Pamela J. TurbevillePamela J. Turbeville graduated with distinction from the University of Arizona in 1972 as a double major in Family and Consumer Sciences and Education. Upon graduating, Ms. Turbeville pursued graduate degrees (MBA in Finance from the University of Denver, MS in Environmental Science from the University of Texas at Dallas) and executive education (Stanford Executive Program). She was selected to receive the 2000 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Alumni Achievement Award at the Homecoming event. Ms. Turbeville has strong family ties to the University of Arizona. Her father, John H. Turbeville, two aunts, and many other family members received UA degrees. In 2000, to support faculty research and teaching, Ms. Turbeville established The Pamela J. Turbeville Endowment in the School of Family and Consumer Sciences. Read More

 
 

Dr. Gustavo Carlo, University of Missouri

"Cultural Values as Conduits of Individual and Group Variations in Moral Development"

Abstract: Culture is not a static background construct whose impact is one dimensional. Culture is a set of dynamic processes that are embedded in persons and context. The talk will touch briefly on several aspects of culture before settling on cultural values. We examine the role of cultural values as mechanism that accounts for individual differences in U.S. Latino/a youth prosocial development. This mechanism is impacted by family socialization processes and linked to ethnic identity and subsequent prosocial behaviors in U.S. Latino/a youth. We summarize existing supportive evidence and present directions for future research.

 

 

Dr. Ashley Randall, Arizona State University

"My Stress is our Stress: Understanding Same-Sex Couples Stress and Coping"

Abstract: Stress is an all too common experience for individuals around the world. Minority individuals, such as individuals who self-identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, may experience additional stressors due to their sexual orientation status. Applying the vulnerability-stress-adaptation model and systemic-transactional model of dyadic coping, this talk will examine how: (1) enduring vulnerabilities-outness, internalized homophobia--impact experiences of stress, (2) the experience of minority stress may impact relational functioning, and (3) engaging in dyadic coping may buffer the negative association between stress and well-being.

 

 

Dr. Iliana Reyes, University of Arizona 

"Children’s Theories about “the wall” and Teachers’ Documentation of their Experiences"

 

Abstract: In this presentation Dr. Reyes shares the results of a deeply moving study that was carried out at La Linda and La Escuelita, two federally funded Head Start Child-Parent Centers located within couple of miles of the Arizona/Mexico border. Through the Reggio Emilia perspective on the hundred languages, the study offers the perspective of children’s theories and emotions about the “wall”, and families and teachers’ ways to document their day to day experiences in the presence of the international fence, including crossing the border, geographically and emotionally.

 

 

Dr. Neil Websdale, Northern Arizona State University

"Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Approaches to Family Violence"

Abstract: Through the lens of various projects housed at the NAU Family Violence Institute, Dr. Websdale will explore multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to the social and historical problem of family violence. Using everyday examples of applied community interventions (fatality review, risk assessment, institutional ethnography, direct service projects, and public/professional education and training) he will explore the complex dynamics of utilizing scholarly knowledge in “real world” settings.
 
 

Dr. Brandon Yoo, Arizona State University

"A Preliminary Report on a New Measure: Support for Black Lives Matter and Its Psychological Correlates Among Racially Diverse College Students"

Abstract: Dr. Yoo will describe a new measure of an individual’s attitude of support and participation in the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement across a racially diverse sample of college students (N = 1,949)—focused on the movement’s inter-related principles of Black liberation, intersectionality, and alliance building. Across 3 studies, evidence of validity and reliability are supported for the 12-item Support for Black Lives Matter Measure, with 2 subscales. Structural Awareness represents individuals who support BLM because of awareness in structural inequality and racism experienced and challenged by Black individuals. Egalitarian Values represents individuals who support BLM because of belief that all humans have equal value and deserve equal treatment and opportunities. The 2-subscale structure are supported by a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Evidence of criterion-related validity is demonstrated with racial group differences in support of BLM factors. Evidence of convergent validity is supported by significant negative correlations between support for BLM factors and racial colorblindness (including denial of blatant racial issues, institutional discrimination, and racial privilege) and subtle racist attitudes towards Blacks. Results also suggest the 2-subscale structure is measurement invariant between Whites and students of color. Implications and suggestions for use of the new measure in research are discussed.

 
 
 

Dr. Tricia Haynes, University of Arizona

"Assessing Daily Activity Patterns Through Occupational Transitions (ADAPT): Preliminary Findings"

Abstract: Excess body weight is a major public health crisis in the United States and worldwide. Although the essential cause for obesity is an imbalance in energy intake v. expenditure, the indirect causes leading to this imbalance are complex and multifaceted. Numerous studies have found that insufficient sleep increases risk of weight gain and unhealthy behavioral patterns (increased caloric intake, decreased physical activity). Stress is also an important indirect factor for obesity, and stress and sleep deficiency exacerbate one another. The NIH-funded ADAPT study is a prospective longitudinal study that aims to better understand the interrelationships between social rhythms, sleep and weight after involuntary job loss, a life event that is often stressful and disrupting to an individual’s social rhythm. This talk will describe preliminary, cross-sectional findings that have emerged from this ongoing, large-scale study.

 

 

Dr. Jake Harwood, University of Arizona

"If Music Be The Food of Love...Music in Interpersonal and Intergroup Relationships"

Abstract: This talk explores the ability of music to connect to other people. It will present a theoretical account of music's unique social-connective features, and present some early data from research exploring these processes in interpersonal and intergroup relationships.

 

 

Dr. Maggie Pitts, University of Arizona

"Savoring as Positive Communication: Implications for Relational Health and Wellbeing"

Abstract: As a positive psychology construct, savoring refers to one’s capacity to notice, to appreciate, and to elevate positive emotions and positive experiences. Savoring is related to a host of positive personal and relational benefits including life satisfaction, stress management, and personal and relational resilience. People savor sensory experiences like appreciating the vibrant colors of a beautiful sunset or indulging in a smooth, bitter-sweet morsel of dark chocolate. People also savor social experiences, like celebrating achievements or witnessing a meaningful event, and those lead to some of the most beneficial outcomes. Yet, the social and communicative dimensions of savoring are not fully understood. In this presentation, Dr. Pitts will report on her current line of research exploring savoring as a positive communication construct. First she will describe the Positive Communication movement. Then, she will make an argument for the inclusion of communication savoring within that movement. She will do this by drawing from the extant research on savoring in the field of Positive Psychology as well as her own phenomenological explorations of savoring as a communication construct. Finally, she will propose a working grounded theory model of communication savoring as it relates to relational health and wellbeing, including implications for relational resilience and mindfulness. She will conclude with practical suggestions for the implementation of (communication and relational) savoring in audience members’ daily lives.

 

 

Dr. Michele Walsh, University of Arizona

"Conducting and Communicating Policy-Relevant Research: Early Care and Education in the Greater Tucson Area"

Abstract: This talk presents an overview of some of the community-based research conducted by the Community Research, Evaluation and Development team in the UA's Norton School of Family & Consumer Sciences, It describes lessons learned in partnering with state and local agencies to carry out and report on policy-relevant research across a number of areas with examples drawn from the team's recent research on the distribution and the accessibility of the child care and early education programs in the greater Tucson area.

 

 

Dr. David Sbarra, University of Arizona

"Divorce and Health: Toward a Translational Science"

Abstract: Marital separation and divorce are associated with a range of negative health outcomes, including increased risk for early death. This talk examines the divorce-health association from the perspective of translational intervention science. What interventions can promote improved adjustment to marital separation and divorce, and can these interventions mitigate acute and long-term health risks? A key consideration for this analysis is whether some people are at unique risk for poor outcomes when marriage comes to an end and whether these people can benefit from access to targeted behavioral interventions. Most of this talk will focus on correlational studies that suggest potential targets for clinical intervention, and I will discuss how this body of research can evolve toward experimental community-based prevention programs.