Daily stress processes; adult development; family factors in mental health; work and family linkages; fatherhood; statistical techniques for measuring change.
Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
Professor-in-Charge, Undergraduate Programs
Summary Statement
Bo Cleveland studies individual differences in substance use and misuse as well as how individuals’ characteristics modify the impact of experiences on substance use and addictive behaviors. His work focuses on person-context and person-experience interactions.
Ken Young Family Professor for Healthy Children
Director, Child Maltreatment Solutions Network
MPI, Translational Center for Child Maltreatment Studies
Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, and Public Policy
Director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center
Summary Statement
Max Crowley is a prevention scientist investigating how to optimize investments in healthy development—with a focus on preventive strategies to reduce substance misuse and delinquent behavior.
Researcher/practitioner interested in the development of social and emotional skills and wellbeing for youth and adults, including mindfulness and compassion-based strategies and systemic changes needed to promote individual and community growth, with a leadership focus.
Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
Edna Bennett Pierce Faculty Fellow in Prevention Research
Summary Statement
Research interests include family systems processes underlying adolescent development (substance use, problem behavior, emotional distress, positive well-being) and understanding change processes in family-centered preventive interventions.
Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
Associate Professor of Psychology
Edna P. Bennett Faculty Fellow in Prevention Research
Summary Statement
Steffany Fredman studies the interpersonal context of mental health (PTSD and related conditions), couple-/family- based interventions designed to simultaneously enhance individual mental health and relational wellbeing, and couple and family adaptation to stress across the li
Assistant professor of Human Development and Family Studies
Ann Atherton Hertzler Early Career Professor in Health and Human Development
Summary Statement
Jones' work addresses the syndemic of substance use disorders, violence, sexual risk behaviors, and HIV/STIs, as well as evaluation of structural and behavioral interventions aimed at reducing substance use and associated harms.
Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
Professor-in-Charge, Graduate Programs
Edna Bennett Pierce Professor of Compassion and Caring
Lynn Martire’s research aims to identify the ways in which close relationships in adulthood affect health and chronic illness management, and the effects of chronic illness on close relationships. Dr. Martire teaches HDFS 418 and 546 (Family Relationships).
Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
ICDS Faculty Co-Hire
Summary Statement
Zita Oravecz's research work has been focused on developing and disseminating innovative computational and statistical techniques for addressing questions related to emotional and cognitive functioning and development.
Associate professor of Human Development and Family Studies
Summary Statement
Dr. Tornello has three major research interests: Family, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The majority her work has focused on the role of family composition and parental sexual orientation and gender in the family system.
Department of Human Development and Family Studies
The Pennsylvania State University
119 Health and Human Development Building
University Park, PA 16802
