Heather K. Hardin, PhD, RN

Assistant Professor
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing

Dr. Hardin's research focuses on the influence of trust on adolescents' health behavior and health outcomes. Dr. Hardin has designed a series of pilot studies to evaluate the neurobiological mechanisms of adolescent trust-building self-management interventions using fMRI and respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Currently, Dr. Hardin has two studies; one study addresses body mass index in preteens and another study addresses depressive symptoms in adolescents. These studies will evaluate the neuroprocessing and self-regulation mechanisms associated with improving adolescent/parent relationship quality, health behavior, and health outcomes.

Teaching Information

Teaching Interests

  • Nursing Research
  • Nursing Leadership
  • Community Health Nursing

Research Information

Research Interests

  • Adolescent self-management of obesity and depressive symptoms
  • Trust-building behavior interventions
  • Adolescent neuroprocessing and self-regulation

Research Projects

  • Pilot RCT to evaluate the effects of a trust-building depression management intervention on neuroprocessing and depressive symptoms in low-income adolescents, Case Western Reserve University Vice President for Research Catalyst Award
  • Pilot RCT to evaluate the effects of a trust-building depression management intervention on moderate depressive symptoms in low-income adolescents, Center for Reducing Health Disparities, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, U54 MD 002265
  • Adolescent weight management intervention research with low-resourced, urban-dwelling families, Self-Management Advancements through Research and Translation Center, National Institution of Nursing Research, P30 NR 015326

Awards and Honors

Early Career Reviewer
2020
National Institutes of Health
Rural Health Policy Ambassador, invited expert appointment
2020
Society of Behavioral Medicine
New Investigator Award, Family Research Interest Group
2019
Midwest Nursing Research Society
Provost’s Early Career Grant Academy
2019
Case Western Reserve University
Duck-Hee Kang Memorial Award for Mentored Grantwriting Workshop
2018
Council for the Advancement of Nursing Research
New Investigator Award, Health Promoting Behaviors Research Interest Group
2018
Midwest Nursing Research Society
New Investigator Award
2017
Midwest Nursing Research Society Adolescent Research Interest Group
AcademyHealth Presidential Scholarship for New Health Services Researchers
2015
AcademyHealth
Dean's Award for Highest Scholarship, Master of Science in Nursing
2012
University of Louisville School of Nursing
Women's Center Award
2011
University of Louisville
Edith Anderson Leadership Education Award
2011
Sigma Theta Tau International
National Podcast Award
2010
Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science & American Academy of Nursing
Regional Podcast Award
2010
Midwest Nursing Research Society

Professional Memberships

Society of Behavioral Medicine, Rural Health Policy Ambassador, 2020-current
Society of Adolescent Health & Medicine, Research Committee, 2019-current
Midwest Nursing Research Society, Director at Large, 2017-2021

Publications

Hardin, H.K., Bender, A., Speck, B.J., & Hermann, C.P. (2020). An integrative review of adolescent trust in the healthcare provider relationship. Journal of Advanced Nursing. Published online ahead of print. http//doi.org/10.1111/ jan.14674 

Hardin, H.K., Lee, D., Alchami, H.K., & Jones, S.M. (2020). Unmet health need and barriers to health care among adolescents living in a rural area. Children’s Health Care. Published online ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1080/02739615.2020.1833333

Hardin, H.K., Alchami, H.K., & Connell, A. (2020). Depressive symptoms and trust of healthcare provider in rural adolescents:  Predictors and relationships. Issues in Mental Health Nursing. Published online ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2020.1789783

Hardin, H.K., Moore, S.M., Moore, S., & Uli, N. (2020). Associations between trust of healthcare provider and body mass index percentile in adolescents. Comprehensive Child and Adolescent Nursing. Published online ahead of print. http//doi.org/10.1080/24694193.2020.1783028 

Hardin, H.K., Speck, B.J., McCarthy, V.L., & Crawford, T.N. (2018). Diminished trust of health care provider, risky lifestyle behaviors, and low use of health services: A descriptive study of rural adolescents. Journal of School Nursing, 34(6), 458-467. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840517725787

Moore, SM., Borawski, E.A., Love, T.E., Jones, S., Casey, T., McAleer, S., Thomas, C., Adegbite-Adeniyi, C., Uli, N.K., Hardin, H.K., Trapl, E.S., Plow, M., Stevens, J., Truesdale, K.P., Pratt, C.A., Long, M., Nevar, A. (2019). Effects of two family-based interventions on BMI in low-income urban youth: A multi-level study. Pediatrics, 143(6), e20182185. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-2185

Hetland, B., Lindroth, H., Kamp, K., Gates, B., Wierenga, K., Hardin, H.K., Gilmore-Bykovsky, A., Topp, R., Hershberger, P., & Madigan, E. (2019). The Emerging Scholars' Network within MNRS: From acorns to oaks. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 42(2), 143-152. http//doi.org/10.1177/0193945919845065 

Moore, S., Komton, V., Adegite-Adeniyi, C., Dolanski, M., Hardin, H.K., & Borawski, E. (2018). Development of the Systems Thinking Scale for Adolescent Behavior Change. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 40 (3), 375-387, http//doi.org/10.1177/0193945917697219 

Heerman, W., Jaka, M., Berge, J., Trapl, E., Sommer, E., Samuels, L., Jackson, N., Haapala, J., Kunin-Batson, A., Olson-Bullis, B., Hardin, H., Sherwood, N., Barkin, S. (2017). The dose of behavioral interventions to prevent and treat childhood obesity: A systematic review and meta-regression. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity; 14: 157. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0615-7

Education

Doctor of Philosophy
University of Louisville School of Nursing
2014
Certificate in Health Professions Education
University of Louisville School of Education
2015
Master of Science in Nursing
University of Louisville School of Nursing
2012
Certificate in LGBT Health and Wellness Competency
University of Louisville LGBT Center
2012
Certified Lactation Specialist
Lactation Education Consultants, Wheaton, IL
2012
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Indiana University Southeast School of Nursing
2007

Residencies, Internships and Fellowships

Early Stage Investigator Training, Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research Consortium
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, U01 HL 103622-04
2019
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Case Western Reserve University
2017