Staff: Amanda M. Acevedo, Ph.D.
Amanda M. Acevedo, Ph.D.
amanda.acevedo@nih.gov
240-276-5896
Amanda M. Acevedo, Ph.D., is a Social and Behavioral Scientist Administrator/ Program Director in the Basic Biobehavioral and Psychological Sciences Branch (BBPSB) of the Behavior Research Program.
Dr. Acevedo cultivates a portfolio of grants related to social and psychophysiological influences on cancer control. Dr. Acevedo's program of research focuses on psychosocial factors (e.g., stress, discrimination, emotion, and cultural norms and expectations regarding emotion expressions) that influence health behaviors, biomarkers, and/or physiological responses to stressors like pain, particularly in Latino samples. This work reflects a multilevel approach to better understand health disparities and inequities, particularly within the broader social context.
Dr. Acevedo earned a Ph.D. in Psychology and Social Behavior with a Health Psychology major and a Quantitative Methods minor from the University of California, Irvine. She is also a proud alumni of Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she received a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. Prior to joining NCI as a Program Director, Dr. Acevedo was a Cancer Research Training Award Post-doctoral Fellow at NCI.
Secondary Branch/Office Appointment:
Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch (HCIRB)
Current and/or past BRP mentors include Rebecca Ferrer and Tanya Agurs-Collins.
Current and/or past BRP mentees include Romy RW and Jacqueline (Jacky) Hua.
Research Areas
- Psychophysiological influences on cancer control
- Emotions and facial expressions
- Stress and resilience
- Pain and health disparities
- Latino culture and health
Selected Publications and Presentations
- Pressman SD, Acevedo AM, Hammond KV, Kraft-Feil TL. Smile (or grimace) through the pain? The effects of experimentally manipulated facial expressions on needle-injection responses. Emotion 2021 Sep; 21(6):1188-1203.
- Hunter JF, Acevedo AM, Gago-Masague S, Kain A, Yun C, Torno L, Jenkins BN, Fortier MA. A pilot study of the preliminary efficacy of Pain Buddy: A novel intervention for the management of children's cancer-related pain. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2020 Oct; 67(10).
- Acevedo AM, Herrera C, Shenhav S, Yim IS, Campos B. Measurement of a Latino cultural value: The Simpatía scale. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol 2020 Oct; 26(4):419-425.
- Ferrer RA, Acevedo AM, Agurs-Collins TD. COVID-19 and Social Distancing Efforts-Implications for Cancer Control. JAMA Oncol 2021 Apr 1; 7(4):503-504.
- Acevedo AM, Leger KA, Jenkins BN, Pressman SD. Keep calm or get excited? Examining the effects of different types of positive affect on responses to acute pain. J Posit Psychol 2020.
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