Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center

New study shows links between family dynamics and COVID-19 preventative measures

Jun 13, 2022

New research from Penn State suggests that supporting strong family relationships and reducing chaos at home may increase the likelihood that parents and children will engage in behaviors intended to prevent transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Researchers from the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention…

New program may help parents of children with autism, study finds

Apr 27, 2022

Researchers at Penn State and the University of South Carolina have recently found that a program for parents of children recently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) shows promising evidence of helping parents access services for their child, strengthening their co-parenting skills and…

'Family Foundations' parenting program helps families weather the pandemic

Feb 7, 2022

For nearly 20 years, Penn State Research Professor Mark Feinberg has been developing and sharing Family Foundations, a course for couples expecting their first child that focuses on how to work as a team, communicate, and solve problems. New research shows that couples who took Family Foundations…

How can body weight affect the mortality risk of excessive drinkers?

Jan 25, 2022

While research has long shown a higher risk of death linked to alcoholism for people with overweight, a new study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence has found that people with underweight who drink excessively may be at an even higher risk of dying from heart disease, cancer and…

Professor shares tips on managing stress and building resilience

Jul 29, 2021

Heidemarie Laurent, who became Penn State's second Bennett Pierce Professor of Caring and Compassion in July, conducts cutting-edge research on how interpersonal relationships — starting with experiences in the womb and continuing to develop throughout life — shape people’s ability to handle stress…

New book: Time-Varying Effect Modeling for the Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences

Jul 7, 2021

This book, co-authored by Stephanie Lanza, Penn State professor of biobehavioral health and director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center (PRC); and Ashley Linden-Carmichael, PRC assistant research professor, is the first to introduce applied behavioral, social, and health sciences…

Penn State researchers are developing app to promote family well-being

Jun 23, 2021

The middle-school years mark a time of rapid change for pre-teens and teens, as well as for their parents. As adolescents seek greater independence, it can be challenging for their parents to connect with and guide them. Penn State researchers, with funding from the Mental Research Institute, are…

Parents may underestimate impact of involving adolescent children in conflicts

Jun 22, 2021

When parents who are fighting with each other draw their adolescent children into their conflicts, the children may perceive those conflicts very differently than their parents, according to a new Penn State study. "Parents may not realize the impact they are having on their children," said Devin…

2021 Lecture on Compassion to focus on preventing premature aging

Apr 12, 2021

Early life experiences involving feelings of love, safety and fear may influence whether someone remains healthy as they age. “In many ways, aging, and resilience to premature aging, begins in the womb, and is especially influenced early in life,” said Elissa Epel, professor of psychiatry at the…

New website launches to support communities in preventing youth substance use

Oct 12, 2020

A new website, located at prosper.psu.edu, will aid in recruiting Pennsylvania communities and families to participate in PROSPER, or PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience, a program proven to reduce use throughout entire communities by working with middle school…

Penn State research center to host Annie E. Casey Diversity Program Scholars

Jan 5, 2018

The Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center at Penn State will host two postdoctoral researchers from the second cohort of the Annie E. Casey Foundation 2018 Leader Equitable Evaluation and Diversity (LEEAD) program. The LEEAD program, launched by the Casey Foundation in 2016, was created to…