Shawna Lee Receives Grant from Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Associate Professor Shawna Lee’s study, “Transactional family processes supporting father involvement and child socio-emotional wellbeing” received a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to examine transactional processes related to father involvement and child wellbeing in low-income families.

Research shows that low father involvement and/ or absence (LFIA) is associated with negative outcomes for children, such as greater antisocial and behavior problems, lower educational attainment, and poorer mental and physical health. Yet, relatively little is known about the family processes that are associated with and predict LFIA especially in racially diverse low-income families. In these studies, Lee and her team will examine transactional processes related to father involvement and child wellbeing in low-income families. Findings from these studies will help to identify mechanisms relevant to preventative interventions to decrease LFIA and improve child socio-emotional wellbeing in vulnerable families.