Theatre professor and psychology faculty expand research on drawing and anxiety
Sep 6, 2023
For the past six years, Bill Doan’s research and creative work has focused on how drawing can be a tool for managing mental health. He is now involved in a joint-funded project that is taking that work to a new level by measuring individuals’ physiological responses while drawing. Doan, professor…
Almeida Earns GSA’s 2023 Robert W. Kleemeier Award
Aug 21, 2023
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — has chosen David Almeida, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State, as the 2023 recipient of the Robert W. Kleemeier Award. This distinguished…
SSRI Welcomes Three New Co-Funded Faculty Members
Aug 9, 2023
The Social Science Research Institute welcomes three new co-funded faculty members to Penn State: Cleothia Frazier, asistant professor of sociology in the College of Liberal Arts. Frazier completed her Ph.D. in sociology at Vanderbilt University and MPH at Michigan State University. Prior to…
$4M NIH grant to fund 10 more years of daily stress research in national study
Aug 7, 2023
The National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE), a national study led by David Almeida, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State, has received an additional $4 million of funding from the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health. NSDE is part of…
Max Crowley appointed new director of the Prevention Research Center
Jul 10, 2023
The College of Health and Human Development has announced that Max Crowley, professor of human development and family studies and public policy, has been appointed director of Penn State's Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center (PRC), beginning Aug. 15. Crowley succeeds Stephanie Lanza,…
Nature affects nurture in adoptive child-parent relationships, researchers find
Jul 7, 2023
Genetics play a significant role in how children respond to their adoptive families’ parenting style, according to a new study published by a multi-university team of researchers that includes Jenae Neiderhiser, Penn State distinguished professor of psychology and human development and family…
Tobacco smoke exposure may increase heavy metal levels in children’s saliva
Jun 26, 2023
Secondhand tobacco smoke continues to be a major source of indoor air pollution that causes more than 41,000 nonsmoking adults to die every year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The exposure is even more dire for children, who can be more affected…
Race- and gender-specific interventions may lower drug overdose death rates
Jun 26, 2023
Interventions to address stimulant and opioid use that consider race and gender may prove more effective at preventing overdose deaths than current methods, according to a Penn State-led team of researchers who studied how drug treatment admissions and overdose deaths differed among race and gender…
Low sexual satisfaction linked to memory decline later in life, study finds
May 31, 2023
Low sexual satisfaction in middle age may serve as an early warning sign for future cognitive decline, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. The study, which tracked associations between erectile function, sexual satisfaction and cognition in hundreds of men aged 56 through 68,…
Rate of Fatal Falls Among U.S. Seniors Doubled in 20 Years
May 16, 2023
By Amy Norton, HealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, May 12, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Older Americans are dying of falls at more than double the rate of 20 years ago -- with women, men and all racial groups showing increases, according to a new study. n 2020, the study found, just over 36,500 Americans age…
Penn State research team receives NIH grant to study HIV treatment messaging
May 9, 2023
An interdisciplinary team of Penn State researchers have received a $442,750 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to support a multi-faceted, three-part study that observes how gay and bisexual men search and find HIV prevention information — specifically information about pre-…
Santos receives "We Are!" recognition
Apr 21, 2023
Several Penn State community members recently received a "We Are!" recognition for having gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University. Included in this week's selection is SSRI cofund Alexis Santos, assistant professor of human development and family studies, whose…
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…