Jamie Blalock

Biography

Dr. Jamie Blalock is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at the University of Rhode Island; Dr. Blalock is also core faculty for the Couple and Family Therapy Program at URI. As a first-generation college student, Dr. Blalock graduated summa cum laude from East Tennessee State University where she studied communication with a focus on interpersonal communication and quantitative research methods. After completing her BA, she earned her master’s degree from Wake Forest University. From there, she completed her PhD at The Ohio State University in human development and family science with focuses in couple and family therapy and research methods. Dr. Blalock also received postdoctoral training at the Family Institute at Northwestern University. At Northwestern, she received advanced training in evidence-based practice with individuals, couples, and families, as well as worked on grant-funded research projects involving implementation science and community-based research. Dr. Blalock’s teaching interests include couple and family therapy, quantitative research methods, and economic impact on mental, relational, and family well-being. She is also a licensed couple and family therapist and enjoys using evidence-based practice to work with individuals and romantic partners across the socioeconomic spectrum.

Research

The overarching aim of Dr. Blalock’s research program is to investigate the bidirectional associations between relationship maintenance behaviors, mental health outcomes, and economic factors to better understand how these variables influence mental, relational, and economic health. The ultimate goal is for this information to inform evidenced-based prevention and intervention programs for couples of low-income statuses.

To achieve this aim, Dr. Blalock’s specific research goals include:

  1. Identifying specific maintenance behaviors partners use to preserve or enhance mental health outcomes and romantic relationship satisfaction over time, while accounting for economic factors
  2. Based on the findings from #1, determine the maintenance behaviors, unique experiences, needs, and access barriers for romantic partners of low socioeconomic status.
  3. Integrate basic science findings from goals #1 and #2 into evidence-based clinical approaches in couple and family therapy to develop and/or adapt comprehensive couples’ prevention and intervention programs.

Given these goals require longitudinal and multi-perspective data, Dr. Blalock also has expertise in quantitative methodology including various types of structural equation modeling, mixture modeling, and multi-level modeling.

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, The Family Institute at Northwestern University
  • Ph.D., Human Development and Family Science, The Ohio State University
  • M.A., Communication, Wake Forest University
  • B.A., Communication, East Tennessee State University

Selected Publications

  1. Pratt, K., Hanks, A., Miller, H., Outrich, M., Breslin, L., Blalock, J., Noria, S., Brethauer, S., Needleman., B, Focht, B. (2022). The BARI-hoods Project: neighborhood social determinants of health and postoperative weight loss using integrated EHR, Census, and county data. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.
  2. Blalock, J., & Bartle‐Haring, S. (2022). Transition into marriage: A test of relational uncertainty, turbulence, dyadic synchrony, and cohabitation in newlyweds. Family Relations (Early View). https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12686.
  3. Pratt, K. J., Blalock, J., Breslin, L., Kiser, H., Hanks, A., Focht, B. C., … & Needleman, B. (2021). Patient access, utilization, and perceptions of neighborhood and built environment resources. Obesity Surgery, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-021-05788-x
  4. Walsh, L., Blalock, J., Bryant, A., & Bartle-Haring, S. (2021). Using therapeutic alliance to predict treatment attendance among couples. Journal of Contemporary Family Therapy, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-021-09602-9
  5. VanBergen, A., Blalock, J., Bryant, A., Bortz, P., & Bartle-Haring, S. (2020). Couples and trauma history: A descriptive overview of interpersonal trauma and clinical outcomes. Contemporary Family Therapy, 42(4), 335-345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-020-09548-4
  6. Gillette, C., Blalock, J., Hildebrandt, C., Peacock, B., & Crandall, S. (2020) Training physician assistants to use medical interpreters effectively. Journal of Physician Assistant Education. https://org/10.1097/JPA.0000000000000326
  7. Danhauer, S. C., Tooze, J. A., Barrett, N. A., Blalock, J., Shively, C. A., Voytko, M. L., & Crandall, S. J. (2019). Development of an innovative career development program for early-Career women faculty. Global Advances in Health and Medicine,  https://doi.org/10.1177/2164956119862986