Research

My research investigates family- and community-level risk and protective factors for youth adjustment among families affected by major stressors. My work currently centers on the impact of parental stress (including trauma, HIV, substance use, racism, & financial strain) on children’s well-being and parent-child relationships. I am interested in parents’ role in promoting child and adolescent health and preventing the intergenerational transmission of risk. The goal of my research is to reduce health inequities by using knowledge about risk and protective factors to guide the development of family-based, trauma-informed prevention and intervention efforts.

Themes of my research program include:

Parenting, family processes, and community context in families affected by unique stressors

Intersection of trauma, HIV, and substance use, and the intergenerational transmission of risk

Parent-based child & adolescent health promotion and prevention of social-emotional and physical health difficulties

The application of advanced quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods

A commitment to cultural humility, diversity, and equity

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