Wethington, Elaine
Associate Professor
Wethington is a medical sociologist, jointly appointed in the
Departments of Human Development and of Sociology. Her research
interests are in the areas of stress and the protective mechanisms
of social support. Three current interests frame her work: 1)
longitudinal studies of the impacts of life events, chronic
difficulties, and their accumulation on changes in mental and
physical health: 2) adaptation to work and family demands during
midlife; 3) social isolation, social integration and health among
older people.
research
research and scholarship focus
Wethington is the co-principal investigator and pilot studies
director for the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on
Aging(CITRA). CITRA fosters the development of community-based
research on aging in New York City by engaging gerontologists,
geriatricians, and geropsychiatrists on Cornell's geographically
dispersed campuses in research projects that directly relate to the
needs of aging people in New York City. CITRA is an Edward R.
Roybal Center, supported by the National Institute on Aging. To
date, CITRA has funded studies to assess the demographic
characteristics of those who receive home-delivered meals, deliver
telephone-based mental health assistance to caregivers, survey the
experiences of retired artists, and study end-of-life decision
making in diverse groups. The institute also sponsors research
reviews for practitioners in New York City among other outreach
activities.
Wethington is also collaborating with colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie-Mellon University to develop new technologies for measuring psychosocial stress exposure. The project is funded by the Exposure Biology program of the Genes, Environment and Health Initiative, National Institutes of Mental Health.
Wethington also maintains ongoing projects that relate to the important question of how the accumulation of stressors over time affects mental and physical health. The Daily Experiences in Midlife project, with researchers at the Pennsylvania State University and Harvard University, developed new instruments to assess daily stressor exposure. The study was conducted in a nationally representative sample of 1300 adults in the U.S. funded by the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife. A follow-up data collection has been completed, funded by the National Institute on Aging. She is also collaborates with faculty in the Division of Nutritional Sciences (Carol Devine and Carole Bisogni) on the topic of Work-Family Integration and the Diets of Low Income Multi-Ethnic Working Adults. The purpose of the project is to develop a detailed picture of how low income working adults manage the multiple demands of low wage work, family responsibilities, and food provisioning.
Wethington is also collaborating with colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie-Mellon University to develop new technologies for measuring psychosocial stress exposure. The project is funded by the Exposure Biology program of the Genes, Environment and Health Initiative, National Institutes of Mental Health.
Wethington also maintains ongoing projects that relate to the important question of how the accumulation of stressors over time affects mental and physical health. The Daily Experiences in Midlife project, with researchers at the Pennsylvania State University and Harvard University, developed new instruments to assess daily stressor exposure. The study was conducted in a nationally representative sample of 1300 adults in the U.S. funded by the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife. A follow-up data collection has been completed, funded by the National Institute on Aging. She is also collaborates with faculty in the Division of Nutritional Sciences (Carol Devine and Carole Bisogni) on the topic of Work-Family Integration and the Diets of Low Income Multi-Ethnic Working Adults. The purpose of the project is to develop a detailed picture of how low income working adults manage the multiple demands of low wage work, family responsibilities, and food provisioning.
primary investigator of
co investigator of
- WORK-FAMILY INTEGRATION AND DIETS OF MULTI-ETHNIC ADULTS | Research Grant
affiliations
faculty appointment in
- Human Development (HD) | Cornell department
member of graduate field
- Cognitive Science | minor graduate field
- Human Development | graduate field
- Public Affairs | graduate field
- Sociology | graduate field
other Cornell affiliations
- Bronfenbrenner Life Course Center (BLCC) | research center
- Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA) | research institute
- Cornell Population Program (CPP) | research program
administrative responsibilities
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Human Development
teaching
teaches
- HD 4000 - Directed Readings (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HD 4010 - Empirical Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HD 4030 - Teaching Assistantship (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HD 4570 - Health and Social Behavior (TR 10:10:AM-11:25:AM) | fall 2009 class
- HD 6520 - Translational Research on Aging Seminar (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HD 7000 - Directed Readings (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HD 7010 - Empirical Research (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HD 8990 - Master 's Thesis (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- HD 9990 - Doctoral Thesis (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- SOC 4570 - Health and Social Behavior (TR 10:10:AM-11:25:AM) | fall 2009 class
- HD 2510 - Social Gerontology: Aging and the Life Course (MWF 09:05:AM-09:55:AM) | spring 2009 class
- HD 6510 - Interdisciplinary Community-Based Scientific Research on Health Disparities (T 04:00:PM-05:30:PM) | spring 2009 class
- HD 6520 - Translational Research on Aging Seminar (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- SOC 2510 - Social Gerontology: Aging and the Life Course (MWF 09:05:AM-09:55:AM) | spring 2009 class
- HD 3570 - Social Inequalities in Physical and Mental Health (TR 10:10:AM-11:25:AM) | fall 2008 class
- HD 4000 - Directed Readings (TBA -) | fall 2008 class
- HD 4010 - Empirical Research (TBA -) | fall 2008 class
- HD 4030 - Teaching Assistantship (TBA -) | fall 2008 class
- HD 6520 - Translational Research on Aging Seminar (TBA -) | fall 2008 class
- SOC 3670 - Social Inequalities in Physical and Mental Health (TR 10:10:AM-11:25:AM) | fall 2008 class
recent courses taught
HD251/SOC251, Introduction to Social Gerontology
HD/SOC457, Health and Social Behavior
HD651, Seminar on Interdisciplinary Community-Based Scientific Research in Health and Aging
HD/SOC457, Health and Social Behavior
HD651, Seminar on Interdisciplinary Community-Based Scientific Research in Health and Aging
service
current professional activities
- Co-Principal Investigator and Pilot Study Director, Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging
- Co-Principal Investigator, New York City Interdisciplinary Geriatric Research Center
- Director of Undergraduate Studies, Human Development
- Team Member, Institute for the Social Sciences Evolving Family Project
- Member, American Sociological Association, Gerontological Society of America, American Public Health Association and National Council on Family Relations
background
educational background
Ph.D. University of Michigan, 1987
featured in
- Children are hurt by chaos at home, says trio of professors | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Conference investigates the best ways to translate research into policy and practice | Cornell Chronicle feature
- Cornell study: Long work hours, job dissatisfaction affect what family eats at home | Cornell Chronicle feature
publications
selected publications (listing in progress)
Evans, Gary W., Elaine Wethington, Meredith Coleman, Margo Worms,
and Edward A. Frongillo. 2008. "Income Health Inequalities among
Older Persons: The Mediating Role of Multiple Risk Exposures."
Journal of Aging and Health 20:107-25.
Wethington, Elaine, Risa Breckman, Rhoda Meador, Mark S. Lachs, M. Carrington Reid, Myra Sabir, and Karl A. Pillemer. 2007. "The CITRA Pilot Studies Program: Mentoring Translational Research." The Gerontologist 47:845-50.
Wethington, Elaine and Karl A. Pillemer. 2007. "Translating Basic Research into Community Practice: The Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA)." Forum on Public Policy Online. (http://www.forumonpublicpolicy.com Winter 2007).
Sabir, Myra, Risa Breckman, Rhoda Meador, Elaine Wethington, M. Carrington Reid, and Karl A. Pillemer. 2006. "The CITRA Research-Practice Consensus Workshop Model: Exploring a New Method of Research Translation in Aging." The Gerontologist 46:833-39.
Devine, Carol M., Margaret Jastran, Jennifer A. Jabs, Elaine Wethington, Tracy J. Farrell, and Carole A. Bisogni. 2006. " 'A Lot of Sacrifices:' Work-Family Spillover and the Food Choice Coping Strategies of Low Wage Employed Parents." Social Science and Medicine 63:2591-603.
Wethington, Elaine. 2005. "The Life Course Perspective on Health: Implications for Health and Nutrition." Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 37:115-120.
Serido, Joyce, David Almeida, and Elaine Wethington. 2004. Chronic Stressors and Daily Hassles: Unique and Interactive Relationships with Psychological Distress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 45: 17-33
Krout, John and Elaine Wethington. 2003. Residential Choices and Experiences of Older Adults: Pathways to Life Quality. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Almeida, D., Wethington, E., & Kessler, R. C. (2002). The Daily Inventory of Stressful Events (DISE): An Investigator-Based Approach for Measuring Daily Stressors. Assessment, 9: 41-55
Wethington, E. (2002). The Relationship of Work Turning Points to Perceptions of Psychological Growth and Change. Advances in Life Course Research: New Frontiers in Socialization 7: 111-131
Pillemer, K., Moen, P., Wethington, E., & Glasgow, N. (2000). Social Integration in the Second Half of Life. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Wethington, Elaine, Risa Breckman, Rhoda Meador, Mark S. Lachs, M. Carrington Reid, Myra Sabir, and Karl A. Pillemer. 2007. "The CITRA Pilot Studies Program: Mentoring Translational Research." The Gerontologist 47:845-50.
Wethington, Elaine and Karl A. Pillemer. 2007. "Translating Basic Research into Community Practice: The Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA)." Forum on Public Policy Online. (http://www.forumonpublicpolicy.com Winter 2007).
Sabir, Myra, Risa Breckman, Rhoda Meador, Elaine Wethington, M. Carrington Reid, and Karl A. Pillemer. 2006. "The CITRA Research-Practice Consensus Workshop Model: Exploring a New Method of Research Translation in Aging." The Gerontologist 46:833-39.
Devine, Carol M., Margaret Jastran, Jennifer A. Jabs, Elaine Wethington, Tracy J. Farrell, and Carole A. Bisogni. 2006. " 'A Lot of Sacrifices:' Work-Family Spillover and the Food Choice Coping Strategies of Low Wage Employed Parents." Social Science and Medicine 63:2591-603.
Wethington, Elaine. 2005. "The Life Course Perspective on Health: Implications for Health and Nutrition." Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 37:115-120.
Serido, Joyce, David Almeida, and Elaine Wethington. 2004. Chronic Stressors and Daily Hassles: Unique and Interactive Relationships with Psychological Distress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 45: 17-33
Krout, John and Elaine Wethington. 2003. Residential Choices and Experiences of Older Adults: Pathways to Life Quality. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Almeida, D., Wethington, E., & Kessler, R. C. (2002). The Daily Inventory of Stressful Events (DISE): An Investigator-Based Approach for Measuring Daily Stressors. Assessment, 9: 41-55
Wethington, E. (2002). The Relationship of Work Turning Points to Perceptions of Psychological Growth and Change. Advances in Life Course Research: New Frontiers in Socialization 7: 111-131
Pillemer, K., Moen, P., Wethington, E., & Glasgow, N. (2000). Social Integration in the Second Half of Life. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.