Yumi Shirai

Interests

Research

My research focuses on family caregiving and life transitions in later years, specifically examining the psychological and physiological health of adults with IDD during late life transitions (e.g., loss of a family member), and aging family caregivers. I am conducting three lines of research: 1) an examination of the impact of care-recipient resistance on family caregiver emotional and physical well-being; 2) development and evaluation of a bereavement support program for adults with IDD; and 3) an evaluation of the ArtWorks program: a development of an ArtWorks Program Theory.

Teaching

I find it truly satisfying when students make connections between information, skills, and concepts and apply them to solve problems in a real world setting. I strive not only to provide students with information, but also guide them to find their own ways of using the tools and employing their skills in novel settings. ArtWorks provides a perfect environment for university students’ and ArtWorks employees’ interactive learning. In my role as the Director of ArtWorks, I 1) provide direct field instruction to the direct care workers and fieldwork interns; 2) mentor students in scholarly activities/projects conducted at ArtWorks and the UA campus as well as in the nearby community; and 3) lecture on positive behavioral support (Arizona State Article 9) and other disability-related topics for all ArtWorks workers and interns.

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Journals/Publications

• Aldulaimi, S., Cunningham, J. K., Denny, L., Freeman, J., Gachupin, F. C., Koleski, J., Pettit, J. M., Shirai, Y., Stillwater, B. J., & Weiss, B. D. (2022).

  Writing Support Group for Medical School Faculty—A Simple Way to Do It

  . Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 1-8. doi:10.1080/10401334.2022.2092114
• Shirai, Y., & DiCindio, C. M. (2022). Creating an Art Exhibition Through the Shared Experiences of Grief: Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and University Students.. Applied Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
• Shirai, Y. (2021). Family Caregiver Experience of Resistance to Care: Occurrence Patterns, Context, and Impact on Caregiver. Qualitative Health Research.
• Shirai, Y., Bishop, K., & Kushner, M. (2021). National Dementia Capable Care Training: A Model Implementation and Evaluation. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
• Shirai, Y. (2019). Latina/o Family Caregivers’ Reactions to Limited Help From Relatives: From Frustration to Resilience. Journal of Family Nursing.
• Koerner, S. S., Koerner, S. S., Shirai, Y., & Shirai, Y. (2016).

  Examining the Influence of Care-Recipient Resistance on Family Caregiver Emotional and Physical Well-Being: Average Frequency Versus Daily Fluctuation

  . Journal of Applied Gerontology, 37(2), 203-227. doi:10.1177/0733464816631594
• Shirai, Y., & Silverberg Koerner, S. (2018). Examining the Influence of Care-Recipient Resistance on Family Caregiver Emotional and Physical Well-Being: Frequency vs. Unpredictability. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 37(2), 203-227. doi:https://doi /10.1177/0733464816631594
• Shirai, Y., Pedroza, R., & Koerner, S. S. (2013). Role of religious/spiritual beliefs and practices among Latino family caregivers of Mexican descent.. Journal of Latina/o Psychology, 1(2), 95-111. doi:10.1037/a0032438
• Shirai, Y., Shirai, Y. -., Koerner, S. S., & Kenyon, D. B. (2013). Caregiving for elder relatives: which caregivers experience personal benefits/gains?. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 48(2).
  More info

  The present study asks whether the positive, rewarding experiences of caregiving (benefits/gains) emerge merely as a function of caregiver personality, or whether, after personality traits (agreeableness, conscientiousness, extroversion, neuroticism) are taken into account, other interpersonal factors make a difference. Survey data were collected from 63 family caregivers. Bivariate analyses revealed that caregiving benefits/gains were significantly and positively associated with two personality traits (agreeableness, extroversion), family and spouse/partner socio-emotional support, and prior relationship quality. Hierarchical regressions indicated that whereas neither family socio-emotional support nor prior relationship quality significantly predicted variance in caregiving benefits/gains beyond that accounted for by agreeableness and extroversion, spouse/partner socio-emotional support did. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
• Shirai, Y., Koerner, S. S., & Shirai, Y. -. (2012). The negative impact of global perceptions of and daily care-related family conflict on Hispanic caregivers: familism as a potential moderator. Aging & mental health, 16(4).
  More info

  Using selected concepts from Pearlin's care giving stress model and incorporating a daily stress-reactivity perspective, the current study surveyed Hispanic family caregivers (HCGs) to: (a) document the occurrence of family disagreements regarding care; (b) examine the impact of family disagreements regarding care on HCGs' emotional/physical well being; and (c) determine the moderating role of familism - whether strong familism beliefs buffer or exacerbate the negative impact of family disagreements on HCGs.
• Shirai, Y. (2011). Impact of Care-Recipient Resistance During Care Provision on Caregiver Emotional/Physical Well-Being: A Sequential Mixed Method Design with Between- and Within-Person Analyses and Semi-Structured Interviews. Dissertation.
  More info

  To address some remaining questions in the extant family caregiving literature, the present study examined a specific care-recipient (CR) problematic behavior that could be the most critical to family caregiver (CG) emotional and physical well-being—CRresistance or uncooperative behaviors vis-a-vis the CG. In order to provide detailed descriptions of CR-resistance and to determine the impact of CR-resistance on CG emotional and physical well-being, the present study applied a sequential quantitativequalitative mixed method design approach with 8-day diary survey data on 63 family CGs and follow-up semi-structured interview data from 19 of those CGs. The quantitative data documented and revealed significant withinand betweenperson variance in CR-resistance. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) analyses results further revealed that neither the mean level nor the daily fluctuation of CR-resistance across 8 survey days by themselves appeared to have a significant impact on CG emotional or physical health. However, the combination of having relatively high mean level and daily fluctuation of CR-resistance brought had a significant impact on CG physical health; when CGs with relatively high mean level CR-resistance faced more than their usual amount of CR-resistance on a given day, they reported increases in physical health symptoms. The qualitative inductive thematic analyses revealed that based on the context in which CR-resistance occurred and the occurrence patterns, CR-resistance experiences could be divided into four types, and these four types of CR-resistance seem to pose different types and/or magnitude of impact on CG emotional well-being.
• Koerner, S. S., Shirai, Y., & Kenyon, D. B. (2010). Sociocontextual circumstances in daily stress reactivity among caregivers for elder relatives. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 65(5), 561-72.
  More info

  Using a daily diary design, we examined whether emotional and physical reactivity in the face of care-related stressors is more intense for caregivers (CGs) living with lower levels of available socioemotional support and higher numbers of extrinsic stressors. Sixty-three CGs reported their experiences based on the past 24 hr (i.e., number of caregiving tasks, care recipient problem behaviors, family disagreements regarding care, depressive symptoms, feelings of burden, physical symptoms) on eight consecutive survey days; they also reported on extrinsic stressors and available socioemotional support. Multilevel analyses indicated significant moderator effects: within-person patterns of reactivity to care-related stressors were especially strong for CGs with lower levels of available socioemotional support and higher numbers of extrinsic stressors. For example, managing additional care recipient problem behaviors on a given day was more strongly associated with increased depressive and physical health symptoms as well as feelings of burden for CGs with relatively high numbers of extrinsic stressors. Implications for intervention are discussed.
• Shirai, Y., Silverberg Koerner, S., & Baete Kenyon, D. (2009). Reaping caregiver feelings of gain: the roles of socio-emotional support and mastery. Aging & mental health, 13(1), 106-17.
  More info

  Existing studies indicate that the presence of social support increases the likelihood of caregivers experiencing feelings of gain from caregiving; however, researchers have not yet investigated the mechanism through which social support is linked to caregiver feelings of gain. Informed by Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, the present study investigated whether a sense of caregiving mastery serves as a key mechanism.
• Silverberg Koerner, S., Baete Kenyon, D., & Shirai, Y. (2009). Caregiving for elder relatives: Which caregivers experience personal benefits/gains?. Archives of Geriatrics and Gerontology, 48(2), 238-245.

Presentations

• Shetron, T., Shirai, Y., & Thompson, M. (2021, Spring). Accepting Educational Responsibility for Who? Using a Freirian Lens to Understand Ableism and Disablism. Annual conference. virtual due to COVID: the American Educational Research Association.
• Shirai, Y., & Bishop, K. (2021, November). Educational Experiences within the Learning Community: ECHO Effects on Participants and Clients. Annual conference. Virtual: Gerontological Society of America.
• Shirai, Y., Shetron, T., & Thompson, M. (2021, June). Assisting Direct Care Workforce in Creative Arts Organizations to Maintain Engagement with Individuals with IDD: Technology Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic.. Annual conference. Virtual: American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
• Shirai, Y., Kushner, M., & Coon, D. (2020, May). Essential Tips for Supporting Individuals with Down Syndrome and Other Developmental Disabilities Affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia: Lessons Learned from Two State-wide Efforts.. annual adult summit. virtual due to COVID: the National Down Syndrome Society.
• Shirai, Y., & Bassford, T. L. (2019, Feburary). Critical Role of Primary Care and Caregiver Partnership for Promoting Early Detection and Health Care Advocacy: Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Resarch Grand Round. Tucson, Arizona: University of Arizona, Depertment of Family & Community Medicine.
• Shirai, Y., & DiCindio, C. M. (2019, June). Creating an Art Exhibition Through the Shared Experiences of Grief: Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and University Students. the annual meetings of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. St. Paul, MN.: the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
• Shirai, Y., & DiCindio, C. M. (2019, September). Creating an Art Exhibition through Shared Experiences of Grief Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and University Students. Fall Museum Lecture Series 2019. Tucson, Arizona: University of Arizona, Museum of Art.
• Shirai, Y., & Kushner, M. (2019, Feburary). Building a Sustainable Local Network: Process and Outcomes of the NTG Curriculum Implementation in Arizona. National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices Webinar. Webinar: National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices.
• Shirai, Y., Shirai, Y., Spear-Ellinwood, K. C., Spear-Ellinwood, K. C., Bassford, T. L., Bassford, T. L., Cornelison, B. R., Cornelison, B. R., Arnett, M., & Arnett, M. (2019, November). Creative Approaches for Integrating Patients/Families and Community Members as Participants and Facilitators in Interprofessional Education Activities.. the annual meetings of the Nexus Arizona Summit of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education. Phoenix, Arizona: the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education.
• Shirai, Y., Spear-Ellinwood, K. C., Bassford, T. L., Cornelison, B. R., & Arnett, M. (2019, Summer). Creative Approaches for Integrating Patients/Families and Community Members as Participants and Facilitators in Interprofessional Education Activities.. the annual meetings of the Nexus Summit of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education. Minneapolis, MN: the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education.
• Shirai, Y., & Kushner, M. (2018, April). Emerging Issues Around Dementia for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. Arizona Geriatrics Society Spring Mental Health & Aging Conference. Phoenix, Arizona: Arizona Geriatrics Society.
• Shirai, Y., & Kushner, M. (2018, August). Identify and Address Alzheimer’s and Dementia in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities through Prevention and Training: I-AADAPT Project Update. Sonoran UCEDD Community Advisory Committee Meeting.
• Shirai, Y. (2017, June). Expressive Art as a Tool to Create Opportunities for Aging Individuals of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. annual meetings of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Hartford, CT: American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
• Shirai, Y. (2017, November). Project Together: An Expressive Art-Based Peer Bereavement Support Curriculum for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.. annual national convention of the ARC. San Diego: The National ARC.
• Shirai, Y., & Douglas, H. (2016, Nov). Qualitative Evaluation on Person-Centered Museum Project for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities. annual meetings of the Gerontological Society of America. New Orleans, LA: GSA Lifelong Disabilities Special Interest Group Symposium.
• Clute, M. A., Shirai, Y., & Culler, K. (2014, Nov). Reciprocity in End of Life Care: Adults with ID and their Aging. annual meetings of the Gerontological Society of America. Washington. DC: GSA Lifelong Disabilities Special Interest Group Symposium.
• Susan, K. S., & Shirai, Y. (2013, Nov). Latino family caregivers’ reactions to limited help from relatives: From frustration to resilience. annual meetings of the Gerontological Society of America. New Orleans, LA.
• Susan, K. S., Shirai, Y., & Pedroza, R. (2012, Nov). Family Disagreement as a Stress Exacerbator for Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Caregivers. annual meetings of the Gerontological Society of America. San Diego, CA.
• Susan, K. S., Shirai, Y., & Tomasa, L. T. (2012, Nov). Grieving Support Group with Creative-Aerial Movement for Adults with Developmental Disabilities. annual meetings of the Gerontological Society of America. San Diego, CA.
• Shirai, Y., & Susan, K. S. (2011, Nov). Care-Recipient Resistance: What Matters to Family Caregiver Emotional and Physical Well-Being ? Frequency vs. Unpredictability?. annual meetings of the Gerontological Society of America. Boston, MA.
• Shirai, Y., & Susan, K. S. (2010, Nov). How did I Survive a Long-time Family Caregiving Career? Strategies for Handling Care-recipient Resistance during Care Provision.. annual meetings of the Gerontological Society of America. New Orleans, LA.
• Susan, K. S., Shirai, Y., & Pedroza, R. (2010, Nov). Can Familism Exacerbate the Negative Impact of Family Conflict on Hispanic Informal Caregivers? A Daily Diary Perspective. annual meetings of the Gerontological Society of America. New Orleans, LA.

Poster Presentations

• Shetron, T., Thompson, M., & Shirai, Y. (2020, November). Achieving Equity: Creative Arts Groups Use of Technology During Quarantine. Annual conference. virtual due to COVID: the Association of University Centers on Disabilities.
• Shirai, Y., Thompson, M., & Shetron, T. (2020, June). Promoting Creative Opportunities through Technology: Advancing Connections, Collaborations, and Recognition for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.. Annual conference. virtual due to COVID: the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
• Shirai, Y., & Kushner, M. (2018, November 2018). Evaluating the Impact of a Community Education Program on Dementia and IDD: Adapted NTG Curriculum in Arizona.. the annual meetings of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. Washington. DC.: the Association of University Centers on Disabilities.
• Parikh, C., & Shirai, Y. (2016, Summer). Enhancing Cultural Understanding and Social Engagement through Dance and Movement with Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. the annual meetings of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine. Hollywood, Fl.
• Shirai, Y., Duncan, A., & Coldsmith, J. (2015, Nov). An Expressive Art Program as a Strength-Based Mutual Learning Community for University Students and Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. annual meetings of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. Washington. DC: GSA Lifelong Disabilities Special Interest Group Symposium.
• Shirai, Y., Susan, K. S., & Tomasa, L. T. (2011, Nov). Flying Together Beyond Loss: Grieving Support for Adults with Developmental Disabilities via Aerial and Movement Art.. annual meetings of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. Washington. DC.
• Susan, K. S., Shirai, Y., & Pedroza, R. (2011, Nov). Family Conflict and Disagreement Experienced by Hispanic Family Caregivers: A Thematic Analysis.. annual meetings of the Gerontological Society of America. Boston, MA.
• Susan, K. S., Shirai, Y., & Pedroza, R. (2010, Nov). The Role of Spirituality and Religious Practices Among Hispanic Informal Caregivers: A Qualitative Approach. annual meetings of the Gerontological Society of America. New Orleans, LA.

Creative Productions

• Arnett, M., Shirai, Y., Bassford, T. L., & Spear-Ellinwood, K. C. (2019. Vicky's Big Move. Center for Transformative Interprofessioanl Healthcare, UA Health Sciences Center Disabilities Event. UAHS, Tucson, AZ.
  More info

  https://youtu.be/IYU6p4AVKTgThis video was created for the Center for Transformative Interprofessional Healthcare of the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center (UAHS) as curriculum for an educational event entitled, “Interprofessional Education Disabilities Event”. Editors include Dr. Tamsen Bassford, Family & Community Medicine, Dr. Yumi Shirai, Family & Community Medicine; and Margie Arnet, MS, Center for Transformative Interprofessional Healthcare. Camera, Direction and production credit: Roy Wageman, BioCommunications, UAHS

Others

• Fox, S., Shirai, Y., Heller, T., & Perkins, E. (2016, Dec). Navigating Change in Supporting Individuals and their Caregivers as they Age.. the annual meetings of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities.
  More info

  This symposium was co-hosted by the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and the Gerontological Society of America Aging Special Interest Group
• Shirai, Y. (2016, March). Arizona Spotlight, National Public Radio (April, 1, 2, 3, 2016). UAMA Showcases Sincerity and Creativity: UA ArtWorks UAMA show “Through Our Eyes”. https://radio.azpm.org/p/azspotlight-features/2016/3/31/85070-students-tell-stories-of-their-elders-and-uama-showcases-sincerity-and-creativity/.
• Heller, T., & Shirai, Y. (2014, Nov). New Perspectives in Community Based Participatory Research on Aging and Developmental Disabilities.. annual meetings of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and the Gerontological Society of America.
  More info

  This symposium was co-hosted by the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and the Gerontological Society of America Aging Special Interest Group