Sheindy Pretter, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Psychology

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Dr. Sheindy Pretter is assistant professor of Psychology at Touro College. She teaches the following courses: Psychology of  Health and Illness, Psychology of Aging, Social Psychology, Eating Disorders, and Caregiving in Chronic Illness. At Touro, she is currently co-investigator on a qualitative research study, interviewing caregiving parents of people with developmental disabilities regarding their coping strategies and assessing their psychosocial needs.

Dr. Pretter is also a senior research scientist in the Psychosocial Research Unit on Health, Aging & the Community at New York University.  In that capacity, she is engaged in a comprehensive program of research to inform program development and supportive services directed towards the family care unit. Her work focuses on the psychological, social, spiritual, and practical issues facing caregiving family members of individuals who are chronically and/or seriously ill.

Dr. Pretter’s key interests concern health psychology, which include coping with the stress of illness; familial caregiving in chronic illness; post-traumatic growth; aging and public health; and women's health issues, including eating disorders. 

 

                        

 

 

 

Education

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, summa cum laude, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York

 

Master of Arts, Psychology, Hunter College, New York, NY

 

Doctor of Philosophy, Psychology, Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York, Specialization: Health Psychology

 

Area(s) of Expertise

Health Psychology (coping with the stress of illness); Family Caregiving; Eating disorders; Psychology of Aging

Research

In progress: “Caregiving Parents of People with Developmental Disabilities: A Needs Assessment Approach.”

Academic and Professional Honors

CUNY Alumni Dissertation Fellowship
NIMH Predoctoral Research Training Fellowship in Health Psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
OMRDD Fellowship, Institute for Basic Research – Center for Developmental Neuroscience, Staten Island, NY

Regular Courses Taught

Abnormal Psychology
Caregiving in Chronic Illness
Eating Disorders
Psychology of Aging
Psychology of Health and Illness
Social Psychology

Publications

Pretter, S., Raveis, V. H., Carrero, M., & Maurer, M. S. (2014).  Couples living with cardiovascular disease: Effects on the marital relationship. Journal of Family Social Work, 17(1), 21-36.

Raveis, V. H., & Pretter, S., & Carrro, M. (2010). “It should have been happening to me”: The psychosocial issues older caregiving mothers experience. Journal of Family Social Work, 13, 131-148.

Raveis, V. H., & Pretter, S.  (2005). Existential plight of adult daughters following their mother’s breast cancer diagnosis. Psycho-Oncology, 14, 49-60.

Siegel, K., Schrimshaw, E. W., & Pretter, S. (2005) Stress-related growth among women living with HIV/AIDS: Examination of an explanatory model. Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

Raveis, V. H., Karus, D., & Pretter, S. (1999).  Correlates of anxiety among adult daughter caregivers to a parent with cancer.  Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 17(3/4), 4-26.