David E. Conroy, PhD - Penn State Cancer Institute
Researcher Profile
Research Interests
Dr. David E. Conroy's research focuses on validating and engaging motivational processes in support of health behavior change. The goal of his work is to make behavior change less effortful and more enjoyable through creative design, context-sensitivity and learning models. He has developed behavioral interventions for promoting physical activity, reducing sedentary behavior and increasing fluid consumption.
Dr. Conroy and his team use technology to monitor and intervene with people in the natural context of their daily lives. Their research is currently funded by several institutes at the National Institutes of Health (NHLBI, NIDDK, NIA, NCI) and the National Science Foundation.
Dr. Conroy consulted to the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee, was a member of the 2022 Science Board for the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, and serves on multiple editorial boards. He is a past president of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, the nation's leading group of multi-specialty professionals dedicated to improving health and quality of life through proven behavioral science.
- Exercise
- Sedentary Behavior
- Fear
- Health
- Sports
- Alcohols
- Students
- Ecological Momentary Assessment
- Equipment and Supplies
- Mentoring
- Motivation
- Emotions
Recent Publications
2024
Courtney, JB, West, AB, Russell, MA, Almeida, D & Conroy, DE 2024, 'College Students' Day-to-Day Maladaptive Drinking Responses to Stress Severity and Stressor-Related Guilt and Anger', Annals of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 58, no. 2, pp. 131-143. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaad065
Vecellio, DJ, Lagoa, CM & Conroy, DE 2024, 'Physical Activity Dependence on Relative Temperature and Humidity Characteristics in a Young, Insufficiently Active Population: A Weather Typing Analysis', Journal of physical activity & health, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 357-364. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2023-0438
Conroy, DE, Marks, J, Cutshaw, A, Ram, N, Thomaz, E & Streeper, NM 2024, 'Promoting fluid intake to increase urine volume for kidney stone prevention: Protocol for a randomized controlled efficacy trial of the sipIT intervention', Contemporary Clinical Trials, vol. 138, 107454. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2024.107454
2023
Courtney, JB, Russell, MA & Conroy, DE 2023, 'Acceptability and validity of using the BACtrack skyn wrist-worn transdermal alcohol concentration sensor to capture alcohol use across 28 days under naturalistic conditions – A pilot study', Alcohol, vol. 108, pp. 30-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.11.004
Sciamanna, CN, Lemaster, KA, Danilovich, MK, Conroy, DE, Schmitz, KH, Silvis, M, Ladwig, M & Ballentine, N 2023, 'Accuracy of Self-Reported Physical Capacities as a Clinical Screening Test for Older Adults With Mobility Disability', Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, vol. 9. https://doi.org/10.1177/23337214231167979
Stine, JG, Long, MT, Corey, KE, Sallis, RE, Allen, AM, Armstrong, MJ, Conroy, DE, Cuthbertson, DJ, Duarte-Rojo, A, Hallsworth, K, Hickman, IJ, Kappus, MR, Keating, SE, Pugh, CJA, Rotman, Y, Simon, TG, Vilar-Gomez, E, Wong, VWS & Schmitz, KH 2023, 'American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) International Multidisciplinary Roundtable report on physical activity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease', Hepatology Communications, vol. 7, no. 4, e0108. https://doi.org/10.1097/HC9.0000000000000108
Tappan, RS, Ettinger, JR, Mahon, D, Mroz, SE, Hall, W, Maajid, E, Stratton, C, Zynda, DT, Conroy, DE & Danilovich, M 2023, 'Development of a physical activity counseling intervention for people with chronic respiratory disease based on the health action process approach', Pilot and Feasibility Studies, vol. 9, no. 1, 173. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-023-01397-w
Conroy, DE, Wu, J, Lee, AM, Brunke-Reese, D & Lagoa, CM 2023, 'Dose–Response Relations Between the Frequency of Two Types of Momentary Feedback Prompts and Daily Physical Activity', Health Psychology, vol. 42, no. 3, pp. 151-160. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001271
Streeper, NM, Fairbourn, JD, Marks, J, Thomaz, E, Ram, N & Conroy, DE 2023, 'Feasibility of Mini sipIT Behavioral Intervention to Increase Urine Volume in Patients With Kidney Stones', Urology, vol. 179, pp. 39-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2023.06.019
Veldheer, S, Whitehead-Zimmers, M, Bordner, C, Weinstein, O, Choi, H, Spreenberg-Bronsoms, K, Davis, J, Conroy, DE, Schmitz, KH & Sciamanna, C 2023, 'Growing Healthy Hearts: a single-arm feasibility study of a digitally delivered gardening, cooking, and nutrition intervention for adults with risk factors for cardiovascular disease', Pilot and Feasibility Studies, vol. 9, no. 1, 152. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-023-01380-5
Olson, JL, Robertson, M, Chen, M, Conroy, DE, Schmitz, KH & Mama, SK 2023, 'Healthier Energy Balance Behaviors Most Important for Health-Related Quality of Life in Rural Cancer Survivors in Central Pennsylvania', Journal of Physical Activity and Health, vol. 20, no. 8, pp. 752-759. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2022-0628
Olson, JL, Conroy, DE, Mama, SK & Schmitz, KH 2023, 'Lifestyle Behaviors and Health-Related Quality of Life in Cancer Survivors: A Latent Class Analysis', Health Education and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1177/10901981231203978
Stine, JG, Rivas, G, Hummer, B, Duarte-Rojo, A, May, CN, Geyer, N, Chinchilli, VM, Conroy, DE, Mitchell, ES, McCallum, M, Michealides, A & Schmitz, KH 2023, 'Mobile health lifestyle intervention program leads to clinically significant loss of body weight in patients with NASH', Hepatology Communications, vol. 7, no. 4, e0052. https://doi.org/10.1097/HC9.0000000000000052
Lee, AM, Hojjatinia, S, Courtney, JB, Brunke-Reese, D, Hojjatinia, S, Lagoa, CM & Conroy, DE 2023, 'Motivational Message Framing Effects on Physical Activity Dynamics in a Digital Messaging Intervention: Secondary Analysis', JMIR Formative Research, vol. 7, e41414. https://doi.org/10.2196/41414
Veldheer, S, Whitehead-Zimmers, M, Bordner, C, Watt, B, Conroy, DE, Schmitz, KH & Sciamanna, C 2023, 'Participant Preferences for the Development of a Digitally Delivered Gardening Intervention to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Cardiovascular Health: Cross-sectional Study', JMIR Formative Research, vol. 7, e41498. https://doi.org/10.2196/41498
Stine, JG, Long, MT, Corey, KE, Sallis, RE, Allen, AM, Armstrong, MJ, Conroy, DE, Cuthbertson, DJ, Duarte-Rojo, A, Hallsworth, K, Hickman, IJ, Kappus, MR, Keating, SE, Pugh, CJA, Rotman, Y, Simon, TL, Vilar-Gomez, E, Wong, VWS & Schmitz, KH 2023, 'Physical Activity and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Roundtable Statement from the American College of Sports Medicine', Medicine and science in sports and exercise, vol. 55, no. 9, pp. 1717-1726. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000003199
Wu, J, Olson, JL, Brunke-Reese, D, Lagoa, CM & Conroy, DE 2024, 'Wearable device adherence among insufficiently-active young adults is independent of identity and motivation for physical activity', Journal of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 47, no. 2, pp. 197-206. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-023-00444-4
2022
Turrisi, TB, Lagoa, CM & Conroy, DE 2024, 'Affective judgments, environmental determinants, and physical activity in emerging and young adults', Psychology and Health, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 479-498. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2022.2074419
Mama, SK, Heredia, NI, Johnston, H & Conroy, DE 2022, 'Associations Between Physical Activity and Alcohol Consumption in Rural Cancer Survivors', Frontiers in Oncology, vol. 12, 871192. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.871192
Olson, JL, Mama, SK, Brunke-Reese, D, Lagoa, CM, Sciamanna, CN & Conroy, DE 2022, 'Broad versus narrow bandwidth measures of experienced automaticity for physical activity', Psychology and Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2022.2146690
Edmondson, D, Conroy, D, Romero-Canyas, R, Tanenbaum, M & Czajkowski, S 2022, 'Climate change, behavior change and health: A multidisciplinary, translational and multilevel perspective', Translational behavioral medicine, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 503-515. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibac030
West, AB, Bomysoad, RN, Russell, MA & Conroy, DE 2022, 'Daily Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Alcohol Use in At-Risk College Students', Annals of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 56, no. 7, pp. 712-725. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaab085
Murray, RM, Gilchrist, JD, Conroy, DE & Sabiston, CM 2022, 'Examining associations between self-conscious emotions and implicit and reflective processes among adolescent girls and boys', Psychology of Sport and Exercise, vol. 61, 102196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102196
Davila, VS, Conroy, DE & Danilovich, MK 2022, 'Factors That Influence Walking Intervention Adherence for Older Adults Living in Retirement Communities', Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 65-72. https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2020-0279
Gordon, BR, Caru, M, Blair, CK, Bluethmann, SM, Conroy, DE, Doerksen, SE, Hakun, JG, Sturgeon, KM, Potiaumpai, M, Sciamanna, CN & Schmitz, KH 2022, 'Light-intensity and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity among older adult breast cancer survivors with obesity: A narrative review', Cancer medicine, vol. 11, no. 23, pp. 4602-4611. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.4841
Battalio, SL, Pfammatter, AF, Kershaw, KN, Hernandez, A, Conroy, DE & Spring, B 2022, 'Mobile Health Tobacco Cessation Interventions to Promote Health Equity: Current Perspectives', Frontiers in Digital Health, vol. 4, 821049. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2022.821049
Kim, YH, Chou, D, Lee, B, Danilovich, M, Lazar, A, Conroy, DE, Kacorri, H & Choe, EK 2022, MyMove: Facilitating Older Adults to Collect In-Situ Activity Labels on a Smartwatch with Speech. in CHI 2022 - Proceedings of the 2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems., 416, Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings, Association for Computing Machinery, 2022 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2022, Virtual, Online, United States, 4/30/22. https://doi.org/10.1145/3491102.3517457
Hojjatinia, S, Lee, AM, Hojjatinia, S, Lagoa, CM, Brunke-Reese, D & Conroy, DE 2022, 'Physical Activity Dynamics during a Digital Messaging Intervention Changed after the Pandemic Declaration', Annals of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 56, no. 11, pp. 1188-1198. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaac051
Courtney, JB, Russell, MA & Conroy, DE 2022, 'Tobacco and cannabis use as moderators of the association between physical activity and alcohol use across the adult lifespan in the United States: NHANES, 2005–2016', Preventive Medicine, vol. 155, 106931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106931
Conroy, DE, Bennett, GG, Lagoa, CM & Wolin, KY 2022, 'steps towards digital tools for personalised physical activity promotion', British journal of sports medicine, vol. 56, no. 8, pp. 424-425. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-104169
2021
Ladwig, MA, Sciamanna, CN, Rutt, KN, Blaker, JM, Kearcher, K, Auer, BJ, Rovniak, LS, Conroy, DE, Gottschall, JS, Silvis, ML, Smyth, JM & Wang, M 2021, 'Adult outdoor group sport play during a pandemic: Feasibility, acceptability, and program adherence results from a study of modifications to mitigate COVID-19 risk', Preventive Medicine Reports, vol. 23, 101476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101476
Courtney, J, Handley, E, Pagoto, S, Russell, M & Conroy, DE 2021, 'Alcohol use as a function of physical activity and golfing motives in a national sample of united states golfers', Nutrients, vol. 13, no. 6, 1856. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13061856
Rasera, M, Jayasinghe, H, Parker, F, Short, CE, Conroy, DE, Jackson, B, Dimmock, JA, Rhodes, RE, de Vries, H, Vandelanotte, C & Rebar, AL 2022, 'An Early Phase Trial Testing the Proof of Concept for a Gamified Smartphone App in Manipulating Automatic Evaluations of Exercise', Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 61-78. https://doi.org/10.1037/spy0000278
Gilchrist, JD, Pila, E, Lucibello, KM, Sabiston, CM & Conroy, DE 2021, 'Body surveillance and affective judgments of physical activity in daily life', Body Image, vol. 36, pp. 127-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.11.004
Ladwig, MA, Sciamanna, CN, Rovniak, LS, Conroy, DE, Gottschall, JS, Silvis, ML, Smyth, JM, Wang, M & Auer, BJ 2021, 'Comparative effectiveness of an adult social physical play versus traditional group exercise program for adherence and fitness: Protocol for a randomized-controlled trial', Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, vol. 21, 100736. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conctc.2021.100736
Brinberg, M, Ram, N, Conroy, DE, Pincus, AL & Gerstorf, D 2021, 'Dyadic analysis and the reciprocal one-with-many model: Extending the study of interpersonal processes with intensive longitudinal data.', Psychological Methods. https://doi.org/10.1037/met0000380
Hojjatinia, S, Daly, ER, Hnat, T, Hossain, SM, Kumar, S, Lagoa, CM, Nahum-Shani, I, Samiei, SA, Spring, B & Conroy, DE 2021, 'Dynamic models of stress-smoking responses based on high-frequency sensor data', npj Digital Medicine, vol. 4, no. 1, 162. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-021-00532-2
Sciamanna, CN, Ladwig, MA, Conroy, DE, Schmitz, KH, Silvis, ML, Ballentine, NH, Auer, BJ & Danilovich, MK 2021, 'Feasibility and impact of a 1-minute daily functional exercise regimen prescribed to older adults by their primary care physician', Preventive Medicine Reports, vol. 21, 101307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101307
Weikert, AE, Pagoto, SL, Handley, E, Courtney, JB, Brunke-Reese, D & Conroy, DE 2021, 'Golfers’ interest in multilevel sun-protection strategies', International journal of environmental research and public health, vol. 18, no. 14, 7253. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147253
Yang, CH, Hakun, JG, Roque, N, Sliwinski, MJ & Conroy, DE 2021, 'Mindful walking and cognition in older adults: A proof of concept study using in-lab and ambulatory cognitive measures', Preventive Medicine Reports, vol. 23, 101490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101490
Ostendorf, DM, Schmiege, SJ, Conroy, DE, Phelan, S, Bryan, AD & Catenacci, VA 2021, 'Motivational profiles and change in physical activity during a weight loss intervention: a secondary data analysis', International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, vol. 18, no. 1, 158. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01225-5
Hojjatinia, S, Hojjatinia, S, Lagoa, CM, Brunke-Reese, D & Conroy, DE 2021, 'Person-Specific Dose-Finding for a Digital Messaging Intervention to Promote Physical Activity', Health Psychology, vol. 40, no. 8, pp. 502-512. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001117
Kline, CE, Hillman, CH, Bloodgood Sheppard, B, Tennant, B, Conroy, DE, Macko, RF, Marquez, DX, Petruzzello, SJ, Powell, KE & Erickson, KI 2021, 'Physical activity and sleep: An updated umbrella review of the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee report', Sleep Medicine Reviews, vol. 58, 101489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101489
Busch, AM, Conroy, D & Pagoto, SL 2021, 'Reaching Intermittent Tobacco Users With Technology: New Evidence', American journal of public health, vol. 111, no. 9, pp. 1567-1569. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306449
Pagoto, SL & Conroy, DE 2021, 'Revitalizing Adolescent Health Behavior after the COVID-19 Pandemic', JAMA Pediatrics, vol. 175, no. 7, pp. 677-679. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.0547
Turrisi, TB, Bittel, KM, West, AB, Hojjatinia, S, Hojjatinia, S, Mama, SK, Lagoa, CM & Conroy, DE 2021, 'Seasons, weather, and device-measured movement behaviors: a scoping review from 2006 to 2020', International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, vol. 18, no. 1, 24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01091-1
Battalio, SL, Conroy, DE, Dempsey, W, Liao, P, Menictas, M, Murphy, S, Nahum-Shani, I, Qian, T, Kumar, S & Spring, B 2021, 'Sense2Stop: A micro-randomized trial using wearable sensors to optimize a just-in-time-adaptive stress management intervention for smoking relapse prevention', Contemporary Clinical Trials, vol. 109, 106534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2021.106534
McVay, MA & Conroy, DE 2021, 'Transparency and openness in behavioral medicine research', Translational behavioral medicine, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 287-290. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibz154
Hesse, BW, Conroy, DE, Kwaśnicka, D, Waring, ME, Hekler, E, Andrus, S, Tercyak, KP, King, AC & Diefenbach, MA 2021, 'We're all in this together: Recommendations from the Society of Behavioral Medicine's Open Science Working Group', Translational behavioral medicine, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 693-698. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibaa126
2020
Marquez, DX, Aguinãga, S, Vásquez, PM, Conroy, DE, Erickson, KI, Hillman, C, Stillman, CM, Ballard, RM, Sheppard, BB, Petruzzello, SJ, King, AC & Powell, KE 2020, 'A systematic review of physical activity and quality of life and well-being', Translational behavioral medicine, vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 1098-1109. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibz198
West, AB, Bittel, KM, Russell, MA, Evans, MB, Mama, SK & Conroy, DE 2020, 'A systematic review of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and substance use in adolescents and emerging adults', Translational behavioral medicine, vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 1155-1167. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibaa008
Upham, K, Auer, BJ, Sciamanna, CN, Mowen, AJ, Smyth, JM, Conroy, DE, Silvis, M, Kraschnewski, JL, Rovniak, LS, Lehman, E, Kearcher, K, Vizzini, M & Cesarone, L 2020, 'Adults want to play too: Feasibility of an adult physical activity program designed to maximize enjoyment', Journal of Physical Activity and Health, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 230-235. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2018-0306
Kim, J, Conroy, DE & Smyth, JM 2020, 'Bidirectional Associations of Momentary Affect with Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors in Working Adults', Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 268-279. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaz045
Henderson, CE, Manning, JM, Davis, CM, Conroy, DE, Van Horn, ML, Henry, K, Long, T, Ryan, L, Boland, J, Yenne, E, Schiafo, M, Waldo, J & Sze, C 2020, 'Daily physical activity and alcohol use among young adults', Journal of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 365-376. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-020-00151-4
Conroy, DE, Lagoa, CM, Hekler, E & Rivera, DE 2020, 'Engineering person-specific behavioral interventions to promote physical activity', Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, vol. 48, no. 4, pp. 170-179. https://doi.org/10.1249/JES.0000000000000232
Almeida, DM, Marcusson-Clavertz, D, Conroy, DE, Kim, J, Zawadzki, MJ, Sliwinski, MJ & Smyth, JM 2020, 'Everyday stress components and physical activity: examining reactivity, recovery and pileup', Journal of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 43, no. 1, pp. 108-120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-019-00062-z
Conroy, DE & Kim, I 2021, 'HeartPhone: Mobile Evaluative Conditioning to Enhance Affective Processes and Promote Physical Activity', Health Psychology, vol. 40, no. 12, pp. 988-997. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000886
Conroy, DE, West, AB, Brunke-Reese, D, Thomaz, E & Streeper, NM 2020, 'Just-in-time adaptive intervention to promote fluid consumption in patients with kidney stones.', Health Psychology, vol. 39, no. 12, pp. 1062-1069. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001032
Yang, CH & Conroy, DE 2020, 'Mindfulness and physical activity: a systematic review and hierarchical model of mindfulness', International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, vol. 18, no. 6, pp. 794-817. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2019.1611901
Danilovich, MK, Norrick, CR, Hill, KC & Conroy, DE 2020, 'Nursing Home Resident Weight Loss During Coronavirus Disease 2019 Restrictions', Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, vol. 21, no. 11, pp. 1568-1569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2020.08.032
Gilchrist, JD, Morris, KL, Dwyer, LA & Conroy, DE 2020, 'Patterns of sun safety behaviors in parents: Associations with physical activity, sedentary behavior, and access to neighborhood physical activity resources', Preventive Medicine, vol. 132, 105976. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105976
Conroy, DE, Yang, CH, Lanza, ST, Smyth, JM & Lagoa, CM 2020, 'Temporal dynamics of treatment receipt in a text message intervention for physical activity: Single-group, within-person trial', JMIR mHealth and uHealth, vol. 8, no. 4, e14270. https://doi.org/10.2196/14270
Sudholz, B, Contardo Ayala, AM, Timperio, A, Dunstan, DW, Conroy, DE, Abbott, G, Holland, B, Arundell, L & Salmon, J 2023, 'The impact of height-adjustable desks and classroom prompts on classroom sitting time, social, and motivational factors among adolescents', Journal of Sport and Health Science, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 97-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2020.05.002