Research

Below is an overview of some of the past, present and future research that we are working on in the lab.

Coping and Help-seeking in the Age of Social Media (aka CHASM Study)

My newest research is focused on examining the process of support-seeking and coping with stress in the context of social media to determine whether there are cohort differences in the use and effect of social media platforms for support. Research on social media has been conducted almost exclusively on Facebook, and much of this research is descriptive only. Most research has found negative impacts of Facebook use, either due to negative social comparison decreasing life satisfaction or happiness. Similarly, Instagram use has been associated with greater depressive symptoms. Yet, others have found positive links between social media and well-being. Taken as a whole, the impact of social media is mixed. However, this research has neglected to look at how individuals seek support on social media versus with face-to-face relationships. This perspective may shed some light on the benefits and costs of social media for adolescents and adults. For the current proposed study, we have three primary aims. First, we will examine high school/college students (ages 16-20), young adults (ages 21-34), and middle adults (ages 35-50) to understand their use of social media generally and within the context of stressful experiences. Second, we will compare how each group seeks support in face-to-face (i.e., IRL = in real life) versus on social media (i.e., SNS = social networking sites), with a focus on direct versus indirect support-seeking. Third, we will examine whether the type of support-seeking, communal coping, and rumination mediate the relationship between social media use and well-being (e.g., positive affect, depression, anxiety). We are currently designing this pilot study and hope to begin data collection in Spring 2023.

Mothers' and Their Children's Health Study (aka MATCH Study)

My current research is focused on understanding racial disparities in low birth weight and the role of resilience and discrimination. Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the most important factors affecting infant mortality and puts those who survive at increased risk for significant health problems. Research has consistently shown that African American infants experience a much greater likelihood of being born with low birth weight than their White and Hispanic counterparts. Prior research has extensively examined the link between LBW and socioeconomic status (SES), biological differences, and maternal risk factors such as smoking/alcohol/drug use. Surprisingly, none of these factors have accounted for the racial gap in LBW. As a result, researchers have turned to psychosocial explanations, specifically proposing that prolonged exposure to racial discrimination may explain these poor birth outcomes. According to the weathering hypothesis, African American women are in a constant state of vigilance due to chronic exposure to stress and discrimination, causing significant deterioration in their health over the course of their lives. However, studies testing this explanation have focused primarily on low-SES African American women and their experiences with racism. Thus, it is unclear whether perceived discrimination in general (or racism in particular) explains the racial disparity in LBW. Furthermore, how can the discrimination hypothesis be reconciled with Hispanic women having the lowest prevalence of LBW babies (known as the Latina epidemiological paradox). We recently completed a pilot study of pregnant women in the Phoenix area and published our findings in Women's Health. Specifically, we found that prayer buffered Latina women's experience with discrimination and its impact on birth weight. No buffering effect was found for Black or White women. We are in the process of preparing a grant proposal to extend this research to additional race/ethnic groups, as well as additional explanatory mechanisms.

Baby Transitions in Marital Exchanges Study (aka Baby T.I.M.E.)

In this funded, collaborative study (with two sociologists), we were interested in understanding the risk and protective factors of postpartum distress in couples expecting their first child. We explored the role of gender attitudes, communal coping, and spousal support in determining who experiences symptoms of postpartum distress. For postpartum distress, we focused on depression and anxiety, as well as physical health symptoms in both mothers and fathers. For the study, we interviewed via online and telephone, 104 married/cohabiting couples experiencing the transition to parenthood. Interviews were conducted at the start of the third trimester, 1-month postpartum, 4-months postpartum, and 9-months postpartum. We have c produced numerous publications from this study (see Vita tab). I also recently completed a book manuscript with Dr. Kristen Marcussen for Springer Nature titled "Gender & the Transition to Parenthood: Understanding the A,B,C's".

Mothers' Outcomes Matter Study (aka M.O.M. Study)

In the M.O.M. Study, we were interested in examining the issue of support network substitution and compensation. In this theory, it is argued that individuals when faced with a loss or deficit in their network will substitute with another support person. The question becomes whether this substitute is compensatory or not for the replaced support person. We believe that support substitution is a common situation for low-income women due to deficits in their own networks. We interviewed face-to-face 110 low-income mothers with at least one child between 1 and 16 years of age twice over a 6-month period. We have published results from the data in Social Science & Medicine and Sex Roles; we continue to prepare manuscripts from this data.

Women's Health Outcomes in Urban and Rural Environments Study (aka Women's HOUR)

In the Women's HOUR, we were interested in understanding the social support processes in low-income women. Much of the prior social support literature has focused on middle-class samples; thus, little systematic research exists on how low-income women access, perceive, and utilize their social support networks. We conducted face-to-face interviews with 100 low-income four times over a one-year period. Several manuscripts have published off of this data set, including papers focusing on perceived stigma of poverty and fear of rejection. We continue to produce manuscripts from this data.