Sally Powers

Emeritus Faculty
Sally Powers
Contact
Email
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Adolescent and Family Research Lab

Center and Institute Affilitation

Center for Neuroendocrine Studies

Center for Research on Families

Neuroscience & Behavior Graduate Program

Rudd Adoption Research Program

 

Research

As a developmental psychopathologist, my research investigates the interaction of normal developmental processes and psychopathology in adolescents. My research examines the interaction of neuroendocrine, social, and psychological factors in depression and anxiety disorders throughout the human life span. My most recent studies investigate a biopsychosocial model of factors hypothesized to contribute to the gender difference in the prevalence of adolescent and young adult depression. Colleague Paula Pietromonaco and I are currently conducting a longitudinal study of close relationships and health in early marriages of opposite-sex couples through the Growth in Early Marriage (GEM) project.

I am a member of the Neuroscience and Behavior Program and am affiliated with the Developmental Science area.

Publications

  1. Winer, J. P., Powers, S. P., & Pietromonaco, P. R. (2016). Early pubertal timing and childhood family adversity interact to predict newlywed women’s anxiety symptoms. Journal of Child and Family Studies.  doi: 10.1007/s10826-016-0575-6
  2. Ge, F., Pietromonaco, P., DeBuse, C. J., Powers, S. I., & Granger, D. A.  (2016). Concurrent and prospective associations between HPA axis activity and depression symptoms in newlywed women. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 73, 125-132.  doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.217
  3. Powers, S. I., Laurent, H. K., Gunlicks-Stoessel, M. R., Balaban, S., & Bent, E. (2016). Depression and anxiety predict sex-specific cortisol responses to interpersonal stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 69, 172-179.  doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.04.007
  4. Laws, H., Sayer, A., Pietromonaco, P. R., & Powers, S. I. (2015). Longitudinal changes in spouses’ cortisol response patterns: Physiological convergence in newlywed couples. Health Psychology, 34 (11), 1075-1089.  doi.org/10.1037/hea0000235
  5. ​Beck. L. A., Pietromonaco, P. R., DeVito, C. C., Powers, S. I. & Boyle, A. M. (2014). Congruence between Spouses' Perceptions and Observers' Ratings of Responsiveness: The Role of Attachment Avoidance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40, 164 -174.  doi/10.1177/0146167213507779
  6. Beck. L. A., Pietromonaco, P. R., DeBuse, C. J., Powers, S. I. & Sayer, A. (2013). Spouses’ attachment pairings predict neuroendocrine, behavioral, and psychological responses to marital conflict.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105, 388 - 424.  doi.org/10.1037/a0033056
  7. Laurent, H. L., Powers, S. I., & Granger, D. A. (2013).  Refining a multisystem view of the stress response: Coordination among cortisol, alpha-amylase, and subjective stress in response to a relationship conflict.  Physiology & Behavior, 119, 52 – 60.  doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.05.019
  8. Laurent, H. K., Powers, S. I., Laws, H., Gunlicks-Stoessel, M., Bent, E., & Balaban, S. (2013). HPA regulation and dating couples’ behaviors during conflict: Gender-specific associations and cross-partner interactions. Physiology & Behavior, 118, 218 – 226.  doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.05.037
  9. Pietromonaco, P. R., DeBuse, C., & Powers, S. I.  (2013). Does adult attachment get under the skin? Adult romantic attachment and cortisol responses to stress: Current Directions in Psychological Science, 22, 63-68.  doi.org/10.1177/0963721412463229
  10. Kreher, D. A., Powers, S. I., & Granger, D. A. (2012). The relationship between cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase, and cognitive bias in young women. Behavioral Neuroscience, 126(1), 157-166.  doi.org/10.1037/a0026654
  11. Powers, S. I. (2011). Genes, hormones, and family behavior: Is adolescence a unique phase? In A. Booth, S. McHale, & N. Landsdale (eds.) Biosocial foundations of family processes.  New York: Springer, 105 – 113.  doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7361-0_8
  12. Powers, S. I., Battle, C. L., Dorta, K., & Welsh, D. P.  (2010). Adolescents’ submission and conflict behaviors with mothers predict current and future internalizing problems. Research in Human Development, 7 (4), 257-273.  doi.org/10.1080/15427609.2010.526522
  13. Hayes, U., Balaban, S. F., Perry-Jenkins, M., Smith, J., & Powers, S. I.  (2010). Role of pelvic sensory signaling during delivery on postpartum mental health.  Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 28, 307 — 323.  doi.org/10.1080/02646831003630039
  14. Gunlicks-Stoessel, M. L.  & Powers, S. I.  (2009). Romantic partners’ coping strategies and patterns of cortisol reactivity and recovery in response to relationship conflict. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 28, 630 - 649.  doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2009.28.5.630
  15. Smith, A. & Powers, S. I.  (2009). Off-time pubertal timing predicts physiological reactivity to post-puberty interpersonal stress. Journal of Research in Adolescence, 19, 441 – 458. PMID: 19823698  doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2009.00602.x
  16. Gunlicks, M. & Powers, S. I.  (2008). Adolescents’ emotional experiences of mother-adolescent conflict predict internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Journal of Research in Adolescence, 18, 621-642.  doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2008.00574.x
  17. Laurent, H. & Powers, S. I. (2007).  Emotion regulation in late adolescent couples: Temperament, attachment, and HPA reactivity. Biological Psychology, 6, 61-71.  doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2007.06.002 

Research Areas

Clinical Psychology