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Hearts and Shapes

Welcome to
The Relationships & Health Lab
at Purdue University

Our research examines why some couples grow stronger and healthier through hardship, while others experience relationship conflict and health problems.

 

Our current studies address:

  • How stress affects the immune and cardiovascular systems in breast cancer survivors and their partners

  • How breast cancer survivors and their partners cope with fears of cancer recurrence and stress in daily life

  • Aging couples' emotional and physiological responses to conflict

  • How individuals with concealable chronic illness talk about their illness at work and home

  • The relationship, health, and academic outcomes of students with concealable chronic illness amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Holding Hands

Recent Publications

The health consequences of stress in couples: A review and new integrated Dyadic Biobehavioral Stress Model

​

M. Rosie Shrout

Published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity – Health's special issue on “Emerging Psychoneuroimmunology Research: Future Leaders in Focus." Rosie reviewed how partners influence each other's psychological, behavioral, and biological health during stress. She developed the Dyadic Biobehavioral Stress Model to build on foundational work and inspire transdisciplinary research on relationships, stress, and health. This paper received the 2022 Outstanding Student/New Professional Paper Award from the National Council on Family Relations’ Families and Health Section.

Lab News & Events

Conference Presentation

Rosie presented her work at the International Association for Relationship Research Main Conference!

As part of the Early Years of Marriage Symposium, Rosie discussed how stronger marital, family, and friend relationships strengthen happiness in couples over 16 years.

IARR group of 7.PNG

Poster Presentation

MiKaila presented a poster at the International Association for Relationship Research Main Convention.

MiKaila's work showed spouses with a history of childhood maltreatment felt less understood and  supported by their partners during marital conflict.

IARR '24 Rosie and MiKaila.PNG

HHS Research Day

The Relationships and Health Lab was well-represented at Purdue’s HHS Research Event!

 

Ella, MiKaila, Megan, Lily, Allison, Claire, and Anna all presented. They all did a brilliant job!

HHS '24 Lily, rosie, anna, allison, ella, claire.PNG

Paper Award

Rosie received the Outstanding Student/New Professional Paper award From NCFR!

This award is from the Families & Health section for her paper on how stress affects couples' relationships and health.

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