Human Development and Family Studies

Daily stress processes; adult development; family factors in mental health; work and family linkages; fatherhood; statistical techniques for measuring change.

Andrews is the director of field education for the HDFS online Master of Social Work program.

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.

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.

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.

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

Michael Hunter's research interests lie at the intersection of human development, mathematical modeling, and statistical computing.

Jayakody is the director of the online Master of Social Work program.

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.

Lee directs the Sleep, Stress, and Health (STEALTH) laboratory. Her research aims to improve sleep and decrease stress in order to support health.

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).

Melnick is the academic adviser for the HDFS online Master of Social Work program. She is also a teaching professor at Penn State, Scranton campus.

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.

Ross is the director of the specialization in Children and Families for the online Master of Social Work program.

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.

Twumasi-Ankrah is the director of the specialization in Mental Health and Substance Use for the online Master of Social Work program.