Dr. Schwartz studies adolescents and young adults (AYAs) who are undergoing cancer treatment, are long-term survivors of childhood cancer, and are living with or have suspected cancer predisposition. This research includes descriptive, longitudinal, and intervention studies. Targets of Dr. Schwartz's research include health behaviors, disease self-management and adherence, goal setting and pursuit, late effects, communication, adjustment and transition to adult care, and healthcare utilization.

She has also developed expertise in mobile health/digital health research, co-founding and co-directing CHOP's Mobile Health Research Affinity Group (mHealth). Current mHealth studies include a randomized controlled trial on a digital app to enhance uptake of survivorship care plans among AYA survivors (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention); a study on implementation of care plans (NCI R21); a non-randomized trial with AYA tracking pain and feasibility/acceptability of acupuncture for those who opt in to try it (National Palliative Care Research Center); a study assessing the impact of germline testing for cancer predisposition among those referred to the Cancer Predisposition Program at CHOP (Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation); and a longitudinal, multisite study of AYA survivor self-management (NINR R01).

Among her notable career accomplishments, Dr. Schwartz:

• Developed a validated model of readiness to transition to adult care to inform research and clinical practice, known as SMART (Social-ecological Model of AYA Readiness to Transition)
• Led a Pediatric Chair’s Initiative to conduct proof-of-concept text messaging intervention for the AYA recently completing cancer treatment, and then received subsequent funding from St. Baldrick’s Foundation and CDC to conduct a randomized controlled trial of the second generation of this intervention, known as AYA STEPS (Self-management via Texting, Education and Plans for Survivorship)
• Co-founded and co-directs CHOP's Mobile Health Research Affinity Group in the Research Institute
• Conducted NIH funded multisite study to test a model of self-management and validate a measure of transition readiness for AYA long-term survivors