Analisa Arroyo, Ph.D.
University of Georgia Faculty
Analisa Arroyo earned a Ph.D. in Communication with a minor in Family Studies and Human Development from the University of Arizona in 2013. Her research interests are in health and interpersonal communication. Specifically, Analisa explores how individuals’, friends’, romantic partners’, and family members’ interpersonal communication processes (e.g., weight-related communication, social support, social skills, relational care/control) are associated with health/well-being outcomes (e.g., body image issues, psychosocial well-being, mental health) and relational quality (e.g., satisfaction, commitment). Her research can be found in some of the top peer-reviewed Communication journals, including Communication Monographs and Human Communication Research, and has yielded press coverage in media outlets such as Fox News, MSNBC, Good Morning America, and Fitness Magazine. Additionally, Dr. Arroyo teaches graduate- and undergraduate-level classes in relational communication, family communication, interpersonal communication, communication and body image, and research methods.
Areas of Study
- Interpersonal Communication
- Health Communication
- Family Communication
- Relational Communication
- Social Skills/Competence
- Mental Health
- Body Image
Research Interests
Analisa's primary research interests rest at the junction of health and interpersonal communication in the realm of body image issues. Her research explores how individuals communicate about their weight, bodies, and appearance, and the subsequent health-related outcomes of their communication. Specifically, she investigates "fat talk," with the goal of exploring the causes and consequences of negative, evaluative communication on people’s self-perceptions, psychosocial well-being, and eating and exercise behaviors.
Selected Publications
Arroyo, A., & Harwood, J. (2012). Exploring the causes and consequences of engaging in fat talk. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 40, 167-187.
Arroyo, A., Nevarez, N., Segrin, C., & Harwood, J. (2012). The association between parent and adult child shyness, social skills, and perceived family communication environment. Journal of Family Communication, 12, 249-264.