Katharine H. Zeiders, Ph.D.
McClelland Park Room 235E
650 N Park Ave
Tucson, Arizona 85721-0078
Documents
Adolescent development
Stressors and HPA axis
Advanced statistical analyses (latent growth modeling, latent categorical/profile analysis, multi-level modeling)
Dr. Zeiders is accepting graduate students for the 2024-2025 academic year.
My work investigates the impact of stressors on the daily and long-term functioning of adolescents, young adults, and adults. My primary focus is on experiences of environmental stressors that are developmentally salient, including experiences of ethnic discrimination and acculturation stressors among immigrant youth, workplace stressors among adults, and daily stressors associated with sociopolitical changes. Multiple aspects of stressors are examined including self-report and appraisals, and physiological responses. These aspects of stressors are then linked to individuals' health and functioning such as depression, anxiety, physical well-being, and academic success. The overarching goal of my research is to comprehend how stressors impact individuals and under what conditions. Additionally, I consider resources salient across developmental periods, including aspects of identity, family relationships, and social support, and how these resources may mitigate the effects of stressors on health.
Puberty and Sociocultural Experiences among Mexican-American Boys (Fall 2019 - Fall 2022)
Funder: National Science Foundation
Co-PIs: Dr. Katharine Zeiders, Dr. Ada Wilkinson-Lee, and Dr. Lindsay Hoyt
Puberty is a time of physical, social, and cognitive changes with direct implications for adolescents’ development and long-term well-being. Although scientific knowledge of puberty is growing, there remains little information about how puberty impacts the social and cultural experiences of Latinx boys in the U.S. The goal of this project, El Proyecto Hijos de Tucson (The Tucson Sons Project), is to understand how biological and physical markers of puberty relate to everyday experiences of boys from Mexican-American families. The study will conduct interviews with 400 Mexican-American families who have a male adolescent between the ages of 12-16 years old. By following the families over two years, the project will investigate how boys’ pubertal development influences social interactions with their parents, teachers, and friends, and examine how these biological and social factors together impact their mental health and well-being. The research will provide critical information to families, community members, and health care providers about the ways in which puberty shapes the context and development of Latinx boys.
Health and Relationships During College Study
A weekly diary study of Latinx and Black college students’ discrimination and physiological/behavioral response. PIs: Dr. Katharine Zeiders and Dr. Antoinette Landor (University of Missouri)
The College Election Study (Fall 2016)
The purpose of this study was to examine college students’ stress hormone profiles before, during, and after the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Sociopolitical contexts can influence individuals’ daily experiences, but we know little about how particular issues salient to elections (e.g., immigration, religious freedom, marriage) are experienced physiologically. We hope to understand how individuals’ political affiliations, beliefs, thoughts, and attitudes relate to key election issues, and in turn, predict differential physiological responses.
Collaborators:
Dr. Katharine Zeiders (University of Arizona, Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences)
Dr. Lindsay Hoyt (Fordham University, Psychology)
Dr. Russell Toomey (University of Arizona, Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences)
Dr. Rajni Nair (Arizona State University, College of Integrative Arts and Sciences)
The Adolescent Election Study (Fall 2016)
The purpose of this study was to examine how parents’ beliefs, values, and political perspectives influence adolescents’ stress hormone profiles before, during, and after the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Parents’ experiences play an important role in their children’s daily lives, but we know little about how sociopolitical contexts predicts overall family functioning and adolescents’ physiology and well-being. We hope to understand how larger macrosystem influences trickle down to affect the interactions and relationships between parents and adolescents.
Collaborators:
Dr. Katharine Zeiders (University of Arizona, Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences)
Dr. Lindsay Hoyt (Fordham University, Psychology)
Dr. Rajni Nair (Arizona State University, College of Integrative Arts and Sciences)
FSHD 447a Sociocultural Development
FSHD 507A Research Methods I
FSHD 507B Research Methods II
FSHD 537B Intermediate Statistical Analysis
FSHD 607 Stress (Graduate Seminar)