Amanda Cooper

Assistant Professor

Department of Communication

Education

Ph.D., University of Arizona, 2023 

About

Amanda Cooper, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Interpersonal Communication at the University of Connecticut. Her research is situated at the intersection of interpersonal, family, and health communication, examining the influence of daily communication behaviors on relationship quality and health. She studies processes such as relationship maintenance, social support, narrative sense-making, coping and resilience, and positive aging. Much of Dr. Cooper’s research focuses on dementia caregiving and the ways that families can communicate to maintain their relationships and sustain well-being while living with dementia. Her research has been published in journals such as the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Personal Relationships, Journal of Family Communication, Health Communication, and Communication Research.

Her research has received numerous awards including the Kory Floyd Fellowship in Interpersonal Relations (University of Arizona Department of Communication), the Dawn O. Braithwaite Qualitative Research Award (CSCA Interpersonal and Family Division), the Outstanding Dissertation Award (NCA Communication and Aging Division), and the Leslie A. Baxter Early Career Award (NCA Family Communication Division).

Research Interests

• Interpersonal, Health, and Family Communication 
• Communication and Aging 
• Family Caregiving 
• Communication at the End of Life 
• Transitions Across the Lifespan 

Research Links

Google Scholar
Curriculum Vitae