Denise Solomon

Professional Bio

Denise Solomon is a communication scientist with expertise in the area of interpersonal communication.  Her research focuses on communication experiences in personal relationships, such as support and conflict, that enhance or erode well-being.  Professor Solomon developed relational turbulence theory, which describes how transitions in romantic relationships promote relationship qualities that polarize cognitive, emotional, and communicative reactions to both ordinary and extraordinary experiences.  Among other things, relational turbulence theory has been used to gain insight into how people experience miscarriage, cope with infertility, and navigate the challenges of raising a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Professor Solomon teaches courses on interpersonal communication (CAS 203; CAS 555), conflict resolution (CAS 404), communication in personal relationships (CAS 556), and theory construction (CAS 560).   She is author, along with Jennifer Theiss, of the textbook Interpersonal Communication: Putting Theory into Practice.  She is a Fellow of the International Communication Association and of the International Association for Relationship Research, and she is a Distinguished Scholar of the National Communication Association.