Office: Rawl 132
Phone: 252-328-6492
Fax: 252-328-6283
E-mail: rowk@ecu.edu
Mailing address:
104 Rawl Building
Department of Psychology
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858-4353
Education:
Ph.D., The University of North Carolina
Research Interests:
Relationships between forgiveness, hostility and cardiovascular reactivity to stress; psychological predictors of health in older adults, especially spirituality and social support; coping strategies and reactivity.
Research Statement:
One aspect of our research concerns the relationship between psychological processes and cardiovascular responses. The psychological processes under investigation include forgiveness, spirituality, hostility, modes of anger expression, Type A behavior, and styles of coping. These characteristics are examined for their relationship to stress-induced increases in heart rate, blood pressure, and health, both physical and psychological. A second aspect focuses on the predictors of successful aging in older adults. We are exploring three primary predictors: spirituality, provision of social support and health behaviors as they predict physical and psychological health.
Selected publications in peer refereed journals:
Lawler-Row, K. A. (2010). Forgiveness as a mediator of the religiosity—health relationship. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 2, 1-16.
Lawler-Row, K. A. & Elliott, J. (2009). The role of religious activity and spirituality in the health and well-being of older adults. Journal of Health Psychology, 14, 43-52.
Lawler-Row, K. A., Karremans, J. C., Scott, C., Edlis-Matityahou, M., & Edwards, L. (2008). Forgiveness, physiological reactivity and health: the role of anger. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 68, 51-58.
Lawler-Row, K. A., Younger, J. A., Piferi, R. L., & Jones, W. H. (2006). The role of adult attachment style in forgiveness following an interpersonal offense. Journal of Counseling and Development, 84, 493-502.
Lawler-Row, K. A. & Piferi, R. L. (2006). The forgiving personality: predicting a life well lived. Personality and Individual Differences, 41, 1009-1020.
