Research
Dr. Shallcross’ research focuses on developing, adapting and testing mindfulness-based interventions for people with depression and co-morbid illness, with an emphasis on scalability, accessibility and health equity. She also has expertise in eating behavior and Food is Medicine interventions. Her work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association and the Mind and Life Institute.
Biography
Dr. Amanda J. Shallcross is the Vice Chair of Research in the Department and Preventive Medicine at Cleveland Clinic and founding Director of the Center for Wellness Research and Training. She is a behavioral scientist and board-certified naturopathic physician. Dr. Shallcross’ research combines her expertise in clinical trials, emotion regulation, psychophysiology, mind-body treatment approaches, behavior change and population health. Dr. Shallcross has maintained nearly continuous funding from NIH for the last 17 years, including F32 and K23 grants, as well as two R-level grants. She supervises three Assistant Professor-level investigators and has supervised over 50 undergraduate and post-graduate research assistants, medical students and postdoctoral fellows over the past 15 years, including 3 K-grant awardees.
Education & Professional Highlights
Education
Graduate School – University of Colorado Denver
Public Health
Denver, CO USA
2012
Graduate School – National University of Natural Medicine
Naturopathic Medicine/Naturopathy
Portland, OR USA
2005
Undergraduate – Whittier College
Biology
Whittier, CA USA
2000
Awards and Honors
- Outstanding Mentor, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
- Ather Ali, ND Scholarship, International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health
- Distinguished Scientist Award Nominee, Society of Behavioral Medicine, Integrative Medicine and Spirituality Special Interest Group
Professional Highlights
- Co-Chair, Scientific Committee, International Congress of Integrative Medicine and Health
- Institutional Representative, Academic Consortium for Integrative Health and Medicine
Memberships
- Member, Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health
Research
Treatment of Migraine and Mood: NIH (R01AT011005)
We are conducting a three-arm (1:1:1), RCT pilot trial (n=144) of abbreviated Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT-Brief) delivered via telephone or video, compared to enhanced usual care.
We are evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of all three arms in people with migraine (defined by the International Classification of Headache Disorders - 3) and depressive symptoms (defined by empirical cut-offs on the Patient Health Questionnaire - 9).
This study aims to set the stage for a future definitive, large-scale Phase III trial in patients with migraine and depressive symptoms.
Nutrition Outreach and Understanding: Research in Serving Hearts Through Healthy Eating & Tailored Support (NOURISH HEARTS): American Heart Association (24FIM1264510)
This study is a three-arm, RCT pilot trial (n=75) to compare medically tailored meals (MTM) vs. MTM + SMA (shared medical appointments) vs. a wait-list control group (MTM-Later) in patients with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity and/or metabolic syndrome.
Primary outcomes are implementation (recruitment and retention rates) and feasibility (engagement and satisfaction).
Participants are recruited from Cleveland Clinic's South Pointe Hospital in Warrensville Heights, a predominantly Black community with low socioeconomic status and high cardiovascular disease morbidity.
Ultra-Processed Food Intake, Cognitive Impairment, and Nutrition Education Preferences: A Feasibility Study with Sex-Based Analyses: Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement & Maria Owings Shriver Health (MOSH)
We will investigate the association between ultra-processed food intake and cognitive impairment in at-risk participants.
We will assess potential sex differences in this relationship and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of digital nutrition tracking tools and education methods in this population.
Selected Publications
Shallcross Amanda J. Resilience in the face of racial discrimination: The role of emotional acceptance. Emotion. 2026. 41701193.
Tankha Hallie, Gaskins Devyn, Guo Ning, Shallcross Amanda J. The protective role of body responsiveness in the relationship between pain intensity and depression: evidence from a racially and ethnically diverse sample. Pain Med. 2026. 41223154.
Tankha Hallie, Shallcross Amanda J. Trauma-responsive pain management: a survey of patient characteristics and preferences. Pain Med. 2026. 40924573.
Shallcross Amanda J. Brief Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Women With Myocardial Infarction: Results of a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. JACC Adv. 2025. 39898341.
Shallcross Amanda J. Complementary and Integrative Health Use in Binge Eating Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Mixed-Methods Study of Binge Eating Disorder Experts' Perspectives. Int J Nurs Health Care Res (Lisle). 2024. 39822390.
Shallcross Amanda J. Adapting a pain coping skills training intervention for people with chronic pain receiving maintenance hemodialysis for end stage Kidney disease. J Behav Med. 2025. 39627496.
Tankha Hallie, Gaskins Devyn, Shallcross Amanda, Rothberg Michael, Hu Bo, Guo Ning, Dombrowski Stephen, Bar Judi, Warren Renee, Wilgus Holly, Tate Piper, Goldfarb Johanna, Saper Robert. Effectiveness of Virtual Yoga for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2024. 39485352.
Hill Jacob, Shallcross Amanda J. Feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity of remote-delivered abbreviated mindfulness-based cognitive therapy interventions for patients with migraine and depressive symptoms. Headache. 2025. 39400343.
Shallcross Amanda J. Characterizing Mental Health Status and Service Utilization in Chinese Americans With Type 2 Diabetes in New York City: Cross-Sectional Study. JMIR Form Res. 2024. 38954806.
Shallcross Amanda J. Addressing chronic pain disparities between Black and White people: a narrative review of socio-ecological determinants. Pain Manag. 2023. 37650756.