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Our Research

Current Research

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

In collaboration between the College of Nursing at UTK and the University of Tennessee Cancer Institute, this project aims to investigate the biopsychosocial interactions in breast cancer patients with adverse child experiences (ACEs). ACEs are potentially traumatic events occurring under the age of 18 (i.e., neglect/abuse, poor familial relationships, conflict, extreme poverty, etc.) and have been associated with elevated stress among breast cancer patients leading to greater risk of tumor progression and treatment complications. Utilizing bloodspot analysis to assess for the presence of inflammatory stress markers (i.e., C-reactive protein), this project intends to understand how sociodemographic factors could either mitigate or exacerbate stress related to adverse treatment outcomes in breast cancer patients with ACEs and additionally provide insight to developing future clinical interventions for this vulnerable population. Recruitment for this study began in Fall 2023 and will continue into the Summer 2024.

Financial Toxicity

Contextualizing the influence of stress on treatment outcomes, this project aims to investigate the impact of financial toxicity on treatment stress for breast cancer patients and their caregivers. Secondly, the study explores how the presence and quality of social support moderates this development of stress for both patients and their caregivers. In collaboration with the College of Nursing at UTK and the University of Tennessee Cancer Institute, this mixed-methods research provides significant insight to dyadic coping during cancer treatment and how social support may influence progressive health events following the initial cancer diagnosis. Recruitment for this study has concluded.

Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Quality of Life

This project is a collaboration between the College of Nursing at UTK, the Department of Surgery at UTMC, and the Wound Care Clinic at the UT Hospital to address contextual factors affecting quality of life in diabetic foot ulcer patients. Pointedly, patients diagnosed with diabetes are at increased risk for developing foot ulcers leading to exacerbated health outcomes including amputation and other fatal co-morbidities. Therefore, extensive wound care adherence, including clinical and social support, is needed for improved health outcomes. This cross-sectional study explores how sociodemographic factors impact the rate of readmission, wound healing rates, and overall quality of life in individuals with diabetic foot ulcers. Second, the project seeks to understand how the quality of familial and social support interacts with the biopsychosocial changes in health and wellness from the point of diagnosis to six months after initial disposition. Recruitment for this study has concluded. The project is scheduled to end late Spring 2024.

Inpatient Wound Care Consulting

This project is in collaboration between the College of Nursing at UTK, the Department of Surgery at UTMC, and the Wound Care Clinic at the UT Hospital. Identifying the biopsychosocial factors associated with proper wound care treatment is essential to understanding effective wound healing. This cross-sectional study investigates how changes in quality-of-life impact wound type and severity, treatment accessibility, and healing outcomes. Following this assessment, the project aims to explore how these biopsychosocial interactions (i.e., sociodemographic factors, medical co-morbidities, and wound type and severity) influence inpatient disposition and referral from wound care consult services for future clinical interventions and advancements in consulting resources. Recruitment for this study began in Fall 2023 and will continue into Spring 2024.

Healthier Together Education Program

This pilot project includes interdisciplinary collaboration between clinicians and patients to construct a familial oriented online education program for pregnant individuals diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Analyzing feedback from clinical professionals, patients diagnosed with GDM, and their caregivers, this study aims to build an interactive education program to improve health literacy and clinical communication for pregnant individuals and their support system.

Undergraduate Research

Obstetric Outcomes

Students in our lab stay involved in a variety of projects and events to showcase our research and their own. Two of our lab members, Kendall Brady and Ashlyn Holt are leading their own observational research project investigating potential barriers to maternal and fetal health outcomes in third trimester pregnant women. Pregnant women are at increased risk for elevated stress leading to pregnancy and birth complications (i.e., hypertension, gestational diabetes, etc.). Understanding contextual factors (i.e., clinical communication, diet and food security, quality of social support) related to maternal and fetal health is essential to improving clinical and institutional interventions. In collaboration between the College of Nursing at UTK and the University of Tennessee Obstetrics and Gynecology Center, this study begins recruitment early 2024.

Published Research

  1. Roberson, P.N.E. & Fincham, F. (2018) Is marital quality linked to diabetes risk and management?: It depends on what you look at. Families, Systems, and Health. | PDF

  1. Roberson, P. N. E., Cortez, G., Lenger, K., M., Bell, C., Heidel, R. E., Freeman, T., Lloyd, J. (2021) Quality of life fluctuations before and after breast surgery for estrogen-positive breast cancer patients living in South-central Appalachia: A prospective pilot study. The Breast Journal. | PDF
  2. Roberson, P. N. E., Miller, M., Lloyd, J., Bell, C., Heidel, R. E., Bell, J. (2019). Economic Disparities in Appalachia linked to Risk Factors for Long-term Health for Estrogen Positive Breast Cancer Patients. Cancer Treatment and Research Communications. | PDF

  1. Woods, S.B., Roberson, P.N.E., & Priest, J.B. (2020). Family emotional climate and health:  Testing conveyance of effects via psychobiological mediators. Personal Relationships. Special Issue: Mechanisms Linking Close Relationships and Physical Health. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/pere.12337 | PDF
  2. Roberson, P.N.E, Lenger, K., Gray, T., Cordova, J., & Gordon, K.C. (2020) Are marital relationships a barrier to healthcare utilization in Appalachia?: An examination of which aspects of marriage are linked to healthcare utilization for men and women. Family, Systems, and Health. | PDF
  3. Cortez, G. R.*, Lee, S., Roberson, P.N.E. (2020). Get healthy to marry or marry to get healthy? Personal Relationships. | PDF
  4. Priest, J.B., Smith, S. M., Woods, S., Roberson, P.N.E. (2020) Discrimination, Family Emotional Climate, and African American Health: A Test of the Biobehavioral Family Model. Journal of Family Psychology. | PDF
  5. Woods, S.B., Priest, J.B., & Roberson, P. N. E. (2019). Family versus intimate partners: Estimating who matters more for health in a 20-year longitudinal study. Journal of Family Psychology. | PDF
  6. Roberson P.N.E., Priest, J. B., Woods, S., & Miller, M. (2018) “My family is making me sick” – but, for both him and her?: Examining the effect of gender on the association between close relationships and health.  Journal of Family Studies. | PDF
  7. Priest, J. B., Roberson, P. N. E., & Woods, S (2018) Family Relationships and Health: Exploring Specific Pathways Using the Biobehavioral Family Model. Family Process. | PDF
  8. Roberson P.N.E., Shorter, R., Woods, S., & Priest, J. B. (2018). An examination of how health behaviors link romantic relationship dysfunction and physical health across 20 years for middle and late aged adults.  Social Science and Medicine. | PDF

  1. Negash, S., Roberson, P N. E., Tadros, E., & DeHesus, S. (2021) A Brief Relationship Education Pilot Intervention for Men Post-Release. The Prison Journal. | PDF
  2. Lenger, K. A*., Roberson, P. N. E., Amer, Z., Gray, T., Cordova, J. V., & Gordon, K. C. (2020). Your place or mine?: Examining the accessibility and efficacy of home-based interventions. Journal of Family Psychology. | PDF
  3. Wischkaemper, K. C*., Fleming, C. J., Lenger, K. A., Roberson, P. N. E., Gray, T. D., Cordova, J. V., & Gordon, K. C. (2020). Attitudes toward relationship treatment among underserved couples. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice. | PDF
  4. Roberson, P.N.E., Lenger, K., Gray, T., Cordova, J., Gordon, K. C. (2020) Dyadic Latent Profile Analyses and Multilevel Modeling to Examine Differential Response to Couple Relationship Education.  Journal of Family Psychology. | PDF
  5. Miranda, L., Lenger, K. A., Rauer, A., Roberson, P. N. E., Cordova, J. V., Gray, T., & Gordon, K. C. (2019). Consensus and relationship distress before and after a brief intervention for low-income couples. Journal of Family Psychology. | PDF
  6. Gordon, K. C., Cordova, J. V., Roberson, P.N.E., Miller, M., Lenger, K., Martin, K., Gray, T., & Hawrilenko, M. (2019). An implementation study of relationship checkups as home visitations for low-income at-risk couples. Family Process. | PDF
  7. Roberson, P. N. E., Norona, J. C., Lenger, K. A., & Olmstead, S. B. (2018). How do relationship stability and quality affect wellbeing?: Romantic relationship trajectories, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction across 30 years. Journal of Child and Family Studies. | PDF

  1. Priest, J. B., Parker, E. O., Heifner, A., Woods, S. B., & Roberson, P. N. E. (2020). The development and validation of the FACES-IV-SF. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. | PDF
  2. Roberson, P.N.E., Cortez, G., Trull, L. H., Lenger, K. A., (2020) In Their Own Words: How Opioids have Impacted the Lives of “Everyday” People Living in Appalachia. Journal of Appalachian Health. | PDF
  3. Lenger, K. A.*, Roberson, P. N. E., & Bluth, K. (2020). Are contemplative capacities created equal?: Examining demographic differences in adolescents’ contemplative capacity and differences in psychological well-being. Mindfulness. | PDF
  4. Bluth, K., Roberson, P. N. E., (2017) Gender Differences in Physiological Stress Markers and Emotional Wellbeing Outcomes in Response to an Adolescent Mindfulness Intervention: A Call for Research. Journal of Child and Family. | PDF
  5. Roberson, P. N. E., Norona, J. C., Zorotovich, J., & Dirnberger, Z. (2016). Developmental trajectories and health outcomes among emerging adult women and men. Emerging Adulthood, 1-15. | PDF
  6. Roberson, P. N. E., Norona, J. C., Fish, J. N., Olmstead, S. B., & Fincham, F. D. (2016). Do differences matter?: A typology of emerging adult romantic relationship. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.doi:10.1177/0265407516661589 | PDF