Dale E. Brashers

Associate Professor and
   Associate Head

Website: www.spcomm.uiuc.edu/dbrasher/
Website : www.spcomm.uiuc.edu/healthcomm/

Curriculum Vitae

Education: Ph.D., University of Arizona

Research Interests: Health communication; effects of HIV illness on communication; uncertainty management; argumentation; research methods.

Current Research: Professor Brashers is investigating the role of communication in the management of health and illness for persons living with HIV or AIDS. One project funded by a grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research, (part of the National Institutes of Health) involves describing the nature of uncertainty and the mechanisms of uncertainty management for this population. This study will lead to the development and testing of an uncertainty management intervention in which individuals who are newly-diagnosed with HIV will learn communication skills (e.g., self-disclosure, physician-patient communication, information search) from a peer educator. A related research project focuses on the development of self-advocacy skills for HIV-infected individuals.

Representative Recent Publications:

Brashers, D.E., Goldsmith, D.J., & Hsieh, E. (2002). Information seeking and avoiding in health contexts. Human Communication Research, 28, 258-271.

Brashers, D.E., Haas, S.M., Neidig, J.L., & Rintamaki, L.S. (2002). Social activism, self-advocacy, and coping with HIV illness. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 19, 113-133.

Brashers, D.E. (2001). Communication and uncertainty management. Journal of Communication, 51, 477-497.

Brashers, D.E., Neidig, J.L., Dobbs, L.K., Russell, J.A., Cardillo, L.W. & Haas, S.M. (2001). Transitions and challenges: Revival and uncertainty for persons living with HIV and AIDS. In S.G. Funk et al. (Eds.), Key Aspects of Preventing and Managing Chronic Illness (pp.141-160). New York: Springer.

Brashers, D.E., Haas, S.M., Klingle, R.S., & Neidig, J.L. (2000). Collective AIDS activism and individual’s perceived self-advocacy in physician-patient communication. Human Communication Research, 26, 372-402.

Brashers, D.E., Neidig, J.L., Haas, S.M., Dobbs, L.K., Cardillo, L.W., & Russell, J.A. (2000). Communication in the management of uncertainty: The case of persons living with HIV or AIDS. Communication Monographs, 67, 63-84.