Education
- Bachelor of Arts, BA, Washington State University
- Master of Arts, Interpersonal Communcation, University of Montana
- Doctor of Philosophy, DCOMM, University Of Oklahoma Norman
Biography
I am an Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Utah. I earned my B.S. at Washington State, M.A. at the University of Montana, and my Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma. My research and teaching area is interpersonal communication and relationships, with particular interests in intergenerational relationships and conflict, bereavement processes, and health care interactions.
My research advances and translates theoretical work in conflict, conflict management, aging, and intergenerational relationships into practical explanations, implications, and guidelines for younger care providers working with elderly patients. My work also translates theories in these areas to guidelines for nursing home personnel, families of elderly individuals living in nursing homes, and residents themselves. Recent work investigates the implicit or lay theories older adults have for successful aging. This research refines successful aging theory and potentially improves the interactions of people providing assistance to elderly individuals coping with bereavement.