William Sacco
Associate Chair
Contact
Office: PCD 4124
Phone: 813/974-0375
Email:
Links
Bio
Dr. Sacco joined the Psychology Department faculty at the University of South Florida in 1979 after receiving his Ph.D. from Florida State University.
Research
I am primarily interested in clinical health psychology, especially the link between depression and health. Recent studies in our lab have examined depression and diabetes, and psychosocial aspects of diabetes and obesity. We recently completed a randomized clinical trial that examined the effect of a brief, telephone intervention on diabetes adherence.
Research on psychosocial aspects of diabetes
I have recently begun investigating factors related to adherence to the diabetes regimen. Some current projects are described below. Although these studies are directed at diabetes, the research questions and results are applicable to other health problems.
- Can regular, brief telephone contact by paraprofessionals increase adherence among diabetic patients? Successful treatment of diabetes requires cost-effective psychosocial interventions that promote and maintain adherence. Proactive telephone delivered interventions represent one potentially useful method, and paraprofessionals offer a less costly alternative to nurses. Promising results may have implications for the application of this intervention method to other health problems.
- Evidence suggests that some mental disorders (e.g., depression) are more prevalent among diabetic patients than in nondiabetic patients. We will be investigating the extent to which the number of psychological symptoms or the specific types of psychological symptoms better account for variation in diabetes symptoms, adherence, glycemic control, and other measures of health status.
- Likewise, in a separate study, we will examine whether depression at baseline predicts poorer response to an intervention designed to improve glycemic control. Dabetes self-efficacy and social support will also be measured to explore their possible link between depression and adherence.
- Ultimately, we plan to investigate if screening and referral for symptoms of psychological disorders increases the utilization of mental health services among diabetic patients, and if so, whether increased utilization leads to improved adherence and metabolic control. We will then study the determinants of mental health services utilization among diabetic patients and ways to increase utilization.
Current Courses
Recent Publications
Sacco, W.P., Well, K. J., Friedman, A., Matthew, R., Perez, S., and Vaughan, C.A. (in press). Adherence, BMI, and depression in adults with type 2 diabetes: The mediational role of diabetes symptoms and self-efficacy, Health Psychology.
Sacco, W.P. & Yanover, T. (In press). Diabetes and Depression: The role of social support and medical symptoms. Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
Ransom, S., Sacco, W.P., Weitzner, M.A., Azzarello, L.M., & McMillan, S.C. (2006). Interpersonal factors predict increased desire for hastened death in late-stage cancer patients. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 31, 63-69.
Sacco, W.P. & Vaughan, C. A. (2006). Depression and the response of others: a social-cognitive interpersonal process model. In T.E. Joiner, J.S. Brown & J. Kistner (Ed.), The Interpersonal, Cognitive, and Social Nature of Depression (pp. 101 - 132). Mahway, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Tenzer, S.A., Murray, D.W., Vaughan, C.A., & Sacco, W.P. (2006). Maternal Depressive Symptoms, Relationship Satisfaction, and Verbal Behavior: A Social-Cognitive Analysis. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 23, 131 - 150.
Sacco, W.P., Wells, K.J., Vaughan, C.A., Friedman, A., Perez, S., & Morales, R. (2005). Depression in adults with type 2 diabetes: The role of adherence, body mass index, and self-efficacy. Health Psychology. 24, 630 – 634
Yanover, T., Cardona, L., Wells, K.J., & Sacco, W.P. (2005). Effects of diabetes education on knowledge and behavior. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 29, S064.
Yanover, T., & Sacco, W.P. (2005). Reliability of diabetes-specific social support scales. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 29, S092.
Sacco, W.P., Morrison, A. D., & Malone, J.I. (2004). A brief, regular, proactive
telephone Acoaching@ intervention for diabetes: rationale, description, and preliminary results. Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications, 18, 113 - 118.
Friedman, A., Wells, K., Steiner, P., Malone, J., Morrison, A., and Sacco, W.P. (2003).
Can a Paraprofessional Telephone Coaching Intervention Improve Exercise and Foot Care Adherence in Type 2 Diabetes Patients? Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 25, S 28.
Sacco, W.P., Wells, K., Morales, R, Friedman, A., Perez, S., Vaughan, C. (2003) Depression and HBA1c: the role of diet and exercise adherence, self-efficacy, and BMI. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 25, S 26.
Sacco, W.P. & Murray, D.W. (2003). Maternal dyadic relationship satisfaction as a function of child hyperactivity and conduct problems: a social-cognitive analysis. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 22, 665 - 684.
Wells, K.W., Friedman, A., Hove, J., Magee, A., Malone, J., Morrison, A., & Sacco, W.P. (2003). The Relationship between Suicidal Ideation, Depression, and Quality of Life in Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Elevated Lipids. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 25, S 26.
Representative Presentations
Ransom S, Sacco, W.P, Weitzner, M.A, Azzarello, L.M, & McMillan, S.C. (2006).
Interpersonal factors predict increased desire for hastened death in late stage cancer atients. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society, February.
Sacco, W.P. & Bykowski, C.A.. (2006). Diabetes, depression, and A1c: The role of self-efficacy. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society (citation poster). Denver, Colorado (March).
Yanover, T., & Sacco, W. P. (2006). Contributions of Eating Behaviours to Obesity and Overweight. Presented at the Academy for Eating Disorders conference, Barcelona, Spain, June, 2006.
Yanover, T. & Sacco, W.P. (2005). Reliability of diabetes-specific social support. Presented at the 26th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Boston, (April).
Yanover, T., Cardona, L., Wells, K.J., & Sacco, W.P. (2005). Effects of diabetes education on knowledge and behavior. Presented at the 26th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions ofthe Society of Behavioral Medicine, Boston, (April).
Vaughan, C.A., Phares, V, & Sacco, W.P.. (2005). A social-cognitive analysis of marital behavior and depressive symptoms. Presented at the 113rd annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C., (August).
Yanover, T. & Sacco, W.P. (2004). Depression mediates the relationship between diabetes symptoms and social support. Presented at the 25th Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Baltimore (March).
Sacco, W.P., Wells, K.J. , Vaughan, C.A., & Perez, S. (2004). Mechanisms linking adherence and depression in diabetes patients. Presented at the 112th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, (August).
Vaughan, C.A., & Sacco, W.P. (2004). An empirical test of self-objectification theory in college-aged women. Presented at the 112th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, (August).
Vaughan, C.A., & Sacco, W.P. (2004). Race moderates the relationship between BMI and relationship status. Presented at the 112th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, (August).
Vaughan, C., Stewart, V., Ceo, D., & Sacco, W.P. (2003). Ethnicity moderates the relationship between body mass index and self-perceived physical attractiveness. Presented at the 15th annual meeting of the American Psychological Society, Atlanta, Georgia (May).
Stahl, S, & Sacco, W.P. (2003). Effects of threat and coping style on parents' adherence to recommendations for lead poisoning prevention. Presented at the 111th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Chicago (August).
Sacco, W.P., Wells, K., Morales, R, Friedman, A., Perez, S., Vaughan, C. (2003) Depression and HBA1c: the role of diet and exercise adherence, self-efficacy, and BMI. Presented at the 24th Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah (March).
Tenzer, S.A. & Sacco, W.P. (2002). Maternal depression, social cognition, and relationship satisfaction: A mediational model. Presented at the 110th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Chicago, Illinois. (August).
Tenzer, S.A. & Sacco, W.P. (2002). Children's self-concept and maternal behavior: A social cognitive analysis. Accepted for presentation at the 110th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Chicago, Illinois. (August).
Tenzer, S.A. & Sacco, W.P. (2002). Maternal social cognition mediates the association between relationship satisfaction and children's self-concept. Presented at the 14th annual meeting of the American Psychological Society, New Orleans, Louisiana (June).
Tenzer, S.A. & Sacco, W.P. (2002). Children's perceptions mediate the association between maternal behavior and child self-concept. Accepted for presentation at the 14th annual meeting of the American Psychological Society, New Orleans, Louisiana (June).
Sacco, W.P, Morrison, A.D, & Malone, J.I. (2002). Effect of a brief, regular, proactive telephone intervention on type 1 diabetic patients= hemoglobin A1c. Presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Washington, DC. (April).
Friedman, A, Wells, M., Houser, B., Morales, R., Phillips, K., Gerard, C., Malone, J., Morrison, & Sacco, W.P. (2002). Type 2 Diabetes Patients= Receptivity to a Telephone Delivered Intervention by Paraprofessionals. Presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Washington, DC. (April).
Morales, R., Perez, S., Vaughan, C., Wells, K, & Sacco, W.P. (2002). The relationships among diabetes symptoms, HbA1c levels, anxiety, and depression. Presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Washington, DC. (April).
Wells, K., Vaughan, C., Morales, R., Perez, S., & Sacco, W.P. (2002). The relationship between anxiety, depression, and diabetes-specific self-efficacy. Presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Washington, DC. (April).
Vaughan, C., Morales, R., Perez, S., Wells, K., Sacco, W.P. (2002). The relationship of self-reported diabetes regimen adherence to self-efficacy, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Presented at the 14th annual meeting of the American Psychological Society, New Orleans, Louisiana (June).
Perez, S., Wells, K., Vaughan, C., Morales, R., & Sacco, W.P. (2002). The relationship between glycemic control, psychological symptoms, and self-efficacy. Presented at the 14th
annual meeting of the American Psychological Society, New Orleans, Louisiana (June).
Butler, M., Tartaglia, T., Malone, J, Morrison, A, & Sacco, W.P. (2001). Receptivity of Type 1 diabetes patients to a brief, proactive, regular telephone delivered intervention by paraprofessionals: Evaluating the program=s Areach.@ Presented at the 61st Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, Philadelphia, PA (June).