Dr. Bennett’s research interests fall into three main categories. The first involves
factors related to patient use of complementary and alternative therapies. She has worked
with her colleague, Dr. Cecile Lengacher of the University of South Florida, to develop
and test the Complementary Therapy Rating Scale. Current research involves investigation
of factors related to use of complementary and alternative therapies and perceptions of
effectiveness in persons with breast cancer. The second area of research is based on
Psychoneuroimmunology theory and investigates the effect of various therapies on stress
and immune function. Her work thus far has examined the effects of laughter, massage
therapy, relaxation therapy and music therapy. The third area of research is student
outcome evaluation. Previous projects include comparing student outcomes from three
different anatomy and physiology classes with mean national data from the NLN anatomy and
physiology exam, and comparing distance student outcomes with on campus student outcomes
in a nursing research class.

Review of Humor Research

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Humor and Laughter May Influence Health: [Part] III. Laughter and Health Outcomes (with Cecile Lengacher), Nursing Faculty Publications (2007)

This is part three of a four-part series reviewing the evidence on how humor influences...

 

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Humor and Laughter May Influence Health [Part] IV. Humor and Immune Function (with Cecile Lengacher), Nursing Faculty Publications (2007)

This is the final article in a four part series reviewing the influence of humor...

 

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Humor and Laughter May Influence Health. [Part] I. History and Background (with Cecile A. Lengacher), Nursing Faculty Publications (2006)

Articles in both the lay and professional literature have extolled the virtues of humor, many...

 

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Humor and Laughter May Influence Health: [Part] II. Complementary Therapies and Humor in a Clinical Population (with Cecile Lengacher), Nursing Faculty Publications (2006)

Our results support a connection between sense of humor and self-reported physical health, however, it...

 

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Humor Response Scale (2003)
 

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Use of CAM Studies

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Frequency of Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Women with Breast Cancer (with Cecile A. Lengacher, Kevin E. Kip, Rosemary Keller, Melisa S. LaVance, Lynette S. Smith, and Charles E. Cox), Nursing Faculty Publications (2002)
 

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Use of Humor as a Complementary Therapy, Nursing Faculty Publications (1999)
 

CAM and Immune Function Research

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Immune Responses to Guided Imagery During Breast Cancer Treatment, Biological Research For Nursing (2008)
 

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Relief of Symptoms, Side Effects, and Psychological Distress Through Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Women With Breast Cancer, Oncology Nursing Forum (2006)
 

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The Effect of Mirthful Laughter on Stress and Natural Killer Cell Activity (with Janice M. Zeller, Lisa Rosenberg, and Judith McCann), Nursing Faculty Publications (2003)
 

Research Methodology

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Design and Testing of the Use of a Complementary and Alternative Therapies Survey in Women With Breast Cancer, Oncology Nursing Forum (2003)
 

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The Process of Clinical Trials: A Model for Successful Clinical Trial Participation (with Cecile A. Lengacher, Lois L. Gonzalez, Rosemary Giuliano, Charles E. Cox, and Douglas S. Reintgen), Nursing Faculty Publications (2001)