Deputy Director, West Virginia Prevention
Research Center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since 2016
Research focus on chronic disease risk reduction using
digital and other delivery technologies
Expert in the use of guided imagery in sport and exercise
settings, overall well-being and managing health behavior
Current Google Scholar H-index of 30, Scopus H-index of 22; 68 peer-reviewed publications
Educational Background
Ph.D., Education/Sport and Exercise Psychology, University of Tennessee
M.S., Sport Behavior and Performance, Miami University
B.A., Psychology, State University of New York
Committees and Memberships
Member, American Psychological Association (APA), 2016-Present
Member, American Public Health Association (APHA), 2016-Present
Member, Society of Behavioral Medicine, 2006-Present
Research Interests
Testing theory-based interventions to prevent chronic disease using inter-disciplinary
team science
Creative application of new and existing technologies
Guided imagery as a mind-body technique to assist with health behavior change
Testing interventions that simultaneously address multiple health behavior
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Peter Giacobbi's research focuses on testing theory-based
interventions to prevent chronic disease through inter-disciplinary team
science and the creative application of new and existing technologies. His expertise is in the use of guided imagery as a mind-body technique to assist
with health behavior change. Guided imagery is the controlled visualization of
goals and aspirations and is important in the regulation of human behavior,
learning new skills and performance enhancement. His research publications
reflect ongoing efforts to creatively deliver this behavior change technique
using in-person, telephone, social media and mobile health (mHealth)
applications.