About

Barbara A. Zsembik is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Florida. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin. Her academic and research interests are centered around sociology, with a focus on understanding social phenomena through a sociological lens. As an associate professor, she contributes to the department's academic environment and engages in research that advances knowledge in her field.

Research topics

• Sociology
• Psychology
• Business
• Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Social psychology
• Economics
• Clinical psychology
• Geography
• Finance
• Pathology
• Public economics
• Demography
• Demographic economics
• Gerontology

Selected publications

• Identifying Home Safety Concerns Among Older Adults Aging With Pets

  OTJR Occupational Therapy Journal of Research · 2025-06-18

  article

  Assessing risks in pet owners’ home environment may help develop strategies to enhance safety and well-being. The objective of this study is to uncover key themes informing the development of a home safety assessment tool for older adults with pets. A literature review and focus group interviews informed understanding of the safety concerns of older adults caring for pets. Participants were primary caregivers of a dog and/or cat ( N = 30). Qualitative coding and analysis were guided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model. None of the six included articles identified a tool for detecting pet care safety concerns. Focus group findings indicate pet behavior, care needs, and caregiving activities impact home safety, potentially affecting safely aging in place. This study highlights the need to address home safety with pets and identifies factors for increasing safety. Findings will inform tool development; further research is needed to refine and validate.

  PublisherDOI

• Effects of Childhood Exposure to Gender-Based Violence on Polyvictimization of GBV in the Dominican Republic

  SAGE Open · 2025-07-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  We examined the effects of childhood exposure to gender-based violence (GBV) on the risk of GBV polyvictimization among women in the Dominican Republic. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate risks of three types of GBV (emotional, physical, and sexual), and polyvictimization, experiencing two or more GBV types. GBV in adulthood is associated with forced sex before age 15, entry into sexual intimacy in early adolescence, and witnessing fathers beating mothers. Polyvictimization is associated with all three types of GBV in childhood but was particularly high for women who were forced to have sex before age 15. Our data reveal appreciable risks of polyvictimization, signaling a wider field of childhood victimization and adulthood (re)victimization experiences. Childhood exposure to GBV is as important of a predictor of adulthood GBV as more common determinants such as relational, economic, and sociocultural characteristics. Women who had a sexual relationship in early adolescence or witnessed their father beating their mother, report higher levels of polyvictimization. The risk profile of sexual violence in adulthood shows a risk profile different from risks of emotional and physical violence.

  PublisherDOI

• Childhood Adversity Moderates Change in Latent Patterns of Psychological Adjustment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Survey of U.S. Adults

  Social Sciences · 2023-03-17 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Emerging evidence suggests that the consequences of childhood adversity impact later psychopathology by increasing individuals’ risk of experiencing difficulties in adjusting to stressful situations later in life. The goals of this study were to: (a) identify sociodemographic factors associated with subgroups of psychological adjustment prior to and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and (b) examine whether and to what extent types of childhood adversity predict transition probabilities. Participants were recruited via multiple social media platforms and listservs. Data were collected via an internet-based survey. Our analyses reflect 1942 adults (M = 39.68 years); 39.8% reported experiencing at least one form of childhood adversity. Latent profile analyses (LPAs) and latent transition analyses (LTAs) were conducted to determine patterns of psychological adjustment and the effects of childhood adversity on transition probabilities over time. We identified five subgroups of psychological adjustment characterized by symptom severity level. Participants who were younger in age and those who endorsed marginalized identities exhibited poorer psychological adjustment during the pandemic. Childhood exposure to family and community violence and having basic needs met as a child (e.g., food, shelter) significantly moderated the relation between latent profile membership over time. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Longitudinal associations between allostatic load, pet ownership, and socioeconomic position among U.S. adults aged 50+

  SSM - Population Health · 2023-01-14 · 8 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  It is hypothesized that pets provide benefits to human health by buffering the deleterious effects of stress, but varying exposure to chronic stress via social position is rarely considered in these conceptual and empirical models. Allostatic load is an index of biological and physical measures that represents cumulative wear and tear on the body via chronic stress exposure. In this study, we use the 2006-2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal panel survey of adults aged 50+ in the United States, to test whether and to what extent pet ownership has an impact on allostatic load, and whether pet ownership moderates the effects of socioeconomic position on allostatic load. Linear mixed effects regression models revealed that pet owners had significantly lower allostatic load scores than those who do not own pets; however, after adjusting for socioeconomic position (i.e., wealth, education, race, ethnicity, gender, marital status), the effect of pet ownership was no longer significant. We estimated a series of models stratified by sociodemographic groups to test moderation effects. Among those who had a high school education, pet owners had lower allostatic load scores, whereas among those who had attended some college, pet owners had higher scores. Among those who were aged 80+, pet owners had higher scores than those who did not own pets. These findings suggest that the magnitude of the effect of pet ownership on allostatic load may not be sufficient to counteract experiences of high chronic stress as experienced by lower-status groups. Supporting the human-animal bond may contribute to improving older adult population health if paired with efforts to address the underlying causes of population health disparities.

  PublisherDOI

• Child and Pet <scp>Care‐Planning</scp> During <scp>COVID</scp>‐19: Considerations for the Evolving Family Unit

  Family Relations · 2021-03-06 · 14 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  OBJECTIVE: Using a mixed-methods design, we aimed to understand household dynamics and choices in hypothetical planning for child and pet care if an individual is faced with hospitalization for COVID-19. BACKGROUND: As the COVID-19 public health crisis persists, children and pets are vulnerable to caregiver hospitalization. METHODS: Bivariate associations from a large-scale survey explore hypothetical options for dependent care-planning. An open-ended question regarding pet-child interactions is coded applying a grounded theory framework. RESULTS: Caregivers expect to rely on family and friends to care for children, especially young children, and pets if hospitalized. The presence of pets in the home has been predominately positive for children during the pandemic, suggesting benefits of alternative care options that keep children and pets together. CONCLUSIONS: Relying on one's social network to care for dependents if caregivers become ill from COVID-19 could place loved ones at risk for contracting the virus, which could present obstacles to arranging care plans, especially inclusive of pets and children. IMPLICATIONS: The changing information regarding COVID-19 warrants that families establish concrete care plans for dependent children and pets. The spread of COVID-19 to the most vulnerable, such as grandparents and other family who may be expected to care for dependents, could create additional public health concerns.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Impact of Pets on Everyday Life for Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Frontiers in Public Health · 2021 · 82 citations

  • Gerontology
  • Psychology
  • Medicine

  Pets may fulfill some social and emotional needs for older adults during this particularly isolating event; equally important to consider are the challenges that may be precipitated by and/or exacerbated by this public health emergency.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Attachment to Pets Moderates Transitions in Latent Patterns of Mental Health Following the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Survey of U.S. Adults

  Animals · 2021-03-21 · 50 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  This cross-sectional study examined whether, and to what extent, attachment to pets was associated with changes in latent patterns of adults’ perceived mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 1942). We used latent transition analysis to determine the stability of subgroup membership pre- and post-COVID and the effect of attachment to pets on transition probabilities. Mental health before COVID-19 was measured retrospectively. Five subgroups were identified: low symptoms, mild symptoms, moderate symptoms, high symptoms, and severe symptoms. Among individuals in the moderate and high symptoms subgroups, those who reported high attachment to pets generally had greater odds of transitioning to a less severe symptom profile (OR = 2.12) over time than those with low attachment to pets (OR = 1.39). However, those who had a severe symptom profile and high attachment to pets had lower odds of transitioning to a less severe symptom profile (OR = 0.30) and higher odds of maintaining a severe symptom profile (OR = 3.33) than those with low attachment to pets. These findings suggest that the protective and risk effects of attachment to pets differ based on individuals’ psychological symptom patterns across multiple indicators. We discuss the implications of these findings for research, policy, and practice.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Examining U.S. pet ownership using the General Social Survey

  The Social Science Journal · 2020 · 136 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Sociology
  • Demography
  • Demographic economics

  Pets are an important aspect of many families and households, but how many Americans have them? The purpose of this study is to compare point estimates of pet ownership in the U.S. from the General Social Survey (GSS) to estimates from other surveys, and to report demographic and social correlates to pet ownership. Wide discrepancies in estimates of U.S. pet ownership have been previously reported, relying on private industry surveys that do not disclose sampling design. Further, some surveys that reported pet ownership were not available for public use and/or did not lend themselves to social science due to a limited number of other measures of important social and demographic characteristics. U.S. estimates of pet ownership from the GSS tended to be slightly higher than those based on the American Veterinary Medical Association Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook and consistently lower than estimates based on the American Pet Products Association National Pet Owners Survey. Pet ownership varied by race/ethnicity, age, size of place, household composition, and dwelling type. Number and type of pets also varied considerably by social and demographic characteristics. We conclude that the 2018 GSS has several advantages for studying human–animal interaction including a nationally representative sample, availability of a wide range of covariates, and public accessibility.

  PublisherDOI

• How pets factor into healthcare decisions for COVID-19: A One Health perspective

  One Health · 2020-10-08 · 62 citations

  articleOpen access

  There is evidence that prioritizing pets' welfare can impact the health and well-being of their owners, especially when pet owners have a strong bond with their pet. This carries public health implications, particularly in a global public health emergency such as COVID-19. The study objective was to understand pet owners' consideration of their pets' welfare when making personal healthcare decisions specific to COVID-19. A large sample (n = 1356) of adult pet owners in the U.S. completed an online survey in April and May of 2020, coinciding with the onset of social distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Respondents were asked if they would delay or avoid testing or treatment for COVID-19 due to concern for their pets' welfare, and a follow-up question asked them to elaborate. Multinomial logistic regression models showed that attachment to pets and socioeconomic resources were important factors in pet owners' hypothetical decisions regarding testing and treatment for COVID-19. Qualitative analysis of responses to the follow-up question revealed explanations across three themes: (1) the need to find pet accommodation prior to seeking healthcare; (2) pet-related concerns; and, (3) human-related concerns. Pet owners often cited concern for their pets' welfare as a factor contributing to their decision making; participants' lack of a concrete plan for pet care was most commonly cited as the reason for their delay in seeking healthcare. Results from this study indicate that pet owners experience unique obstacles to accessing healthcare related to COVID-19, which has implications for future public health emergencies. Increased disease spread and prevalence of poor health outcomes could result if pet owners delay or avoid testing or treatment. Communities can benefit from a One Health/One Welfare approach to collaboration between human and animal health and service providers to reduce COVID-19 spread and secure the well-being of people and their pets.

  PublisherDOI

• Pet Attachment in the Context of Family Conflict

  Anthrozoös · 2020-05-03 · 38 citations

  articleSenior author

  Previous research shows that companion animals can have a positive effect on their owner’s health and may also serve as a buffer to stress. Despite this, few studies have investigated the role of the pet in adverse or tumultuous family circumstances. In this study, we explored whether reported family conflict is associated with strength of attachment to companion animals. We analyzed a large sample of pet-owning primary caregivers of children (n = 1,421) to understand how family conflict and pet attachment may be associated. Primary caregivers were asked to report the frequency of instances of intrafamily criticism and discussion styles, as well as types of interactions with pets in the home to assess strength of attachment. Results from bivariate tests of association and ordinary least squares regression models indicated that there was a significant association between family conflict and strength of attachment to companion animals: as the amount of family conflict increased, so did the strength of attachment to the family pet. Family conflict remained a significant predictor of strength of pet attachment with the inclusion of sociodemographic control variables, which indicated that the association was not an indirect result of other correlations. These findings suggest that companion animals play an important role in the lives of family members who are experiencing adverse situations or chronic strain such as family conflict, and they underscore a need for further investigation into the role of the pet in the family. We draw implications for clinical practice and future research involving pets, children, and childhood family trauma.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Jennifer W. Applebaum

  University of Florida Health

  9 shared

• Shelby E. McDonald

  Denver Zoo

  7 shared

• Chuck W. Peek

  University of Florida

  7 shared

• Raymond T. Coward

  4 shared

• Gregg H. Gilbert

  University of Alabama at Birmingham

  3 shared

• Constance R. Uphold

  North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System

  3 shared

• Joseph L. Riley

  Copenhagen Business School

  3 shared

• Angela Matijczak

  Virginia Commonwealth University

  3 shared

Awards & honors

• Provost Administrative Fellow (2000)
• T. Lynn Smith Term Professor (1999-2000)
• University Teacher of the Year (1995)
• William R. Jones Outstanding Mentor Award from McKnight Doct…