Dr. Amy R. Borchardt

Dr. Amy R. Borchardt (Ph.D., Ohio University, 2013) holds the position of associate professor of Psychology. Her area of specialization is health psychology. She teaches Introduction to Psychology, INT 201: Building Community, Health Psychology, Research Methods & Statistics I, Health Behaviors, and Stress & Coping. Her research interests include curbing the effects of stress on the cardiovascular system through various techniques. She is particularly interested in studying the effects of meditation and social support.

Education

• Ph.D., Experimental (Health) Psychology, Ohio University
• M.S., Experimental (Health) Psychology, Ohio University
• B.S., Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Specialty

Health psychology

Professional Interests

Dr. Borchardt’s research focuses on the effects of different coping strategies on reactivity and recovery from stressful events. It builds upon two theories, the Reactivity Hypothesis (Krantz & Manuck, 1984) and the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (Folkman, 1982). The reactivity hypothesis suggests that repeated exaggerated activation of the cardiovascular system during stress and repeated delayed recovery from stressful events can lead to cardiovascular disease. Moreover, the transactional model of stress and coping suggests that one’s reaction to an event is determined by one’s evaluation of the event and one’s ability to cope. One area Dr. Borchardt is interested in is the physiological effects of meditation. Historically, research into meditation is marked by numerous design flaws (e.g., one group pre-post designs, unclear study methods). One of Dr. Borchardt’s long-term research goals is to explore the effects of meditation on the cardiovascular system while improving the quality of research in this area.

Other Interests

Dr. Borchardt is a fan of stress-relief, including playing board games with my family and friends (e.g., Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, Hungry Hungry Hippos).

Recent Publications

• Borchardt, A. R. & Zoccola, P. M. (2018). Recovery from stress: An experimental examination of focused attention meditation in novices. Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
• Heffner, K. L., Devereux, P. G., Ng, H. M., Borchardt, A. R., & Quigley, K. S. (2013) Older adults’ hemodynamic responses to an acute emotional stressor: Short Report, Experimental Aging Research: An International Journal Devoted to the Scientific Study of the Aging Process, 39:2,162-178, DOI: 10.1080/0361073X.2013.761547
• Raffle, H., Ware, L. J., Borchardt, A. R., & Strickland, H. A. (2011). Factors that influence breastfeeding initiation and persistence in Ohio’s Appalachian region. Athens, OH: Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs at Ohio University.

Contact Dr. Amy R. Borchardt

(478) 301-2822
borchardt_ar@mercer.edu
Office: Willet Science Center 136