., & Nekkanti, R. (2009).The implantable cardioverter defibrillator: Its history, its current psychological impact, and its future. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 6, 43-50.
20) Birnie, D.H., Sears S.F., Green, M.S., Lemery, R, Gollob, M, & Amyotte, B. (2009). No long-term psychological morbidity living with an ICD under advisory: The Medtronic Marquis experience, Europace, 11, 26-30.
21) Matchett, M., Kirian, K., Hazelton, G., Brumfield, J., & Sears, S.F. (2009). Common presenting psychosocial problems for implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: A primer for consulting professionals. In L. Sher (Ed.), Psychological Factors and Cardiovascular Disorders.
22) Mishkin, JD, Saxonhouse, SJ, Woo, GW, Burkart, TA, Miles, WM, Conti, JB, Schofield, RS, Sears, SF, & Aranda, JM. (2009). Appropriate evaluation and treatment of heart failure patients after implantable cardiac defibrillator therapy: Time to go beyond the initial shock. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 54, 1993-2000.
2008
23) Sears, S.F., Vazquez, L.D., Matchett, M., & Pitzalis, M. (2008). State-of-the-art:Anxiety management in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators.
Stress and Health.24, 239-248.
24) Vazquez, L.D., Kuhl, E.A., Shea, J.B., Kirkness, A., Lemon, J., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2008). Age-specific differences in women with implantable cardioverter defibrillators: An international multi-center study. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 31, 1528-1534.
25) Shea, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2008). A patient’s guide to living with atrial fibrillation. Circulation, 117, e340-e343.
26) Pederson, S.S., Spindler, H., Johansen, J.B., Mortensen, P., & Sears, S.F. (2008). Correlates of patient acceptance of the cardioverter-defibrillator: Cross-validation of the Florida Patient Acceptance Survey in Danish patients. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 31, 1168-1177.
27) Kron, J., Aranda J.M., Miles, W.M., Burkart, T.A., Woo, G.W., Saxonhouse, S.J., Sears, S.F., & Conti, J.B. (in press). Benefit of cardiac resynchronization in elderly patients: Results from the Multicenter Insync Randomized Clinical Evaluation (MIRACLE) And Multicenter Insync Icd Randomized Clinical Evaluation (MIRACLE-ICD) trials. Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology.
2007
28) Sears, S.F., Sowell, L.V., Kuhl, E.A., Kovacs, A.H., Serber, E.R., Handberg, E., Kneipp, S.M., Zineh, I., & Conti, J.B. (2007). The ICD shock and stress management program: A randomized trial of psychosocial treatment to optimize quality of life in ICD patients. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 30, 858-864.29) Passman, R., Subacius, H., Ruo, B., Schaechter, A., Howard, A., Sears, S.F. , Kadish, A. (2007). Implantable cardioverter defibrillators and quality of life: Results from the Defibrillators in Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy Treatment Evaluation Study. Archives of Internal Medicine, 167, 2226-2232.
30) Stutts, L. A., Conti, J. B., Aranda, J. M., Miles, W. M., Burkart, T.A., Sears, S.F. (2007). Patient evaluation of ICD recall communication strategies: A vignette study. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 30, 1105-1111.
31) Saidi, AS, Paolillo, J, Fricker, FJ, Sears, SF, & Kovacs AH. (2007). Biomedical and psychosocial evaluation of “cured” adults with congenital heart disease. Congenital Heart Disease, 2, 44-54.
32) Pedersen, SS, van den Broek, KC, Sears, SF. (2007). Psychological intervention following implantation with an implantable defibrillator: A systematic review and future recommendations, Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 30, 1546-1554.
33) Stutts, L.A., Cross, N.J., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2007). Examination of research trends on patient factors in implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients. Clinical Cardiology, 30, 64-68.
34) Sowell, L.V., Walker, R.L., Sears, S.F., Kuhl, E.A., & Conti, J.B. (2007). Anxiety and marital adjustment in implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients and their spouses. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 27, 46-49.
35) Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2007). Cardiac resynchronization therapy: Can we make our patients smarter? Transactions of the American Clinical and Climatological Association, 118, 153-164.
36) Sears, S.F., Sowell, L.V., Cross, N.J., & Conti, J.B. (2007). Clinical management of key concerns for implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients. In Lu, F. & Benditt, D.G. (eds.) Cardiac pacing and defibrillation - Principle and practice. Beijing, China: People's Medical Publishing House.
37) Serber, E. R., Sears, S. F., Nielsen, C. D., Spencer, III, W. H., Smith, K. M. (2007). Depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 3 months after alcohol septal ablation. American Journal of Cardiology, 100, 1592-1597.
2006
38) Sears, S.F. & Conti, J.B. (2006). EDITORIAL: Psychosocial aspects of cardiac devices and recalls in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators. American Journal of Cardiology, 98, 565-567.39) Sears, S.F., Stutts, L.A., Aranda, J.M., Handberg, E.M., & Conti, J.B. (2006). Managing congestive heart failure patient factors in the device era. Congestive Heart Failure, 12, 335-340.
40) Sowell, L.V., Kuhl, E.A., Sears, S.F., Klodell, C.T., & Conti, J.B. (2006). Device Implant Technique and the Consideration of Body File: Specific Procedures for Female ICD Patients. Journal of Women's Health, 15, 830-835.
41) Kuhl, E.A., Sears, S.F., & Conti, J.B. (2006). Internet based behavioral change and psychosocial care for cardiac patients: A review of cardiac disease-specific applications. Heart and Lung, 35, 374-382.
42) Urizar, G.G. & Sears, S.F. (2006). Psychosocial and cultural influences on cardiovascular health and quality of life among Hispanic cardiac patients in south Florida. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 29, 255-268.
43) Kovacs, A.H., Silversides, C., Saidi, A., & Sears, S.F. (2006). The role of the psychologist in adult congenital heart disease. Cardiology Clinics, 24, 607-618.
44) Kuhl, E.A., Sears, S.F., & Conti, J.B. (2006). Using computers to improve the psychosocial care of implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients, Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 12, 1426-1433.
45) Sears, S.F., Sowell, L.V., Kuhl, E.A., Handberg, E., Kron, J., Aranda, J.M., & Conti, J.B. (2006). Quality of death: Implantable cardioverter defibrillators and proactive care. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 29, 637-642.
46) Kuhl, E.A., Dixit, N.K., Walker, R.L., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2006). Measurement of patient fears about implantable cardioverter defibrillator shock: An initial evaluation of the Florida Shock Anxiety Scale. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 29, 614-618.
47) Kovacs, A.H., Feigofsky, S., Goff, J.S., Saidi, A.S., Curtis, A.B., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. (2006). ICD implant-explant-implant case study: Addressing the psychological adjustment to multiple shocks. Clinical Cardiology, 29, 274-276.
2005
48) Sears, S.F., Shea, J.B., & Conti, J.B. (2005). The cardiology patient page: How to respond to an ICD shock. Circulation, e380-e383.49) Sears, S.F., Serber, E.R., Alvarez, L.G., Schwartzman, D.S., Hoyt, R.H., Ujhelyi, M.R. (2005). Understanding atrial symptom reports: Objective vs. subjective predictors. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 28, 801-807.
50) Sears, S.F., Lewis, T.S., Kuhl, E.A., & Conti, J.B. (2005). Predictors of quality of life in implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients. Psychosomatics, 46, 451-457.
51) Burns, J.L., Serber, E.R., Keim, S., & Sears, S.F. (2005). Measuring patient acceptance of implantable cardiac device therapy: Initial psychometric investigation of the Florida patient acceptance survey (F-PAS). Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 16, 1-7.
52) Whang, W., Albert, C.M., Sears, S.F., Lampert, R., Conti, J.B., Wang, P.J., Singh, J.P., Ruskin, J.M., Muller, J.E., Mittleman, M.A. for the TOVA investigators. (2005). Depression as a predictor for appropriate shocks among patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: Results from the Triggers of Ventricular Arrhythmias (TOVA) Study. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 45, 1090-1095.
53) Kovacs, A.H., Sears, S.F., & Saidi, A. (2005). Biopsychosocial experiences of adults with congenital heart disease: Review of the literature. American Heart Journal, 150, 193-201.
54) Aranda, J., Woo, G.W., Schofield, R., Handberg, E., Hill, J., Curtis, A.B., Sears, S.F., Goff, S.J., Pauly, D., & Conti, J.B. (2005). Management of heart failure after cardiac resynchronization therapy: Integrating advanced heart failure treatment with optimal device function. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 46, 2193-2198.
2004
55) Sears, S.F., Serber, E.R., Lewis, T.S., Walker, R.L., Conners, N., Lee, J.T., Curtis, A.B., & Conti, J.B. (2004). Do positive health expectations and optimism relate to quality of life outcomes in ICD patients? Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 24, 324-331.56) Sears, S.F., Kovacs, A.H., Conti, J.B., & Handberg, E. (2004). Expanding the scope of practice for cardiac rehabilitation: Managing patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 24, 209-215.
57) Sears, S.F., Kovacs, A.H., Azzarello, L., Larsen, K., & Conti, J.B. (2004). Innovations in health psychology: the psychosocial care of adults with implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 35, 520-526.
58) Sears, S.F. & Conti, J.B. (2004). ICDs for children and young adolescents: Mortality benefit confirmed: What’s next? Heart, 90, 241-242.
59) Shedd, O., Sears, S.F., Harvill, J.L., Arsahd, A., Steinberg, J., Curtis, A.B., & Conti, J.B. (2004). Arrhythmic events before and after the World Trade Center attacks in implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: A Florida sample. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 44, 1265-1267.
60) Burns, J.L., Sears, S.F., Sotile, R., Schwartzman, D.S., Hoyt, R.H., Alvarez, L.G., & Ujhelyi, M.R. (2004). Do patients accept implantable atrial defibrillation therapy? Results from the Patient Atrial Shock Survey Of Acceptance And Tolerance Study (Passat Study). Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 15, 286-291.
61) Walker, R.L., Campbell, K.A., Sears, S.F., Glenn, B.A., Sotile, R., Curtis, A.B., Conti, J.B. (2004). Women and the implantable cardioverter defibrillator: A lifespan perspective on key psychosocial issues. Clinical Cardiology, 27, 543-546.
62) Urizar, G., Sears, S.F., Handberg, E., Curtis, A., & Conti, J.B. (2004). Psychosocial adjustment of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) patients: A case intervention for fear reduction related to ICD shocks. Psychosomatics, 45, 1-4.
2003
63) Sears, S.F. & Conti, J.B. (2003). Understanding ICD shocks and storms: Medical andpsychosocial considerations for research and clinical care. Clinical Cardiology, 26, 107-111.
64) Serber, E.R., Sears, S.F., Sotile, R., Burns, J.L., Schwartzman, D.S., Hoyt, R.H., Alvarez, L., & Ujhelyi, M.R. (2003). Sleep quality among patients treated with implantable atrial defibrillation therapy: Effect of nocturnal shock delivery and psychological distress. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 14, 1-5.
65) Sirois, B., Sears, S.F., & Bertolet, B. (2003). Biomedical and psychosocial predictors of anginal frequency in patients following angioplasty with and without coronary stenting. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 26, 535-551.
66) Deaton, C., Dunbar, S.B., Moloney, M., Sears, S.F., & Ujhelyi, M. (2003). Patient experiences with atrial fibrillation and treatment with the atrial device therapy. Heart and Lung, 32, 291-299.
2002
67) Sears, S.F. & Conti, J.B. (2002). Current views on the quality of life and psychological functioning of implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients. Heart, 87, 488-49368) Wallace, R.L., Sears, S.F., Lewis, T.S., Griffis, J.T., Curtis, A.B., & Conti, J.B. (2002). Predictors of quality of life in long-term recipients of implantable cardioverter defibrillators, Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 22, 278-281.
2001
69) Sears, S.F., Rausch, S., Handberg, E., & Conti, J.B. (2001). Fear of exertion following ICD storm: Considering ICD shock and learning history. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 21, 47-49.70) Sears, S.F., Burns, J., Handberg, E., Sotile, W.M., & Conti, J.B. (2001). Young at heart: Understanding the unique psychosocial adjustment of young ICD patients. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 24, 1113-1117.
71) Conti, J.B. & Sears, S.F. (2001). Understanding and managing the psychological impact of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Cardiac Electrophyisology Review Journal, 5, 129-133.
72) Eads, A., Sears, S.F., Marhefka, S.L., Aranda, J., Schofield, R., & Conti, J.B. (2001). Psychological distress across the course of care: A case study from ICD to cardiac transplantation. Clinical Cardiology, 24, 627-629.
2000
73) Sears, S.F.,Todaro, J.F., Urizar, G., Saia, T.L., Sirois, B., Wallace, R., Sotile, W., & Curtis, A.B., Conti, J.B. (2000). Assessing the psychosocial impact of the ICD: A national survey of implantable cardioverter defibrillator health care providers. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 23, 939-945.74) Eads, A., Sears, S.F., Sotile, W.M., & Conti, J.B. (2000). Supportive communication with implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: Seven principles to facilitate patient adjustment. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 20, 109-114.
1999
75) Sears, S.F., Todaro, J.F., Saia, T.L., Sotile, W., & Conti, J.B. (1999). Examining the psychosocial impact of implantable cardioverter defibrillators: A literature review. Clinical Cardiology, 22, 481-489.76) Sears, S.F., Conti, J., Curtis, A., Saia, T.L., Foote, R., & Wen, F. (1999). Affective distress and implantable cardioverter defibrillators: Cases for psychological and behavioral interventions. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 22, 1831-1834.
77) Conti, J.B., Sears, S.F., & Mirabal, G. (1999). Psychological complications of implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy. Cardiac Electrophysiology Review Journal, 2, 342-344.
Books
Sotile, W.M., & Sears, S.F. (1999). You can make a difference: Brief psychosocial interventions for ICD patients and their families. Medtronic, Inc: Minneapolis, MN.Abstracts
1) St. Amant, J. B., Sears, S. F., Kovacs, A. H., Vazquez, L. D., Cannon, B. C., Redfearn, S., & Bryant, R. M. (2008). Are there gender differences in quality of life in pediatric implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients? A multi-site pilot study. Heart Rhythm, 5(5S), S102.2) Sowell, L.V., Shea, J.B., Kirkness, A., Lemon, J., Conti, J.B., & Sears, S.F. Effects of living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: The female perspective. [Abstract]. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, In press.
3) Cross, N.J., Sowell, L.V., Stutts, L., Smith, K., Miles, W., Conti, J., McCrae, C., & Sears, S.F. (2006). Secondary insomnia, depressive symptoms, and sleep self-efficacy in cardiovascular disease patients [Abstract]. Sleep, 29 (Suppl), 320.
4) Sears, S. F., Vazquez Sowell, L., Kuhl, E. A., Kovacs, A. H., Serber, E. R., Kneipp, S. M., Handberg, E. M., Zineh, I., & Conti, J. B. (May, 2007). Psychosocial treatment to optimize quality of life in shocked implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: a randomized controlled trial. Heart Rhythm, 4(5 Suppl), S142. Presented at the 28th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society, Denver, CO.
5) Dixit, N. K., Vazquez Sowell, L., Cross, N., Kuhl, E. A., Serber, E. R., Kovacs, A. H., Dede, D. E., Aranda, J. M., Burkart, T. A., Conti, J. B., & Sears, S. F. (May, 2007). Cardiac resynchronization therapy: improving cognition in heart failure patients. Heart Rhythm, 4(5 Suppl), S374. Presented at the 28th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society, Denver, CO.
6) Serber, E. R., Sears, S. F., Thomas, G. M., Slifka, C. N., Nielsen, C. D., Spencer, W. H., & Smith, K. M. (March, 2006). Improvement in depression and quality of life after alcohol septal ablation in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy patients. Poster presented at the 27th Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Francisco, CA.
7) Serber, E. R., Kuhl, E. A., Williams, C., Sears, S. F., Aranda, J. M., & Handberg, E. M. (September, 2005). Predictors of cardiac-specific quality of life among patients with congestive heart failure: Effects of psychosocial variables. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 11(6 Suppl), S177. Poster presented at Heart Failure Society of America’s 9th Annual Scientific Meeting, Boca Raton, FL.
8) Kuhl, E. A., Serber, E. R., Handberg, E., Heissenberg, C., Limacher, M., Pauly, D. F., & Sears, S. F. (September, 2005). Can quality of life differences be achieved with an exercise prescription in late-stage heart failure (HF) patients? A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 11(6 Suppl), S175. Poster presented at Heart Failure Society of America’s 9th Annual Scientific Meeting, Boca Raton, FL.