![Associate Professor Melissa Day](/sites/default/files/profiles/11740.jpeg)
Overview
Background
I am an endorsed Clinical and Health Psychologist, and my main area of research interest is in optimising non-pharmacological treatment options for chronic pain. My program of research is primarily focused on implementing randomised controlled trials designed to evaluate the efficacy and mechanisms of cognitive-behavioural and mindfulness-based interventions for heterogeneous chronic pain conditions. My concurrent line of research aims to further our understanding of the experience of chronic pain via converging methodologies (including experimental pain paradigms and electroencephalogram), as well as advance our capacity to accurately assess its multidimensional nature. I have led the development, application, and evaluation of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for chronic pain, and I disseminated this treatment approach for research and clinical use via my sole-authored book, published by Wiley in 2017. My US-based collaborators and I have a number of on-going NIH and foundation funded treatment trials underway at the University of Washington, Seattle. I am also an Affiliate Associate Professor at the University of Washington.
As of 2021, I was elected the inaugural Chairperson of the Australian SHAPE Futures EMCR Network, which is in development with the support of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and the Australian Academy of the Social Sciences. The purpose of the Network is to ensure SHAPE disciplines (Social Sciences, Humanities, and the Arts for People and Environment) thrive and excel in Australia, by fostering an inclusive and diverse community that supports, empowers and promotes early and mid-career researchers (EMCRs) in Australia, within and beyond academia.
Availability
- Associate Professor Melissa Day is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, The University of Alabama
- Masters (Coursework), The University of Alabama
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Alabama
Research interests
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Chronic pain
Assessment and management of chronic pain
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Pain
Understanding the mechanisms of pain and its relief
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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
Efficacy and mechanisms for chronic pain management
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Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
Efficacy and mechanisms for chronic pain management; adapting the literacy level of CBT for use in low-SES groups. We are currently piloting the use of Dr Beverly Thorn's literacy adapted CBT approach -- further adapted for the Australian context -- within a low-SES hospital in Logan.
Works
Search Professor Melissa Day’s works on UQ eSpace
2014
Journal Article
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the treatment of headache pain: A pilot study
Day, Melissa A., Thorn, Beverly E., Ward, L. Charles, Rubin, Nancy, Hickman, Steven D., Scogin, Forrest and Kilgo, Gary R. (2014). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the treatment of headache pain: A pilot study. Clinical Journal of Pain, 30 (2), 152-161. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e318287a1dc
2014
Book Chapter
Therapeutic Relaxation
Day, Melissa A., Eyer, Joshua C. and Thorn, Beverly E. (2014). Therapeutic Relaxation. The Wiley handbook of cognitive behavioral therapy. 1. (pp. 157-180) edited by Stefan G. Hofmann. Chichester, W Sussex, England: Wiley-Blackwell.
2012
Conference Publication
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for the Treatment of Chronic Headache Pain: Preliminary Findings of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Day, Melissa and Thorn, Beverly E. (2012). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for the Treatment of Chronic Headache Pain: Preliminary Findings of a Randomized Controlled Trial. SPRINGER.
2012
Journal Article
Is reduction in pain catastrophizing a therapeutic mechanism specific to cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain?
Burns, John W., Day, Melissa A. and Thorn, Beverly E. (2012). Is reduction in pain catastrophizing a therapeutic mechanism specific to cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain?. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 2 (1), 22-29. doi: 10.1007/s13142-011-0086-3
2012
Journal Article
The communal coping model of catastrophizing: patient-health provider interactions
Tsui, Patricia, Day, Melissa, Thorn, Beverly, Rubin, Nancy, Alexander, Chelley and Jones, Richard (2012). The communal coping model of catastrophizing: patient-health provider interactions. Pain Medicine, 13 (1), 66-79. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2011.01288.x
2012
Journal Article
The continuing evolution of biopsychosocial interventions for chronic pain
Day, MELISSA A., Thorn, Beverly E. and Burns, John W. (2012). The continuing evolution of biopsychosocial interventions for chronic pain. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 26 (2), 114-129. doi: 10.1891/0889-8391.26.2.114
2011
Journal Article
Randomized trial of group cognitive behavioral therapy compared with a pain education control for low-literacy rural people with chronic pain
Thorn, Beverly E., Day, Melissa A., Burns, John, Kuhajda, Melissa C., Gaskins, Susan W., Sweeney, Kelly, McConley, Regina, Ward, L. Charles and Cabbil, Chalanda (2011). Randomized trial of group cognitive behavioral therapy compared with a pain education control for low-literacy rural people with chronic pain. Pain, 152 (12), 2710-2720. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2011.07.007
2011
Journal Article
A qualitative analysis of a randomized controlled trial comparing a cognitive-behavioral treatment with education
Day, Melissa A., Thorn, Beverly E. and Kapoor, Shweta (2011). A qualitative analysis of a randomized controlled trial comparing a cognitive-behavioral treatment with education. Journal of Pain, 12 (9), 941-952. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2011.02.354
2011
Journal Article
Race and sex differences in primary appraisals, catastrophizing, and experimental pain outcomes
Forsythe, Laura Pence, Thorn, Beverly, Day, Melissa and Shelby, Grace (2011). Race and sex differences in primary appraisals, catastrophizing, and experimental pain outcomes. Journal of Pain, 12 (5), 563-572. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2010.11.003
2011
Journal Article
Literacy and cultural adaptations for cognitive behavioral therapy in a rural pain population
Kuhajda, M. C., Thorn, B. E., Gaskins, S. W., Day, M. A. and Cabbil, C. M. (2011). Literacy and cultural adaptations for cognitive behavioral therapy in a rural pain population. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 1 (2), 216-223. doi: 10.1007/s13142-011-0026-2
2010
Journal Article
The relationship of demographic and psychosocial variables to pain-related outcomes in a rural chronic pain population
Day, Melissa A. and Thorn, Beverly E. (2010). The relationship of demographic and psychosocial variables to pain-related outcomes in a rural chronic pain population. Pain, 151 (2), 467-474. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2010.08.015
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Melissa Day is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Examining the effectiveness of two novel psychological treatments for the management of chronic pelvic pain
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Akwasi Amoako
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Doctor Philosophy
Psychology in the Intensive Care Unit: An Australian Context
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Elizabeth Ward
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Doctor Philosophy
Effectiveness of online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for chronic pain management
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Leanne Hides
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Doctor Philosophy
The effectiveness of mind-body interventions in increasing pain tolerance in athletes
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Hodges
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Melissa Day directly for media enquiries about:
- Chronic Pain
- Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
- Coping
- Mindfulness
- Pain
- Psychosocial Pain Management
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