Elizabeth McCay

Research Synopsis

Dr. McCay's research interests include the impact of first episode schizophrenia and chronic medical illness on self-concept and the development of group interventions to minimize the negative psychological consequences of illness. She has extensive experience in scale development and clinical evaluation research. Dr. McCay has held a number of research grants as a principal investigator from national funding agencies, such as CIHR, SSHRC and NARSAD related to self-concept in first episode schizophrenia and the psychosocial consequences of illness. She has published and presented papers in this and related areas. Dr. McCay is currently the Principal Investigator for a Canadian Institutes of Health research grant to conduct a randomized controlled trial of a group intervention to promote healthy self-concepts and to minimize engulfment in first episode schizophrenia. In addition, she has recently received a New Investigator Award to support the development of her research program. Dr. McCay and Dr. Beanlands (Ryerson University) are also co-investigators with other researchers from the University of Toronto who received funding from The CIHR New Emerging Team Program in Chronic Illness to develop a program of research in Gender/Genes and Glomerular-Based Diseases Research Group over the course of five years. Drs. Beanlands and McCay are examining gender differences in psychosocial variables and health behaviors among men and women with mild to moderate kidney disease that may influence progression of the disease.