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Marci Lobel, Ph.D.


University of California, Los Angeles (1989)
Professor, Social and Health Psychology

Dr. Marci Lobel will be reviewing graduate student applications for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Lobel

Contact:

marci.lobel@stonybrook.edu
Office: Psychology B-222

Phone: (631) 632-7651

Visit Website

Research Interests:

Using social psychological theory to understand stress, coping, and health, particularly reproductive health.

Current Research:

Because pregnancy entails life changes which affect the emotions, behaviors, and physical condition of pregnant women, it represents a rich arena for the study of stress, coping, and their effects. Much of my  research has focused on prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) and its impact on birth outcomes (such as birthweight and gestational age at delivery). Through the Stress and Reproduction (STAR) Lab that I direct (see http://you.stonybrook.edu/lobellab/), my collaborators, graduate students, and I are examining factors that exacerbate or attenuate the impact of PNMS on birth outcomes, including health behaviors, coping, socioeconomic status, ethnicity or race, and optimism.  

Recent Publications (selected): 

(*Current or Former Graduate Student,  **Undergraduate)

Lobel, M., Preis, H., Mahaffey, B., Schaal, N. K., Yirmiya, K., Atzil, S., Reuveni, I., Balestrieri, M., Penengo, C., Colli, C., Garzitto, M., Driul, L., Ilska, M., Brandt-Salmeri, A., Kołodziej-Zaleska, A., Caparros-Gonzalez, R. A., Amiel Castro, R., La Marca-Ghaemmaghami, P., & Meyerhoff, H. (2022). Common model of stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in pregnant women from seven Western countries at the COVID-19 pandemic onset. Social Science & Medicine.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115499

Preis, H., Mahaffey, B., & Lobel, M. (2022). Factors related to COVID-19 vaccination intention and uptake among childbearing women. Health Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001221

Preis, H., Djurić, P. M., Ajirak, M.*, Chen, T.*, Mane, V., Garry, D. J., Heiselman, C., Chappelle, J., & Lobel, M. (2022). Applying machine learning methods to psychosocial screening data to improve identification of prenatal depression: Implications for clinical practice and research. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 25965–973. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-022-01259-z

Ilska, M., Brandt-Salmeri, A., Kołodziej-Zaleska, A., Preis, H., Rehbein, E.*, & Lobel, M. (2022) Anxiety in pregnant women during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. Scientific Reports, 12, 8445. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12275-5

Mahaffey, B. L., Tilley, J. L.*, Molina, L. K.*, Gonzalez, A., Park, E., & Lobel, M. (2022). How am I going to make it through pregnancy?”: A qualitative examination of prenatal maternal stress. Birth, 49, 253–260. http://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12598

Penengo, C., Colli, C., Cesco, M., Croccia, V., Degano, M., Ferreghini, A., Garzitto, M., Lobel, M., Preis, H., Sala, A., Driul, L., & Balestrieri, M. (2022). Stress, coping and psychiatric symptoms in pregnant women in outpatient care during the 2021 second-wave COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychiatry 12:775585.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.775585

Zhang, J.*, Pastore, L. M., Sarwana, M.*, Klein, S.*, Lobel, M., & Rubin, L. R. (2022). Ethical and moral perspectives of individuals who considered/used preimplantation (embryo) genetic testing. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 31,176–187. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgc4.1471

Preis, H., Lobel, M., Mahaffey, B., & Pati, S. (2022). Association of discrimination and health care experiences with incomplete infant vaccination during COVID-19. JAMA Pediatrics, 176(2), 196-198. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.4710

Ilska, M., Kołodziej-Zaleska, A., Brandt-Salmeri A., Preis, H., Lobel, M. (2021). Pandemic stress and its correlates among pregnant women during the second wave of COVID-19 in Poland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 11140. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111140

Garcia-Silva, J., Caracuel-Romero, A., Lozano-Ruiz, A., Alderdice, F., Lobel, M., Perra, O., & Caparros-Gonzalez, R. A. (2021). Pandemic-related pregnancy stress among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. Midwifery, 103,103163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2021.103163

Nicoloro-SantaBarbara, J.* & Lobel, M. (2021). Depression, psychosocial predictors, and psychosocial resources in individuals with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. Journal of Health Psychology.https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053211014583

Mahaffey, B. L., Levinson, A., Preis, H., & Lobel, M. (2021). Elevated risk for obsessive compulsive symptoms in women pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Archives of Women’s Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-021-01157-w

Nicoloro SantaBarbara, J.*, Carroll, J., & Lobel, M. (2021). Coping, social support, and anxiety in people with Mast Cell Disorders. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 127,435-440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anai.2021.06.014

Woods-Giscombé, C.*, Lobel, M., Zimmer, C., Brooks, J., Sheffield-Abdullah, K., Bey, G., Bravo, L.*, Lackey, C.*, Smith, R.*, Frazier, T.*, & Muhirwa, A.* (2021). Use of food to cope with culturally-relevant stressful life events is associated with body mass index in African American Women. Nursing Research, 70 (5), S53-62. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000532

Penengo, C., Colli, C., Garzitto, M., Driul, L., Sala, A., Degano, M., Preis, H., Lobel, M., & Balestrieri, M. (2021). Psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Pandemic-Related Pregnancy Stress Scale (PREPS) and its correlates with anxiety and depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 294, 48-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.06.076

Colli, C., Penengo, C., Garzitto, M., Driul, L., Sala, A., Degano, M., Preis, H., Lobel, M., & Balestrieri, M. (2021). Prenatal stress and psychiatric symptoms during early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. International Journal of Women's Health, 13, 653-662. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S315467

Preis, H., Mahaffey, B. L., Pati, S., Heiselman, C., & Lobel, M. (2021). Adverse perinatal outcomes predicted by prenatal maternal stress among U.S. women at the COVID-19 pandemic onset. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 55 (3), 179-191. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaab005

Ilska, M., Kołodziej-Zaleska, A., Brandt-Salmeri, A., Preis, H., & Lobel, M. (2021). Pandemic-related pregnancy stress assessment: Psychometric properties of the Polish PREPS and its relationship with childbirth fear. Midwifery, 96,102940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2021.102940

Schaal, N. K., La Marca-Ghaemmaghami, P., Preis, H., Mahaffey, B., Lobel, M., & Castro, R. A. (2021). The German version of the Pandemic-Related Pregnancy Stress Scale: A validation study. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 256, 40-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.10.062

Preis, H., Mahaffey, B., Heiselman, C., & Lobel, M. (2020). Vulnerability and resilience to pandemic-related stress among U.S. women pregnant at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Social Science & Medicine, 266 (113348), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113348

Rosenthal, L.* & Lobel, M. (2020). Gendered racism and the sexual and reproductive health of Black and Latina women. Ethnicity and Health, 25 (3), 367-392. https://10.1080/13557858.2018.1439896

Preis, H., Mahaffey, B., Heiselman, C., & Lobel, M. (2020). Pandemic-related pregnancy stress and anxiety among women pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM, 2(4), SE1-3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajogmf.2020.100155

Preis, H., Inman, E.,* & Lobel, M. (2020). Contributions of psychology to research, treatment, and care of pregnant women with Opioid Use Disorder. American Psychologist, 75 (6), 853-865. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000675

Ibrahim, S.* & Lobel, M. (2020). Conceptualization, measurement, and effects of pregnancy-specific stress: Review of research using the original and revised Prenatal Distress Questionnaire. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 43, 16-33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-019-00068-7

Preis, H., Garry, D., Herrera, K., Garretto, D. J., & Lobel, M. (2020). Improving assessment, treatment, and understanding of pregnant women with opioid use disorder: The importance of life context. Women’s Reproductive Health, 7 (3), 153-163. https://doi.org/10.1080/23293691.2020.1780395

Pastore, L., Rubin, L. R., Nicoloro-SantaBarbara, J.*, Stelling, J., & Lobel, M. (2020). Initial psychometric analysis of novel instruments to assess decisional distress and decisional uncertainty in women who have considered using preimplantation genetic testing. Prenatal Diagnosis, 40 (10), 1220-1227. https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.5730

Recent Research Support (selected):

“The COVID-19 Pregnancy Experiences (COPE) Study -- Experiences of Women Pregnant During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Associated Health Impacts,” Office of the Vice President for Research and The Institute for Engineering-Driven Medicine COVID-19 Seed Grant, Stony Brook University.

“Evaluating a Novel Brief Screening Instrument for Biopsychosocial Vulnerabilities Among Pregnant Women with Opioid Use Disorder,” NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse.

“Harnessing Machine Learning to Assess Risk for Adverse Health Outcomes Among Pregnant Women,” SUNY Research Seed Grant.

“Testing a Multivariate Model of the Childbirth Experience,” United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation.

“An Internet-Delivered Mind-Body Program for Reducing Prenatal Maternal Stress,” NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

“Effects of Stress and Social Determinants of Health on Maternal Physical And Mental Health Morbidities During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” NIH Office of the Director, Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone [IMPROVE] Program.