Self-monitoring physical activity matters, according to smartwatch study
Mar 7, 2023
By the start of 2023, hundreds of millions of fitness trackers like Fitbits or Apple Watches had been sold to people who wanted to become or remain healthy. Many consumers rely on the step counts and activity tracking provided by these devices to help them increase their physical activity levels.…
Trauma causes high levels of intergenerational substance use among Black women
Feb 22, 2023
Government data show that approximately 7.2 million women in the United States have substance use disorders (SUDs) and almost 20 million reported illicit substance use in the past year. New research suggests that trauma leads to high levels of intergenerational substance use among Black women, and…
Demographers identify the causes, challenges of a rapidly aging Puerto Rico
Feb 8, 2023
The Puerto Rican population is aging rapidly, with the percentage of older adults on the island the 10th highest in the world. Penn State researchers are discovering, for the first time, the causes of population aging and how it will negatively impact Puerto Rico. Amílcar Matos-Moreno, postdoctoral…
Penn State establishes international center for co-parenting research
Feb 6, 2023
The arrival of a baby can bring tremendous joy — and stress — to new parents. Research in several countries has shown that new parents who learn teamwork skills are more likely to have supportive relationships that result in better physical and mental health, more sensitive and warm parenting…
Study finds that experiences of daily stress decrease as people age
Dec 1, 2022
Stories about how daily stress can negatively impact people’s lives, from physical health to mental and emotional well-being, are frequently in the media. But there is good news about the experience of daily stress as people age. Results from a recent research study led by David Almeida, professor…
Obesity prevention in military families the focus of new $3.5M NIH grant
Nov 29, 2022
Pregnancy is the highest risk period in a woman's life for developing obesity, and the first year of life is a sensitive period for the development of regulatory patterns in children that affect lifelong weight and health status. A new $3.5 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of…
Susan McHale retiring after 40 years of accomplished research and leadership
Aug 29, 2022
Susan McHale, a longtime faculty member in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, is retiring after more than 40 years with Penn State. McHale joined the department in 1980. Her research has focused on family roles, relationships, and activities, and their links with youth…
Abenaa Jones named Ann Atherton Hertzler Early Career Professor
Aug 4, 2022
Abenaa Jones, assistant professor of human development and family studies, has been named the Ann Atherton Hertzler Early Career Professor in Health and Human Development at Penn State. Jones works to find solutions to complex, real-world problems, including substance use disorders, social and…
Healthy sleep habits before kindergarten help children adjust to school
Jul 25, 2022
The transition to kindergarten is a notable milestone for children and families, who typically prepare by gathering school supplies and meeting the teacher. New research suggests that one important way to prepare for the transition to first-time schooling is to develop a bedtime routine in which…
Program helps new parents build strong, loving bonds and teamwork skills
Jun 28, 2022
Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development, a scientific organization dedicated to evaluating programs designed to promote the well-being of youth, has recently designated Family Foundations as a "Certified Model Program." Family Foundations is an evidence-based program developed by Mark Feinberg,…
Penn State researchers study adolescents' life aspirations in Cambodia
May 31, 2022
Adolescents are tasked with navigating competing priorities, including whether to marry, have children, pursue a job/career, go to college, and contribute to society. A paper recently published in Developmental Psychology describes one of the first studies to examine how adolescents in a developing…News Topics: Human Development and Family StudiesAdolescents
Sibling interactions impact child well-being in Latinx children
May 16, 2022
Most children in the U.S. grow up with siblings, yet the role of sibling relations in child development and well-being is relatively understudied, especially among families of color. Researchers at Penn State, Arizona State University, and Harvard are working together to study these dynamics in…
Strong Penn State representation highlight of recent SBM meeting
Apr 20, 2022
Several Penn State researchers participated in the Society of Behavioral Medicine 43rd Annual Meeting, held recently in Baltimore. The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) is a non-profit organization that brings together multiple independent disciplines – from nursing, psychology, and medicine to…
Crowley elected to Board of Global Alliance for Behavioral Health & Social Justice
Jan 27, 2022
Max Crowley, associate professor of human development and family studies & public policy and director of the Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative at Penn State, was recently elected to the Global Alliance for Behavioral Health & Social Justice Board of Directors. Formed in 1924 as the American…News Topics: EICHuman Development and Family Studies
Connection to racial identity may boost body image in Black youth
Jan 27, 2022
Adolescence can be a time filled with anxiety and insecurity about body shape and size, but a new Penn State study found that for Black youth, having a strong racial identity may help stave off these worries. The researchers found that among Black youth between the ages of 11 and 19 with high body…
Peter Molenaar retiring after 17 years at Penn State
Dec 10, 2021
The College of Health and Human Development celebrates Peter Molenaar, who is retiring at the end of the fall 2021 semester. Peter, a remarkable scholar, teacher, mentor, and friend, joined the faculty of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies in 2005, coming from the University of…
Impacts of COVID-19 school closures on Latino sibling dynamics
Nov 23, 2021
School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic meant that many children spent much of their time at home in the spring of 2020. For most children, this meant more time spent with sisters and brothers, creating the potential to change family dynamics. For family scholars like Xiaoran Sun, former…
Gatzke-Kopp featured on parenting podcast
Sep 27, 2021
SSRI cofund Lisa Gatzke-Kopp was recently interviewed on the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast to explore the issue of how parents can help their child’s emotion regulation development. She shares her research on the synchrony between parent and child from parenting in infancy.
Closeness with dads may play special role in how kids weather adolescence
Aug 3, 2021
Adolescence can be an emotionally turbulent time, but new research at Penn State found that close, supportive relationships with parents — especially dads — at key points during adolescence can help stave off certain adjustment problems. The researchers examined how emotionally close and supportive…
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…
Human development and family studies professor joins Recovery Rising initiative
Jun 22, 2021
H. Harrington ‘Bo’ Cleveland, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State and SSRI cofunded faculty member, has been appointed to the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ Recovery Rising initiative. Recovery Rising works to foster a resilient, diverse and…
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…
Parents more lenient about alcohol with teens who experience puberty early
Apr 29, 2021
Parents of teens who went through puberty early may be more lenient when it comes to letting them consume alcohol, according to a new Penn State study. But the researchers said that even if adolescents appear more mature, drinking alcohol is still not safe for them. Rebecca Bucci, a doctoral…
Buss recognized with 2021 President's Award for academic integration
Apr 22, 2021
Kristin Buss, Tracy Winfree and Ted H. McCourtney Professor in Children, Work, and Families, Professor of Psychology; professor of human development and family studies; and head of the psychology department in Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts; has been awarded Penn State's 2021 President’s…
Data collection for human science, 2D materials focus of data science talks
Mar 28, 2021
The upcoming Data Science Community Research Talks will feature two researchers using data science approaches in their research, one studying ethical ways to conduct human science while maintaining data privacy, and another using techniques to accelerate the development of two-dimensional materials…