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CYNTHIA BERG, PH.D.

Cynthia Berg, Ph.D.

DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR, DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY

Curriculum Vitae
Life-Span Development and Adaptation Lab
Academic Writing Made Fun
READY

Program for Underrepresented and Disadvantaged Scholars

CONTACT INFORMATION

Office: 622 BEHS
Phone: 801-581-8239
Email: cynthia.berg@psych.utah.edu

Research Interests

As a life-span developmental health psychologist, I examine how adolescents and adults across the life span manage chronic illnesses (e.g., type 1 and type 2 diabetes, cancer) in the context of their family and friend relationships. In our recent developmental model of parent-child coordination (Berg et al., 2017), we explore how a foundation of high-quality parental involvement may facilitate young adults’ self-regulation and use of other relationships (romantic partners, friends, physicians) to facilitate chronic illness management. This model provides an important theoretical bridge between the adolescent and adult development research. My research examines how parents and spouses may facilitate or derail diabetes management during adolescence, emerging adulthood, and adults across the adult lifespan. The focus of much of my research has been on how individuals may benefit from working collaboratively with close relationships (most especially their parents, spouse, or romantic partner) to facilitate the completion of adherence tasks, especially individuals with lower cognitive and EF abilities. We have modeled these family self- and social-regulation processes utilizing dyadic and dynamical system models to capture family processes as they emerge across time (Butner, Berg et al., 2017).

Opportunities for Students

Dr. Berg is taking graduate students to begin fall of 2023 .

We are also looking for undergraduate research assistants who are excellent workers, as well as independent and able to take direction well. We are particularly interested in applicants who are majoring in psychology or a health-related field (at least in their sophmore year) with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. We do require at least 3 hours of work per week, and prefer 6, so only those students who are able to commit to that time should inquire. We will provide all the necessary training so no previous research experience is required, although any students who have had experience should not be discouraged from applying. Interested students should have some degree of computer experience (i.e., familiar with the internet and Microsoft Word and have access to email). Interested parties with special skills (e.g., bilingual with excellent communication skills in English and Spanish, data entry experience) are particularly encouraged to apply. Cindy Berg's Lab is looking for research assistants. If you are interested fill out the application. Download Application

Education

Ph.D. Yale University (Developmental Psychology, 1987)
M.Phil. Yale University (Developmental Psychology, 1985)
M.S. Yale University (Developmental Psychology, 1984)
B.S. University of Washington (Psychology, 1981)

Selected Publications

(* Involves trainee as lead author)

Berg, C.A., Kelly, C. S., & Utz, R. L. (in press). Family Care Exchanges Across the Life Span.  In K. W. Schaie & S. Willis (Eds.).  Handbook of the psychology of aging. 

*Kelly, S., & Berg, C. A. (in press).  Close relationships and diabetes management across the lifespan:  The good, the bad, and autonomy.  Journal of Health Psychology.

Tracy, E. L., Berg, C. A., Kent de Grey, R. G., Butner, J., Litchman, M. L., Allen, N. A., & Helgeson, V. S. (in press). The role of self-regulation failures and self-care in the link between daily sleep quality and blood glucose among adults with type 1 diabetes.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

*Baker. A. C., Wiebe, D. J., Kelly, C. S., Munion, A., Butner, J., Swinyard, M. T., Murray, M., & Berg, C. A. (2019). Structural model of patient-centered communication and diabetes management in early emerging adults at the transfer to adult care.  Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 42, 831-841.

Berg, A., Wiebe, D. J., Tracy, E. L., Kelly, C. S., Mello, D., Turner, S. L., Butner, J., Munion, A. K., Mansfield, J., White, P., Murray, M., & Suchy, Y. (2019). Parental Involvement and Executive Function in Emerging Adults with Type 1 Diabetes.  Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 44(8), 970-979.

*Campbell, M. S., Berg, C. A., & Wiebe, D. J. (2019). Parental self-control as a moderator of the association between family conflict and type 1 diabetes management.  Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 44(8), 999-1008.

Helgeson, S., Berg, C. A., Kelly, C. S., Van Vleet, M., Zajdel, M., Tracy, E. L., & Litchman, M. L. (2019). Patient and partner illness appraisals and health among adults with type 1 diabetes.  Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 42, 480-492.

*Kelly, C. S., Berg, C. A., Lansing, A. H., Turner, A. K., Munion, A. K., Tracy, E. L., Murray, M., & Wiebe, D. J. (2019). Keeping parents connected:  Disclosure to and solicitation from parents for early emerging adults with type 1 diabetes.  Journal of Family Psychology, 33, 809-818.

Litchman, M. L., Wawrzynski, S. E., Allen, N. A., Tracy, E. L., Kelly, C. S., Helgeson, V. S., & Berg, C. A. (2019).  Yours, mine and our diabetes:  A qualitative analysis of the impact of type 1 diabetes management in older adult romantic couples. Diabetes Spectrum, 32, 239-248.

Mayberry LS, Berg CA, Greevy RA, Wallston KA. (2019). Assessing helpful and harmful family and friend involvement in adults’ type 2 diabetes self-management. Patient Education and Counseling, 102, 1380-1388.

Mayberry LS, Bergner EB, Harper KJ, Laing S, Berg CA (2019). Acceptability of text messaging to engage friends/family in diabetes self-management support among disadvantaged adults. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, Special focus issue “Health Informatics and Health Equity: Improving our Reach and Impact.”, 44, 970-979.

*Tracy, L., Berg, C. A., Baucom, K. J. W., Turner, S. L., Kelly, C., Van Vleet, M., Butner, J., & Helgeson, V. (2019). Daily sleep quality and daily stressors in couples coping with type 1 diabetes.  Health Psychology, 38, 75-83.

Baucom, J. W., Turner, S. L., Lee, E., Berg C. A., & Wiebe, D. J. (2018).  Depressive symptoms and diabetes management from late adolescence to emerging adulthood.  Health Psychology, 37, 716-724.

Berg, C. A., Wiebe, D. J., Suchy, Y., Turner, S. L., Butner, J., Munion, A., Lansing, A. H., White, P., Murray, M. (2018).  Executive function predicting change in type 1 diabetes management during the transition into emerging adulthood.  Diabetes Care, 41 (11), 2281-2288.

Butner, J., Berg, C. A., Munion, A. K., Turner, S. L., Hughes-Lansing, A., Winnick, J. B., & Wiebe, D. J. (2018). Coordination of self- and parental-regulation surrounding type 1 diabetes management in late adolescence.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 52, 29-41.

*Kelly,, Berg, C. A., Ramsey, M. A., Baker, A. C., Donaldson, D. L., Swinyard, M. T., Lindsay, R., Murray, M., & Wiebe, D. J. (2018).  The role of relationships in the development of transition readiness skills into early emerging adulthood.  Children’s Health Care, 47, 308-325. 

Litchman, M.L., Allen, N.A., Colicchio, V.D, Wawrzynski, S.E., Sparling, K.M., Hendricks, K.L., Berg, C.A. (2018). To Share or Not to Share?: A Qualitative Analysis of RT-CGM Data Sharing with Care Partners. Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics, 20, 25-31.

*Pihlaskari, A. K., Wiebe, D. J., Troxel, N., Stewart, S., & Berg, C. A. (2018).  Peer support and diabetes management from late adolescence into emerging adulthood. Health Psychology, 37, 1055-1058.

Wiebe, J., Berg, C. A., Mello, D., & Kelly, C. S. (2018). Self-and social-regulation in type 1 diabetes management during late adolescence and emerging adulthood. Current diabetes reports, 18(5), 23.

Wiebe, D. J., Baker, A. C., Suchy, Y., Stump, T., & Berg, C. A.  (2018). Individual differences and daily fluctuations in goal striving and type 1 diabetes management Health Psychology, 37, 638-646.

CURRENT GRADUATE STUDENTS

MaryJane Campbell
Silas Boggess

CURRENT POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS



FORMER GRADUATE STUDENTS

Batya Elbaum, Ph.D., Professor and Acting Chair, Department of Teaching and Learning, Department of Psychology, University of Miami

Tracy Masiello, Ph.D., Divorce and Superior Court Mediator, Parenting Coordinator, Charlott, North Carolina

Sean Meegan, Ph.D., Senior Researcher at Intermountain Healthcare

Barbara Ross, Ph.D., Rehabilitation Psychologist/Neuropsychologist, Wausau Hospital, Wausau, WI

JoNell Strough, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology, West Virginia University

Frances Deviney, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, Kids Count Director Center for Public Policy Priorities, Austin TX

Debra Palmer, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Georgia Southwestern State University

Ryan Beveridge, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Director Center for Training Evaluation, and Community Collaboration, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware

Kelly Ko, Ph.D., Director, Data Governance and Interoperability at Sharp HealthCare, San Diego, CA

Amy Hughes Lansing, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Vermont

Caitlin Kelly, Ph.D., Senior Research Officer, Department of Psychology, University of Essex

Sara Turner, Ph.D., Postdoctoral fellow, Endocrinology, Primary Children’s Hospital

Last Updated: 8/28/23