William E. Haley, Ph.D.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 1982

Professor, School of Aging Studies

Email: whaley@cas.usf.edu
Telephone: 813-974-9739
Curriculum Vitae (pdf)
NIH Biosketch (pdf)

Description of Research Interests

My research focuses on stress, coping, and adaptation in older adults and their family members. I am particularly interested in translational research that utilizes results from theoretically informed research to develop evidence-based interventions that can be used to improve the lives of older adults and their families. Most of my research has examined the experiences of family caregivers who often face potentially overwhelming chronic strain. This work has examined psychological, social and health impacts experienced by family members caring for relatives with Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and terminal illness; racial/ethnic differences in the impact of caregiving stress; and the application of stress and coping models to understanding individual differences in caregiver adaptation. More recently, this research has included studies of older women who are breast cancer survivors, and the experience of bereavement.
I am also interested in the development and evaluation of psychosocial interventions to improve the adaptation of older adults facing stressful circumstances, including family caregiving, chronic illness, and bereavement. I have worked with several research teams that have developed and/or evaluated research-based caregiver interventions for diverse groups, including White, African-American, and Latino family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease; and family caregivers of hospice patients with terminal cancer. Finally, I am increasingly interested in ways that psychological research can be used to improve end-of-life care, including the quality of life of dying patients, and their family caregivers.

Current/ Recent Grant Support

Psychosocial impact of stroke on family caregivers, National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2005-2010 (Co-PI).

Efficacy of Systematic Assessment in Improving Hospice Outcomes. National Institute of Nursing Research. 2004-2008 (Investigator).

AD Caregiver Well-Being Counseling/Institutionalization . National Institute of Mental Health, 2005-2007 (Consultant).

Publications (representative publications selected from over 100)

Haley, W. E., Bergman, E. J., Roth, D. L., McVie, T., Gaugler, J. E., & Mittelman, M. S.  (in press).  Long-term effects of bereavement and caregiver intervention on dementia caregiver depressive symptoms.  The Gerontologist.

McIlvane, J. M., Popa, M. A., Robinson, B., Houseweart, K., & Haley, W. E.  (in press).  Perceptions of illness, coping, and well-being in persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment and their care partners.  Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders.

Kwak, J., Haley, W. E., & Chiriboga, D. (in press).  Racial differences in hospice use and in-hospital death among Medicare and Medicaid dual-eligible nursing home residents.  The Gerontologist.

Roth, D. L., Haley, W. E., Wadley, V. G., Clay, O. J., & Howard, G.  (2007).  Race and gender differences in perceived caregiver availability for community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults.  The Gerontologist, 47, 721-729.

Robb, C., Haley, W. E., Balducci, L., Extermann, M., Perkins, E., Small, B., & Mortimer, J. (2007).  Impact of breast cancer survivorship on quality of life in older women.  Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, 62, 84-91.

McMillan, S. C., Small, B. J., Weitzner, M., Schonwetter, R. S., Tittle, M., Moody, L., & Haley, W. E.  (2006).  Impact of coping skills intervention with family caregivers of hospice patients with cancer:  A randomized clinical trial.  Cancer, 106, 214-222.

Honors and Awards

• 2004 Outstanding Research Achievement Award, University of South Florida Office of Research
• 2004 Outstanding Alumni Award, College of Liberal Arts, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
• 2003 President’s Award for Faculty Excellence, University of South Florida , Tampa , Florida
• 2002 Mentor Award , American Psychological Association Division of Adult Development and Aging and Retirement Research Foundation
• 1993 Fellow, American Psychological Association (Divisions 12, 20, and 38)
• 1992 Fellow, Gerontological Society of America

Professional Service

Classes Taught

GEY 4612 – Psychology and Aging
GEY 6934 – Family Caregiving in Aging and Chronic Illness >