Within most western countries, the family is rapidly transforming in form, structure, and stability. Yet, the quality of couple and family relationships, such as the level of mutual responsiveness, intimacy and satisfaction, remain among the most important sources for human happiness and health.
My program of research seeks to further our understanding of the patterns of change in the quality of couple and family relationships over time. This includes understanding how family relationships naturally unfold, as well as how interventions influence their course. Within this broader framework, my research has some more specific aims:
• Understand how behavioral patterns within parent-parent or parent-child relationships influence the course and stability of the family.
• Understand how contextual stressors and individual vulnerabilities influence the course and stability of the family.
• Adapt, develop and evaluate easy-access (face-to-face and web-based) interventions for couples and parents in real-world contexts.
My teaching areas: