Tracy Walters


Entered the Program: 2019

Hometown:  Blue Springs, MO

Current program: PhD with a concentration in Health, Wellbeing, and Prevention

Previous Education: 

  • MA, Developmental Psychology, Northern Illinois University
  • BS, Psychology, University of Central Missouri

Research Interests: 

  • Sexual development and socialization
  • Sexual attitudes and motivations
  • Sexual behavior
  • Sex-related consequences

Advising Committee:

Assistantship Experience: 

  • Research Assistant, Developmental Aspects of Sexual Health (DASH) Lab, Fall 2019 – present
  • Graduate Assistant Academic Advisor, HDFS Student Services Center, Fall 2021 & Spring 2022
  • Primary Instructor, HDFS 3103 – Adolescent Development, Fall 2020 & Spring 2021
  • Teaching Assistant, HDFS 2004W – Research Methods in HDFS, Fall 2019 & Spring 2020

Awards/scholarships/fellowships: 

  • Covenant Insurance Company Summer Fellowship, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, UConn 2022
  • Pre-Doctoral Summer Fellowship, HDFS Department, UConn, 2022
  • Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, UConn 2022
  • Outstanding Instructor Award, HDFS Department, UConn, 2021
  • Fred and Kathleen Otter Scholarship, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, UConn, 2020

Peer-Reviewed Publications:

Vasilenko, S. A., Walters, T. L., Clark, A. N., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (in press). Positive, negative, or mixed feelings? A person-centered approach to consequences of first penile-vaginal intercourse in college students. Archives of Sexual Behavior. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02379-4

Lefkowitz, E. S., & Walters, T. L. (2022). Selection and socialization effects of living on vs. off campus Emerging Adulthood. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/21676968221102001

Walters, T. L. (2022). Socialized sexual values and meanings ascribed to sex as predictors of one’s experience of sex: A theoretical mid-range model. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 14(2), 123-140. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12439

Zhang, Y., Farina, R. E., Lawrence, S. E., Walters, T. L., Clark, A. N., Hanna-Walker, V., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2022). How social support and parent-child relationship quality relate to LGBTQ+ college students’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family Psychology, 36(5), 653-660. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/fam0000981

Lawrence, S. E., Walters, T. L., Clark, A. N., Zhang, Y., Hanna-Walker, V., Farina, R. E., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2021). LGBTQ+ college students’ engagement in COVID-protective and COVID-risk behaviors. Emerging Adulthood, 9(5), 645-652. https://doi.org/10.1177/21676968211039302

Walters, T. L., Dyczewski, M., & Mathes, E. W. (2020). Pornographic jealousy: Scale construction and theory testing. Current Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01202-4

Mounts, N.S., Walters, T., & Hinkle, H. (2014). Peer influence(s). In A. C. Michalos (Ed.). Encyclopedia of quality of life and well-being research. Springer.

Mounts, N.S., Pittman, L.D., Karre, J., & Walters, T.L. (2013). Transformations in relationships, independence, and interdependence. In G. Creasey & P. Jarvis (Eds.), Adolescent development and school achievement in urban communities: Resilience in the neighborhood (pp. 193-204). Routledge.

Manuscripts Submitted for Review:

Clark, A. N., Walters, T. L., Hanna-Walker, V., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2022). “Hugging with masks on”: Non-cohabiting LGBTQ+ college students’ relationship behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic [Manuscript submitted for publication].

Hanna-Walker, V., Lawrence, S. E., Clark, A. N., Walters, T. L., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2022). “It’s like an elephant in the room with my family”: LGBTQ+ college students’ identity expression during the COVID-19 pandemic [Manuscript submitted for publication].

Hanna-Walker, V., Walters, T. L., Wesche, R., Leavitt, C. E., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2022). How variation in religiosity relates to sexual behaviors and motivations: A hierarchical modeling approach. [Manuscript submitted for publication].

Manuscripts in Preparation:

Clark, A. N., Walters, T. L., Hanna-Walker, V. (in preparation). “Much like skydiving, I would really rather avoid it if I can”: Asexual and allosexual adults’ motives for not engaging in sex.

Lawrence, S. E., Walters, T. L., Farina, R. E., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (in preparation). College students’ sexual motives, experiences, and drinking-related protective behavioral strategies.

Lefkowitz, E. S., Waterman, E. A., Walters, T. L., Hanna-Walker, V., & Farina, R. E. (in preparation). Sex-related alcohol expectancies: Changes over time and correlates.

Walters, T. L., Clark, A. N., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (in preparation). Young adults’ perception of sex-related messages from parents prior to initiation of sex: A qualitative analysis.

Walters, T. L., Hanna-Walker, V., Clark, A. N., Farina, R. E., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (manuscript in preparation). LGBTQ+ college students’ relationship satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Walters, T. L., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (in preparation). How parental messages about sex relate to young adults’ sexual attitudes and sex-related consequences.

Walters, T. L., Loken, E., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (in preparation). Does sex improve over time?: A latent transition analysis of vaginal sex-related consequences.

Tracy Walters
Contact Information
Emailtracy.l.walters@uconn.edu
CV Walters_CV