Majerovitz, Deborah

Professor
Behavioral Sciences

Phone: 718-262-2694
Office Location: AC-4D06C
dmajerovitz@york.cuny.edu

Office Hours
Monday	2-3 PM
Wednesday	2-3 PM
Other days/times available by appointment	email me to set a day/time

Areas of Expertise

Health Psychology
Psychology of Aging
Family Caregiving

Articles in Field Of Expertise

Majerovitz, S.D., Rudder, C., Mollott, R.. "We’re on the same side: Improving communication between nursing home and family." Health Communication. 24 2009: 12-20.

Majerovitz, S.D.. "Predictors of Burden and Depression Among Nursing Home Family Caregivers." Aging and Mental Health. 11 2007: 323-329.

Berger, J.T., & Majerovitz, S.D.. "Patients’ Interests in their Family Members’ Well-Being: An Overlooked, Fundamental Consideration within Substituted Judgments." Journal of Clinical Ethics. 13 2005: 108-115.

Majerovitz, S.D.. "Formal and informal supports among spouse caregivers to individuals with dementia." Journal of Mental Health and Aging. 7 2001: 413-423.

Foldi, N.S., Majerovitz, S.D., Sheikh, K., & Rodriguez, E. "The Test for Severe Impairment: Validity with the Dementia Rating Scale and utility as a longitudinal measure." Clinical Neuropsychologist. 13 1999: 1-8.

Berger, J.T., & Majerovitz, S.D. "Stability of preferences for treatment among nursing home residents." Gerontologist. 38 1998: 217-223.

Majerovitz, S.D., Greene, M.G., Adelman, R.D., Brody, G.M., Leber, K., & Healy, S.W.. "Older patients’ understanding of medical information received in the emergency department." Health Communication. 9 1997: 237-251.

Greene, M.G., Adelman, R.D., & Majerovitz, S.D.. "Physician and older patient support in the medical encounter.." Health Communication. 8 1996: 263-279.

Majerovitz, S.D.. "The role of family adaptability in the psychological adjustment of spouse caregivers to patients with dementia." Psychology and Aging. 10 1995: 447-457.

Greene, M.G., Majerovitz, S.D., Adelman, R.D., & Rizzo, C.. "The effect of the presence of a third person on communication in the geriatric visit.." Journal American Geriatrics Society. 42 1994: 413-419.

Majerovitz, S.D., & Revenson, T.A.. "Sexuality and chronic illness: The significance of gender.." Arthritis Care and research. 7 1994: 29-34.

Revenson, T.A. and Majerovitz, S.D.. "The effects of chronic illness on the spouse: Social resources as stress buffers." Arthritis Care and Research. 4 1991: 63-72.

Revenson, T.A., Schiaffino, K.M., Majerovitz, S.D., & Gibofsky, A.. "Social support as a double- edged sword: The relation of positive and problematic support to depression among rheumatoid arthritis patients." Social Science and Medicine. 33 1991: 807-813.

Revenson, T.A., & Majerovitz, S.D.. "Spouses’ support provision to chronically ill patients." Journal Social and Pesonal Relationships. 7 1990: 575-586.

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Chapters in Field Of Expertise

Majerovitz, S.D.. "Physical Health and Illness." Handbook of Girls’ and Women’s Psychological Health. 2006: 379-387.

Revenson, T.A., Abraído-Lanza, A.F., Majerovitz, S.D., & Jordan, C. "Couples' coping with chronic illness: What's gender got to do with it?." Emerging perspectives on couples' coping with stress. 2005: 137-156.

Refereed Proceedings in Field Of Expertise

Levine, G., Majerovitz, D., Schnur, E., Robinson, C., & Soman, C.. "Improving the self-esteem of at-risk youth." Northeastern Educational Research Association Conference Proceedings. 2008: .

Levine, G., Majerovitz, D., Schnur, E., Robinson, C., & Soman, C.. "Encouraging Healthy Lifestyle Choices Among At-Risk Youth: The Resolve Program." Northeastern Educational Research Association Conference Proceedings. 2009: Paper 2.

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Reviews in Field Of Expertise

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Presented Papers, Lectures, and Exhibitions and Performances

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" Weight, body image, and the cultural meaning of food: Do early experiences with weight and food affect adult attitudes toward healthy eating and adult BMI (with Z. Hyman). " August, 2015: Presented at the York College Summer Research Program Poster Session. Jamaica, NY..

" Weight, body image, and the cultural meaning of food: Predictors of discrepancy between real and ideal body image for ethnic minority women. (with S. Hiromi). " August, 2015: Presented at the York College Summer Research Program Poster Session. Jamaica, NY..

" How do ethnicity, attitude towards weight, body image, and food affect perceived ideal body type and actual body type. (with M. Noor). " August, 2014: Presented at the York College Summer Research Program Poster Session. Jamaica, NY..

" Predictors of depression, burden, and guilt in children, grandchildren, and children-in-law caregivers. (with M. Rodie) " August, 2014: Presented at the York College Summer Research Program Poster Session. Jamaica, NY..

" The effects of family and ethnicity on the BMI of women. (with M. Superville) " August, 2014: Presented at the York College Summer Research Program Poster Session. Jamaica, NY..

" Do the Health Belief Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior Predict BMI, Diet, and Exercise Behaviors for Ethnic Minority Women? (with P. Saha) " August, 2013: Presented at the York College Summer Research Program Poster Session. Jamaica, NY..

" Weight, Body Image, and the Cultural Meaning of Food. (with D. Toussaint) " March, 2013: Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association. New York, NY..

" Supporting family caregivers to nursing home residents: Social Support as a key predictor of lower burden and depression " November, 2012: Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America. San Diego, CA..

" Weight, Body Image, and the Cultural Meaning of Food. (with Debra Toussaint) " April, 2012: Presented at York College Student Research Day. Jamaica , NY..

" Love is a battlefield: How families deal with issues related to their aging loved ones " May, 2009: Invited panel presentation, Senior Umbrella Network of Brooklyn mini-conference. Brooklyn, NY..

" Supporting family caregivers in a multicultural society " September, 2008: Provost's Lecture Series, York College.

" Perceptions of elder care in an international college setting in NY City (with D. Ajuluchukwu) " November, 2007: Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting.

" Improving communication between nursing home and family(with R. Mollott & C. Rudder) " November, 2006: Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting.

" Raised to care for our own: Changing values and caregiving " August, 2006: American Psychological Association Annual Meeting.

" Predictors of burden among nursing home family caregivers " November, 2005: Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting.

" How to improve nursing home working conditions? Staff know best (with Mollott, R., & Rudder, C.) " November, 2005: Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting.

" Concern for family burden and preferences for dementia research (with Berger, J.T.) " November, 2004: Gerontological Society of America.

" The survey of caregiving attitudes: A new tool for understanding cultural differences in caregiving research " November, 2003: Gerontological Society of America.

" The changed relationshipA comparison of spouses and other kin adjusting to nursing home placement (with Steinmayer, K., Singh, G., & Abrams, N.) " November, 2002: Gerontological Society of America.

" From American Indian women to Puerto Rican feminists to female students at York College: Fishman, Waldman, and Majerovitz on women and work (with Fishman, L., & Waldman, G.) " November, 2001: York College Faculty Forum.

" Women's Health for the New Century " March, 2001: York College Women's History Month Lecture Series.

" Only the place has changed: Maintaining a spousal role after nursing home admission (with Mentor-Portillo, M, & Basdeo, P) " November, 2000: Gerontological Society of America.

" The nursing home placement experience for the spouse who remains at home: Developing a grounded theory of psychological adjustment. (with Mentor-Portillo, M., & Basdeo, P.) " April, 2000: Northeastern Anthropological Society.

" Mother bashing: Why psychologists blame women for everything " March, 2000: York College Women's History Month program.

" Correlates of psychological adjustment among spouses of newly admitted nursing home residents (with Mentor-Portillo, M.) " November, 1999: National Minority Research Symposium.

" Women in the middle: Changing roles and conflicting responsibilities of work and family care " March, 1999: York College Women's History Month program.

" The Test for Severe Impairment: Validation against the Dementia Rating Scale (with Foldi, N., Sheikh, K., & Rodriguez, E. " July, 1998: International Neuropsychological Society.

" Validity and reliability of The Test for Severe Impairment (with Foldi, N., Rodriguez, E., & Sheikh, K) " May, 1997: State University of New York at Stony Brook Medical School, Annual Research Conference.

" Communication in first and follow-up physician-older patient medical visits (with Greene, M., Adelman, R., Rizzo, C.) " November, 1996: Gerontological Society of America.

" Caregiving voices: A qualitative analysis of positive and negative themes raised by spouse caregivers (with Rodriguez, E.) " November, 1995: Gerontological Society of America.

" A longitudinal study of the physician-elderly patient relationship (with Greene, M., Adelman, R., Rizzo, C.) " November, 1995: Gerontological Society of America.

" Formal versus informal support: Stress buffering among dementia caregivers " August, 1995: American Psychological Association.

" The role of family adaptability in psychological adjustment of spouse caregivers of dementia patients " December, 1994: Winthrop-University Hospital, Basic Science Lecture Series.

" Interpersonal care of older patients in the emergency department (with Greene, M., Adelman, R., Brody, G. & Healy, S.) " November, 1994: Gerontological Society of America.

" Family adaptability and predictors of burden for spouse caregivers to dementia patients " November, 1993: Gerontological Society of America.

" Reducing nosocomial clostridium difficile colitis: A test of the tympanic membrane thermometer (with Grogan, K) " November, 1993: Gerontological Society of America.

" Reciprocity of support among couples facing a chronic illness (with Revenson, T.A.) " August, 1993: American Psychological Association.

" ). Sexual satisfaction and chronic illness: The relevance of gender (with Revenson, T.A.) " August, 1992: American Psychological Association.

" Sexuality and rheumatic disease " April, 1992: Arthritis Health Professionals Association.

" Long-term provision of support: Stability and change in social networks (with Schiaffino, K. & Revenson, T.A.) " August, 1991: American Psychological Association.

" An evaluation of the “Bridge” program: An expedited hospital discharge program for home care patients in New York City " November, 1990: Gerontological Society of America.

" Social support as stress-buffer for spouses of rheumatoid arthritis patients (with Revenson, T.A.) " October, 1990: Arthritis Health Professions Association.

" Living with a chronically ill spouse: Network support as stress buffer (with Revenson, T.A.) " August, 1990: American Psychological Association.

" The impact of rheumatoid arthritis on the spouse. (with Revenson, T.A.) " June, 1990: Northeast Chapter Arthritis Health Professions Association.

" The role of self-efficacy beliefs in adaptation to rheumatoid arthritis (with Schiaffino, K, & Revenson, T.A.) " August, 1989: American Psychological Association.

" Dimensions of social support among recently-diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients (with Revenson, T.A. & Schiaffino, K.) " March, 1989: Society for Behavioral Medicine.

" Social support among rheumatoid arthritis patients (with Revenson, T.A., & Schiaffino, K.) " November, 1988: Gerontological Society of America.

" Assessment of coping efficacy within the context of chronic illness (with Revenson, T.A., & Schiaffino, K.) " August, 1988: American Psychological Association.

Professional Honors, Prizes, Fellowships

American Psychological Association Dissertation Award: 1992.

Belle Zeller Fellowship, Professional Staff Congress, CUNY: 1990-1991.

Gerontological Society of America Predoctoral Fellow: 1990.

Arthritis Foundation, New York Chapter. Summer Student Fellowship: 1988.

Grants-In-Aid

Professional Staff Congress, City University of New York., Why do I keep eating when I know I shouldn't: identity, body image, stereotype threat. 2018-2019: .

Professional Staff Congress, City University of New York., Weight, body image and the cultural meaning of food. 2011-2012: .

Professional Staff Congress, City University of New York., Validation of the Cultural Attitudes and Caregiving Scale. 2005-2006: .

Professional Staff Congress, City University of New York., Kinship and family cohesion in the nursing home: A qualitative analysis. 2003-2004: .

Professional Staff Congress, City University of New York., The impact of caregiving responsibilities on academic performance. 2000-2001: .

National Institutes of Health, MBRS Program, The impact of nursing home placement on the psychological adjustment of Family Caregivers. 2000-2003: $105,000.

Professional Staff Congress, CUNY, The experience of placing a spouse with dementia in a nursing home. 1999-2000: .

National Institute of Mental Health, B/START Program, Adjustment to a demented spouse’s nursing home placement. 1995-1996: $25,000.

Professional Staff Congress, City University of New York., Cultural Attitudes and Caregiving.. 2007-2008: .

Other Professional Activities and Public Service

Board Member - Nursing Home Community Coalition of New York State: 2002 - 2009.

Ad Hoc Journal Reviewer: Arthritis Care and Research, Chronic Illness, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships: 1993-present.