Jane D. McLeod is admired for her work in exploring social disparities in children's physical and mental health, re-envisioning the stress model of mental health research, and promoting the integration of social psychology into research on inequality. McLeod is among the few sociologists who have published in all of the top-ranked journals in the discipline, including the American Sociological Review, American Journal of Sociology and Social Forces. For her work, she received the American Sociological Association's Leonard I. Pearlin Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Sociological Study of Mental Health. In addition, she has co-edited the volumes "Mental Health, Social Mirror" and the "Handbook of the Social Psychology of Inequality," both of which are used in graduate courses. The recipient of several teaching/mentor awards, McLeod has taught undergraduate and graduate research methods, sociology of mental health, medical sociology, and other courses with distinction but says she especially values her one-on-one mentorship of students. In 2020, McLeod was awarded Indiana University's Bicentennial Medal in recognition of her distinguished contributions and support of the university.