In this project we are examining the psychological and social impact of receiving a dementia diagnosis, among patients and their family caregivers. This longitudinal study, conducted at the Washington University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, follows research participants prior to their diagnostic evaluation and for one year after they have received diagnostic information. The study also includes the analysis of videotaped patient-physician interactions, examining verbal and nonverbal features of the conversation and their association with patient and companion outcomes. Supported by the University of Missouri Advisory Board of the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Research Program and the National Institute on Aging.

Breaking Bad News: Effect of Physician Communication on Analog Patients' Responses

This lab-based project uses an experimental paradigm to examine the effect of forecasting bad news and framing prognostic information when people receive a life-limiting diagnosis.

Prognosis Concordance in Cancer: Patient, Family, and Physician Estimates

The goal of this research is to improve communication about prognosis among cancer patients, their families, and their physicians. We are gathering data on how life expectancy is communicated, understood, and estimated by patients, their family members, and their physicians.

Family Decision Making in Late Life

The purpose of this project is to examine how well adult children are aware of the psychosocial preferences of their older parents and how late-life families communicate with one another regarding elder parent care. The study combines self-report and observational methods, applying traditional family theories to families later in the lifespan. Funded by the Brookdale Foundation and the U.S. Administration on Aging.

Developing a Research Agenda for End-of-Life Care

The purpose of this project is to develop a research agenda focused on end-of-life care. The project involves qualitative interviews with healthcare professionals in palliative and hospice care, combined with a review of recent empirical research and public policy reports. Supported by the Washington University Center for Programs.

Evaluation of an In-home Training Program for Dementia Caregivers

This program evaluation project examines the impact of the caregiver training program offered by a local nonprofit, Memory Care Home Solutions (MCHS). The longitudinal study follows caregivers for one year to determine the extent to which the program is associated with outcomes such as caregiver burden and healthcare utilization.

Social Support Networks Among In-Laws

The social climate in which gay and lesbians live has changed dramatically in the last 30 years. Gays and lesbians are, to a certain extent, more open about their sexual orientation and more visible to family, friends, coworkers, and society at large. This change has meant that young gays and lesbians have matured in an environment vastly different from that of their predecessors. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of this cultural changes via cohort differences among gays and lesbians of different ages. The study has two specific aims:

Aim #1: Compare age identity in homosexual and heterosexual individuals of different ages. Previous studies have suggested that homosexual men demonstrate "accelerated aging," meaning that their subjective age is older than their chronological age because of the value gay culture places on youth. It is unclear whether a) a similar phenomenon occurs for lesbians and b) whether accelerated aging is more or less prominent in younger cohorts of individuals.

Aim #2: Compare the relative importance of family versus friend social networks in social support. Previous theorists have suggested that gays and lesbians rely on friendship networks for social support more than family networks because of the inconsistent support offered by families to their gay/lesbian offspring. It is unclear whether this trend remains true for younger cohorts of individuals.

Funded by the American Psychological Foundation.