Elizabeth Hite Erwin

Assistant Professor

Contact information

(804) 828-2713

Education

Ph.D., 2002: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
M.S.N., 1989: Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri
B.S.N.,1986: Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

Program Affiliation

UVA Department of Family, Community and Mental Health Systems

Research interests

Qualitative research, mentoring intervention, intervention fidelity, measure development, adolescent social problem solving, adolescent coping, research with children and adolescents, and the history of child psychiatric nursing. Current projects include a metasynthesis of adolescent problem solving thinking, development of a procedure to evaluate intervention fidelity, exploring future selves to promote identity development in African American youth. Additional projects with Clark Hill faculty include studying dating violence, developing innovative strategies for measuring social cognitive processes, and identification of barriers and supports for aggressive and prosocial coping.

Recent/current courses taught at VCU

GNUR 774 and GNUR 776: These courses are taught by Dr. Erwin at the University of Virginia and provide the student with opportunities to develop and refine clinical skills of the advanced psychiatric nurse in the area of psychiatric mental health nursing in the master’s of nursing graduate program.

The purpose is to provide students with the opportunity to focus on specific populations of patients such as the elderly, chronically mentally ill in the community, rural populations, and substance abusers, and to explore nursing strategies and methods of practice that are specific to that population.

Within mental health settings, students will have the opportunity to demonstrate both direct and indirect methods of practice including in institutional research efforts, or participation in institutional program development.

Clinical practicum settings and objectives are jointly determined by the student and graduate faculty sponsor prior to beginning the course according to selected specialty: psychiatric clinical nurse specialist or psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Recent grants or awards

International Society of Psychiatric Nursing 2006 Research Award -This award was given to Dr. Elizabeth Hite Erwin for her research proposal to study how mentoring processes produce outcomes in at risk middle school girls. This qualitative study will examine different components of a mentoring program and develop a procedure for examining the fidelity of the intervention.

Biographical sketch

Program affiliation: UVA Department of Family, Community and Mental Health Systems

Positions and Employment:

2005-current Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
2004-current Adjunct Faculty, Department of Developmental Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2005-current Director of Qualitative Inquiry, Clark-Hill Institute for Positive Youth Development, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2004-2005 Director of Qualitative Inquiry, Center for Promotion of Positive Youth Development, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
2003-2004 Project Coordinator: Identifying Essential Skills for Violence Prevention, Center for Promotion of Positive Youth Development, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

Other experience:

1997- 2001 Graduate Assistant and Single Course Faculty, School of Nursing, University of Virginia
1994- 1999 Chief Administrative Officer, Garnett Day Treatment Center, Charlottesville, VA
1992 -1994 Instructor, Southside Regional Medical Center

Honors:

2006 International Society of Psychiatric Nursing Annual Research Award
2005-2007 Robert’s Scholar at the University of Virginia
1987 Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society of Nursing, Delta Lambda Chapter
1988 National Sigma Theta Tau Creative Writing Contest: “The wellness tree: a creative nursing intervention for the hospitalized child.”

Research support:

Title: National Academic Center of Excellence for Youth Violence Prevention (1 U49 CE000730-0). Farrell, A. (Principal Investigator) Role: Co-investigator, Director of Qualitative Inquiry , Director of Communication and Dissemination, Affiliate Faculty, Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Psychology Period of award: 9.1.05 to 8.30.10 Sponsor: CDC Total percentage effort (30%)
Dating Violence Experiences of Urban Youth: Sullivan, T. (Principal Investigator). Role: Co-investigator Period of award (percent effort by year): (15%) This study will articulate the factors directly related to and supportive of violence toward another person in the context of an interpersonal, romantic/sexual relationship. Findings will be used to develop a measure and translated into an intervention. My role will be to direct qualitative data collection protocols, establish the data entry procedures and direct analyses, train and supervise interviewers, implement bias reduction protocols, and assist with producing final results.
Risk and Protective Factors for Aggression and Factors Promoting Prosocial Behavior: Farrell, A. (Principal Investigator). Role: Co-Principal Investigator Period of award (percent effort by year): (15%) This study will develop and pilot test measures of social information processing variables that influence aggressive and prosocial coping. Cognitive variables will be assessed using two cognitive processing techniques and risk and protective factors will be identified and incorporated into targeted intervention. Measures will be articulated. A sample of youth will be selected and administered measures. Correlational and regression analyses will be conducted to determine the extent to which each risk and protective factor is related to various forms of aggression and victimization. My role will be to direct all qualitative data collection and analyses and assist the PI to direct this study.

Past research support:

Title: Development of a Projective Problem Solving Instrument (5 F31 NR 047468) Role: Principal Investigator Period of award: 5.01.00 to 4.30.02 Sponsor: NINR The goals of the research were to develop and test a measure of social problem solving in adolescence: The projective problem solving instrument. Both the normal developmental process and deviations and distortion common to disturbed youth were explored using qualitative and quantitative methods. A reformulated model of social problem solving was articulated.
Title: Essential Skills for Violence Prevention (1 R21 HD40041) Farrell, A. (Principal Investigator) Role: Co-investigator Period of award: 9.1.02 to 8.30.05 Sponsor: NIMH The goal of the study was to increase the ecological validity of violence prevention programs for youth who experience high rates of violence and victimization. We identified the problem situations faced by adolescents that placed them at risk for becoming victims or perpetrators of violence. Based on the problems we explored and articulated the specific skills they needed to address these situations. We also identified the barriers and supports that exist in the individual and in the social networks of home, school, peers and community. This knowledge will be used to revise violence prevention programming.