Elizabeth Culatta, PhD

Assistant Profoessor Augusta University

  • Augusta GA

My research program concentrates on how identity processes affect health, especially during the transition to adulthood.

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Biography

My research interests focus on the intersection of social psychology and medical sociology. My research explores a range of outcomes including mental health during the transition to adulthood, barriers to accessing medical services following sexual victimization, and the impact of contact with the criminal justice system on mental health. My current teaching focus is on the Sociology of Health and Illness, the Sociology of Health Care, and Introduction to Sociology and I have previously taught courses on Sociological Theory, Gender and Work, Social Psychology, and the Life Course.

My recent research examines health and identity during the transition to adulthood. In my dissertation, I explored how views of one’s self as an adult and perceptions of how others view one’s progress toward adulthood affect health risk behaviors and mental health. I explored the cultural understandings of adulthood as they relate to participation in health risk behaviors and mental health outcomes. The dissertation builds upon themes introduced in my previous research. In an article published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, I analyzed how romantic relationship quality and stability affect mental and physical health. In an article published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, I examined the role of depressive symptoms and alcohol use in sexual revictimization. In my current work, I am identifying barriers to accessing both physical and mental health services following sexual victimization both on and off college campuses using an original diverse sample of young adult women. I am also working with The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health dataset to understand the impact of contact with the criminal justice system on mental health and attitude trajectories in early adulthood.

My teaching experience at Augusta University has focused on two Medical Sociology Courses as well as Introduction to Sociology. At the University of Georgia, I taught the department's required undergraduate Sociological Theory course, a course on Gender and Work, Introduction to Sociology and a class about The Life Course. Through four years of teaching, I have consistently received outstanding student evaluations for my effectiveness, preparation, and ability to guide classroom discussions.

Areas of Expertise

Sexual Harassment
Mental Health
Identity Processes in Transition to Adulthood
Sociology of health and illness
Sociology of Health Care
Social Psychology
Social Stress
Sexual Victimization
Gender and Work
Social Determinants of Health

Education

University of Georgia

Ph.D.

Sociology

2018

University of Georgia

M.A.

Sociology

2012

University of North Carolina Asheville

B.A., Magna Cum Laude

Ethics and Social Institutions

2009

Articles

Justice Perceptions, Sexual Identity, and Race: Likelihood of Police Reporting Intentions Following Sexual Assault

Sage Journals

Elizabeth Culatta, Kaitlin M. Boyle, Tara E. Sutton

2024-03-20

Perceptions of law enforcement shape a willingness to report crime and are particularly important for sex crimes and among groups oppressed or neglected by the legal system. We examine three types of perceptions of justice—the fairness of outcomes (distributive), procedures (procedural), and victim treatment (interpersonal). We expect each measure of justice perceptions to increase the likelihood of reporting, or recommending a friend report, a hypothetical sexual assault to police. Our survey of 18- to 24-year-old women (N = 1,414) oversampled women of color and stratified the sample by educational attainment. In a series of path analyses, we find full support for our hypotheses about reporting one’s own sexual assault and partial support for encouraging a friend to report based on perceptions of three forms of justice. In addition, we examined indirect effects of sexual identity and race on reporting intentions and discuss how those patterns are partially driven by negative perceptions of justice.

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Preparing for Medical School: How Sociology Helps Premedical Students Prepare for the MCAT and beyond

Sage Journals

Elizabeth Culatta, Melissa Powell-Williams, Kim Davies

2023-05-04

Educators have recently highlighted the importance of social science courses for students entering the medical field. This has led to the inclusion of sociological theories and concepts on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), a requirement for any student seeking formal medical training. Using open-ended survey data responses provided by students who recently completed the MCAT, we explore how students perceive that sociology courses prepare them for the MCAT and their lives more generally. We find that students report that their sociology courses introduced them to key concepts and laid a foundation for material assessed on the exam, but those courses could improve by aligning with the MCAT structure by prioritizing application of concepts and critically analyzing case studies. Students also reported that sociology courses helped them develop empathy and inclusivity and use their sociological imaginations, which will ultimately positively impact their careers in the medical field and lives overall.

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Sexual revictimization: A routine activity theory explanation

Journal of Interpersonal Violence

Elizabeth Culatta, Jody Clay-Warner, Kaitlin M Boyle, Assaf Oshri

2017

Research has shown that victims of sexual assault are at a significant risk of revictimization. We use routine activity theory to predict how sexual victimization in adolescence relates to depression, substance use, and ultimately revictimization as a young adult.

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