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Department of Sociology and Anthropology
University of Maryland Baltimore County 1000 Hilltop Circle Baltimore, MD 21250 (410) 455-6330 Fax: (410) 455-1154 Email: cotten@umbc.edu |
611 Aldershot Road
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Jan. 1998 - August 1999 POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW
Center for Health Quality, Outcomes,
& Economic Research, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital,
Bedford, MA
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1999-present Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology,
UMBC
Courses Taught: Research Methods (Graduate Level)
Research Methods Lab (Graduate Level)
Survey Construction (Graduate Level)
Sociology of Health and Illness (Advanced Undergraduate and Graduate Level)
Sociology of Mental Health and Illness (Advanced Undergraduate and Graduate
Level)
1999 Instructor, Department of Health Services, Boston University
School of Public Health
Course Taught: Health Services Research Methods (Graduate Level)
(with Dr. Lewis Kazis)
1993 - 1997 Visiting Instructor, Department of Sociology, North
Carolina State University
Courses Taught: Research Methods
Human Behavior (Social Psychology)
Social Problems
1996 Instructor, Central Carolina Community College
Course Taught: Introduction to Sociology
1993 Teaching Mentorship, Department of Sociology, North Carolina
State University
Mentor: Dr. Donald Tomaskovic-Devey
Course: Research Methods
FUNDING
Funding Awards
2002 - 2003 $2250 Teaching, Learning, and Technology Grant, UMBC
2001 - 2002 $2000 Student - Faculty Interactions and Student Engagement: A Pilot Study; Co-PI: Dr. Bonnie Wilson, Office of the Provost, UMBC
2001 $3000 Summer Program for At Risk Youth, University
System of Maryland (USM), Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and
Director of Articulation
2001 $1000 Mentoring In The Development of Externally Funded Research,
University System of Maryland (USM), 2001 Faculty Development Fund
2001 $2500 Survey Development for the Internet Use and Adjustment Outcomes Among College Freshmen Study, UMBC Summer Faculty Fellowship Program
2000 - 2002 $13000 Developing a Research Program in Disability Prevention and Management; Co-PI: Dr. Mary Stuart, UMBC Designated Research Initiative Fund (DRIF)
2000 $4000 An Examination of Internet Use and Perceptions
of Social Support, UMBC Summer Faculty Fellowship Program
1995 $300 Sociology Graduate Student Dissertation Research Fund
Award, North Carolina State University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
1992 $500 North Carolina Academy of Science Student Research Award
Grant Proposals Under Review:
The Experience of Suffering in Old Age. Bob Rubinstein, Shelia R. Cotten (Co-PI),
Helen Black. Submitted to the National Institute on Aging, June 2002. $1,805,495
(direct costs).
Organizational Determinants of Residents' Autonomy in Assisted Living. Elzbieta Sikorska-Simmons, Shelia R. Cotten (Co-PI), Leslie Morgan, Bob Rubinstein. Submitted to the National Institute on Aging, November 2001. $72,000.
Grant Proposals in Progress:
Faculty-Student Interaction, Engagement, and Student Outcomes at UMBC. Shelia
R. Cotten and Bonnie Wilson (Co-PIs). To be submitted to the Lumina Foundation
for Education, September 2002. $85,000.
Internet Usage, Computer-Mediated Communication, and Adjustment Outcomes Among College Freshmen. Shelia R. Cotten (PI), Jammie Price, Jenny Preece, Elizabeth Davison, Len Pearlin, John Robinson, John Whitehead. Resubmission to the National Science Foundation, January 2003. $496,944.
PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Cotten, Shelia R., Russell P.D. Burton, and Beth Rushing. "The Mediating
Effects of Social Support and Psychosocial Resources on the Relationship Between
Marital Quality and Psychological Distress." Forthcoming in the Journal
of Family Issues, 2003.
Cotten, Shelia R., Jammie Price, Shirley Keeton, Russell Burton, and Janice Wittekind. Advice From the Field: New Faculty Discuss Job Searching in Sociology. American Sociological Association: Washington, DC., 2002.
Jammie Price, Shelia R. Cotten, Shirley Keeton, Janice Wittekind, and Russell Burton. What to Expect During Your First Year as an Assistant Professor. American Sociological Association: Washington, DC., 2002.
Cotten, Shelia R., Jammie Price, Shirley Keeton, Russell P.D. Burton, and Janice Wittekind. "Reflections on the Academic Job Search in Sociology." The American Sociologist, 32(3): 26-42, 2001.
Cotten, Shelia R. "Implications of the Internet for Medical Sociology in the New Millennium." Sociological Spectrum, 21(3): 319-340, 2001.
Cotten, Shelia R., Katherine Skinner, and Lisa Sullivan. "Social Support Among Women Veterans." Journal of Women and Aging, 12 (½): 39-62, 2000.
Cotten, Shelia R. "Marital Status and Mental Health Revisited: Examining the Importance of Risk Factors and Resources," Family Relations, 48(3): 225-233, 1999.
Schulman, Michael D. and Shelia R. Cotten. "Adaptations to The Farm Crisis: Macro Level Implications of Micro Level Behaviors", Applied Behavioral Science Review, 1(1): 93-111, 1993.
Schulman, Michael D. and Shelia R. Cotten. "Saving The Farm: Strategies For Success Or Distress", Research in Rural Sociology and Development, 5: 241-258, 1991.
BOOK REVIEWS
Cotten, Shelia R. Review of Mixed Methodology: Combining Qualitative
and Quantitative Approaches, by A. Tashakkori and C. Teddlie (Thousand Oaks:
Sage, 1998). In Contemporary Sociology, Vol. 28:6, p. 752, 1999.
NON PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Cotten, Shelia R. "Take a Stroll Through Baltimore," The Southern
Sociologist Newsletter, Spring 2002.
Cotten, Shelia R. "Baltimore: A ‘Charming' Mixture of History, Entertainment, and Diverse Cultures", The Southern Sociologist Newsletter, Fall 2001.
Schulman, Michael D. and Shelia R. Cotten. "Farm Family Survival Strategies", North Carolina Farm & Rural Life Study. Vol. 2:5, June 1989.
Schulman, Michael D. and Shelia R. Cotten. "Farm Operator Survival", North Carolina Farm & Rural Life Study. Vol. 2:4, May 1989.
MANUSCRIPTS UNDER REVIEW
Cotten, Shelia R. and Michael D. Schulman. "From Social Structure
to Psychological Distress: Exploring the Links Between Employment, Gender, and
Mental Health." Under review at Sex Roles, October 2001.
Rohall, Dave and Shelia R. Cotten. "Applying the Stress Process to College Samples: Chronic Student Stress and Mental Health Among College Freshmen." Under review at the Journal of American College Health, July 2002.
Morgan, Charles and Shelia R. Cotten. "The Relationship Between Internet Activities and Depressive Symptoms in a Sample of College Freshmen." Under review at CyberPsychology & Behavior, August 2002.
Rohall, Dave, Shelia R. Cotten, and Charlie Morgan. "Internet Use and the Self Concept: Linking Specific Uses to Global Self-Esteem." Under review at Current Research in Social Psychology, August 2002.
MANUSCRIPTS IN PROGRESS
Cotten, Shelia R. "Development of a Theory of Computer Mediated
Social Support." To be submitted to the Journal of Health and Social Behavior,
September 2002.
Price, Jammie, Shelia R. Cotten, Janice Wittekind, Shirley Keeton, and Russell P.D. Burton. "Reflections on The First Year Experience as an Assistant Professor." To be submitted to The American Sociologist, September 2002.
Cotten, Shelia R., Elizabeth Davison, Patricia San Antonio, and Heather Hax. "Internet Communication and Changes in Contact Network Ties." To be submitted to Qualitative Sociology, September 2002.
Cotten, Shelia R., J. Alice Nixon, Dave Rohall, Mark Terranova, and Bethany Griffin-Deeds. "Applying the Tailored Design to Internet Surveys with College Student Samples." To be submitted to Public Opinion Quarterly, October 2002.
Cotten, Shelia R. and Dave Rohall. "An Examination of the Mediating
Effects of Computer Mediated Support on Depression." To be submitted to
the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, October 2002.
Cotten, Shelia R. and Sipi Gupta. "Health Information Seeking: Differences
Between Online and Offline Seekers." To be submitted to Social Science
and Medicine, September 2002.
Davison, Elizabeth and Shelia R. Cotten. "Social Implications
of Internet Connections." To be submitted to IT@Society, October 2002
Cotten, Shelia R. "Forging Into Computer Mediated Social Support:
An Expansion of the MOS Social Support Scale." To be submitted to Social
Science and Medicine, November 2002.
Waldo, Dan, Shelia R. Cotten, and Dave Rohall. "Non-Response and
Slow Response in an Internet Survey of College Freshmen." To be submitted
to Sociological Methods and Research, October 2002.
Wilson, Bonnie and Shelia R. Cotten. "Student Perceptions of Student-Faculty Interactions."
Burton, Russell P.D. and Shelia R. Cotten. "Exploring the Link Between Social Role Occupation and Psychological Distress: Role Specific Identity Meanings as Attachments to Social Structure and the Mediating Effects of Global Integrative Meaning."
PRESENTATIONS
2002 Shelia R. Cotten. "Computer-Mediated Social Support: Where
Are We and What Does the Future Hold?" to be presented at the Association
of Internet Researchers 3.0 annual meeting, October, Maastricht, Netherlands.
2002 Shelia R. Cotten, Elizabeth Davison, and Heather Hax. "The Effects of Online Communication on Changes in Contact With Others," presented at the American Sociological Association annual meeting, August, Chicago, IL.
2002 Shelia R. Cotten and Shirley Keeton. "Searching For and Succeeding in Assistant Professor Positions," presented at the American Sociological Association annual meeting, August, Chicago, IL.
2002 Shelia R. Cotten. "Computer Mediated Communication and Social Support: Extensions and New Developments," presented at the Southern Sociological Society annual meeting, April, Baltimore, MD.
2002 Shelia R. Cotten. "Development and Evaluation of New Measures of Computer Mediated Social Support," presented at The Eighth International Conference on Social Stress, April, Portsmouth, NH.
2001 Shelia R. Cotten and Heather Hax. "An Examination of Perceptions of Social Support Among Internet Users," presented at the Southern Sociological Society annual meetings, April, Atlanta, GA.
2000 Shelia R. Cotten. Invited presentation for the Language, Literacy, and Culture Inaugural Colloquium, UMBC. "Use of the Internet for Communication: Implications and Future Development."
2000 Shelia R. Cotten. "Implications of Internet Technology for Mental Health Research and Outcomes," presented at the Mid South Sociological Association annual meetings, October, Knoxville, TN.
2000 Shelia R. Cotten and Michael D. Schulman. "Social Structure and Mental Health: An Examination of the Links Between Employment, Gender, and Distress," presented at the American Sociological Association annual meetings, August, Washington, DC.
2000 Shelia R. Cotten. "Going from Post-Doc to Assistant Professor:
Trials, Tribulations, and Joys," panel member presentation for the Southern
Sociological Society annual meetings, April, New Orleans, LA.
2000 Shelia R. Cotten. "Teaching Graduate Research Methods Across
Two Disciplines," panel member presentation at the Eastern Sociological
Society annual meetings, March, Baltimore, MD.
1999 Shelia R. Cotten and Michael D. Schulman. "From Social Structure to Psychological Distress: Exploring the Links Between Employment, Gender, and Mental Health," presented at the American Sociological Association annual meetings, August, Chicago, Illinois.
1999 Shelia R. Cotten. "An Examination of Factors That Enhance and Constrain Social Support," presented at the Southern Sociological Society annual meetings, April, Nashville, Tennessee.
1999 Shelia R. Cotten. "Use of Health Care Services Among Women Veterans," presented at the VA HSR&D annual meetings, February, Washington, D.C.
1999 Shelia R. Cotten and Katherine Skinner. "Economic Resources, Social Resources, Health Status, and VA Health Care Use Among Women Veterans," presented at the Eastern Sociological Society annual meetings, March, Boston, Massachusetts.
1998 Burton, Russell P.D. and Shelia R. Cotten. "Exploring the Link Between Social Role Occupation and Psychological Distress: Role Specific Identity Meanings as Attachments to Social Structure and the Mediating Effects of Global Integrative Meaning," presented at the Mid-South Sociological Association's annual meetings, October, Lafayette, Louisiana.
1998 Cotten, Shelia R., Burton, Russell P.D., and Beth Rushing. "Marriage and Depression: Exploring the Effects of Relationship Quality, Psychosocial Resources, and Interactional Resources," presented at the Mid-South Sociological Association's annual meetings, October, Lafayette, Louisiana.
1998 Cotten, Shelia R., Burton, Russell P.D., and Beth Rushing. "Relationship Quality, Resources, and Psychological Distress Among Married People," presented at The Society for the Study of Social Problems' annual meetings, August, San Francisco, California.
1998 Cotten, Shelia R. "An Examination of the Importance of Risk Factors, Resources, and Social Support for the Marital Status and Distress Relationship," presented at the American Sociological Association's annual meetings, August, San Francisco, California.
1998 Cotten, Shelia R. "The Distribution of Depression Among Married People: Importance of Risk Factors, Resources, and Social Support," poster presentation at the Association for Health Services Research, June, Washington, DC.
1998 Cotten, Shelia R. "Marital Status and Mental Health Revisited:
Examining the Importance of Risk Factors and Resources," presented at the
Seventh International Conference on Social Stress Research, May, Budapest, Hungary.
1997 Cotten, Shelia R. "Social Distribution of Social Support: Implications
of Marital Status," presented at the Southern Sociological Society's annual
meetings, April, New Orleans, Louisiana.
1996 Cotten, Shelia R. "The Nature and Structure of Social Support: Evidence from Americans' Changing Lives," presented at the American Sociological Association's annual meetings, August, New York City, New York.
1995 Cotten, Shelia R. "Marital Status and Mental Health Revisited: Examining the Importance of Social Structure and Social Support," presented at the Southern Sociological Society's annual meetings, April, Atlanta, Georgia.
1994 Cotten, Shelia R. and Michael D. Schulman. "Employment, Gender, and Distress: The Impact of Work and Social Inequalities," presented at the American Sociological Association's national meetings, August, Los Angeles, California.
1994 Earle, John R., Harris, Catherine T., Perricone, Philip J., and Shelia R. Cotten. "Premarital Sexual Activity at a Small University: Convergence and Divergence," presented at the Southern Sociological Society's annual meetings, April, Raleigh, North Carolina.
1993 Cotten, Shelia R. and Danette Sumerford. "The Singles' Exchange:
Goffman's Dramaturgy in the Personal Advertisements," presented at the
American Sociological Association's national meetings, August, Miami, Florida.
1993 Cotten, Shelia R. "Singles, Social Support, and Distress: A Synthesis and Reconceptualization," presented at the Southern Sociological Society's annual meetings, April, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
1993 Earle, John R., Harris, Catherine T., Perricone, Philip J., and Shelia R. Cotten. "Correlates of Premarital Sexual Activity at a Small University: Two-Decades of Survey Data," presented at the Southern Sociological Society's annual meetings, April, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
1992 Cotten, Shelia R. and Michael D. Schulman. "Women, Work, and Health: Job Versus Social Inequality," presented at the Southern Sociological Society's annual meetings, April, New Orleans, Louisiana.
1992 Cotten, Shelia R. and Danette Sumerford. "Presentation of Self Through the Personal Ads: Gender, Race, and Time Differences," presented at the Southern Sociological Society's annual meetings, April, New Orleans, Louisiana.
1991 Cotten, Shelia R. "Female Workers and Psychological Distress," presented at the Southern Sociological Society's annual meetings, April, Atlanta, Georgia.
1991 Schulman, Michael D. and Shelia R. Cotten. "Farm Family Adaptations To The Farm Crisis," presented at the annual meetings of the Society for Applied Anthropology, March, Charleston, South Carolina.
1990 Schulman, Michael D. and Shelia R. Cotten. "Farm Operator Survival Strategies: Saving The Farm Or Real Distress," presented at the Southern Sociological Society's annual meetings, March, Louisville, Kentucky.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND SERVICE
Reviewer:
Roundtables Organizer for the Sociology of Mental Health Section, American Sociological Association annual meeting, August, 2003, Atlanta, GA.
Invited Workshop Organizer (Searching for and Succeeding in Academic Positions in Sociology), American Sociological Association annual meeting, August, 2002, Chicago, IL.
Session Organizer and Presider (The Future of Stress, Coping, and Health Research), Southern Sociological Society annual meeting, April, 2002, Baltimore, MD.
Workshop Member (Advice for Job Seekers), Southern Sociological Society annual meeting, April, 2002, Baltimore, MD.
Presider (Stress Moderators: Social and Personal Resources), The Eighth International Conference on Social Stress, September, 2001, Portsmouth, NH. (Note: Conference postponed until Spring 2002 due to terrorist attacks.)
Session Organizer (Advice From the Field: New Faculty Discuss What to Expect During The First Year as an Assistant Professor), Southern Sociological Society annual meetings, April, 2001, Atlanta, GA.
Presider (Section on Mental Health: Refereed Roundtables: The Social Context and Mental Health), American Sociological Association annual meetings, August, 2000, Washington, D.C.
Session Organizer (Transitions: New Faculty Discuss Job Searches, Life Changes, and Becoming an Assistant Professor), Southern Sociological Society annual meetings, April, 2000, New Orleans, LA.
Professional Workshop Organizer (Teaching Research Methods in Applied Programs), Eastern Sociological Society annual meetings, March, 2000, Baltimore, Maryland.
Presider (Section on Mental Health: Refereed Roundtables: Social Psychological Predictors and Consequences), American Sociological Association annual meetings, August, 1999, Chicago, IL.
Presider (Special Session: Hostile Classroom Environments: The Tension between Academic Freedom and Professional Responsibility), American Sociological Association annual meetings, August, 1998, San Francisco, CA.
Presider and Discussant (Section on Demography: Quality of Life), Southern Sociological Society annual meetings, April, 1998, Atlanta, GA.
Presider and Discussant (Section on Sociology of the Family, Refereed Roundtables: Marital Happiness over Time), American Sociological Association annual meetings, August, 1997, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Presider and Discussant (Section on Interpretive Sociology, Referred Roundtables: Social Interaction Processes-Theory), American Sociological Association annual meetings, August, 1996, New York City, New York.
Session Organizer (Teaching Sociology at the Turn of the Century: Tips for the Trade), Southern Sociological Society annual meetings, April, 1996, Richmond, Virginia.
Discussant (Section on Sociology of Sex and Gender, Refereed Roundtables: Gendered Medical Knowledge), American Sociological Association annual meetings, August, 1995, Washington, D.C.
Roundtable Organizer (Integrating Perspectives on Singles: Bridging Gaps and Forging New Territory), American Sociological Association annual meetings, August, 1995, Washington, D.C.
Roundtable Organizer (Singles in the '90s: Dating, Mating, Lifestyles, and Social
Support), American Sociological Association annual meetings, August, 1994, Los
Angeles, California.
Session Organizer (Singles in the '90s: Dating, Mating, and Lifestyles), Southern Sociological Society annual meetings, April, 1994, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Invited Participant, Professional Development Workshop. Sponsored by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University. October, 1990.
Participant, Teaching Effectiveness Workshop. Sponsored by the Teaching Effectiveness and Evaluation Committee and the Provost's Office, North Carolina State University. August, 1992, 1995.
DEPARTMENTAL SERVICE
Departmental Committees
• 2000 - present Recruitment Committee, Graduate Committee
• 1999 - present Methods and Statistics Committee
Thesis Committees:
• Chair of two committees (one graduated December 2001)
• Committee Member (past and present): 10 MA committees
• Departmental Seminar Series Organizer, 2001 - present
• Organizer and Coordinator for Community Service Activities, 1999 - present
• One of three UMBC faculty members leading the UMBC International Field
Research Program, August 5-19, 2001, Switzerland
• Curriculum Development:
• Helped develop a double major in sociology and psychology, Fall 2000
• Helped to develop a new applied statistical analysis class for the department,
2000
UNIVERSITY SERVICE
• Residential Life Faculty Mentor for Potomac Residence Hall, 2000-2001,
2001-2002
Ph.D Committees
• Chair of Policy Sciences Ph.D. committee, 2000 - present
• Member of two Policy Sciences Ph.D. committees, 2001 - present
• Member of one Language, Literacy, and Culture Ph.D. committee, 2000 -
2002 (graduated May 2002)
Comprehensive Exam Committees
• Policy Sciences Ph.D. Mental Health Policy Exam Committee, Fall 2001
• Language, Literacy, and Culture Ph.D. CyberCulture Exam Committee, Fall
2001
• Policy Sciences Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam Committee, Fall 2000
• Chair: Interdisciplinary Studies undergraduate student committee, 2000
- 2002 (graduated May 2002)
• Co-organized (with Bonnie Wilson, Economics) a Volunteering Opportunities
panel for UMBC students, October 2000
• Panel Member: Technology Resources for Teaching Research; Brown Bag Seminar,
November 2000
CURRENT AND PRIOR RESEARCH
SURVEY CONSULTANT, Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis Research (MIPAR),
UMBC, 2000.
Worked with MIPAR to develop a telephone survey for the Office of People's Council
to assess Maryland residents' attitudes and experiences with electricity service
and deregulation. Analyzed survey data and prepared a presentation and report
for the Office of People's Council.
SOCIAL IMPACTS OF THE INTERNET, 1999 - present
This research involves several projects in varying stages of completion that
each examine some aspect of the social impacts of the Internet.
• INTERNET USAGE, STRESS, AND HEALTH STATUS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS,
2001 - present.
This study was designed to examine the interrelationships among stress, Internet
usage, and well-being among college students. An Internet survey was developed
and administered to a random sample of 500 residential college freshmen at UMBC.
Involved graduate students in the design and execution of the survey project.
I am currently working with five graduate students on several manuscripts from
this data. Three manuscripts are currently under review based upon this data.
Project Co-PI: Dave Rohall, University of New Hampshire.
• INTERNET USAGE, COMPUTER MEDIATED COMMUNICATION, AND CHANGES IN
CONTACT WITH OTHERS, 1999 - 2001
This research involved focus groups with faculty, staff, and students at UMBC
to examine their types of Internet usage for communication purposes, how this
usage affects their interactions and relationships with personal and professional
contacts, and with strong versus weak social ties, and the types of social support
that are exchanged through computer-mediated communication. From this data,
several new measures of computer-mediated social support have been developed.
• ONLINE VERSUS OFFLINE HEALTH INFORMATION SEEKING, 2002 - present.
This study uses data from the General Social Survey (2000) to examine differences
between those who seek health information online versus those who use more traditional
modes of information seeking. A manuscript will be submitted in September 2002
to Social Science & Medicine based upon the results of this study.
• SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF INTERNET CONNECTIONS, 2002 - present.
This study uses data from several national datasets (Current Population Survey,
UCLA Internet Study, Pew Internet & American Life Studies, and The National
Geographic Internet Use Study) to examine differences among individuals who
use high speed versus more traditional modes of Internet connection. This work
also develops new ways of assessing the impacts of Internet connections in future
studies. Project Co-PI: Beth Davison, Appalachian State University
PROFESSIONAL SOCIALIZATION ISSUES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS AND JUNIOR FACULTY,
1999 - present.
This research examines the issues that graduate students and junior faculty
face as they prepare to enter the academic job market, as well as what to expect
when they move into faculty roles. Three publications present the results of
this research; two additional manuscripts are currently in progress. Co-Investigators:
Jammie Price, Shirley Keeton, Russell Burton, and Janice Clifford Wittekind
STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTION, STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, AND STUDENT OUTCOMES,
2001 - present.
Phase I of this study involved a series of nine focus groups with UMBC students
to assess aspects of student-faculty interactions and student engagement. The
focus group results will be used to develop a survey to be administered to a
random sample of college students in Phase II of the study. These results will
help UMBC to better ascertain ways to assess student-faculty interaction, engagement,
and how these factors relate to student outcomes. A grant proposal will be submitted
to the Lumina Foundation in September 2002 to request funding for Phase II of
this study. A manuscript based upon the result of the focus groups is currently
in progress. Project Co-PI: Bonnie Wilson (UMBC)
POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP RESEARCH
My fellowship research involved the multidisciplinary study of women's health
and well-being. I was involved in research which examined chronic strains, coping
resources, and mental health outcomes and how these factors affect decision
making processes for use of health care services among women veterans. A manuscript,
Social Support Among Women Veterans, based upon the first stage of this research
has been published. The data used in this research are derived from a national
sample of women veterans who use Veterans Administration (VA) ambulatory care
services. Few studies examine women veterans. This research contributes to a
better understanding of the health and well-being of this understudied group
of women.
DISSERTATION RESEARCH
I examined the relationship between marital status and mental health, focusing
on the importance of risk factors, psychosocial resources, and social support.
OLS regression, confirmatory factor analysis, and covariance structure modeling
were used in this project. This research contributes to an understanding of
the predictors of social support and distress among various marital status groups
(in particular, single adults), which is an area neglected in both the medical
sociology and social psychology areas. Americans' Changing Lives dataset was
used as dissertation data.
THESIS RESEARCH
I analyzed data from the North Carolina Employment and Health Survey to determine
the work-related and social determinants of psychological distress among employed
women in North Carolina. Confirmatory factor analysis (with Prelis and Lisrel)
and OLS regression analysis techniques were used.
RESEARCH ANALYST, N.C.S.U. Graduate School, 1995-1997.
I worked on a research project with Dean Debra Stewart. This work involved the
reconstruction and updating of databases on a study which examined moral reasoning
among Polish officials. SAS was used to analyze the data.
RESEARCH ASSISTANT, Sociology Department, N.C.S.U., 1989-1994.
As a research assistant, I was responsible for performing complex statistical
analyses on survey data. During this time I became proficient in the use of
SAS, Prelis, Lisrel, Harvard Graphics, 35MM Express, and WordPerfect. I also
wrote detailed reports on research findings and wrote comprehensive research
papers to be submitted for publication and presentation. Project Director: Dr.
Michael D. Schulman
RESEARCH ANALYST, Research & Evaluation Associates, Inc., 1992.
In this position, I applied research and evaluation methodologies and organizational
analysis using quantitative and qualitative methods. I visited six displaced
homemaker programs in Florida and completed in-depth interviews with program
directors and staff. Afterwards, I wrote a comprehensive research report detailing
the status and effectiveness of displaced homemaker programs in Florida. Additional
duties involved the scheduling and coordination of study sites and travel plans
in various states for three staff members, and assisting other staff members
in preparing and editing additional research reports.
DATA TECHNICIAN, Duke University, 1987-1988.
I was responsible for psychological testing and evaluation of study patients
receiving treatment for severe depression. I also coded and analyzed patient
data. During this work experience, I gained experience using various computer
software packages: PCFile+, PCSAS, WordPerfect, and RBase.
HONORS AND SOCIETIES
Honors
2001 - 2002 Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (MIPAR) Fellowship
2001 - 2002, 2000 - 2001 UMBC Residential Life Faculty Mentor
2001 Nominated for Sociological Spectrum best article of the year award (1 of 4 articles nominated)
1995 Sociology Graduate Student Dissertation Research Fund Award, NCSU
1992 North Carolina Academy of Science Student Research Award
Honorary Societies
Alpha Kappa Delta: National Sociology Honor Society
Gamma Sigma Delta: National Agricultural Science Honor Society
Sigma Xi: National Research Honor Society
Professional Societies and Positions Held
American Sociological Association
-Medical Sociology Section
-Mental Health Section
-Social Psychology Section
Southern Sociological Society
-Local Arrangements Committee (2001-2002)
Society for the Study of Social Problems
-Membership Committee (2001- present)
Sociologists for Women
in Society
REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST