Kira Birditt earned a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from Pennsylvania State University and BA and MS degrees in Psychology from Western Washington University. She serves as a Research  Professor at the Survey Research Center and the Director of the Aging and Biopsychosocial Innovations Program, both at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR).

Dr. Birditt’s program of research focuses on negative aspects of relationships, stress, and the implications of relationships and stress for health and well-being over time (using both self-reported and biological indicators of health). She is particularly interested in understanding how relationships differentially influence health and well-being depending on the context of stress. Most of her projects involve examining individuals and dyads either over time and or within families. Results from multiple projects indicate that aspects of relationships that are beneficial or harmful are often very different when individuals are under stress.