Chesla was an undergraduate student at the College of Saint Teresa, where she earned her bachelor's degree in nursing in 1974.
[2] Afterwards, she joined the University of California, San Francisco, where she completed her doctoral research in parents' caring practices.
She studied how family-related issues, such as conflict and family isolation, impact risk factors for chronic conditions.
Evidence indicates that family traits such as emotional closeness and supportive relationships are protective against issues such as depression, migraines and schizophrenia.
Chesla decided to investigate the aspects of family life that contributed to the management of chronic conditions.