Georgia Dimitraki

  • PhD Student. Department of Psychology. School of Social Sciences. University of Crete (June 2012 – Present)
  • Master of science in Health Psychology. Department of Psychology. School of Social Sciences. University of Crete. (2009-2012)
  • Bachelor (BA) in Psychology. Department of Psychology. School of Social Sciences. University of Crete. (2003-2007)
     

Doctoral Thesis Title

The role of Illness representation of patients and their spouses in adjustment to Rheumatoid Arthritis: A randomized clinical trial

Brief Description

The aim of this study is to examine the role of patients’ and spouses’ illness representation on patients’ coping and well- being. Moreover, this research would provide more information about the impact of Rheumatoid Arthritis on spouses. More specifically, it examines the effects of illness representations on their physical and psychological health. The second part of this study is the development of an interventional program based on cognitive behavioral therapy and common sense model. This interventional program aims to recognize and restructure dysfunctional beliefs about Rheumatoid Arthritis which seem to relate to better adjustment. In addition, it aims to help patients to adapt more functional coping behaviors in order to manage their disease. This interventional program would apply between two different groups. One group is composed of patients and the other of patients and their spouses. In this way, it examines the effectiveness of spouses’ participation in patients’ therapy.
Research Funding

Supervisors

  • Evangelos Karademas (Supervisor). Professor of Clinical Health Psychology, University of Crete
  • Panagiotis Simos. (Co-supervisor), Professor of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Medicine, University of Crete
  • Alexandros Vgontzas. (Co-supervisor). Professor of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Crete

Publications

  • Karademas, E., Dimitraki, G., Thomadakis, C., Giannousi, Z. (2018). The relation of spouse illness representation and coping behaviors: A study in couples dealing with a newly diagnosed cancer. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology.
  • Karademas, E., Dimitraki, G., Papastefanakis, E., Ktistaki, G., Repa, A., Gergianaki, I., Bertsias, G., Sidiropoulos, P., & Simos, P. (2018). Adaptation to inflammatory rheumatic disease: Do illness representation predict patients’ physical functioning over time? A complex relationship. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2, 232-242.
  • Karademas, E., Ktistaki, G., Dimitraki, G., Papastefanakis, E., Kougas, N., Fanouriakis, A., Gergiannaki, I., Bertsias, G., Sidiropoulos, P., & Simos, P (2017). Patient and partner Dispositional optimism as a Long- term predictor of illness representation in Autoimmune Disease. Journal of Health psychology, 22(3), 1691-1700
  • Simos, P., Ktistaki, G., Dimitraki, G., Papastefanakis, E., Kougas, N., Fanouriakis, A., Gergiannaki, I., Bertsias, G., Sidiropoulos, P., & Karademas, E (2016). Cognitive deficits early in the course of rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 38 (7), 820-829.
  • Giannousi, Z., Karademas, E., & Dimitraki, G (2016). Illness representation and psychological adjustment of Greek couples dealing with a recent –diagnosed cancer: dyadic, interaction and perception – dissimilarity effects. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 39 (1), 85-93. 
  • Karademas, E., Ktistaki, G., Dimitraki, G., Papastefanakis, E., Kougas, N., Fanouriakis, A., Gergiannaki, I., Bertsias, G., Sidiropoulos, P., & Simos, P (2015). Adaptation to an autoimmune disorder: Does mental flexibility impact illness-related self regulation? Psychology and Health, 31 (3), 276-291.
  • Dimitraki, G., & Karademas, E.C. (2014). The Association of Type 2 Diabetes Patient and Spouse Illness Representations with Their Well-being: A Dyadic Approach. International Journal of Behavioural Medicine, 21, 230-239.

Conference Presentations

  • Dimitraki, G. (2019). The efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A randomized clinical trial. 6o conference of Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy. Thessaloniki, Greece.
  • Dimitraki, G. (2019). The role of psychosocial factors in fibromyalgia: A psychosocial program based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. ‘A holistic approach to the treatment of fibromyalgia. ENFA Annual Conference and General Assembly. Heraklion, Crete.  
  • Dimitraki, G. (2018). Psychological factors in Rheumatoid Arthritis. A randomized Clinical Trial. 9o Crete -Cyprus Symposium of Rheumatology, Chania, Crete.

Poster Presentations

  • Ktistaki, G., Papastefanakis, E., Dimitraki, G., Fanouriakis, A., Gergiannaki, I., Bertsias, G., Sidiropoulos, P., Mastorodemos, V., Karademas, E., & Simos, P. (2015). Representation of control, coping strategies and subjective health in autoimmune diseases: RA, SLE and MS. 29th conference of EHPS, Limassol, Cyprus. 
  • Dimitraki, G., Ktistaki, G., Papastefanakis, E., Fanouriakis, A., Gergiannaki, I., Bertsias, G., Kougas, N., Repa, A., Karademas, E., Sidiropoulos, P., & Simos, P. (2014). Higher-order neuropsychology deficits are frequent and occur early in RA and SLE: The impact of basic processing abilities on psychological well-being. American College of Rheumatology. Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts.