Brad Frick

Bradley (Brad) J. Frick is from Greentown, Pennsylvania and is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Communication at the University of Arizona with a minor in Human Development and Family Science. Brad’s research lies at the intersection of interpersonal, family, and health communication, with a particular focus on how people communicate about death, dying, and bereavement. His interests include how communication shapes the grieving process, facilitates social support, maintains positive connections with deceased loved ones, and helps individuals and families navigate end-of-life experiences. 

Methodologically, Brad takes a quantitative approach to examining communication processes and outcomes, while also drawing on qualitative methods to explore bereaved individuals’ lived experiences and better understand the complexities of communication surrounding the loss of a loved one. He is currently working on research that examines communication within online communities and how bereaved individuals communicate and navigate grief in online spaces. He is also collaborating on research exploring communication savoring and bereavement, focusing on how people recall their cherished communication memories with their deceased loved ones and how these interactions may help maintain meaningful connections to the deceased.