About

Dr. Jennifer Kam is a Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Communication at UC Santa Barbara. She is also a Faculty Affiliate with the Chicano Studies Institute and the Migration Initiative at UCSB. Her research uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine how stressors rooted in structural barriers are associated with the health and wellbeing of immigrant youth and their families. Additionally, she conducts research to identify promotive factors at various levels—including individual, interpersonal, community, institutional, and cultural—that can contribute to thriving. Dr. Kam has a distinguished publication record, contributing to top journals in communication, prevention, and adolescent development, and has received numerous awards including 17 top paper awards. She has served as Chair of the Health Communication Division at the National Communication Association and received the 2016 Early Career Award from the Interpersonal Communication Division, the 2022 Promoting Equity and Inclusivity Award from the Health Communication Division, and a 2023 Presidential Citation from the National Communication Association for her efforts in making the discipline more community- and culturally-centered. She is actively involved in mentoring programs, co-designing and directing the UCSB Faculty Mentoring Program. In her teaching, Dr. Kam offers undergraduate courses in risk communication, intercultural communication, and interpersonal communication, as well as graduate seminars in health communication, risk communication, and interpersonal communication. She holds a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University, an M.A. from San Diego State University, and a B.A. from the University of California, Davis.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Social psychology
• Criminology
• Psychiatry
• Law
• Epistemology
• Communication
• Public relations
• Psychotherapist

Selected publications

• Undocumented college students’ career-related communication with their parents and the ecological vocational anticipatory socialization model

  Journal of Communication · 2025-12-06

  articleOpen access

  Abstract While prior Vocational Anticipatory Socialization (VAS) research has emphasized the content and sources of VAS messages, this study extends such research by exploring how individuals react to these messages, especially when constrained by legal barriers. Using Social Cognitive Career Theory, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 undocumented college students to explore the parental VAS messages they receive, their reactions, and how both messages and reactions are shaped by structural and cultural factors. Nine kinds of messages emerged and were categorized into three larger types: value, instructional, and trust/support messages. A thematic co-occurrence analysis revealed relationships between message types and reactions, as well as career-related outlooks, choices, and engagement with parents and nonparental figures. Our findings led to the development of the Ecological VAS Model, which extends VAS theorizing by illustrating how structural, cultural, and relational factors permeate the entire VAS process—from message content, reactions, to career choices.

  PublisherDOI

• Exploring the Relationship Between Exposure to Media Depictions of Undocumented Immigrants, Identity Management, and Undocumented Immigrants’ Family Communication Profiles

  Communication Research · 2025-08-11

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Using longitudinal survey data from 366 undocumented college students, a latent profile analysis was conducted to identify groups of students according to their identity management strategies (outlined by social identity theory), as reflected in protection-oriented and strengths-based family communication. The “ high competition and creativity” profile frequently engaged in communication suggesting social competition and creativity. The “ partial competition and creativity” profile often communicated about undocumented-related barriers (reflecting social competition), while to a degree, also sharing optimism for the future (indicating social creativity). The “limited competition, mobility, creativity” profile engaged in low levels of communication across all strategies. Health and wellbeing were mostly stable over time across profiles; however, the “high competition and creativity” profile reported more anxiety and stomachaches, and the strongest undocumented identity. Finally, exposure to media depictions of undocumented immigrants was associated with membership in the “high competition and creativity” profile as opposed to the “limited competition, mobility, creativity” profile.

  PublisherDOI

• College students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA): Unpacking the meaning of thriving through conversation with DACA friends and allies

  Communication Monographs · 2024-10-22

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Advancing advocacy communication theory: a theory grounded in undocumented college students’ motivations and strategies for challenging oppression

  Annals of the International Communication Association · 2024-04-26 · 5 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Undocumented college students experience a myriad of stressors (e.g., fear of deportation, limited resources; transitioning to college; Enriquez et al., 2018; Hurst et al., 2013) because of systemic oppression, yet they often engage in various advocacy efforts to challenge those oppressive systems. Although different persuasion (e.g., Focus Theory of Normative Conduct, the Theory of Planned Behavior, the Anger Activism Model; Ajzen, 1991, 2005; Cialdini et al., 1990; Turner, 2007) and social movements theories (e.g., Mass Society Theory; The Theory of Relative Deprivation; Bernstein & Crosby, 1998; Gusfield, 1994) exist that describe why minoritized group members advocate on behalf of their ingroup, these theories primarily focus on traditional forms of advocacy rather than representing advocacy as multidimensional. Consequently, in Chapter 1, this dissertation introduces Advocacy Communication Theory (ACT), which argues that advocacy communication is a complex process comprised of advocacy strategies at the individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, and policy levels. ACT also identifies predictors of undocumented students’ advocacy communication by drawing from communication and psychological factors, and it discusses the potential health implications associated with engaging in different advocacy communication strategies. In Chapter 2, I test part of ACT using latent profile analysis and two waves of longitudinal survey data from 329 undocumented college students, primarily of Latinx origin. Chapter 3 sheds light on the dynamic nature of advocacy communication, examining the extent to which undocumented students remain in the same type of advocacy group after 30 days or transition to another type of advocacy group. I end this dissertation with Chapter 4, where I discuss the theoretical and practical contributions of ACT and the findings from Chapters 2 and 3.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Using resilience theory to examine undocumented students’ “know your rights” family communication.

  Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology · 2024-02-08 · 1 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  OBJECTIVES: Prior research has found that to keep their family safe, some undocumented immigrants in the United States engage in "Know Your Rights" family communication-talking to family about their rights, should they be approached by the police or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Although "Know Your Rights" family communication plays a functional role, this study used resilience theory to examine when such communication can be a promotive factor and a risk factor. METHOD: = 4.26). Path analysis was employed. RESULTS: We found that "Know Your Rights" family communication at Wave 1 was positively associated with: (a) greater knowledge of how to respond if approached by police or ICE and (b) greater knowledge of how to help their family if detained 1 month later (Wave 2). Through both types of knowledge taken together, "Know Your Rights" family communication was indirectly associated with higher levels of felt safety 2 months later (Wave 3). Nevertheless, through knowledge of how to help family, "Know Your Rights" family communication was also indirectly associated with higher levels of anxiety 2 months later (Wave 3). CONCLUSION: Given the distribution of "Know Your Rights" information on college campuses, our findings can provide evidence for the utility of such messages, while also potentially identifying when it is associated with higher levels of anxiety. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

  PublisherDOI

• Relational Maintenance for Separated Latina/o/x/e Immigrant Parents and Their Children: A Focus on Primary Caregivers as Communication Gatekeepers

  Communication Research · 2024-07-26 · 4 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Latina/o/x/e families who experience migration-related separation face the heart-wrenching decision to live apart from each other, often to obtain better life opportunities for the entire family. In these situations, children live in a country separate from one or more parents, while a primary caregiver (e.g., the other parent, a grandmother, an aunt) looks after the children. Utilizing semi-structured interview data with 20 family triads (i.e., separated parent, separated child, primary caregiver) and drawing from the long-distance relational maintenance model (LDRMM), this study explores how primary caregivers help or impede separated parents and children’s relational maintenance, while living apart in two different countries. Prospectively, caregivers were usually tasked with the responsibility of informing the child and helping them understand the upcoming family separation. Introspectively, most primary caregivers facilitated relational maintenance by directly connecting the child with the parent, providing the resources for the two parties to communicate (e.g., cellphone, WIFI), and emphasizing the benefits of the separation. Retrospectively, primary caregivers helped the children understand the separated parents’ return; however, this often came at the expense of the primary caregiver feeling forgotten or overlooked by the child.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Using culturally-grounded, animation narratives to encourage undocumented and U.S.-born college students to talk to a mental health professional

  Communication Monographs · 2024-11-21 · 1 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Using the Structural Influence Model to Explore U.S. Latina/O/X/E Undocumented Immigrants’ COVID-19 Information Acquisition, Perceptions, and Prevention Behaviors

  Health Communication · 2024-02-05 · 4 citations

  article

  In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. undocumented immigrants were at heightened risk of contracting COVID-19, with many of them being "frontline essential workers" and residing in crowded living spaces. Given undocumented immigrants' elevated susceptibility to contracting COVID-19 at the peak of uncertainty surrounding the virus, we used the structural influence model of communication to explore: (1) how undocumented immigrants acquired information about COVID-19; (2) how they assessed information trustworthiness and accuracy; (3) their perceptions of COVID-19; and (4) how they prevented or managed COVID-19. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with 46 Latina/o/x/e undocumented immigrants residing in California, we found four key themes: (1) (dis)trust in traditional media as participants relied heavily on social media for COVID-19 information; (2) weak and strong ties played a crucial role in co-constructing health outcomes with different levels of organization; (3) learning about COVID-19 through (in)direct experiences; and (4) coping through health literacy and cultural beliefs. The study's findings can inform future efforts to reach highly-vulnerable immigrant communities during a crisis (or different outbreaks in COVID-19 variants), and hopefully, help reduce health inequities.

  PublisherDOI

• Enacting resilience at multiple levels during the COVID-19 pandemic: exploring communication theory of resilience for U.S. undocumented college students

  Journal of Applied Communication Research · 2023-02-23 · 11 citations

  article

  During the COVID-19 pandemic, college students faced a number of stressors that threatened their health and well-being. Undocumented college students faced similar stressors and additional ones that were unique to their immigration status. Drawing from communication theory of resilience, we conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with Mexican-origin undocumented college students in California. Our findings extended past research on the communication theory of resilience by identifying triggers that motivated undocumented students to enact resilience at multiple levels. Undocumented students reported (a) individual, interpersonal, institutional, and policy-level constraints that constantly threatened their health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic; (b) how they enacted resilience at those multiple levels; and (c) how their undocumented status was a source of stress but also a source of empowerment.

  PublisherDOI

• Latina/o/x undocumented college students’ perceived barriers and motivations for talking to a campus mental health professional: A focus on communication, culture, and structural barriers

  Communication Monographs · 2023-02-14 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Although undocumented students face numerous stressors that can lead to mental health strain, they often underutilize their campus mental health services. To identify the barriers and motivations for talking to a campus mental health professional (MHP) and to extend the Health Belief Model (HBM), we conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 Latina/o/x undocumented college students. Family communication revealed views that undermined talking to an MHP, but that were deeply rooted in culture and immigration; having to prioritize basic needs; and growing up in an environment where mental health services were unavailable. Our findings reveal important communication, cultural, and structural elements that should be emphasized in the HBM when explicating Latina/o/x undocumented students' beliefs and behaviors about talking to an MHP.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Monica Cornejo

  Cornell University

  14 shared

• Roselia Mendez Murillo

  The University of Texas at Austin

  12 shared

• Chul-joo Lee

  Seoul National University

  7 shared

• Michael L. Hecht

  6 shared

• Erin D. Basinger

  5 shared

• Janice L. Krieger

  5 shared

• Andy J. Merolla

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  5 shared

• Ningxin Wang

  Shandong Agricultural University

  4 shared

Awards & honors

• 17 top paper awards
• 2016 Early Career Award from the Interpersonal Communication…
• 2022 Promoting Equity and Inclusivity Award from the Health…
• 2023 Presidential Citation from the National Communication A…