Rhonda BrownView profile
Associate Professor
Rhonda Brown is an Honorary Associate Professor at the Australian National University (ANU) School of Medicine and Psychology, serving as course convener and lecturer in Health Psychology and Clinical Health Psychology. Her 20+ year career spans research positions at Royal North Shore Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and the University of New England (2004-2011), following postdoctoral training at Louisiana State University under a National Institute of Mental Health Fellowship. Education: PhD in Biological & Behavioural Sciences, University of New South Wales National Institute of Mental Health Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Behavioral Neuropharmacology, Louisiana State University Research Focus: Brown investigates psychiatric-physical symptom comorbidity in chronic illness, emphasizing anxiety/depression, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and obesity. Her work examines stress-coping-outcome pathways in chronic illness populations, autism spectrum disorder social support utilization, and healthcare provider stress during critical communication (e.g., breaking bad news). Methodologically, she employs longitudinal and cross-sectional designs across clinical and non-clinical samples. Publication Trends: Recent work demonstrates interdisciplinary reach—spanning multiple sclerosis rehabilitation (MSWDQ development), postpartum mental health predictors, tango dance interventions for affective symptoms, and cannabis-anxiety-stress interactions. Her research consistently identifies mediators/moderators in stress-illness relationships while innovating therapeutic approaches like dance therapy for visual impairment and insomnia. Teaching & Service: She actively shapes ANU's Health Psychology curriculum, building on prior University of Sydney Graduate Medical Program experience. Though no formal advising or grant details are provided, her publication record indicates sustained research leadership in clinical health psychology.





