Stress & Health Lab

About 

A major research focus of the University of Louisville Stress & Health Lab is stress and trauma in prior intimate relationships. This type of stress is highly varied from person to person. For example, it can involve conflict and disagreement, verbal aggression, psychological control or physical aggression, as either individual or co-occurring experiences in a relationship. It can be infrequent, episodic or chronic, and it can occur during a relationship or after it ends. 

Our research in this area is focused on post-relationship health. It is geared toward developing a more personalized understanding of connections between prior intimate partner stress/trauma and current and future health by: 

1. identifying unique patterns of intimate partner stress/trauma
2. utilizing these patterns to bring the health effects of intimate partner stress/trauma—including longer-term age-related health effects—into clearer focus
3. discovering the psychophysiological inner workings that explain these health effects and that can be targeted to protect and improve the health of those who have experienced intimate partner stress/trauma 

Key Research Areas

• Stress
• Trauma
• Emotion
• Health 

Recent Publications

• Newton, T. L., Cerillos, A. M., & Phares, A. M. (2024). Dissociative symptoms in women with histories of intimate partner victimization:  A focus on coercive control.  Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, 25, 485-499. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2024.2341228
• Patton, S. C., Szabo, Y. Z., & Newton, T. L.  (2022).  Mental and physical health changes following an abusive intimate relationship:  A systematic review of longitudinal studies.  Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 23, 1079-1092. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838020985554
• Fernandez-Botran, R., Szabo, Y. Z., Lyle, K. B., & Newton, T. L.  (2021). The levels of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in saliva are influenced by acute stress.  Biological Psychology, 165, 108147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108147 

Team 

Tamara L. Newton Principal Investigator

tlnewton@louisville.edu
View Research Profile

• Alexis Cerrillos, Doctoral Student
• Ashley Phares, Doctoral Student
• Angie Chou, Doctoral Student