The Laboratory of Rural Psychological and Physical Health (LRPPH) is based in the Department of Psychology at East Tennessee State University, and is an interdisciplinary and collaborative group of researchers, clinicians and students investigating associations between mental and physical health.
Mind-Body Relationships - The Link between Mental and Physical Health:
The Laboratory of Rural Psychological and Physical Health investigates the bi-directional relationships between cognitive, emotional and personality characteristics and general health, chronic medical problems, and health behaviors and decision-making.
Positive Psychology and Mental and Physical Health:
The LRPPH conducts research to better understand the associations between positive psychological characteristics (e.g., positive emotions, future-orientation, intergenerational relationships, goal setting & attainment) and physical and mental health, including suicide.
Rural Suicide and Prevention:
The Laboratory of Rural Psychological and Physical Health, Department of Psychology, ETSU, has been awarded a 3-year, $593,000.00 SAMHSA Campus Suicide Prevention Grant. This interdisciplinary grant will provide for campus-wide research, social norms campaigns, infrastructure development, and prevention training. This rural-focused grant is important; individuals from rural areas have unique characteristics that may increase risk for suicide, and suicide rates are often higher in rural than urban areas. This grant was conceptualized with the collaboration of valuable campus partners, including the Department of Psychology, ETSU Counseling Center, Department of Family Medicine, Department of Public Safety, Department of Housing and Residential Life, and the Department of Student Affairs, among others, and will be implemented beginning in 2010.