Jenna Abetz, PH.D.

Associate Professor

Education 

B.A., James Madison University 
M.A., San Diego State University 
Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln  

Research Interests 

Communication within and about interpersonal and family relationships. Specifically, I explore how individuals construct, make sense of, and negotiate identity during periods of relational transition.  This work has included analyses of emerging adulthood, LBGTQ families, parent-child estrangement, motherhood, learning disabilities, dual-career couples, and financial uncertainty.   

Courses Taught 

COMM 215: Communication, Identity, & Community 
COMM 315: Ethical Dimensions of Interpersonal Communication 
COMM 336: Addressing Problems in Interpersonal Communication  
COMM 410: Family Communication 
COMM 480/481: Capstone [Narrative, Identity & Relationships] 
COMM 561: Identity and Impression Management  

Selected Publications 

Abetz, J. S., Romo, L. K., & Marr, C. (2023).  Defining and exploring frenemy relationships.  Southern Communication Journal, 88, 172-184.  

Abetz, J. S. (2022). “I have fought this system since the moment he stepped into school”: Exploring sources of uncertainty for mothers of children with dyslexia. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 6(3), 212-228. 

Abetz, J. S., & Romo, L. K. (2021).  A normative approach to understanding how “boomerang kids” communicatively negotiate moving back home.  Emerging Adulthood, 10, 1095-1197.  

Tyler, T. R., & Abetz, J. S. (2020). Relational turning points in the parent and LGBTQ child coming out process. Journal of Family Studies, 28, 858-878. 

Abetz, J. S.  (2019). I want to be both, but is that possible?”: Communicating mother-scholar uncertainty during doctoral candidacy.  Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education, 12, 70-87. 

Moore, J., & Abetz, J. S. (2019).  What do parents regret? Regrets surrounding having children and regretting having children.  Journal of Family Issues, 40, 390-412. 

Abetz, J. S., & Moore, J. (2018).  “Welcome to the mommy wars, ladies”: Making sense of the ideology of combative mothering in mommy blogs.  Communication, Culture & Critique, 11, 265-281. 

Abetz, J. S., & Wang, T. R. (2017). “Were they ever really happy the way that I remember?”: Exploring sources of uncertainty for adult children of divorce.  Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 58, 194-211. 

Abetz, J. S. (2016).  “You can be anything but you can’t have it all”: Discursive struggles of career ambition during doctoral candidacy.  Western Journal of Communication, 80, 539-558. 

Moore, J., & Abetz, J. S. (2016).  “Uh oh. Cue the [new] mommy wars”: The ideology of combative mothering in popular US newspapers articles about attachment parenting.  Southern Communication Journal, 81, 49-62.  

Press & Media  

Lucas, J. (2023, June 27).  The doll mommies are fighting.  Cosmopolitan.  https://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/a44094061/reborn-doll-baby/ 

Travers, M. (2023, April 12). Psychologists define what the term ‘frenemy’ really means.  Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2023/04/12/psychologists-define-what-the-term-frenemy-really-means/?sh=38a6354614cd 

Kantor, A. (2022, July 12).  Housing costs drive more people to move back in with their parents.  Bloomberg.  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-12/how-to-save-on-rent-more-people-live-with-parents-as-inflation-surges 

North, A. (2021, May 19).  The real reason American parents hate each other: A lack of support splits parents into warring factions.  Here’s what we could do to stop the fighting.  Vox.  https://www.vox.com/22441967/parents-moms-kids-pandemic-working-child-care 

Mehta, V. (2019, September 16).  What parents regret about having children: New research explores a taboo topic.  Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/head-games/201909/what-parents-regret-about-having-children