Alaina Leverenz, MA
Doctoral Candidate
Interpersonal & Health Communication
I study how families, romantic partners, and friends provide support, enact resilience, and make sense of their experiences through communication when they experience trauma or health crises; particularly through a narrative or metaphor lens.
2023 Publications & Presentations
Leverenz, A. & Hernandez, R. (2023). Women’s uncertainty management strategies in communication about urinary tract infections (UTIs). Qualitative Health Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323231156370
Horstman, H. K., Leverenz, A., Morrison, S., Jordan, E., Baltazar, A., Cen, X., Charvat, E., Okafor, B., & Butauski, M. (2023). Pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic: Communicated narrative sense-making and resilience. Health Communication. https//doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2022.2163103
Under Review:
Leverenz, A., Bohanek, J., & Fivush, R. (under review). Love, actually: Cultural narratives expressed in emerging adults’ stories of romantic relationships.
Horstman, H. K. & Leverenz, A. (under review). Metaphors of women pregnant during the pandemic: Lessons for how to better support pregnant women in crisis.
Presentations:
Leverenz, A., Bohanek, J. Lukowski, A., & Horstman, H. K. (2023, March 30-April 1). Birth and diagnosis stories from mothers of children with Down syndrome: Sense-making and acceptance. Panel: The miracle of birth: Understanding the roles, identity, and sense-making of pregnancy. Central States Communication Association Annual Conference. Sponsored by Interpersonal and Family Communication Interest Group.
Leverenz, A., Horstman, H. K., & Holman, A. (2023, March 30-April 1). Heterosexual married couples coping with miscarriage: Understanding the roles of social support, relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, positive and negative affect. Panel: Social support: The impact on us and in our relationships. Central States Communication Association Annual Conference. Sponsored by Interpersonal and Family Communication Interest Group.
Miller-Day, M., Scharp, K., Pennington, N., Cooper, R. A., Wolfe, B., & Leverenz, A. (2023, March 30-April 1). Panel: Examining the promise and possibilities of mixed methods research in interpersonal and family communication research. Central States Communication Association Annual Conference. Sponsored by Interpersonal and Family Communication Interest Group.
Leverenz, A., Morrissey, B., Schemenaur, J., Taylor, S. J., Gerston, E., Pringle, M. & Okafor, B. E. (2023, March 30-April 1). Panel: Discussing experiences of “research is me-search” and personal research. Central States Communication Association Annual Conference. Sponsored by Graduate Student Caucus.