معرفی
Lynn M. Martire is a Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies within the College of Health and Human Development at Pennsylvania State University. She directs the Couples & Health Lab and is affiliated with the Center for Healthy Aging. Dr. Martire has established herself as a leading researcher in the field of dyadic health science, with a specific focus on how close relationships affect health and chronic illness management in adulthood.
- Ph.D., 1997, Kent State University, Social Psychology
- M.A., 1990, California State University, Psychology
- B.A., 1988, California State University, Psychology
Dr. Martire's research program centers on the bidirectional relationships between close social bonds (particularly marital relationships) and health outcomes in midlife and older adulthood. Her work examines how chronic illnesses like arthritis, heart disease, and chronic pain affect and are affected by close relationships. She employs diverse methodological approaches including daily diary studies, in-person interviews, laboratory experiments, and longitudinal analyses. A key contribution of her research has been developing and evaluating couple-oriented interventions for chronic illness management, which have demonstrated small but significant benefits for both patients and their caregivers.
Analysis of Dr. Martire's recent publications reveals a strong focus on daily processes in aging couples, particularly examining how moment-to-moment social interactions affect physical and psychological well-being. Her work increasingly integrates advanced statistical methods to analyze complex dyadic data, with recent studies exploring temporal dynamics between loneliness and cognitive performance, pain catastrophizing, and daily social interactions. A notable trend in her most recent work is examining the potential stigmatizing effects of clinical terminology like 'pain catastrophizing' and advocating for more patient-centered communication.
- Margret M. and Paul B. Baltes Foundation Award for Early Career Contributions in Behavioral and Social Gerontology, Gerontological Society of America, 2007
- Outstanding Contribution to Health Psychology Award (Junior level), Division 38 of the American Psychological Association, 2006
- Early Career Achievement Award in Research on Adult Development & Aging, Division 20 of the American Psychological Association, 2004
- Junior Faculty Scholars Program, Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh 1999-2001
Dr. Martire has successfully mentored numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who have gone on to faculty positions at universities nationwide. Her research has been consistently funded by prestigious sources including the National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and Penn State's Social Science Research Institute. Notably, she received a 5-year NIA-funded study in 2020 to examine diverging effects of closeness in older adults with chronic low back pain and their spousal caregivers.
Dr. Martire directs the Couples & Health Lab, which employs multiple methodological approaches to understand how close relationships affect and are affected by chronic illness in adulthood. Current projects include the Couples' Daily Lives Study (examining daily interactions of older couples with chronic back pain), the Transitions in Health and Relationships Project, and the ESCAPE study (Effects of Stress on Cognition, Aging, Physiology, and Emotion). The lab regularly collaborates with researchers across disciplines including psychology, gerontology, and health sciences.
