Dr. Alexa Bonacquisti is a licensed psychologist with expertise in reproductive health psychology. Dr. Bonacquisti earned her PhD in clinical psychology at Drexel University, with a concentration in health psychology. She completed an APA-accredited clinical internship at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, specializing in women's mental health and behavioral medicine. Her postdoctoral fellowship focused on perinatal mental health in Drexel University's Department of Psychology and Mother Baby Connections program. She is certified as a specialist in perinatal mental health through Postpartum Support International (PMH-C).
Dr. Bonacquisti's clinical and research interests focus on reproductive-related mood and anxiety disorders and mental health outcomes that occur in the context of reproductive functioning. Her work also addresses coping with stressful reproductive events, such as infertility, pregnancy loss, and infant admission to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In addition, she is interested in developing and evaluating innovative psychological treatments in these contexts, such as the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) during the perinatal period. Dr. Bonacquisti is dedicated to the provision of evidence-based interventions and empathic clinical care. Her clinical work focuses on treating women across the lifespan, with an emphasis on the psychological aspects of the reproductive journey.
Dr. Bonacquisti was trained as a scientist-practitioner with a cognitive-behavioral perspective, which she utilizes to inform her approach as a teacher, clinical supervisor and mentor. She fosters collaborative learning, promotes critical thinking and curiosity and emphasizes real world applications as essential components of education and training in clinical psychology. Dr. Bonacquisti serves as the Practicum Coordinator for the PsyD in Clinical Psychology program.
Dr. Bonacquisti's research focuses broadly on reproductive health psychology. Currently, Dr. Bonacquisti investigates mental health outcomes that occur in the context of reproductive functioning, with an emphasis on psychological responses to adverse reproductive events and reproductive trauma (e.g., infant admission to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), infertility, pregnancy loss). She also studies the development and evaluation of innovative treatments for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and reproductive loss, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Previously, Dr. Bonacquisti's research has addressed other sexual and reproductive health psychology topics such as HIV risk reduction behaviors, the experience of HIV diagnosis during pregnancy and postpartum, and the psychological effects of intimate partner violence.
As of 2024, Dr. Bonacquisti has authored thirteen peer-reviewed publications and seven book chapters. She has delivered over 90 conference presentations at local and national conferences. She also regularly provides invited lectures, workshops and presentations addressing her research within the local community as well as regional and national venues.
Dr. Bonacquisti enjoys research collaboration and mentoring students in research endeavors, and she welcomes students as part of her research team.
Bonacquisti, A., Woodworth, E.C., Diaz, M. & Grunberg, V.A. (2022). Acceptance-based process variables on postpartum well-being and distress: the mediating role of psychological flexibility [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department of Clinical Psychology, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Grunberg, V.A., Geller, P.A., Durham, K., Bonacquisti, A., & Barkin, J. (2022). Development of “Motherhood and Me (Mom-Me):” An evidence-based group to enhance maternal functioning among women with postpartum mood and anxiety symptoms. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(9), 2345. doi: 10.3390/jcm11092345
DiSanza, C.B., Geller, P.A., Bonacquisti, A., Posmontier, B., Horowitz, J.A. & Chiarello, L.C. (2020). A stepped care model of patient navigation to enhance engagement with perinatal mental health care. Health Equity, 4(1), 484-488. doi: 10.1089/heq.2020.0077
Bonacquisti, A., Geller, P.A., & Patterson, C.A. (2020). Maternal depression, anxiety, stress, and maternal-infant attachment in the neonatal intensive care unit. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. doi: 10.1080/02646838.2019.1695041
Grunberg, V.A., Geller, P.A., Bonacquisti, A., & Patterson, C.A. (2019). NICU infant health severity and family outcomes: a systematic review of assessments and findings in psychosocial research. Journal of Perinatology, 39(2), 156-172. doi: 10.1038/s41372-018-0282-9
Geller, P.A., Posmontier, B.P., Horowitz, J.A., Bonacquisti, A., & Chiarello, L.C. (2018). Introducing Mother Baby Connections: A model of intensive perinatal mental health outpatient programming. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 41(5), 600-613. doi: 10.1007/s10865-018-9974-z
Bonacquisti, A., Cohen, M.J., & Schiller, C.E. (2017). Acceptance and commitment therapy for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders: Development of an inpatient group intervention. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 20(5), 645-654. doi: 10.1007/s00737-017-0735-8
Geller, P.A., Bonacquisti, A., Barber, J., & Yeakel, L.H. (2017). Increasing racially and ethnically underrepresented women in medical school through an innovative program. International Journal of Medical Education, 8, 187-189. doi: 10.5116/ijme.5918.b789
Aaron, E., Bonacquisti, A., Geller, P.A. & Polansky, M.P. (2015). Perinatal depression
and anxiety in women with and without HIV infection. Women’s Health Issues, 25(5),
579-585. doi: 10.1016/j.whi.2015.04.003
Bonacquisti, A., Geller, P.A. & Aaron, E. (2014). Rates and predictors of prenatal
depression in women living with and without HIV. AIDS Care, 26(1), 100-106. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2013.802277
Bonacquisti, A., & Geller, P.A. (2013). Condom-use intentions and the influence of
partner-related barriers among women at risk for HIV. Journal of Clinical Nursing,
22(23-34), 3328-3336. doi: 10.1111/jocn.12101
Aaron, E., Criniti, S.M., Bonacquisti, A., Geller, P.A. (2013). Providing sensitive
care for adult HIV-infected women with a history of childhood sexual abuse. Journal
of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 24(4), 355-367. doi: 10.1016/j.jana.2013.03.004
Aaron, E., Bonacquisti, A., Mathew, L., Alleyne, G., Bamford, L., & Culhane, J.F. (2012). Small for gestational age births in pregnant women with HIV, due to severity of HIV disease, not antiretroviral therapy. Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2012, doi: 10.1155/2012/135030
Psaros, C., Geller, P. A., Sciscione, A. C. & Bonacquisti, A. (2010). Screening practices for postpartum depression among various health care providers. Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 55(11-12), 477-484
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