Research strengths in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences include:

  • health communication
  • cancer control and prevention
  • chronic disease prevention
  • maternal and child health
  • nutrition and obesity
  • organ donation
  • substance dependence prevention and treatment
  • HIV/AIDSĀ 

Research labs

Cancer Health Equity, Education and Research (CHEER) Lab

CHEER Lab's mission is to reduce the burden of cancer on vulnerable and underserved populations. The lab's research is used to develop culturally responsive interventions to improve equity in cancer prevention and cancer care delivery.

Center For Obesity Research and Education (CORE)

The Center for Obesity Research and Education (CORE) is a university-wide group of investigators dedicated to excellence in obesity research. Founded in 2006, its mission is to facilitate interdisciplinary research on the etiology, consequences, treatment, and prevention of obesity.

Community Driven Implementation Science Research Lab

In this lab, researchers connect research and practice using implementation science approaches with a focusĀ on engaging those affected by health disparities.

Fisher Lab

Research in this lab seeks to understand influences on the development of eating behaviors and health outcomes during early childhood.

Hart Lab

This lab's research focuses on the identification of novel behavioral targets for prevention and treatment of pediatric obesity.

Health Behavior Research Clinic

This lab conducts prevention research that addresses chronic disease disparities that remain endemic in low-income urban communities.

Health Disparities Research Lab

This lab conducts research on the intersections of interpersonal health communication, chronic kidney disease, and organ donation and transplantation.

Health Psychology Research Group

This lab focuses on the etiology and treatment of obesity and the psychological aspects of physical appearance.

Laboratory on Geography, Mobility and Disability

This lab focuses on the use of technology to measure community participation and examines how environmental indicators affect health outcomes.

Mental Health Services Research Lab

Research in this lab aims to improve the outcomes and uptake of evidence-based treatment among individuals with serious mental illnesses.

Risk Communication Laboratory

The Risk Communication Lab seeks to advance public health through the design and testing of effective health communication messages and public health campaigns, developed using commercial marketing methods.

Shared Decision Making Lab

This lab focuses on patient-clinician communication processes in various clinical conditions and settings, such as psychosis and schizophrenia.

Siminoff Research Group for Informed Healthcare Decision Making and Effective Communication

This research group explores issues surrounding cancer communication, caregiver burden, decision-making, and communicating for tissue and organ donation.

Social and Behavioral Health Interventions Lab

Research in this lab focuses on cancer prevention, control and survivorship with an emphasis on improving quality of life in people who have had cancer and promoting healthy behaviors that might lead to prevention.

Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion

This group of researchers focuses on the obstacles that prevent people with psychiatric disabilities from fully participating in their communities.

Tripicchio Lab

This lab's work aims to address diet-related chronic disease and obesity disparities in pediatric populations.