Professor Groarke’s main interests and publications in health psychology focus on understanding factors that predict variability in adaptation to chronic illness.  Over the last number of years she has conducted a programme of collaborative research with colleagues in psychology and cancer specialists at Galway University Hospital to examine the psychological impact of breast cancer and prostate cancer.

This research has examined patient experiences during biopsy, diagnosis, treatment and post treatment phases. It includes a randomised controlled trial examining the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioural stress management programme for women with breast cancer, one of the first in Europe.

She was involved in setting up health psychology at NUI Galway, now an internationally renowned centre of excellence in this area. She served as Head of School in Psychology for eight years (2009-2017).

She was appointed Vice Dean of the College of Arts (2003 to 2006) and is currently serving as Deputy Dean of the College for a four-year term. She held two Visiting Scholar appointments (2014 & 2018) at a leading Centre for Psycho-Oncology Research at University of Miami, USA. She is a Chartered Health Psychologist and is a member of the Board of Directors of Cancer Care West since 2012.