DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

Christopher France

Professor

Contact Information:

Email: france(->AT<-)ohio.edu
Phone: 740-593-1079
251 Porter Hall
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701


Research Areas:

Pain; Cardiovascular Psychophysiology; Health Interventions

Specializations:

Adult, Health


Professional Positions:

Editor-in-Chief, Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Past-President, APA Divison 38 (Health Psychology)

Research Interests

I. PAIN RESEARCH
 
Pain and Risk for Hypertension
 

Family history of hypertension, high blood pressure, and increased cardiovascular reactivity have been associated with decreased sensitivity to pain. Our research on pain perception as a potential marker of hypertension risk looks at:

  • Mechanisms of decreased pain perception in individuals with hypertension and/ or a family history of the disorder
  • Hypoalgesia predicting longitudinal blood pressure changes in individuals at high and low risk for hypertension
  • The relationship between pain and emotion in the context of hypertension risk
 
Pain-related Fear
 

Pain-related fear refers to constructs such as pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia (fear that physical activity will exacerbate pain or prompt reinjury) and is linked with hypervigilance to pain, avoidance, and disability. Pain-related fear has been linked to the development and maintenance of chronic pain conditions. We work with healthy participants and individuals with chronic pain to examine:

  • The effect of pain-related fear on pain perception, behavior, and psychosocial adjustment.
  • The relationship between pain-related fear and patterns of movement.
 
Nociceptive Flexion Reflex Assessment
 

The nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) allows withdrawal from noxious stimuli. NFR assessment is often used in experimental and clinical pain research as an index of descending modulation by the central nervous system (i.e., the brain). Evidence for this comes from findings that NFR threshold and amplitude are not always linearly associated with subjective pain intensity.

II. BLOOD DONATION RESEARCH
 
Given the growing demand for blood products, attracting and retaining blood donors has become a national priority. The ultimate aim of our work in this area is to enhance the donation experience in order to sustain an adequate blood supply for individuals in need of blood products. Accordingly, we focus on:
 
Recruitment of Blood Donors
  • Coping strategies to attenuate donation reactions (e.g., nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness)
  • Psychosocial and physiological predictors of donor return behavior (e.g., physical reactions, self-efficacy, satisfaction)
  • Post-donation interventions to enhance donor return (e.g., motivational interviewing)
Retention of Blood Donors
  • Coping strategies to attenuate donation reactions (e.g., nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness)
  • Psychosocial and physiological predictors of donor return behavior (e.g., physical reactions, self-efficacy, satisfaction)
  • Post-donation interventions to enhance donor return (e.g., motivational interviewing)

Education

Ph.D. (1991) McGill University, Montreal, Canada

Selected Publications

  • Weeks, J.W., Lee, C., Reilly, A.R., Howell, A.N., France, C.R., Kowalsky, J.M., & Bush, A. (in press). “The sound of fear”: Assessing vocal fundamental frequency as a physiological indicator of social anxiety disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders.  
  • France, C.R., France, J.L., Kowalsky, J.M., Copley, D.M., Lewis, K.N., Ellis, G.D., McGlone, S.T., & Sinclair, K.S. (in press). A Web-based approach to blood donor preparation. Transfusion,  . PMID: 22671311.
  • France, C.R., France, J.L., Himawan, L.K., Stephens, K.Y., Frame-Brown, T.A., Venable, G.A., & Menitove, J.E. (in press). How afraid are you of having blood drawn from your arm? A simple fear question predicts vasovagal reactions without causing them among high school donors. Transfusion,  . PMID: 22670781.
  • Heffner, K.L., Ng, H.M., Suhr, J.A., France, C.R., Marshall, G.D., Pigeon, W.R., Moynihan, J.A. (in press).  Sleep disturbance and older adults’ inflammatory responses to acute stress. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry,  . PMID: 22327621.
  • Trost, Z., France, C.R., Sullivan, M.J., Thomas, J.S. (2012). Pain-related Fear Predicts Reduced Spinal Motion Following Experimental Back Injury. Pain, 153, 1015-1021. PMID: 22377437.
  • France, C.R., France, J.L., Kowalsky, J.M., Ellis, G.D., Copley, D.M., Geneser, A., Frame-Brown, T., Venable, G., Graham, D., Shipley, P., Menitove, J.E. (2012). Assessment of donor fear enhances prediction of presyncopal symptoms among volunteer blood donors. Transfusion, 52, 375-380. PMID: 21848969.
  • Warfel, R.M., France, C.R., & France, J.L. (2012). Application of implicit attitude measures to the blood donation context. Transfusion, 52, 356-365. PMID: 21827501.
  • Wieling, W., France, C.R., van Dijk, N., Kamel, H., Thijs, R.D., & Tomasulo, P. (2011). Physiological strategies to prevent fainting responses during or after whole blood donation. Transfusion, 51, 2727-2738. PMID: 21645008.
  • Lovejoy, T.I., Heckman, T.G., Suhr, J.A., Anderson, T., Heckman, B.D., & France, C.R. (2011). Telephone-Administered Motivational Interviewing Reduces Risky Sexual Behavior in HIV-Positive Late Middle-Age and Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. AIDS and Behavior, 15, 1623-1634.  PMID:21809048.
  • Terry, E.L., France, C.R., Bartley, E.J., DelVentura, J.L., Kerr, K.L., Vincent, A.L., & Rhudy, J.L. (2011). Standardizing procedures to study sensitization of human spinal nociceptive processes:  Comparing parameters for temporal summation of the nociceptive flexion reflex (TS-NFR). International Journal of Psychophysiology, 81, 263-274. PMID: 21767583.
  • France, C.R., France, J.L., Wissel, M.E., Kowalsky, J.M., Bolinger, E.M., & Huckins, J.L. (2011). Enhancing blood donation intentions using multimedia donor education materials. Transfusion, 51, 1796-1801. PMID: 21303366.
  • Lovejoy, T., Revenson, T.A., & France, C.R. (2011).  Reviewing manuscripts for peer-review journals: A primer for novice and seasoned reviewers. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 42, 1-13. PMID: 21505912.
  • Rhudy, J.L. & France, C.R. (2011). Reliability and validity of a brief method to assess nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) threshold. The Journal of Pain, 12, 782-791. PMID: 21481651.
  • Kowalsky, J.M., France, J.L., Wissel, M.E., & France, C.R. (2011). Effect of applied muscle tension on cerebral oxygenation during blood donation in female blood donors. Transfusion, 51, 1802-1808. PMID: 21382044.
  • Trost, Z., France, C.R., & Thomas, J.S. (2011). Pain-related fear and avoidance of physical exertion following delayed onset muscle soreness. Pain, 152, 1540-1547. PMID:21419575.
  • Rhudy, J.L., Martin, S.L., Terry, E.L., France, C.R., Bartley, E.J., DelVentura, J.L., & Kerr, K.L. (2011). Pain catastrophizing is related to temporal summation of pain, but not temporal summation of the nociceptive flexion reflex. Pain, 152, 794-801. PMID: 21316150.
  • Ang, D.C., Chakr, R., France, C.R., Mazzuca, S., Stump, T., Hilligoss, J., & Lengerich, A. (2011).  Association of nociceptive responsivity with clinical pain and the moderating effect of depression.  The Journal of Pain, 12, 384-389. PMID: 21111683.
  • Palit, S., Sheaff, R.J., France, C.R., McGlone, S.T., Potter, W.T., Harkness, A.R., McNulty, J.L., Bartley, E.J., Hoffmann, R., Monda, J.K., & Rhudy, J.L. (2011).  Serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) polymorphisms are associated with modulation of pain but not modulation of spinal nociception, Biological Psychology, 86, 360-369. PMID: 21291949.
  • Fowler, S.L., Rasinski, H.M., Geers, A.L., Helfer, S.G., & France, C.R.  (2011). Concept priming and pain: An experimental approach to understanding gender roles in sex-related pain differences. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 34, 139-147. PMID: 20878354.
  • Heffner, K.L., France, C.R., Trost, Z., Ng, H.M., & Pigeon, W.R. (2011). Chronic low back pain, sleep disturbance, and interleukin-6.  Clinical Journal of Pain, 27, 35-41. PMID: 21188850.
  • Masser, B., & France, C.R. (2010). An evaluation of a donation coping brochure with Australian non-donors. Transfusion and Apheresis Science, 43, 291-297.
  • Sinclair, K.S., Campbell, T.S., Carey, P.M., Langevin, E., Bowser, B, & France, C.R. (2010). An adapted post-donation motivational interview enhances blood donor retention. Transfusion, 50, 1778-1786. doi: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2010.02618.x
  • Geers, A.L., Wellman, J.A., Fowler, S.L., Helfer, S.G., & France, C.R. (2010). Dispositional optimism predicts placebo analgesia. The Journal of Pain, 11, 1165-1171.
  • France, C.R., Ditto, B., Wissel, M., France, J.L., Dickert, T., Rader, A., Sinclair, K., McGlone, S., Trost, Z., & Matson, E. (2010). Pre-donation Hydration and Applied Muscle Tension Combine to Reduce Presyncopal Reactions to Blood Donation. Transfusion, 50, 1257-1264.
  • Ditto, B., France, C.R., Holly, C. (2010). Applied tension may help retain donors who are ambivalent about needles. Vox Sanguinis, 98, e225-230.
  • Ang, D.C., Chakr, R., Mazzuca, S., France, C.R., Steiner, J., & Stump, T. (2010). Cognitive behavioral therapy attenuates nociceptive responding in patients with fibromyalgia: A pilot study. Arthritis Care and Research, 62, 618-623.  
  • Shah, D., France, C.R., & Thomas, J.S. (2010). Mechanical energy expenditures and movement efficiency in full body reaching movements. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 26, 32-44.  
  • France, C.R., France, J.L., Kowalsky, J.M., & Cornett,T.L. (2010). Education in donation coping strategies encourages individuals to give blood: Further evaluation of a donor recruitment brochure. Transfusion, 50, 85-91.  
  • France, C.R., Rhudy, J.L., & McGlone, S. (2009). Using normalized EMG to define the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex (NFR) threshold: Further evaluation of standardized NFR scoring criteria. Pain, 145, 211-218.
  • France, C.R., Taddio, A., Shah, V.S., Pagé, M.G., & Katz, J. (2009). Maternal family history of hypertension attenuates neonatal pain response. Pain, 142, 189-193.
  • Hanson, S.A., & France, C.R. (2009). Social support attenuates pre-syncopal reactions to blood donation. Transfusion, 49, 843-850.
  • Rhudy, J.L., France, C.R., Bartley, E.J., McCabe, K.M.,Williams, A.E. (2009). Psychophysiological responses to pain: Further validation of the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) as a measure of nociception using multilevel modeling. Psychophysiology, 46, 939-948.
  • Ditto, B., France, C.R., Albert, M., Byrne, N., & Smyth-Laporte, J. (2009). Effects of applied muscle tension on the likelihood of blood donor return. Transfusion, 49, 858-862.
  • Masters, K.S., France, C.R., & Thorn, B.E. (2009). Enhancing preparation among entry level clinical health psychologists: Recommendations for “Best Practices” from the first meeting of CCHPTP (Council of Clinical Health Psychology Training Programs). Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 3, 193-201.
  • Rhudy, J.L., France, C.R., Bartley, E.J.,Williams, A.E., McCabe, K.M., & Russell, J.L. (2009). Does pain catastrophizing moderate the relationship between spinal nociceptive processes and pain sensitivity? The Journal of Pain, 10, 860-869.
  • Lehrer, P., Vaschillo, E., Trost, Z., & France, C.R. (2009). Effects of rhythmical muscle tension at 0.1 Hz on cardiovascular resonance and the baroreflex. Biological Psychology, 81, 24-30.
  • Masters, K.M., Carey, K.B., Maisto, S.A., Caldwell, P.E., Wolfe, T.V., Hackney, H.L., France, C.R., & Himawan, L. (2009). Psychometric examination of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS) among college students. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 19, 106-120.
  • Trost, Z., France, C.R., & Thomas, J.S. (2009). Examination of the Photograph Series of Daily Activities (PHODA) scale in chronic low back pain patients with high and low kinesiophobia. Pain, 141, 276-282.
  • Wilkinson, D.Z., & France, C.R. (2009). Attenuation of positive and negative affect in men and women at increased risk for hypertension: A function of endogenous barostimulation? Psychophysiology, 46, 114-121.

 

Recent Grants

  • THE RELIEF STUDY: Neuromuscular mechanisms underlying spinal manipulation treatments. NIH/NCCAM (NIH R01 AT006978) (co-I, with James Thomas and Brian Clark as co-PIs).
  • Overcoming the impact of situationally-induced anxiety on would‐be donors. Australian Red Cross Blood Service. (Role: Co-I, with Barbara Masser as PI)
  • Preventing adverse reactions in novice blood donors. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NIH R01 HL077438) (Role: PI)
  • Identifying bariers and enhancing confidence in young adults conteplating blood donation.  Canadian Blood Services/Canadaian Institutes of Health Research (Role: Co-I with Blaine Ditto as PI).
  • Using aplied tension in the blood donation clinic: Effects on vasovagal symptoms, anxiety, and donor return. Canadian Blood Services/Canadaian Institutes of Health Research (Role: Co-I with Blaine Ditto as PI).
  • Altered motor coordination in recurrent low back pain. NIH - National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01 HD045512) (Role: Co-PI with James S. Thomas).
  • Psychophysiological mechanisms of blood donation-related fainting and a treatment to reduce fainting. Canadian Institutes for Health Research (Role: Co-I with Blaine Ditto, PI)
  • Hypertension, risk for hypertension, and hypoalgesia. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (R01 HL64794), (Role: PI)
  • Gender, coping and the arthritis pain experience. National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R01-AR46305) (Role: PI at Ohio University site, with Francis J. Keefe as primary PI).
  • Reducing vasovagal reactions to blood donation with applied muscle tension: A controlled outcome study. Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec, (Role: Co-PI with Blaine Ditto and Pauline Lavoie).

Courses Taught

Undergraduate:

  • Psychology of Health and Illness
  • Abnormal Psychology

Graduate:

  • Applied Psychophysiology
  • Health Psychology
  • Interventions in Health Psychology
  • Individual Psychotherapy

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