Current Research

Through its innovative and groundbreaking research projects, Penn State’s Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) brings world-class faculty members and students together to explore key topics like behavioral neuroscience, behavioral endocrinology, psychoneuroimmunology, genetics, behavioral pharmacology, health promotion, health psychology, and epidemiology, among many others.

Recent HDFS research themes include adolescence and young adulthood, child maltreatment, family systems and processes, gender and development, and substance use.