University Of Memphis
202 Psychology Building
Memphis, TN 38152
(901) 678-2145
lynda.sagrestano@memphis.edu

Lynda M. Sagrestano, Ph.D., is the Director of the Center for Research on Women and an Associate Professor of Psychology and Women’s Studies. She received her PhD from University of California, Berkeley in Social Psychology, and completed postdoctoral fellowships at UCLA in Health Psychology and at University of Illinois at Chicago in Urban Children’s Mental Health and HIV Prevention. Prior to joining the U of M faculty she was Associate Professor of Psychology at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Dr. Sagrestano’s research reflects two main areas of theoretical interest. The first area focuses on psychosocial, behavioral, and cultural factors in reproductive health. The second area focuses on power and conflict in interpersonal relationships. She is currently involved in several research projects, each of which addresses one or both of these theoretical perspectives. Recent projects include (1) a 5 year statewide surveillance study of HIV-risk behavior across high-risk populations in Illinois (2) a study of domestic violence during pregnancy, focusing on psychosocial correlates and obstetrical outcomes, (3) a study of psychosocial factors predicting pregnancy among rural adolescents (4) research on high-risk sexual behavior among urban adolescents, with a focus on the role of family conflict in early sexual behavior, (5) research on psychosocial mediators of adverse birth outcomes among women with high medical risk, with an emphasis on ethnicity and social support during pregnancy, and (6) a study examining smoking cessation and relapse among pregnant women.

Selected Recent Publications Related to Health

Sagrestano, L.M., Rogers, A., & Service, A. (in Press). Infectious Diseases: HIV and AIDS. In B.A. Boyer & M.I. Paharia (Eds.) Comprehensive Handbook of Clinical Health Psychology, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons.

Sagrestano, L. M., Rogers, A., Kittleson, M. J., & Sarvela, P. D. (2005). Examining condom efficacy as a mediator of condom stage of change and condom use among injected drug users. American Journal of Health Behavior, 29, 12-25.

Stockdale, M. S., Dawson-Owens, H. L., & Sagrestano, L. M. (2005). Social, attitudinal, and demographic correlates of college-age tobacco initiation. American Journal of Health Behavior, 29, 311-323.

Sagrestano, L. M., Carroll, D., Rodriguez, A., & Nuwayhid, B. (2004). Demographic, psychological, and relationship factors in domestic violence during pregnancy in a sample of low-income women of color. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 28, 309-322.

Awad, G., Sagrestano, L. M., Kittleson, M. J., & Sarvela, P. D. (2004). Development of a measure of barriers to HIV testing among individuals at high risk. AIDS Education and Prevention, 16, 115-125.

Sagrestano, L. M. (2004). Health implications of workplace diversity. In M. S. Stockdale & F. J. Crosby (Eds.), The psychology and management of workplace diversity (pp 122-143). Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.