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Stephen J Lepore

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Stephen J Lepore

  • Barnett College of Public Health

    • Social and Behavioral Sciences

      • Professor

      • Chair

  • Fox Chase Cancer Center

      • Member, Cancer Prevention and Control

Biography

Professor and Founding Chair, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences College of Public Health, Temple University

Dr. Stephen J. Lepore is an internationally recognized behavioral scientist and expert in cancer prevention, control, and survivorship. He is best known for introducing the Social Cognitive Processing Model, a seminal framework for understanding how social relationships and cognitive processes influence psychological adaptation to cancer and other major stressors. His extensive research portfolio includes landmark randomized controlled trials on family-based tobacco control, cancer survivorship and decision making, and psychosocial adaptation to trauma, bereavement, and community violence. With more than 160 publications in leading journals, his work has advanced both theory and practice in behavioral medicine.

Dr. Lepore has received numerous honors, including awards from the American Psychological Association, the Society of Behavioral Medicine, and a Fulbright Award, and he is a Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. His research has been funded for over three decades by the National Institutes of Health and other major agencies, and he has served in national leadership roles such as charter member of the NIH Behavioral Medicine Interventions study section. As Founding Chair, he fosters a dynamic research enterprise and guides undergraduate and graduate programs in public health and nutrition that prepare future professionals, scholars, and leaders.

Curriculum Vitae 

Google Scholar: Stephen Lepore's Google Scholar profile

Courses Taught

Number

Name

Level

SBS 8001

Research Methods in Public Health

Graduate

Selected Publications

Recent

  • Reese, J.B., Sorice, K.A., Porter, L.S., Lepore, S.J., Langer, S.L., Hasler, J., & Pukall, C.F. (2025). Associations Between Sexual Script Flexibility and Sexual Outcomes: An Investigation Among Breast Cancer Survivor Couples. Psychooncology, 34(4), e70147. England. 10.1002/pon.70147

  • Lepore, S.J., Collins, B.N., & Egleston, B.L. (2025). Babies Living Safe and Smokefree (BLiSS) Intervention Reduces Children's Tobacco Smoke Exposure Directly and Indirectly by Improving Maternal Smokers' Urge Management Skills and Exposure Protection Behaviors. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 22(2). Switzerland. 10.3390/ijerph22020254

  • Chin, S.M., Lepore, S.J., Collins, B.N., Dumenci, L., & Rincon, M.A. (2023). Validation and Psychometric Properties of the Tobacco Urge Management Scale (TUMS). Int J Environ Res Public Health, 20(8). Switzerland. 10.3390/ijerph20085453

  • Schuler, B.R., Collins, B.N., Scheuermann, T.S., Baishya, M., Kilby, L., & Lepore, S.J. (2023). Translating pediatric primary care best practice guidelines for addressing tobacco in the WIC system. Transl Behav Med, 13(2), 57-63. England. 10.1093/tbm/ibac079

  • Baishya, M.L., Collins, B.N., & Lepore, S.J. (2022). Antecedents of Self-Efficacy to Achieve Smoking-Behavior-Change Goals among Low-Income Parents Enrolled in an Evidence-Based Tobacco Intervention. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 19(20). Switzerland. 10.3390/ijerph192013573

  • Reese, J.B., El-Jawahri, A., Sorice, K., Cruz, C., Bober, S.L., Daly, M.B., Zimmaro, L.A., Beach, M.C., Wittenberg, E., Wolff, A.C., Handorf, E., & Lepore, S.J. (2022). Investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer clinicians' communication about sexual health. Support Care Cancer, 30(7), 5801-5810. Germany. 10.1007/s00520-022-07003-8

  • Collins, B.N., Lepore, S.J., & Egleston, B.L. (2022). Multilevel Intervention for Low-Income Maternal Smokers in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Am J Public Health, 112(3), 472-481. United States. 10.2105/AJPH.2021.306601

  • Berardi, V., Collins, B.N., Glynn, L.M., Lepore, S.J., Mahabee-Gittens, E.M., Wilson, K.M., & Hovell, M.F. (2022). Real-time feedback of air quality in children's bedrooms reduces exposure to secondhand smoke. Tob Prev Cessat, 8, 23. Greece. 10.18332/tpc/149908

  • Reese, J.B., Zimmaro, L.A., Bober, S.L., Sorice, K., Handorf, E., Wittenberg, E., El-Jawahri, A., Beach, M.C., Wolff, A.C., Daly, M.B., Izquierdo, B., & Lepore, S.J. (2021). Mobile Technology-Based (mLearning) Intervention to Enhance Breast Cancer Clinicians' Communication About Sexual Health: A Pilot Trial. J Natl Compr Canc Netw, 19(10), 1133-1140. United States. 10.6004/jnccn.2021.7032

  • Lepore, S.J., Collins, B.N., Killam, H.W., & Barry, B. (2021). Supportive Accountability and Mobile App Use in a Tobacco Control Intervention Targeting Low-Income Minority Mothers Who Smoke: Observational Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth, 9(7), e28175. Canada. 10.2196/28175

  • Kaynak, Ã., Whipple, C.R., Kliewer, W.L., & Lepore, S.J. (2021). Peer Victimization Exposure and Subsequent Substance Use in Early Adolescence: The Role of Sleep Problems. J Youth Adolesc, 50(6), 1254-1267. United States. 10.1007/s10964-021-01410-6

  • Reese, J.B., Sorice, K.A., Pollard, W., Handorf, E., Beach, M.C., Daly, M.B., Porter, L.S., Tulsky, J.A., & Lepore, S.J. (2021). Efficacy of a multimedia intervention in facilitating breast cancer patients' clinical communication about sexual health: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Psychooncology, 30(5), 681-690. England. 10.1002/pon.5613

  • Lepore, S.J., Collins, B.N., Killam, H.W., & Barry, B. (2021). Supportive Accountability and Mobile App Use in a Tobacco Control Intervention Targeting Low-Income Minority Mothers Who Smoke: Observational Study (Preprint). doi: 10.2196/preprints.28175.

  • Collins, B.N., Lepore, S.J., Winickoff, J.P., & Sosnowski, D.W. (2020). Parents' Self-efficacy for Tobacco Exposure Protection and Smoking Abstinence Mediate Treatment Effects on Child Cotinine at 12-Month Follow-up: Mediation Results from the Kids Safe and Smokefree Trial. Nicotine Tob Res, 22(11), 1981-1988. England. 10.1093/ntr/ntz175

  • (2020). Early Detection. In Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine (pp. 711-711). doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-39903-0_300560.

  • Lepore, S.J. & Kliewer, W. (2020). Expressive Writing and Health. In Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine (pp. 817-823). doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-39903-0_1225.

  • Reese, J.B., Sorice, K.A., Zimmaro, L.A., Lepore, S.J., & Beach, M.C. (2020). Communication about Sexual Health in Breast Cancer: What Can We Learn from Patients' Self-Report and Clinic Dialogue? Patient Educ Couns, 103(9), 1821-1829. Ireland. 10.1016/j.pec.2020.03.029

  • Reese, J.B., Sorice, K.A., Pollard, W., Zimmaro, L.A., Beach, M.C., Handorf, E., & Lepore, S.J. (2020). Understanding Sexual Help-Seeking for Women With Breast Cancer: What Distinguishes Women Who Seek Help From Those Who Do Not? J Sex Med, 17(9), 1729-1739. Netherlands. 10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.06.004

  • Zimmaro, L.A., Lepore, S.J., Beach, M.C., & Reese, J.B. (2020). Patients' perceived barriers to discussing sexual health with breast cancer healthcare providers. Psychooncology, 29(7), 1123-1131. England. 10.1002/pon.5386

  • Reese, J.B., Beach, M.C., Sorice, K.A., Pollard, W., Daly, M.B., Handorf, E.A., Porter, L.S., Tulsky, J.A., & Lepore, S.J. (2020). Can a brief multimedia intervention facilitate breast cancer patients’ communication about sexual health? Findings from a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 38(15_suppl), e24179-e24179. doi: 10.1200/jco.2020.38.15_suppl.e24179.

  • Reese, J.B., Zimmaro, L.A., Lepore, S.J., Sorice, K.A., Handorf, E., Daly, M.B., Schover, L.R., Kashy, D., Westbrook, K., & Porter, L.S. (2020). Evaluating a couple-based intervention addressing sexual concerns for breast cancer survivors: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 21(1), 173. England. 10.1186/s13063-019-3975-2

  • Ralph, N., Ng, S.K., Zajdlewicz, L., Lepore, S.J., Heathcote, P., Kneebone, A., Dunn, J.C., & Chambers, S.K. (2020). Ten-year quality of life outcomes in men with prostate cancer. Psychooncology, 29(2), 444-449. England. 10.1002/pon.5255