Dr. Jonathan A. Shaffer is a core faculty member in the Clinical Health Psychology doctoral program within the Department of Psychology where he is involved in teaching, mentoring, and research. He is a licensed clinical psychologist with training in cardiovascular behavioral medicine and quantitative methodology. Dr. Shaffer has an active research lab and mentors both undergraduate and graduate students. His research focuses on: (1) the role of biopsychosocial factors in cardiovascular diseases and (2) the health predictors, correlates, and outcomes of meaning and purpose in life. He has expertise conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses as well as secondary data analyses.
Dr. Shaffer has analyzed data from studies that examine the associations of quality of life, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and physical activity with cardiovascular diseases. He works clinically with cardiac patients; conducts outcomes assessments and analysis of behavioral intervention trials; and considers psychosocial and medical factors that affect older adults with cardiovascular diseases.
Dr. Shaffer has received funding as principal investigator from the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association, and he has served as co-investigator or consultant on several other grants.
Dr. Shaffer is Co-Director of the Cardiovascular Health and Life Meaning (CaLM) Lab. He encourages applicants to the Clinical Health Psychology Doctoral Program who are interested in working in the CaLM Lab to apply.