My scientific publications during the past few years have continued a long-standing interest in identifying causal pathways via which social-emotional competence, community environments, and agonistic interpersonal stress affect cardiovascular health in adolescents and young adults, thereby increasing risk for later hypertension, heart disease, or stroke. This work has been guided by the Social Action Theory of human adaptation and health behavior change, and has been generously supported by a series of investigator-initiated (R01) grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

Current research projects examine the health impact of agonistic striving in high school students and in young adults. "Agonistic striving" involves an interpersonal struggle that pits one's personal needs, desires, or tendencies against those of others. Such a focus, if chronic, may increase vulerability to interpersonal conflict, psychological distress, and various illnesses.

Present work extends Project Heart, a program of community-based studies launched in Baltimore in the mid 1980's, with continuing support from the NIH (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute). The research program includes both laboratory and field components. Thus we can test relationships between social competence, emotion regulation, and cardiocascular risk factors within highly controlled environments as well as in natural settings. Specific projects include:

Agonistic Stress, Coping, and CVD Risk in Urban Youth. (With R.S. Jorgensen and J.M. Smyth, Center for Health and Behavior, Syracuse University)

Work and Environments: Urban Youth and Cardiovascular Disease Risk (With S. Fitzgerald, Johns Hopkins University).

Ewart, C.K., Jorgensen, R.S., Schroder, E., Suchday, S., & Sherwood, A. (2005). Vigilance to a persisting personal threat: Unmasking cardiovascular consequences in adolescents with the Social Competence Interview. Psychophysiology, 41, 799-804

Suchday, S., Carter, M., Ewart, C.K., & Larkin, K.T. (2005). Anger cognitions and cardiovascular recovery following provocation. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 27, 319-341.

Sauro, M.D., Jorgensen, R.S., Ewart, C.K., Schum, J.L., & Gelling, P. (2005). Sociotropic cognition moderates stress-induced cardiovascular responsiveness in women through effects on total peripheral resistance, but not cardiac output. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 56, 55-64.