Untitled Document

Research

Nadine F. Marks

Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison
Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Studies
marks@ssc.wisc.edu
http://www.sohe.wisc.edu/hdfs/faculty/NadineMarks.htm

Psychosocial Influences on Physical and Mental Health in Adulthood

My research is motivated by an interest in how a number of psychosocial factors--psychological factors, socioeconomic status, social relationship quality, caregiving, family structure, the work/family interface--influence adult physical and mental health and development. I seek to understand how gender and age moderate the importance of these various factors in determining health. Life course and ecological theoretical perspectives guide my work. Working with the research teams collecting data for the Wisconsin Longitudinal Survey, the National Survey of Families and Households, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Research Network on Successful Midlife Development's National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States is currently providing me with a wealth of excellent new longitudinal as well as cross-sectional population data useful for addressing my research objectives.

Lower socioeconomic status, for example, has been consistently associated with poorer mental and physical health. Some of my recent research examines potential explanations for these differentials--e.g., psychological well-being factors, social relationship quality differences, work quality differences, differences in work/family conflict, differences in family social responsibility commitments. I have also been examining socioeconomic status differentials in health outcomes unique to women--e.g., hysterectomy rates and the use of hormone therapy.

Examining contemporary marital status differences in well-being at midlife, I have found that marriage remains a beneficial factor for both men's and women's psychological health, although single adults do demonstrate some developmental advantages in terms of increased self-perceived autonomy and personal growth.

In evaluating differences in the well-being effects of giving social support (including caregiving) as well as receiving social support, I have been looking for evidence that the experience of giving is at least as beneficial as the experience of receiving. Analyzing the effects of caregiving for kin and nonkin with disabilities, I have found evidence that reducing work/family conflict for caregiving adults would significantly decrease the negative effects of giving care for adults and increase positive effects on psychological well-being and development. I have also discovered that while transitions to caregiving for close family members can lead to some declines in mental health (e.g., more depression), caregiving in some cases (e.g., for friends) also leads to improvements in mental health (e.g., more purpose in life).

Representative Publications
Greenfield, E. A., & Marks, N. F. (In Press)Sense of community in adulthood as a protective factor against the long-term mental health risks of having experienced family violence in childhood. Social Service Review.

Greenfield, E. A., & Marks, N. F. (In Press)Identifying experiences of childhood family violence that jeopardize mental health in adulthood: Evidence from the National Survey of Midlife in the U.S. Child Abuse & Neglect.

Greenfield, E.A., & Marks, N.F. (2009). Violence from parents in childhood and obesity in adulthood: Using food in response to stress as a mediator of risk. Social Science & Medicine, 68, 791�798.

Marks, N.F., & Song, J. (2009). Compassionate love and compassionate acts across the lifecourse: Results from U. S. national studies. In L. Underwood, S. Sprecher, & B. Fehr (Eds.), The science of compassionate love: Research, theory and application (pp. 121-158). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Greenfield, E. A., Vaillant, G. E., & Marks, N. F. (2009). Do formal religious participation and spiritual perceptions have independent linkages with diverse dimensions of psychological well-being? J. Health Soc. Behav., 50(2), 196-212.

Greenfield, E. A., & Marks, N. F. (2009). Profiles of physical and psychological violence in childhood as a risk factor for poorer adult health: Evidence from the 1995-2005 National Survey of Midlife in the U.S. Journal of Aging & Health, 21(7), 943-966.

Marks, N.F., Lambert, J.D., Jun, H., & Song, J. (2008). Psychosocial moderators of the effects of transitioning into fillial caregiving on mental and physical health. Research on Aging, 30, 358-389.

Choi, H., & Marks, N.F. (2008). Marital conflict, depressive symptoms, and functional impairment. Journal of Marriage and Family, 70, 377-390.

Marks, N.F., & Greenfield, E.A. (2008). The influence of family relationships on adult psychological well-being and generativity. In M.C. Smith & N. DeFrates-Densch (Eds.), The handbook of research on adult learning and development (pp. 303-347). New York: Rutledge.

Greenfield, E.A., & Marks, N.F. (2007). Continuous participation in voluntary groups as a protective factor for the psychological well-being of adults who develop functional limitations: Evidence from the National Survey of Families and Households. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 62B, S60-S68.

Jun, H., & Marks, N.F. (2007). Productive role activity and mental and physical health among older adults. Journal of the Asian Regional Association for Home Economics, 14, 49-61.

Marks, N.F., Jun, H., & Song, J. (2007). Death of parents and adult psychological and physical health: A prospective U.S. national study. Journal of Family Issues, 28(12), 1611-1628.

Song, J., & Marks, N.F. (2007). The effects of marital status and retirement status on mental health among older adults: A longitudinal U.S. national study. Korean Journal of Population Studies, 30(1), 25-4.

Song, J., Marks, N.F., & Han, G. (2007). Work, family, work-family spillover and mental health among working adults: A comparison of Korean and the U.S. national surveys. Family and Culture, 19(2), 61-92.

Greenfield, E.A., & Marks, N.F. (2007). Religious social identity as an explanatory factor for associations between more frequent formal religious participation and psychological well-being. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 17, 245-260.

Greenfield, E.A., & Marks, N.F. (2006). Linked lives: Adult children�s problems and their parents� psychological and relational well-being. Journal of Marriage and Family, 68, 442-454.

Song, J., & Marks, N.F. (2006). Parent-adult child relationships and mental health among older parents: A longitudinal U.S. national study. Journal of the Korean Gerontological Society, 26(3), 581-599.

Choi, H., & Marks, N.F. (2006). Transitions to caregiving, marital disagreement, and psychological well-being: A prospective U.S. national study. Journal of Family Issues, 27, 1701-1722.

Greenfield, E.A., & Marks, N.F. (2004). Formal volunteering as a protective factor for older adults� psychological well-being. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 59B, S258-S264.

Han, G., Lee, J., Ryff, C.D., Marks, N.F., Ok, S., & Cha, S. (2003). Health status and health behavior of middle-aged Korean men and women: Gender and age-group differences. Journal of Korean Home Economics Association, 4, 213-229.

Marks, N.F., Lambert, J.D., & Choi, H. (2002). Transitions to caregiving, gender, and psychological well-being: Prospective evidence from a U.S. national study. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 657-667.

Marks, N.F., & Choi, H. (2002). Social inequalities, psychological well-being, and health: Longitudinal evidence from a U.S. national study. Research on the Sociology of Health Care, 20, 79-106.

Grzywacz, J.G., & Marks, N.F. (2001). Social inequalities, work, family and exercise: Toward an ecological perspective. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 42, 202-220.

Marks, N.F., & Shinberg, D.S. (1998). Socioeconomic differences in hormone therapy. American Journal of Epidemiology, 148(6), 581-593.

Marmot, M.G., Fuhrer, R., Ettner, S.L., Marks, N.F., Bumpass, L.L., & Ryff, C.R. (1998). Contribution of psychosocial factors to socioeconomic differences in health. Milbank Quarterly, 76, 403-440.

Marks, N.F., & Lambert, J.D. (1998). Marital status continuity and change among young and midlife adults: Longitudinal effects on psychological well- being. Journal of Family Issues, 19, 652-686.

Marks, N.F. (1998). Does it hurt to care? Caregiving, work-family conflict, and midlife well-being. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60, 951-966.

Marks, N.F., & Shinberg, D.S. (1997). Socioeconomic differences in hysterectomy: The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. American Journal of Public Health, 87, 1507-1514.

Marks, N.F. (1996). Caregiving across the lifespan: National prevalence and predictors. Family Relations, 45, 27-36.

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