Scott E. Wilks, PhD, LMSW
PhD Program Director
MSW Gerontology Specialization Coordinator
Professor
Fellow, The Gerontological Society of America
John A. Hartford Foundation Faculty Scholar in Geriatric Social Work
Office: 2160 Pleasant Hall
Phone: 225-578-1196
E-mail: swilks@lsu.edu
Education
2018 Distinguished Research Award Recipient
PhD, Social Work, The University of Georgia, 2004
MSW, Social Work, Our Lady of the Lake University at San Antonio, 2001
BA, Sociology, Louisiana State University, 1997
Brief Biography
Scott E. Wilks, PhD, LMSW, is a Hartford Faculty Scholar in Geriatric Social Work. He is the coordinator for the Graduate Specialization in Gerontology and associate professor at the LSU School of Social Work. He is also a faculty member at the LSU Life Course and Aging Center. He teaches primarily social work research and social work and aging courses. Dr. Wilks received national, pedagogical training at the Stanford University Faculty Development Institute.
Dr. Wilks’ title as a Hartford Scholar is a lifelong honor named by The John A. Hartford Foundation of New York, the nation’s largest private philanthropy dedicated to research and training for the health of older adults. Dr. Wilks’ research interests center primarily on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) care, particularly the interactional process of coping and resilience among AD caregivers. His other research interests include burden and adaptation issues among custodial grandparents; social support and resilience among vulnerable, aging populations; and gerontological content in the social work curriculum.
Dr. Wilks collaborates (research and/or volunteer service) consistently with older adult organizations in the community, including Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area (Baton Rouge) and Poydras Home of New Orleans. He has numerous media appearances in newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and radio regarding his scholarship and service in Alzheimer’s care and healthy aging. In recent years, Dr. Wilks earned consecutive seven-figure grants from the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services to study integrated behavioral health across the lifespan and workforce expansion in these settings.
Selected Publications (most recent)
Wilks, S.E., Boyd, P. A., Bates, S. M., Cain, D. S., & Geiger, J. R. (in press). Montessori-based activities among persons with late-stage dementia: Evaluation of mental and behavioral health outcomes. Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice. DOI: 10.1177/1471301217703242
Wilks, S.E., Spurlock, W.J., Brown, S.C., Teegen, B., & Geiger, J. (in press). Examining spiritual support among African American and Caucasian Alzheimer’s caregivers: A risk and resilience study. Geriatric Nursing. DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2018.05.002
Geiger, J.R., Wilks, S.E., Guillory, S.A., Goodson, K., Spivey, C.A., & Isaza, J.E. (2018). Psychological coping strategies among post-surgery posterior lumbar interbody fusion patients: Predictive values on pain and functioning outcomes. Journal of Pain Management, 11, 153-161. ISSN: 1939-5914
Boyd, P.A., Wilks, S.E., & Geiger, J.R. (2018). ADL assessment among nursing home residents with advanced dementia: Psychometric reevaluation of the Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale. Health & Social Work, 43, 101-108. DOI: 10.1093/hsw/hly010
Wilks, S.E., Guillory, S.A., Geiger, J.R., Goodson, K., Begault, T.S., Chen, Z., & Isaza, J.E. (2018). Assessing psychological resilience among pre-spine surgery patients in Louisiana: Psychometric evaluation of the Brief Resilient Coping Scale. Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society, 170, 2-6.
Simpson, G.M., Stansbury, K., Wilks, S.E., Pressley, T., Parker, M., & McDougall, G. J. (2018). Support groups for Alzheimer’s caregivers: Creating our own space in uncertain times. Social Work in Mental Health, 16, 303-320. DOI: 10.1080/15332985.2017.1395780
Wilks, S.E., Cain, D.S., Reed-Ashcraft, K.B., & Geiger, J.R. (2017). Gerontological competencies among MSW Students: Evaluation of a Gerontology Specialization Program. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 60, 606-618. DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2017.1325811
Rabalais, A.M., Wilks, S.E., Geiger, J.R., & Bates, S.M. (2017). Prominent feelings and self-regard among survivors of suicide: Does time heal all wounds? Illness, Crisis & Loss, 25, 262-276. DOI: 10.1177/1054137316637189
Wilks, S.E., Geiger, J.R., Bates, S.M., & Wright, A.L. (2017). Reference accuracy among research articles published in Research on Social Work Practice. Research on Social Work Practice, 27, 813-817. DOI: 10.1177/1049731515626802
Mitchell-Williams, M., Skipper, A., Alexander, M., & Wilks, S.E. (2017). Reference list accuracy in social work journals: A follow-up analysis. Research on Social Work Practice, 27, 348-352. DOI: 10.1177/1049731515578536
Lewis, L. M., Wilks, S.E., Geiger, J. R., Barthelemy, J. J., & Livermore, M. M. (2017). College student attitudes toward police in south Louisiana: A racial divide. Africology: Journal of Pan African Studies, 10, 206-223.
Selected Presentations (most recent)
Geiger, J.R., & Wilks, S.E. (2018, November). Predicting hospital and nursing facility admissions among noninstitutionalized older adults. Accepted for presentation at the Gerontological Society of America’s 71st Annual Scientific Meeting, Boston, MA.
Wilks, S.E., Boyd, P.A., & Geiger, J.R. (2016, November). Reevaluation of the Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale among persons with late-stage dementia. Presented at the Gerontological Society of America’s 69th Annual Scientific Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
Wilks, S.E., Geiger, J.R., & Chen, Z. (2016, November). Respite care with Alzheimer’s caregivers: A two-year evaluation on psychological health. Presented at the Gerontological Society of America’s 69th Annual Scientific Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
Wilks, S.E., Cain, D.S., Reed Ashcraft, K., & Geiger, J.R. (2016, November). Gerontological competencies among MSW Students: Evaluation of a gerontology specialization program. Presented at the Council on Social Work Education’s 62nd Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
Bates, S.M., Wilks, S.E., Chaney, C., Geiger, J.R., & Ball, A. (2016, January). Psychometric reevaluation of the Coping Inventory for Task Stressors: Distinguishing between African American and Caucasian, Alzheimer’s disease caregivers. Presented at the Society for Social Work and Research 20th Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
Wilks, S.E., Geiger, J.R., Boyd, P.A., & Bates, S.M. (2015, November). Montessori activities and late-stage dementia: Evaluation with behavioral and social outcomes. Presented at the Gerontological Society of America’s 68th Annual Scientific Meeting, Orlando, FL.
Wilks, S.E., & Boyd, P.A. (2015, January). Psychometric reevaluation of the Coping Inventory for Task Stressors. Presented at the Society for Social Work and Research 19th Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Selected Grants/Funded Projects (most recent)
Wilks, S. E., principal investigator/program director. (2017 – 2021). Louisiana State University School of Social Work BHWET Program: Targeted enhancement in integrated behavioral health care across the lifespan. Funded by U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources & Services Administration. Total grant amount: $1.94 million.
Wilks, S. E., principal investigator/program director. (2014 – 2017). Behavioral Health Education and Training for Master’s Level Social Work Interns: Meeting
the Preventive and Interventional Needs of At-Risk Youth in Louisiana. Funded by U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration.
Total grant amount: $1.5 million.
Wilks, S.E., co-investigator. (2015). Assessment of Caregiver Needs across Louisiana. Funded by AARP – Louisiana chapter. Contract amount: $10,000.
Wilks, S.E., principal investigator. (2013 – 15). Evaluation of Program Services at Charlie’s Place Respite Center, Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area. Funded by Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA. Contract amount: $25,000.
Wilks, S. E., principal investigator. (2013 – 2014). Montessori activities to enhance health and well-being among individuals with Alzheimer’s disease: A program evaluation. Contract funded by Poydras Home Retirement Community of New Orleans, LA. Contract amount: $18,000.
Wilks, S. E., principal investigator. (2008 – 10). Examining an appraisal model of burden, coping, and resilience: Differences among African American and Caucasian Alzheimer’s caregivers. Funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation, administered by the Gerontological Society of America. Grant amount: $100,000.