Research

People who have satisfying relationships in their lives are healthier and happier than those who don’t. I study how individuals communicate with family members, spouses, and friends to maintain satisfying relationships.

I am fascinated by the science of how relationships grow, develop, and change over time. My work focuses on times of transition as pivotal moments in the trajectory of relationships. Much of my research examines (a) how military families communicate across the cycle of deployment, (b) how married couples communicate about mental health, and (c) how family members communicate when they are uncertain.

This topic is important to study because relationships deteriorate when people do not communicate effectively during times of transition.