Life-Span Development and Health Laboratory

Director: Carole K Holahan, PHD

Location: BEL 844F

The Life-Span Development and Health Laboratory focuses on the promotion of health and well-being across the life span, with an emphasis on psychosocial predictors of health behaviors and consequences of health behaviors for quality of life and mortality. Health behaviors we have studied include smoking, physical activity, and alcohol use. We have included young, middle, and older adults in our work, and have studied factors in successful aging. Our work has included secondary analyses of several large databases, such as the Terman Study of the Gifted, the McArthur Study of Midlife, and the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Sample, as well as analyses with other samples and data collections with college students and individuals in the community.

Representative Scholarly Publications

Holahan, C. K., Holahan, C. J., North, R. J., Hayes, R. B., Powers, D. A., & Ockene, J. K. (2012). Smoking status, physical health-related quality of life, and mortality in middle-Aged and older women, Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

Holahan, C. J., North, R. J., Holahan, C. K., Hayes, R. B., Powers, D. A., & Ockene, J. K. (in press). Social influences on smoking in middle-aged and older women. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.

Holahan, C. J., Schutte, K. K., Brennan, P. L., North, R. J., Holahan, C. K., Moos, B. S., & Moos, R. H. (2012). Wine consumption and 20-year mortality among late-life moderate drinkers.  Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 73, 80-88.

Holahan, C. K., Holahan, C. J., Velasquez, K. E., Jung, S., North, R. J., & Pahl, S. A. (2012). Purposiveness and leisure-time physical activity in women in early midlife. Women & Health, 51, 661-675/.

Holahan, C. K., Holahan, C. J., Powers, D. A., Hayes, R. B., Marti, C. N., & Ockene, J. K.  (2011).  Depressive symptoms and smoking in middle-aged and older women. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 13, 722-731. PMID: 21504881.

Holahan, C. K., & Velasquez, K. S. (2011). Strategies and activities for successful later aging.  International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 72, 343-359.

Holahan, C. J., Schutte, K. K., Brennan, P. L., Holahan, C. K., Moos, B. S., & Moos, R. H.  (2010).  Late-life alcohol consumption and 20-year mortality.  Alcoholism:  Clinical and Experimental Research, 34, 1961-1971.

Holahan, C. J., Pahl, S. A., Cronkite, R. C., Holahan, C. K., North, R. J., & Moos, R. H.  (2010).  Depression and vulnerability to incident physical illness across 10 years.  Journal of Affective Disorders, 123, 222-229.

Kenney, B. A., Holahan, C. J., Holahan, C. K., Brennan, P. L., Schutte, K. K., & Moos, R. H.  (2009).  Depressive symptoms, drinking problems, and cigarette smoking in older adults. Addictive Behaviors, 34, 548-553.

Velasquez, K. S., Holahan, C. K., & You, X.  (2009).  Relationship of perceived environmental characteristics to leisure time physical activity and meeting recommendations for physical activity among Texas men and women.  Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy, 6 (1).

Holahan, C. K., Holahan, C. J., & Suzuki, R.  (2008).  Purposiveness, physical activity, and perceived health in cardiac patients.  Disability and Rehabilitation, 30, 1772-1778.

Holahan, C. K., Holahan, C. J., Velasquez, K., & North, R.  (2008).  Longitudinal change in happiness during aging:  The predictive role of positive expectancies.  International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 66, 229-241. 

Holahan, C. J., Moos, R. H., Moerkbak, M. L., Cronkite, R. C., Holahan, C. K., & Kenney, B. A.  (2007).  Spousal similarity in coping and depressive symptoms over 10 years.  Journal of Family Psychology, 21, 551-559. 

Harris, K. K., Loyo, J., Holahan, C. K., Suzuki, R., & Gottlieb, N.  (2007).  Cross-sectional predictors of reading to young children among participants in the Texas WIC program.  Journal of Research in Childhood Education. 21, 254-268.

Holahan, C. K., Moerkbak, M., & Suzuki, R.  (2006).  Social support and depressive symptoms in cardiac illness among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White cardiac patients.  Psychology and Health, 21, 615-631. 

Holahan, C. K., & Suzuki, R.  (2006).  Motivational factors in health-promoting behavior in later aging.  Activities, Adaptation, and Aging, 30, 47-60.  

Holahan, C. J., Moos, R. H., Holahan, C. K., Brennan, P. L., & Schutte, K. K.  (2005).  Stress generation, avoidance coping, and depressive symptoms:  A 10-year model. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 658-666. 

Kenney, B, A., Holahan, C. J., North, R. L., & Holahan, C. K.  (2006).  Depressive symptoms and cigarette smoking in American workers.  American Journal of Health Promotion, 20, 179-182.

Holahan, C. J., Moos, R. H., Holahan, C. K., Cronkite, R. C., & Randall, P. K.  (2004).  Unipolar depression, life context vulnerabilities, and drinking to cope.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72, 269-275.

Holahan, C. K., & Suzuki, R. (2004).  Adulthood predictors of health promoting behavior in later aging.  International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 58, 289-313. 

Holahan, C. K., Holahan, C. J., & Wonacott, N. L.  (1999). Self-appraisal, life satisfaction, and retrospective life choices across one and three decades.  Psychology and Aging, 14, 238-244.

Guo, J. L., Gottlieb, N. A., Holahan, C. K., Huang, P. R., & Smith, M. M.  (2003).  Age and utilization of preventive health services among the elderly in five Texas sites.  Journal of Health Education, 20, 29-43.

Holahan, C. K.  (2003).  Stability and change in positive self-appraisal from midlife to later aging. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 56, 247-267.

Holland, K. & Holahan, C. K.  (2003).  The relation of social support and coping to adjustment to breast cancer.  Psychology and Health, 18, 15-29.

Holahan, C. J., Moos, R. H., Holahan, C. K., Cronkite, R. C., & Randall, P. K.  (2003). Drinking to cope and alcohol use and abuse in unipolar depression:  A 10-year model.  Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112, 159-165. 

Holahan, C. K., & Chapman, J.  (2002). Longitudinal predictors of proactive goals and activity participation at age 80.  Journal of Gerontology:  Psychological Sciences, 57B, P418-P425. 

Holahan, C. K., Holahan, C. J., & Wonacott, N. L. (2001).  Psychological well-being at age 80:  Health-related and psychosocial factors.  Journal of Mental Health and Aging, 7, 1-17.

Mackie, K. S., Holahan, C. K., & Gottlieb, N. H.  (2001).  Employee involvement practices and mental health in male and female employees of a human services residential facility.  Human Relations, 54, 1065-1092.

Holahan, C. K., Holahan, C. J., & Wonacott, N. L.  (2001). Self-appraisal, life satisfaction, and retrospective life choices across one and three decades. Mensa Research Journal, 32, 6-20.  (This is a republication of the article published in Psychology and Aging.) 

Holahan, C. J., Moos, R. H., Holahan, C. K., Cronkite, R. C., & Randall, P. K.  (2001).  Drinking to cope, emotional distress, and alcohol use and abuse:  A 10-year model.  Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 62, 190-198. 

Holahan, C. J., Moos, R. H., Holahan, C. K., & Cronkite, R. (2000).  Long-term posttreatment functioning among patients with unipolar depression:  An integrative model.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 226-232. 

Book

Holahan, C. K., & Sears, R. R. in association with L. J. Cronbach  (1995).  The gifted group in later maturity.  Stanford, CA:  Stanford University Press, 363 pages.