Research Leslie Frazier

Dr. Frazier's work explores sense of self and coping with life transitions and developmental tasks across adulthood in an effort to maximize mental and physical health outcomes. This work is particularly focused on understanding processes associated with developing resilience and avenues towards successful aging. Dr. Frazier teaches undergraduate (and graduate level) courses in the Psychology of Adulthood and Aging, Psychology of Health and Illness, Differential Psychology, and Introduction to Psychology. Dr. Frazier is a member of the American Psychological Association's Division of Adult Development and Aging and serves as coordinator for the Student Research Awards Program, as well as the Division's representative to the APA's Committee on Women in Psychology. The broad aim of my research program is to examine the dynamics among developmental, psychosocial, and intra-individual factors that influence adjustment in later life and contribute to successful aging. Successful aging is a process of integrating biological, psychological, and social changes in ways that optimize individual plasticity and promote resilience.  Rowe & Kahn (1998) conceptualize successful aging as a process that integrates avoiding or minimizing disease/disability; increasing or maintaining physical and mental functioning; and actively engaging in life.  My research efforts hope to contribute basic and applied knowledge to help older adults, and adult of all ages, age more successfully. I have developed research initiatives in three distinct areas: Development of self Perceptual influences on mental health Appraisal and coping with physical health problems In each of these areas my research has identified predictors of mental and physical health outcomes in order to determine points of intervention and opportunities to facilitate successful aging. Within each area I have several inter-related goals: to expand what is known about the experience of aging; to apply novel theoretical approaches to understanding the processes of successful aging; to utilize longitudinal methodology and sophisticated data analytic approaches to examine growth and change; to identify targets for intervention and methods of application for my research findings; and to generate external funding to support a long range plan for my research initiatives.