Jennifer Babitzke

Jennifer came to the doctoral program at KU with a background in marriage and family therapy with an interest in learning more about how macro-level social structures influence the choices, dynamics, and well-being of families. Jennifer has a specific interest in how gender, caregiving, and life-course phases impact individual well-being and mental health. Jennifer's MA thesis "The Cumulative Cost of Care: Caregiving Over the Life Course and Severity of Depression" analyzed how caregiving events throughout the life course of individuals impacted their well-being as measured by depressive symptoms at mid-life and later. Her doctoral dissertation examines caregiver experiences of mental labor that accompanies routine caregiving activities. Throughout Jennifer's time in the program, she has taught introductory sociology courses, sociology of the family, and worked on multiple projects related to disability studies and formal and informal caregiving.