College of Nursing

Quick Links

Research

Kaitlyn Rechenberg

anxiety lab

About Us

In the Adolescent and Young Adult Anxiety Lab (AYAA), we are committed to conducting innovative, evidence-based research grounded in rigorous research methods and designs. We are passionate about increasing the screening and treatment of psychosocial symptoms in adolescents and young adults. Our focus is always on designing nimble and responsive interventions that have the potential for wide dissemination and maximum impact.

Led by Kaitlyn Rechenberg, PhD, MPH, APRN, Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida College of Nursing, we are a team of nursing and public health professionals conducting cutting-edge research on psychosocial comorbidity in adolescents and young adults living with chronic medical conditions. Our recent projects include the design and validation of the first measure of diabetes-specific anxiety for adolescents with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) – Anxiety Symptoms in Diabetes Scale© (ASDS); design and implementation of an accessible, evidence-based mindfulness training mobile health application for adolescents with T1D, Appricate©; and adaptation of a mindfulness training mobile health application for young adults with early-onset Type 2 diabetes, Appricate4two©. We intend to design interventions that are cost-conscious and have the potential for wide dissemination. We use innovative study designs grounded in the principles of implementation science to maximize the potential for real-world impact.

Join our Team:

If you would like to apply for a role in the AYAA Research Lab, please submit a cover letter outlining your relevant experience and research interests with an accompanying CV/resume to Dr. Rechenberg at krechenberg@usf.edu.

For all inquiries, please contact Dr. Kaitlyn Rechenberg at krechenberg@usf.edu.

Kaitlyn Rechenberg

Kaitlyn Rechenberg, PhD, MPH, APRN -- Assistant Professor

Dr. Rechenberg is an Assistant Professor on the tenure track in the College of Nursing at the University of South Florida and director of the AYAA Lab. She is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner and pediatric mental health specialist with 10 years of clinical experience working with adolescents and young adults. She is an expert in conducting interventional research with adolescents and young adults living with chronic medical conditions, especially Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. She has contributed $1.1 million in external funding as principal investigator ($407,231) and co-investigator ($656,601).

R Koerner

Rebecca Koerner, PhD, APRN -- Adjunct Professor -- Study Coordinator

Dr. Koerner is an adjunct professor at the College of Nursing at the University of South Florida and study coordinator of our current NIH-funded study, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes. She recently completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the College of Nursing at the University of Florida. Dr. Koerner is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner with research expertise in maternal-child health, adolescent and young adult mental health, and integration of novel biobehavioral research methods. She is passionate about improving the mental health of adolescents and young adults.  

Alison Tao

Alison Tao, BSN, RN -- Graduate Research Assistant

Alison is a master’s in public health (MPH) student with a concentration in Health Promotion and Behavior at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. Alison's areas of interest include mental health and health literacy among minority populations, and she hopes to bring her knowledge and experience into these fields in the future. She has a bachelor of science in Health Sciences from the University of Central Florida and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Miami.

Olivia Valente -- Undergraduate Research Assistant

Olivia is a third-year student at the University of South Florida in the College of Nursing pursuing a bachelor's degree in nursing and a minor in Psychology. Olivia is the president of her nursing cohort and is actively involved in several organizations within the College of Nursing including the Future Nurse Practitioners Club and Stampede Into Bull Nursing, which is a mentorship program. Olivia plans to focus her nursing career on psychiatric mental health and attend graduate school to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner.  

  • Adaptation of a Mindfulness Training Mobile Health Application for Young Adults with Early Onset Type 2 Diabetes
    Funding Agency: USF College of Nursing Dean’s Pilot Grant for Faculty Research
    PI: K. Rechenberg

    Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes
    Funding Agency: National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health
    ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier
    PI: K. Rechenberg

  • 2024

    • Dr. Rechenberg was awarded the USF College of Nursing Dean’s Pilot Grant for Faculty Research as PI to examine the adaptation of a Mindfulness Mobile Health Application for Young Adults with Early Onset Type 2 Diabetes
    • Drs. Rechenberg and Koerner were awarded the UF College of Nursing’s Best Papers in Mindfulness, Research Category

    2023

    •  Dr. Rechenberg teamed with a group of software engineers to design Appricate©, a mindfulness training mobile health application designed for adolescents with T1D.

    2022

    • Dr. Rechenberg received a $407,231 NIH grant as PI (K23NR019911) to design a mobile health application for adolescents with T1D using a mixed methods approach.

  • Rechenberg, K., Geiss, C., Koerner, R., Rios, N., Menon, U. (In Press). “Diabetes is really simple on paper, but really complicated when you actually have it”: Understanding the daily stressors of adolescents living with Type 1 diabetes. Journal of Specialists in Pediatric Nursing.

    Koerner, R. & Rechenberg, K. (2023). Psychosocial outcomes in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes: Associations with grade level and disease duration. Journal of Pediatric Healthcare, 37(1), 25-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2022.09.002

    Rechenberg, K., & Koerner R. (2022). General anxiety, diabetes-specific anxiety, and quality of life in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. The Science of Diabetes Self-management and Care, 48(6), 469–475. https://doi.org/10.1177/26350106221125689

    Koerner, R., & Rechenberg, K. (2022). Mindfulness in adolescents and young adults with diabetes: An integrative review. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 49, 101659. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2022.101659

    Rechenberg, K., Szalacha, L., Bugajski, A. (2022). A self-report measure of diabetes-specific anxiety symptoms for adolescents. Children’s Health Care, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02739615.2022.2047970

    Rechenberg, K., & Koerner, R. (2021). Cognitive behavioral therapy in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: An integrative review. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 60, 190–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2021.06.019

    Rechenberg, K., Griggs, S., Jeon, S., Redeker, N., Yaggi, H., & Grey, M. (2020). Sleep and glycemia in youth with type 1 diabetes. Journal of Pediatric Healthcare, 34(4), 315-327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2019.12.002

    Rechenberg, K., Szalacha, L., Salloum, A., & Grey, M. (2019). State and trait anxiety and diabetes outcomes in youth with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Educator, 45(5), 477-483. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145721719866146

    Rechenberg, K., Grey, M., & Sadler, L. (2018). “Anxiety and type 1 diabetes are like cousins”: The experience of anxiety symptoms in youth with Type 1 diabetes. Research in Nursing and Health, 41(6), 544-554. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.21913

    Rechenberg, K., Whittemore, R., Holland, M., & Grey, M. (2017). General and diabetes-specific stress in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 130, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2017.05.003

    Rechenberg, K., Whittemore, R., & Grey, M. (2017). Anxiety in youth with type 1 diabetes. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 32, 64-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2016.08.007