Biography

Dr. Mickelson's research is interdisciplinary, with special emphases on social and health psychology. She received her PhD in Social Health Psychology from Carnegie Mellon in 1995 and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Michigan and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Mickelson spent 16 years at Kent State University before moving to Arizona State University in 2014.

She utlilizes both psychological and sociological literature to inform her research questions. Dr. Mickelson's scholarly work examines the role of stressors and psychosocial factors on relationship functioning and health. Her research revolves around a core theme of social relationships in a social context - specifically, understanding how stress impacts social relationships and health. Dr. Mickelson is interested in how these processes are altered by various social contexts, such as socioeconomic status and gender. Her research over the years has covered topics including perceived stigma, discrimination, gender attitudes and social support. Dr. Mickelson's current research is focused on 1) psychosocial models of SES disparities in low birth weight; 2) understanding the transition to parenthood for fathers and mothers; and 3) coping and support-seeking in the age of social media. To address these questions, she utilizes field research and secondary data.

Dr. Mickelson's research has been widely cited and she has published in a variety of journals, including the Journal of Marriage and Family, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Sex Roles, Social Science and Medicine, and Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.