Eileen S. Gilchrist is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication and Journalism at the University of Wyoming. Her research uses a multi-method, theoretical based approach to examine the intersections of communication and health focusing on communication competence, social support, and relational maintenance strategies across selected family and organizational contexts, primarily investigating elder populations and mental health issues.
Her dissertation investigated the Relational Health Communication Competence Model (Kreps, 1988; Query & Kreps, 1996) by examination of communication competence, job burnout, job engagement, and social support among Assisted Living Facility employees.
She has published three book chapters, journal articles in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Communication Quarterly, and Communication Monographs, has received two top-paper awards, and has presented her research at numerous conferences. In 2010, she received a research grant to study communication competence and social support among parents of children living with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness.
Education
Ph.D. University of Oklahoma, 2009: Communication Studies; Chair: Dr. Kevin Wright
Dissertation title: Using the relational health communication competence model to examine the relationship of communication competence and social support to job burnout and job engagement of assisted living facility employees.
M.A. University of Houston, 1997: Public Relations Studies; Chair: Dr. Robert L. Heath
Thesis title: The rhetorical tactics of the immigration restriction league: An anti-immigration social movement organization, 1894-1924.
B.A. University of Houston-Downtown, 1990
Academic Positions
2007-present Assistant Professor, Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Wyoming
2006-2007 Research Assistant, Center for Risk and Crisis Management, University of Oklahoma
2003-2007 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Communication, University of Oklahoma
2005-2006 Basic Course Director, Department of Communication, University of Oklahoma
1993-2003 Adjunct Faculty, School of Communication, University of Houston
Publications
Johnson, A. J., Becker, J. A. H., Craig, E. A., Gilchrist, E. S., & Haigh, M. M. (2009). Changes in friendship commitment: Comparing geographically close and long distance young- adult friendships. Communication Quarterly, 57(4), 395-415.
Becker, J. A. H., Johnson, A. J., Craig, E. A., Gilchrist, E. S., Haigh, M. M., & Lane, L. T. (2009). Friendships are Flexible, Not Fragile: A Turning Point Analysis of Changes in the Friendship Level of Geographically Close and Long Distance Friendships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 26(4), 347-369.
Johnson, A. J., Craig, E. A., Haigh, M. M., Gilchrist, E. S., Lane, L. T., & Welch, N. S. (2009), Stepfamilies interfacing outside the home: Barriers to stepparent/stepchild communication with educational, medical, and legal personnel, In T. J. Socha & G. H. Stamp (Eds.), Parents and children communicating with society: Managing relationships outside of the home (pp. 305-322). New York: Routledge.
Meirick, P. C., Sims, J., Gilchrist, E. S., & Croucher, S. (2009). All the children are above average: Parents' perceptions of education and materialism as media effects on their own and other children. Mass Communication and Society, 12(2), 217-237.
Query, J. L., Wright, K. B., Amason, P., Campbell-Eichhorn, K., Weathers, M. R., Womack-Haun, M., Gilchrist, E. S., Bochenek-Klein, L., & Pedrami, V. (2009), Using quantitative methods to conduct applied communication research, In L. R. Frey & K. N. Cissna (Eds.), Handbook of applied communication research (pp. 81-105). New York: Routledge.
Johnson, A. J., Wright, K. B., Craig, E. A., Gilchrist, E. S., Lane, L. T., & Haigh, M. M. (2008). A model for predicting stress levels and marital satisfaction for stepmothers utilizing a stress and coping approach. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 25(1), 119-142.
Query, J. L., Wright, K. B., & Gilchrist, E. S. (2007). Communication and cancer hospice care: Towards negotiating attitudinal and research obstacles. In D. O'Hair, G. L. Kreps, & L. Sparks, (Eds.), Handbook of cancer care and communication (pp. 293-312). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
Pfau, M., Ivanov, B., Houston, B., Haigh, M., Sims, J., Gilchrist, E. S., Russell, J., Wigley, S., Eckstein, J., & Richert, N. (2005). Inoculation and mental processing: The instrumental role of associative networks in the process of resistance to counterattitudinal influence. Communication Monographs, 72(4), 414-441.
Query, J. L., Wright, K. B., & Gilchrist, E. S. (2004, January/April). Communication Yearbook 25: Key strengths and growth needs. In Review of Communication, 4 (1-2), pp. 106-113. National Communication Association (NCA) online e-journal, Routledge Publishing.
Select Honors and Awards
Top Paper Panel, Central States Communication Association, 2010 Convention, Cincinnati, Health Communication Division. Gilchrist, E. S., & Query, J. L. (April, 2010). Using the relational health communication competence model to examine the relationships of communication competence and social support to job burnout and job engagement of assisted living facility employees.
Top Student Paper Award, Central States Communication Association, 2006 Convention, Indianapolis, Health Communication Division. Sims, J. D., Gilchrist, E. S., Siriko, T., Cunningham, C., & Falsarella, V. (2006, April). "Sick and tired: Employee expectations of job satisfaction, organizational climate, and coping behaviors in assisted living centers."
Top Paper Award, International Communication Association, 2005 Convention, New York. Information Systems Division. Pfau, M., Ivanov, B., Houston, B., Haigh, M., Sims, J., Gilchrist, E. S., Russell, J., Wigley, S., Eckstein, J., & Richert, N. (2005, May). "Inoculation and mental processing: The instrumental role of associative networks in the process of resistance to counterattitudinal influence."
Select Presentations
Gilchrist, E. S (April, 2011). Mental Illness Comes Home: Examining the Burden on Family Caregivers of Individuals with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness. Paper to be presented at the Central States Communication Association convention, Milwaukee, Health Communication Division, **Spotlight Panel**.
Gilchrist, E. S (April, 2011). Home, Home on the Range of Disciplines to Integrate Health Communication. Panel participant to be presented at the Central States Communication Association convention, Milwaukee, Health Communication Division.
Gilchrist, E. S (November, 2010). "I'm just not that into this job:" The potential mediating role of social support in job burnout and job engagement among assisted living facility employees. Paper presented at the National Communication Association convention, San Francisco, Communication and Aging Division.
Gilchrist, E. S., & Weinstein, S. D. (November, 2010). Examining Relational Health Communication Competence and Social Support Among Parents of Children Living with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness: An additional multivariate test of the Relational Health Communication Competence Model. Paper presented at the National Communication Association convention, San Francisco, Health Communication Division.
Gilchrist, E. S., & Query, J. L. (April, 2010). Using the relational health communication competence model to examine the relationships of communication competence and social support to job burnout and job engagement of assisted living facility employees. Paper presented at the Central States Communication Association convention, Cincinnati, Health Communication Division. **Top Four Papers in Health Communication Division**.
Gilchrist, E. S. (November, 2008). Job satisfaction and communication competence of assisted living facility managers as related to facility and employment demographics. Paper presented at the National Communication Association convention, San Diego, Communication and Aging Division.
Query, J. L., Haun, M. J., & Gilchrist, E. S. (November, 2007). Towards helping families negotiate EOL experiences: What can health communication teacher-scholars offer? Paper presented at the National Communication Association convention, Chicago, Communication and Aging Division.
Meirick, P. C., Sims, J., Gilchrist, E. S., & Croucher, S. (August, 2007). All the children are above average: Parents' perceptions of education and materialism as media effects on their own and other children. Paper presented at the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Washington, D.C., Mass Communication and Society Division.
Gilchrist, E. S., & Peterson, L. (2006, November). "A content analysis of a decade of change in newspaper coverage of disability issues" Paper presented at the National Communication Association convention, San Antonio, Disability Issues Caucus.
Sims, J. D., Gilchrist, E. S., Siriko, T., Cunningham, C., & Falsarella, V. (2006, April). "Sick and tired: Employee expectations of job satisfaction, organizational climate, and coping behaviors in assisted living centers." Paper presented at the Central States Communication Association convention, Indianapolis, Health Communication Division. **Top Student Paper in Health Communication Division**
Gilchrist, E. S. (2006, April). "Shaping the future of elderly care." Panel organized and facilitated at the Central States Communication Association convention, Indianapolis, Health Communication Division.
Gilchrist, E. S., & Query, J. L. (2006, April). "Mentors and mentees in health communication: Seasoned and new scholars celebrate networking relationships." Panel participant at the Central States Communication Association convention, Indianapolis, Health Communication Division.
Gilchrist, E. S. (2005, November). "Providing social support to the elderly: The role of adult day care center employees and volunteers." Paper presented at the National Communication Association convention, Boston, Interpersonal Communication Division.
Wittenberg-Lyles, E. M., Thompson, S., Gilchrist, E. S., & Ragan, S. L. (2005, November). "A thematic analysis of cancer survivor experience: Uncovering the communicative dimensions of survivor identity transformation." Paper presented at the National Communication Association convention, Boston, Health Communication Division.
Pfau, M., Ivanov, B., Houston, B., Haigh, M., Sims, J., Gilchrist, E. S., Russell, J., Wigley, S., Eckstein, J., & Richert, N. (2005, May). "Inoculation and mental processing: The instrumental role of associative networks in the process of resistance to counterattitudinal influence." Paper presented at the International Communication Association convention, New York. Information Systems Division **Top Four Papers in Information Systems**
Gold, A. L., & Gilchrist, E. S. (2005, April). "Literacy is at the heart of health communication: A discussion about health literacy." Panel organized and facilitated at the Central States Communication Association convention, Cleveland, Health Communication Division.
Gilchrist, E. S. (2005, April). "At the heart of a good death: Hospice care referrals." Paper presented at the Central States Communication Association convention, Cleveland, Health Communication Division.
O'Hair, D., Thompson, S., & Gilchrist, E. S. (2004, May). "Communication patterns within physician referral systems: A cultural perspective." Paper presented at the International Communication Association convention, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Gilchrist, E. S., & Siriko, T. S. (2004, November). "Social support groups as a means of coping with breast cancer: A qualitative analysis." Paper presented at the National Communication Association convention, Chicago, Health Communication Division.
Select Service
To The Field
To The Department and University
To Editorial and Review Committees
Professional Affiliations
National Communication Association (NCA)
Central States Communication Association (CSCA)
Western States Communication Association (WSCA)
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Coalition for Health Communication
