Sara S. Johnson, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President of Research and Product Development
sjohnson@prochange.com
Dr. Johnson has been the principal investigator on over $4.5 million in National Institutes of Health grants to examine the effectiveness of Transtheoretical Model-based interventions for medication adherence, weight management, and multiple behavior change interventions (e.g., exercise, healthy eating, and stress management for college students). In addition, she has led teams on numerous private contracts, including outlining best practices in health communication; improving health coaching; and applying the Transtheoretical Model to novel areas such as continuing medical education and promoting financially responsible use of health services. She has also spearheaded efforts to apply the model to personal financial well-being. Dr. Johnson is currently beginning programs of research in pain self-management and sleep and pioneering efforts to include principles of gaming in Pro-Change’s computer-tailored interventions.
Within Pro-Change, Dr. Johnson is responsible for generating and leading the implementation of innovative research and development opportunities as well creating and expanding strategic business alliances. During her nearly 15 years at Pro-Change, she has assumed increasing responsibility for business development.
She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Rhode Island and has expertise in intervention development, training, grant writing, collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, measurement development, and data analyses. Her primary areas of interest include multiple risk interventions, medication adherence, weight management, smoking cessation, financial well-being, and the application of behavior change theory to the implementation and evaluation of continuing medical education.
Publications
Johnson, S.S., Paiva, A.L. Mauriello, L.M., Prochaska, J.O., Redding, C.A., & Velicer, W.F. (under review). Coaction of Behavior Change in Multiple Behavior Change Interventions: Consistency across Multiple Studies on Weight Management & Obesity Prevention. Health Psychology.
Johnson, S.S. & Cook, B. (in press). Using the Transtheoretical Model to Promote the Adoption & Maintenance of Regular Exercise. In C. Nigg (Ed.) ACSM’s Behavioral Aspects of Exercise. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Dempsey-Fanning, A., Johnson, S.S., Westhoff, C.W. (2011). Prediction of oral contraception continuation using the Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 43(1), 23-29. DOI: 10.1363/4302311
Johnson, S.S., Cummins, C.O., Evers, K.E., Prochaska, J.M. & Prochaska, J.O. (2009). Proactive Health Consumerism: Learning from Health Promotion and Integrating with Health Promotion. American Journal of Health Promotion.
Johnson, S. S., Cummins, C. O., & Evers, K. E. (2008). The impact of transtheoretical model-based multiple behavior interventions on nutrition. In N. E. Bernhardt & A. M. Kasko (Eds.), Nutrition for middle-aged and elderly. (pp. 195-212). Hauppauge: Nova Science Publishers
Johnson, S.S., Paiva, A.L. Cummins, C., Johnson, J.L. Dyment, S., Wright, J.A., Prochaska, J.O., Prochaska, JM., Sherman, K. (2008). Evidence-based Multiple Behavior Intervention for Weight Management: Effectiveness on a Population Basis. Preventive Medicine, 46, 238-246
Johnson, S.S., Driskell, M.M., Johnson, J., Dyment, S., Prochaska, J.O., Prochaska, J.M., Bourne, L. (2006). Transtheoretical Model intervention for adherence to lipid-lowering drugs. Disease Management, 9, 102-114.
Johnson, S.S., Driskell, M., Johnson, J.L, Prochaska, J.M., Zwick, W., & Prochaska, J.O. (2006). Efficacy of a Transtheoretical Model Based Expert System for Antihypertensive Adherence. Disease Management, 9, 291-301.
Prochaska, J.M., Prochaska, J.O., & Johnson, S.S. (2006). Assessing readiness for adherence to treatment in W.T. O’Donohue & E.R.Levensky (Eds.) Promoting Treatment Adherence, pp.35-46. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Prochaska, J.O., Velicer, W.F., Fava, J.L., Ruggiero, L., LaForge, R., Rossi, J., Johnson, S.S., & Lee, P. (2001). Counselor and stimulus control enhancements of a stage-matched expert system intervention for smokers in a managed care setting. Preventive Medicine, 32, 23-32.
Sarkin, J.A., Johnson, S.S., & Prochaska, J.O., & Prochaska, J.M. (2001). Applying the Transtheoretical Model to regular moderate exercise in an overweight population: Validation of a stages of change measure. Preventive Medicine, 33, 462-469.
Johnson, S.S., Grimley, D.M., & Prochaska, J.O. (1998). Prediction of adherence using the Transtheoretical Model: Implications for pharmacy care practice. Journal of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 15, 135-148.
Prochaska, J.O., Johnson, S.S., & Lee, P. (1998). The Transtheoretical Model of behavior change. In E.Schron, J. Ockene, S. Schumaker, & Exum, W.M. (Eds.), The handbook of behavioral change, second edition. New York: Springer.
