Blaine Ditto
Professor
Department of Psychology
McGill University
Canada
Biography
Prof. Ditto’s research focuses on stress-related increases and decreases in blood pressure, their psychological and autonomic causes, and effects on health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and vasovagal reactions. One area of particular interest is vasovagal reactions to blood donation as they are strongly related to fear, have an important influence on the medical system by affecting blood supplies, and are theoretically important in showing that stress can lead to large decreases as well as increases in blood pressure.
Research Interest
Clinical Psychology
Publications
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Campbell, T.S., Key, B.L., Ireland, A.D., Bacon, S.L., & Ditto, B. (2008). Early socioeconomic status is associated with adult nighttime blood pressure dipping. Psychosomatic Medicine, 70, 276-281.
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Barone S., Bacon, S.L., Campbell, T.S., Labrecque, M., Ditto, B., & Lavoie, K.L. (2008) The association between anxiety sensitivity and atopy in adult asthmatics. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 31, 331-339.
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France, C.R., Ditto, B., France, J.L., & Himawan, L.K. (2008). Psychometric properties of the Blood Donation Reactions Inventory: a subjective measure of presyncopal reactions to blood donation. Transfusion, 48, 1820-1826.
