Office Location:
530E Building 528Office Hours:
3 hours per week; varies with semester and class schedule;Faculty Expertise:
Educational Background
B.S.N., Nursing, College of Mount St. Joseph-on-the-Ohio; M.A., Ph.D. Psychology, University of Kansas. Postdoctoral Fellowship in Psychology, Purdue University.
Scholarly Interests
Smoking cessation, health behaviors, diabetes, nursing, reversal theory, theory of self-control strength, and Pavlovian processes in health-related behaviors.
Selected Publications
O'Connell, K. A., Torstrick, A., Victor, E. (2014). Cues to urinary urgency incontinence and urinary urgency: How those diagnosed with overactive bladder syndrome differ from undiagnosed persons. Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing, 41, 259-267.
Dickinson, J. K., Scollan-Koliopoulos, M., Vergili, J. M., & O'Connell, K. A. (2013). The process and rationale for an online master’s program in diabetes education and management. The Diabetes Educator, 39, 281-288.
O'Connell, K. A., Shiffman, S., & DeCarlo, L.T. (2011). Does extinction of responses to cigarette cues occur during smoking cessation? Addiction, 106, 410-417.
O'Connell, K.A., Schwartz, J. E. & Shiffman, S. (2008). Do resisted temptations during smoking cessation deplete or augment self-control resources? Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 22, 486-495.
O'Connell, K. A., Hosein, V. L., Schwartz, J. E., & Leibowitz, R. Q. (2007). How does coping help people resist lapses during smoking cessation? Health Psychology, 26, 77-84.
O'Connell, K. A., Schwartz, J. E., Gerkovich, M. M., Bott, M. J., & Shiffman, S. (2004). Playful and Rebellious States Versus Negative Affect in Explaining the Occurrence of Temptations and Lapses During Smoking Cessation. Nicotine and Tobacco Research 6, 661-174.
O'Connell, K.A., Gerkovich, M. M., Bott, M. J., Cook, M. R., & Shiffman, S. (2002). The effect of anticipatory strategies on the first day of smoking cessation. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 16, 150-156.
O'Connell, K.A. (1991). Why rational people do irrational things: The theory of psychological reversals. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 29, 11-14.
O'Connell, K.A., Hamera, E.K., Schorfheide, A., & Guthrie, D. (l990). Symptom beliefs and actual blood glucose in Type II diabetes. Research in Nursing and Health, 13, 145-151. (Selected for an Editor's Citation by Behavioral Medicine Abstracts (1990) 11, 173).
O'Connell, K.A., Cook, M.R., Gerkovich, M.M., Potocky, M., & Swan, G.E., (l990). Reversal theory and smoking: A state-based approach to ex-smokers' highly tempting situations, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58, 489-94.
Principal Publications
O'Connell, K.A., Hamera, E.K., Knapp, T.M., Cassmeyer, V.L., Eaks, G.A., & Fox, M.S. (l984). Symptom use and self regulation in Type II diabetics. Advances in Nursing Science, 6, l9-28.
O'Connell, K.A., & Martin, E.J. (l987). Highly tempting situations associated with abstinence, temporary lapse, and relapse among participants in smoking cesstion programs. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(3) 367-371.
O'Connell, K.A. & Shiffman, S. (l988). Negative affect smoking and relapse in negative affect situations. Journal of Substance Abuse. 1(1), 25-33.
Hamera, E., Cassmeyer, V., O'Connell, K.A., Weldon, G.T., Knapp, T.M., & Kyner, J.L. (l988). Self-regulation in individuals with Type II diabetes. Nursing Research, 37(6), 363-367.
O'Connell, K.A., Cook, M.R., Gerkovich, M.M., Potocky, M., & Swan, G.E., (l990). Reversal theory and smoking: A state-based approach to ex-smokers' highly tempting situations, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58, 489-94.
O'Connell, K.A., Hamera, E.K., Schorfheide, A., & Guthrie, D. (l990). Symptom beliefs and actual blood glucose in Type II diabetes. Research in Nursing and Health, 13, 145-151. (Selected for an Editor's Citation by Behavioral Medicine Abstracts (1990) 11, 173).
O'Connell, K.A. (1991). Why rational people do irrational things: The theory of psychological reversals. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 29, 11-14.
O'Connell, K.A., Fears, B.A., Cook, M.R., Gerkovich, M.M. & Zechmann, A. (1991) Overcoming the urge to smoke: The strategies of long-term abstainers, and late relapsers. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 5, 1-8.
O'Connell, K.A., Gerkovich, M.M., & Cook, M.R. (1995). Reversal Theory's Mastery and SympathyStates in Smoking Cessation Image. 27, 311-316.
O'Connell, K.A. (1996). Akrasia, health behavior, relapse, and reversal theory. Nursing Outlook, 44, 94-98.
O'Connell, K. A. (2000). If you call me names, I'll call you numbers. Journal of Professional Nursing, 16, 74. (Research Column); reprinted in Gillis & Jackson, J.W. (2000) Research for Nurses: Methods and Interpretation. F. A. Davis; and in Jackson, J. W. (2002). Methods: Doing Social Research. F. A. Davis.
O'Connell, K.A., Gerkovich, M.M., Bott, M., Cook, M.R., & Shiffman, S. (2000). Playfulness, arousal-seeking, and rebelliousness during smoking cessation. Personality and Individual Differences 29, 671-683.
O'Connell, K.A., Gerkovich, M. M., Bott, M. J., Cook, M. R., & Shiffman, S. (2002). The effect of anticipatory strategies on the first day of smoking cessation. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 16, 150-156.
Burris, R. F. & O'Connell, K.A. (2003). Reversal theory states and cigarette availability predict lapses during smoking cessation among adolescents. Research in Nursing and Health, 26, 263-271.
O'Connell, K. A., Schwartz, J. E., Gerkovich, M. M., Bott, M. J., & Shiffman, S. (2004). Playful and Rebellious States Versus Negative Affect in Explaining the Occurrence of Temptations and Lapses During Smoking Cessation. Nicotine and Tobacco Research 6, 661-174.
Scollan-Koliopoulos, M., O'Connell, K. A., & Walker, E. A. (2005). The first diabetes educator is the family: Using illness representation to recognize a multigenerational legacy of diabetes. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 19, 302-307
Scollan-Koliopoulos M, O’Connell K.A., & Walker, E.A. (Winter, 2005-2006). Assessing legacies of diabetes: Recollections of family members’ illness representations and outcomes, The Journal of Theory Construction and Testing, 9, 40-48.
O’Connell, K.A., Hosein, V. L., & Schwartz, J. E. (2006). Thinking and/or doing as strategies for smoking cessation. Research in Nursing and Health, 29, 533-542.
O'Connell, K. A., Hosein, V. L., Schwartz, J. E., & Leibowitz, R. Q. (2007). How does coping help people resist lapses during smoking cessation? Health Psychology, 26, 77-84.
Scollan-Koliopoulos M, O’Connell K.A., & Walker, E.A. (2007). Legacy of diabetes and self-care behavior. Research in Nursing and Health, 30, 508-517.
O’Connell, K.A., Schwartz, J. E. & Shiffman, S. (2008). Do resisted temptations during smoking cessation deplete or augment self-control resources? Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 22, 486-495.
O'Connell, K. A. (2009). Theories used in nursing research on smoking cessation. In L. Sarna & S. A. Bialous (Eds.), Advancing nursing science in tobacco control (Vol. 27, pp. 33-62). New York: Springer.
Victor, E., O’Connell, K. A., & Blaivas, J. G. (2012). Environmental cues to urgency and leakage episodes in patients with overactive bladder syndrome. Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Incontinence Nursing, 39, 181-186.