PhD in Human Development and Family Sciences - Couples, Parents and Families in Storrs United States | University of Connecticut

A key strength of our department lies in the numerous faculty members engaged in both fundamental and applied research, emphasizing intimate connections—be it between partners, parents and children, or families in the broadest sense. Many of our faculty hold prominent positions in the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR), a global organization dedicated to advancing knowledge about families and relationships.

Our department boasts exceptional breadth and depth in the study of Couples, Parents, and Families. A robust team of faculty and graduate students explores various dimensions of these relationships. Key highlights of UConn HDFS research in this field include:

Diverse relationship focus: Investigations span heterosexual and LGBTQ partnerships, interracial marriages and families, parent-child dynamics across life stages, foster and blended families, remarriage, and intergenerational caregiving
Lifespan approach: Research covers development from early childhood through later adulthood
Contextual examination: Studies incorporate cultural, socioeconomic, familial, gender, caregiving, and workplace influences
Dual research focus: Combines theoretical inquiry with practical applications, including family intervention programs, couples therapy effectiveness, and health promotion initiatives for families
Comprehensive family aspects: Explores parenting approaches, raising multiracial adolescents, parental acceptance/rejection effects, post-divorce adaptation, identity shifts during family changes, and high-conflict relationships
Broad outcome spectrum: Analyzes numerous consequences of family interactions, including childhood empathy development, divorce predictors, and sexual/reproductive health outcomes