Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell
Research Professor, Global Health
Advisor, DGHI Evidence Lab
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Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell
Research Professor, Global Health
Advisor, DGHI Evidence Lab
Since 2003, Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell, PhD, has developed and tested interventions that integrate mental and physical health. In 2014, she began studying the presence of positive mental health--and not just the absence of mental illness--as a way to prevent health problems and promote well-being.
Rae Jean’s current research questions are:
- What is the relationship between mental health and physical health across time?
- What is the role of positive mental health in initial behavior change, and in sustaining healthy behaviors?
- Can inducing certain positive emotions impact behavior change?
- How can occupational groups of people who are servant-hearted sustain well-being?
To answer these questions, Rae Jean has conducted randomized controlled trials with patients with hepatitis C and alcohol use (Hep ART), and with clergy with obesity and depression, as well as those who are already thriving (Spirited Life). During 2018-2022, she is testing several stress symptom reduction and positive mental health promotion interventions (Selah) and identifying ways to prevent burnout among medical providers.
Rae Jean’s research focuses on employees who are ‘servant-hearted’ and engaged in work they find sacred, such that they over-exert themselves regularly and experience strong emotions, putting them at risk for mental and physical health problems. She works with:
- US clergy (Clergy Health Initiative)
- Caregivers of orphaned and vulnerable children in Cambodia, India, Kenya, and Ethiopia (Caregiver Flourishing)
- Medical providers, and
- Teachers in Cambodia, Kenya, and Qatar (Teacher Wellbeing Project)
Her book, Faithful and Fractured: Responding to the Clergy Health Crisis, with co-author Jason Byassee was published by Baker Academic in 2018 and captures 10 years of research on the holistic health of clergy.
As Advisor and Founding Director of the DGHI Evidence Lab, Rae Jean strives to use and improve upon innovative research designs and has conducted under-utilized yet high-inference research designs. She provides consultations on evaluating health interventions in global contexts and brings behavior change knowledge to device uptake, such as in the interdisciplinary team led by Lavanya Vasudevan.
Projects
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Transforming and Sustaining: Wellbeing Practices for Teachers
Cambodia, Kenya, Qatar
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Longitudinal, mixed-methods study of clergy well-being
United States
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mHealth-supported telecolposcopy for cervical cancer programs in low-resource settings
Peru
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Selah Stress Reduction Intervention Study
United States
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Positive mental health in caregivers: A mixed methods study of religion and virtue across four countries and religious traditions
Kenya, Ethiopia, Cambodia, India
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Culturally appropriate screening and diagnosis of cervical cancer
Peru, Kenya, Tanzania
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RCT of an Integrated Treatment of Persons with Co-occurring HCV and Alcohol Abuse
United States
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Clergy Health Initiative
United States
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Sabbath Living Evaluation
United States
Publications
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Proeschold-Bell RJ, Stringfield B, Yao J, Choi J, Eagle D, Hybels CF, et al. Changes in Sabbath-Keeping and Mental Health Over Time: Evaluation Findings From the Sabbath Living Study (Accepted). Journal of Psychology and Theology. 2022 Jun 1;50(2):123–38.Johnston EF, Eagle DE, Corneli A, Perry B, Proeschold-Bell RJ. Seminary Students and Physical Health: Beliefs, Behaviors, and Barriers. J Relig Health. 2022 Apr;61(2):1207–25.Hybels CF, Blazer DG, Eagle DE, Proeschold-Bell RJ. Age differences in trajectories of depressive, anxiety, and burnout symptoms in a population with a high likelihood of persistent occupational distress. Int Psychogeriatr. 2022 Jan;34(1):21–32.Tice LC, Eagle DE, Rash JA, Larkins JS, Labrecque SM, Platt A, et al. The Selah study protocol of three interventions to manage stress among clergy: a preference-based randomized waitlist control trial. Trials. 2021 Dec 9;22(1):892.
See more publications at Scholars@Duke