The Graduate Program in Applied Developmental Science (ADS) at Colorado State University offers graduate training in research and its application to issues that affect the quality of life of individuals, families, and communities. Human Development and Family Studies offers an interdisciplinary approach to development across the lifespan leading to the Ph.D. degree in ADS.
Faculty Research Areas
The ADS program is served by 14 full-time graduate faculty in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies plus 9 affiliate faculty. The ADS faculty's research interests and expertise encompass the entire lifespan and embrace a range of interests at the intersection of basic and applied research. Students are asked to identify potential faculty mentors as part of the application process.
• Risk, Resilience, and Developmental Psychopathology
Faculty pursue research programs related to why at-risk individuals have favorable outcomes, processes related to developmental psychopathology and atypical development, the nature of risktaking behaviors, and developmental disabilities.
• Treatment, Intervention, and Prevention Science
Most faculty in the ADS program are concerned with translational research: How to devise effective intervention and treatment strategies that are based on empirical evidence and careful evaluations. Such endeavors encompass, for example, school-based programs, substance abuse prevention for youth and treatment for young adults, programs to prevent frailty in old age, Extension programs, interventions that promote work/family balance, and evaluations of family therapy. Policy analysis also is a key part of prevention science.
• Emotion, Regulation, and Relational Processes
Socioemotional processes are a focus of ADS faculty research (e.g., emotional development; attachment) as are various aspects of regulation including self regulation and emotion regulation. Such processes are essential to school readiness and success, which is a common thread of several faculty research programs. Relational processes include a focus on parenting, family caregiving, and family/school linkages.
• Adult Development and Aging
Several faculty focus their research on emerging adulthood and development in midlife and the later part of the lifespan, as well as intergenerational family relationships. Developmental processes include healthy aging, awareness of age-related change, wisdom, and self-regulation changes across the adult years.
• Cultural Context and Diversity
Consistent with HDFS's basis in ecological theory, many faculty conduct research on cultural influences, on gender and power dynamics in families, and on other forms of diversity. Also, multiple graduate courses are infused with content related to culture, ethnicity, and gender. Several journal articles describe our infusion model, and the department has been honored with awards for our innovations related to diversity.
• Focus on Methodological Rigor
ADS faculty members have expertise in the application of sophisticated research methods and analytical techniques to basic research questions (e.g., dynamic systems methods, multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling, daily diary methods, qualitative methods) as well as to real-world problems of program evaluation. Such expertise is invaluable as students learn to conduct research on complex social problems.
Core Graduate Faculty in HDFS
Karen Caplovitz Barrett, PhD
Emotion regulation & its development; social emotions; family/cultural influences on emotions and early socioemotional development
Zeynep Biringen, PhD
Emotional availability & attachment; early child care; military families & separation experiences; effects of divorce; prevention/intervention
Manfred Diehl, PhD
Self-concept development across the adult lifespan; self- and emotion regulation in adulthood; awareness of age-related change in adulthood
Robert Fetsch, PhD
Stress & coping in farm/ranch families; anger management; quality of life enhancement; program evaluation
Deborah J. Fidler, PhD
Intellectual and developmental disability; atypical development; early intervention
Christine A. Fruhauf, PhD
Grandparent-grandchild relationships; family caregiving for older adults; quality of life for adults with Alzheimer's disease; implications of service learning for gerontological education
Shelley Haddock, PhD
Gender and power dynamics in couples and families; LGBT individuals, couples, and families; Internal Family Systems Therapy
Thao Le, PhD, MPH
Immigrant youth delinquency; wisdom & self-transcendence; youth & adult development cross-culturally
Erika Lunkenheimer, PhD
Parent-child interaction; developmental psychopathology; child self-regulation, socioemotional development & school readiness; dynamic systems methodology; family intervention science
David MacPhee, PhD
Competent v. abusive parenting; early prevention & family support programs; risk & resilience; culture and parenting
Jenn Matheson, PhD
Addictions & substance abuse; campus drug court treatment; gender and power; qualitative methods
Francisco Palermo, PhD
Early literacy development & the acquisition of English as a second language; social relationships; school readiness; ethnic minority populations
Lise M. Youngblade, PhD
Child & adolescent health; development in context; health-care access and policy for vulnerable youth and families; program evaluation; adolescent risk-taking & health-promoting behavior
Toni Zimmerman, PhD
Diversity education for youth; work & family issues; analysis of cultural messages that promote or resist stereotypes
Affiliate Graduate Faculty
Patricia Aloise-Young, PhD (Psychology)
Adolescent cigarette smoking; self-presentation
Donna Boudreau, PhD (HDFS)
Speech and language development
Silvia Canetto, PhD (Psychology)
Gender, culture, and science; human diversity & aging; suicidal behaviors
Patricia Davies, PhD (Occupational Therapy)
Relation of brain activity to sensory and cognitive functional performance
William J. Gavin, PhD (Occupational Therapy)
Speech and language development; electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERPs) measures of sensory processing & cognitive development
Kim Henry, PhD (Psychology)
School disengagement; adolescent development; developmental psychopathology; longitudinal & multivariate methodology
George Morgan, PhD (Education)
Mastery motivation; evaluation of research; research methods
David Most, PhD (Education)
Research methods; developmental disabilities
Randy Swaim, PhD (Psychology)
Cross-cultural substance use; quantitative methodology
FORT COLLINS: HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE
Colorado State University is located in Fort Collins, an hour's drive north of Denver. At the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Fort Collins has excellent schools, outstanding recreational opportunities (access to some of the best skiing in the world, hundreds of miles of biking trails, fishing, river kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, and camping), and a sunny climate. With a population of 135,000, the city has been listed by several national publications as one of the best places to live in the United States.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Graduate Admissions
Applied Developmental Science
Dept. of Human Development & Family Studies
Gifford 1570
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
ADSPHD@cahs.colostate.edu<mailto:ADSPHD@cahs.colostate.edu>
http://www.hdfs.cahs.colostate.edu/grad/
APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 15
