Associate Professor Director of Graduate Studies (she/her/hers) Contact Info arroyo@uga.edu Office: 619 Caldwell Hall 706-542-4893 Education: Ph.D., University of Arizona, 2013Communication (Minor: Family Studies and Human Development) M.A., University of Arizona, 2010Communication B.A., The Ohio State University, 2008Communication and Sociology Research Research Interests: Dr. Arroyo's research interests are in health, interpersonal, and relational communication. Her research falls into three lines of inquiry: Interpersonal Communication and Body Image (e.g., negative body talk, disordered eating) The Intergenerational Transmission of Mental Health (e.g., parent-child depression, loneliness, anxiety) Social Attitudes within Interpersonal Relationships (e.g., sexism, weightism, racism) Together, her research emphasizes some of the ways that communication in close relationships is associated with individuals’ physical, mental, and social well-being, and it also highlights that the messages reinforced within these relationships have the ability to uphold or challenge dominant social discourses, ideals, and expectations.Specific Areas of Expertise:Interpersonal CommunicationHealth CommunicationFamily CommunicationRelational CommunicationSocial Skills/CompetenceMental HealthBody Image/Disordered Eating LabsSITCH Lab (Social and Interpersonal Theories of Communication in Health)CARE Lab (Couples and Relationship Enrichment) Selected Publications Selected Publications: Basinger, E. D., Arroyo., A., Asbury, M. B., Fox, R., Otis, H. N., Pickett Miller, N., Giles, H., & Turner, M. (2025). Dialogue on difference: Fat liberation in communication. Communication Monographs. Curran, T., Arroyo, A., Fabbricatore, J., & Jiao, J. (2023). The associations between White privilege critical consciousness, racial attitudes, and intergroup anxiety among parents and adult children in White families. Communication Monographs. Arroyo, A., Stillion Southard, B. A., & Martz, D. (2022). Feminist embodiment, body talk, and body image among mothers and daughters. Body Image. Arroyo, A., Woszidlo, A., & Janovec, A. (2020). Voice as a mediator of mothers' and daughters' feminist attitudes and psychological outcomes: An application of silencing the self theory and social cognitive theory of gender development and differentiation. Communication Monographs. Arroyo, A., Stillion Southard, B. A., Cohen, H., & Caban, S. (2020). Maternal communication strategies that promote daughters' body image. Communication Research. Arroyo, A., Segrin, C., Harwood, J., & Bonito, J. A. (2017). Co-rumination of fat talk and weight control practices: An application of confirmation theory. Health Communication. Arroyo, A., Segrin, C., & Harwood, J. (2014). Appearance-related communication mediates the link between self-objectification and health and well-being outcomes. Human Communication Research. Arroyo, A., & Segrin, C. (2013). Family interactions and disordered eating attitudes: The mediating roles of social competence and psychological distress. Communication Monographs. Arroyo, A., & Harwood, J. (2012). Exploring the causes and consequences of engaging in fat talk. Journal of Applied Communication Research. Dr. Arroyo earned a Certificate in College Teaching from the University of Arizona, as well as a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion and a Certificate in Career Advocacy from UGA. Dr. Arroyo is also a certified Body Trust® Specialist, a framework she actively integrates into her teaching and research. Body Trust® is a strength-based, trauma-informed, scientifically grounded healing modality; it encourages movement toward a compassionate, weight-inclusive model of radical self-care to address body oppression and to heal body shame and its associated patterns of chronic dieting and disordered eating. Courses Regularly Taught: COMM 1500 COMM 2550H COMM 3700 COMM 4500 COMM 4420/6420 COMM 8500 COMM 8550 COMM 8700 Curriculum Vitae: Arroyo_CurriculumVitae_2024.docx (63.18 KB) Grants: The Waterhouse Family Institute, Villanova University, 2024 Department of Communication Studies, University of Georgia, 2023, 2020, 2018, 2017 'Obesity' Research Initiative, University of Georgia, 2023 Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Georgia, 2014
