Dr. Camilla Nonterah
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Profile
Camilla Nonterah is a counseling psychologist by training whose research and clinical interests focus on health psychology. She completed her pre-doctoral clinical psychology residency at Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston Consortium and earned her doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Nonterah’s research focuses on physical and mental health, with particular attention to populations that are less frequently represented in research and is guided by a multicultural framework. Much of her work examines the psychosocial aspects of end-stage organ disease and solid organ transplantation, including health outcomes, access to care, health behaviors, treatment seeking, and mental health. She also studies how culture and identity relate to mental and physical health, with an emphasis on exploring drivers of unfavorable health and psychological outcomes. A third area of her research explores factors that promote positive health behaviors from a positive psychology perspective, particularly in African settings and through cross-cultural comparisons.
Nonterah has published in several peer-reviewed articles in journals such as the American Journal of Transplantation, Patient Education and Counseling, Progress in Transplantation, and the Journal of Black Psychology, presented talks and posters at national and international conferences such as the American Transplant Congress, American Psychological Association, Asian Pacific Congress of Nephrology and the 44th Annual Meeting of the Korean Society of Nephology, and the European Society for Organ Transplantation Congress. She has received grants such the Faculty Development Research Grant from the American Society of Transplantation, and the Thomas F. and Kate Miller Jeffress Memorial Trust Award.
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Grants and Fellowships
Thomas F. and Kate Miller Jeffress Trust Awards Program in Interdisciplinary Research
January 2022-June 2023This $100,000 award funded Nonterah’s research on barriers in access to organ transplants. The goal of this research project was to help reduce disparities in access to kidney transplantation, especially for kidney patients from minoritized backgrounds by improving ways of identifying those at risk for experiencing problems. The award supported two student summer fellowships to provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to develop strong research skills and provided post-doctoral fellowship training for a year.
American Society of Transplantation/Mallinckrodt Faculty Development Clinical Science
July 2021-June 2022This $50,000 award funded Nonterah’s research which seeks to develop a culturally relevant, psychometrically sound measure for identifying high-risk kidney patients who experience difficulties in accessing kidney transplantation, including being able to administer the measure in both English and Spanish.
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Grants and Fellowships
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Publications
Journal Articles
Nonterah, C.W., Spivey, C., Hayde, N., Chisholm-Burns, M., PhD, Giusti, S., Kelly, B., Lee, T- H. (2025). Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in organ transplantation. American Journal of Transplantation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajt.2025.05.001
Nonterah, C.W. (2024). Systems connected to inequities in access to kidney transplantation and the value of intersectionality [Special Issue: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion]. Transplant International, 37(11658). https://doi.org/10.3389/ti.2024.11658
Nonterah, C. W., Utsey, S.O., Gupta, G. Wilkins, S.*, & Gardiner, H. M. (2023). Access to renal transplantation: A nominal group technique study with patients who identify as Black or African and transplant professionals. Progress in Transplantation, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15269248231164164
Coleman, J. A., Nonterah, C. W., Joy-Gaba, J. A., Phills, C.& Jacobson, K. (2021). A cross-species examination of pro-White color bias using a novel implicit association test. Anthrozoös. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2021.1996024
Jesse, M., Hansen, B., Bruschwein, H., Chen, G., Nonterah, C., Peipert, J., Dew, M.A, Thomas, C., Ortega, A., Balliet, W. Ladin, K., Lerret, S. Yaldo, A., Coco, T. Mallea, J. (2021). Findings and Recommendations from the Organ Transplant Caregiver Initiative: Moving Clinical Care and Research Forward. American Journal of Transplantation, 21 (3) 950-957. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajt.16315
Osei-Tutu, A., Osafo, J., Anum, A., Appiah-Danquah, R., Worthington, E. L., Jr., Chen, Z. J., Cowden, R.G., & Nonterah, C. W. (2020). Is cultural adaptation needed beyond using Christian-accommodated reach forgiveness psychoeducational group intervention in Ghana? An efficacy study comparing a Christian-accommodated version against a version accommodated by Christian and cultural adaptations. Spirituality in Clinical Practice. 7(2), 73–88. https://doi.org/10.1037/scp0000215
Nonterah, C.W., & Traino, H. M. (2019). Pre-Transplant Evaluation Completion for Black/African American Renal Patients: Two Theoretical Frameworks. Patient Education & Counseling, S0738-3991(19), 30485-9. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2019.11.005.
Nonterah, C.W., Marek, R.J., & Borchardt, J. J. & Balliet, W. (2019). The impact of alexithymia on organ transplant candidates' quality of life: The mediating role of depressive symptoms. Psychological Reports. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033294119896058
Traino, H. M., West, S. M., & Nonterah, C. W., St Clair Russell, J., & Yuen, E. (2017). Communicating about Choices in Transplantation (COACH): Results of a pilot test using matched controls. Progress in Transplantation, 27, 31-38. doi:10.1177/1526924816679844
Nonterah, C. W., Garthe, R. C., Reid, C. A., Worthington, E. L., Jr., Davis, D. E., Hook, J. N., Van Tongeren, D. R., & Griffin, B. J. (2016). The Impact of stress on fluctuations in Relational Humility as couples transition to parenthood. Personality and Individual Differences, 101, 276–281. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.06.016
Worthington, E. L., Jr., Griffin, B. J., Toussaint, L. L., Nonterah, C. W., Utsey, S. O., & Garthe, R. C. (2016). Forgiveness as a catalyst for psychological, physical, and spiritual resilience in disasters and crises. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 44, 152-165.
Traino, H. M., Nonterah, C. W., Gupta, G., & Mincemoyer, J. (2016). Living kidney donors' information needs and preferences. Progress in Transplantation, 26, 47-54. doi:10.1177/1526924816633943
Traino, H.M., Nonterah, C. W., Cyrus, W. J., Gillespie, A., Urbanski, M., & Adair-Kriz, M. (2015). Disparities in the completion of steps to kidney transplantation: A protocol for a systematic review. BMJ Open, 5, 1-4. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008677.
Nonterah, C. W., Hahn, N. C., Utsey, S. O., Hooks, J., Abrams, J.A., Hubbard, R., & Opare-Henaku, A. (2015). Fear of negative evaluation as a mediator of the relation between academic stress, anxiety and depression in a sample of Ghanaian college students. Psychology and Developing Societies, 27, 125-142. doi:10.1177/0971333614564747.
Cole, N. N., Nonterah, C. W., Utsey, S. O., Hooks, J., Hubbard, R., Opare-Henako, A., & Fischer, N. (2014). Predictor and moderator effects of ego-resilience and mindfulness on the relationship between academic stress and psychological well-being in a sample of Ghanaian college students. Journal of Black Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/0095798414537939.
Nonterah, C. W., Jensen, B. J., Perrin, P. B., Stevens, L. F., Cabrera, T. V., Jimenez-Maldonado, M., & Arango-Lasprilla, J. C. (2013). The influence of TBI impairments on family caregiver mental health in Mexico. Brain Injury, 27, 1287-1293. doi:10.3109/02699052.2013.812243.
Book ChaptersWorthington, E. L., Jr., Nonterah, C. W., Utsey, S. O., Griffin, B. J., Carneal, C. C., Cairo, A. H., Osei-Tutu, A., Cowden, R. G., Pillay, B. J., Kardio, K. K., & Germer, L. S. (2019). Forgiveness Research in Africa: The Present Status and Future Prospects. In E. L. Worthington, Jr. & N. G. Wade (Eds.), Handbook of forgiveness, 2nd ed. (pp. 223-233). New York, NY: Routledge.
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In the News
A counseling psychology perspective on solid organ transplants with Dr. Camilla Nonterah. Plus: Florida transplant recipients discuss the ongoing impact of COVID.
Tue., May. 24, 2022The Case for Not Making a New Year¿s Resolution.
Tue., Dec. 21, 2021Healthy Behavior Change.
Mon., Oct. 7, 2019Minorities face more obstacles to a lifesaving organ transplant.
Tue., Jun. 11, 2019How to increase your chances of sticking with your resolutions.
Wed., Jan. 9, 2019What Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade can teach us about mental health.
Thu., Jul. 12, 2018