Lorene Burkhart Award for Excellence in Research about Families

The Center for Families fosters a commitment to strengthening the capacity of families to provide a nurturing environment for their members. A reflection of this commitment is our creation of this award to recognize outstanding research about families being conducted by Purdue faculty.

Nomination must include a cover letter indicating support for a given article as outstanding family research; an electronic copy of the nominated article; and contact information for the nominator and the lead author for the article.

   Nominations will begin to be accepted for 2027 in October. Check back at that time to submit articles published in 2026.
If you have questions, contact Committee Chair, Melissa Franks at mfranks@purdue.edu

All nominated articles will be evaluated by a panel of reviewers from the Center for Families Review Committee. The award recipient will receive $500.

Questions? Contact the Center for Families at cff@purdue.edu.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Self-nominations are accepted
  • Researchers who have not received this award within the past three years are eligible
  • Article will represent outstanding family research
  • Lead author must be faculty member at Purdue University
  • Articles must be published work during the previous calendar year (may be published in print or in advance online)
  • Articles must have been published in a peer-reviewed journal
  • Articles must be empirical (both qualitative and quantitative methods are welcome, but narrative literature reviews are not eligible)
  • Published work may be from any discipline, department, or college

How to Nominate

To be considered, an emailed nomination must include

  • A cover letter indicating support for a given article as outstanding family research
  • Electronic copy of the nominated article
  • Contact information for the nominator
  • Contact information for the lead author for the nominated article

Nominations should be submitted by email to Award Chair, Melissa Franks at mfranks@purdue.edu

Recipients of the Burkhart Award

2025 – Structural Risks and Family Adjustment in Midwestern Latine Immigrant Families: Extending the Family Stress Model

  • Zoe Taylor, Human Development and Family Science, College of Health and Human Sciences
  • Taylor, Z. E., Carrizales, A., Moffitt, A., & Ruiz, Y. (2024). Structural risks and family adjustment in midwestern Latine immigrant families: Extending the family stress model. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 30(4), 815–828. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000668

      2024 – Palliative Care Needs and Preferences of Older Adults with Advanced or Serious Chronic Illnesses and Their Families in Rural Communities of Indiana

      • Nasreen Lalani, School of Nursing, College of Health and Human Sciences
      • Lalani, N., Hamash, K., & Wang, Y. (2024). Palliative Care Needs and Preferences of Older Adults with Advanced or Serious Chronic Illnesses and Their Families in Rural Communities of Indiana, USA. The Journal of Rural Health, 40(2), 368-375.https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12787

      2024 – Family Math Engagement in Rural Families in Rural Contexts

      • Sarah Eason, Human Development and Family Science, College of Health and Human Sciences
      • Eason, S. H., Leech, K. A., Anderson, K. L., & Pedonti, S. (2023). Family Math Engagement with Preschoolers in Rural Contexts. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 89, 101600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2023.101600

      2023 – Qualitative Examination of Familial Racial-Ethnic Socialization Experiences Among Multiracial American Emerging Adults

      • Annabelle Atkin, Human Development and Family Science, College of Health and Human Sciences
      • Atkin, A. L., Jackson, K. F., White, R. M. B., & Tran, A. G. T. T. (2022). A Qualitative Examination of Familial Racial-Ethnic Socialization Experiences Among Multiracial American Emerging Adults. Journal of Family Psychology, 36(2), 179–190. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000918

      2022 – Breast Cancer Survivors’ Satisfying Marriages Predict Better Psychological and Physical Health: A Longitudinal Comparison of Satisfied, Dissatisfied, and Unmarried Women

      • Rosie Shrout, Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Sciences
      • Shrout, M. R., Renna, M. E., Madison, A. A., Alfano, C. M., Povoski, S. P., Lipari, A. M., … & Kiecolt‐Glaser, J. K. (2021). Breast Cancer Survivors’ Satisfying Marriages Predict Better Psychological and Physical Health: A Longitudinal Comparison of Satisfied, Dissatisfied, and Unmarried Women. Psycho‐Oncology, 30(5), 699-707. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5615

      2021 – Family Support and Mental Health of Latinx Children in Migrant Farmworker Families

      • Zoe Taylor, Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Sciences
      • Taylor, Z. E., Ruiz, Y., Nair, N., & Mishra, A. A. (2020). Family Support and Mental Health of Latinx Children in Migrant Farmworker Families. Applied Developmental Science. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2020.1800466

      2020 – Parenting and prenatal risk as moderators of genetic influences on conduct problems during middle childhood

      • Kristine Marceau, Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Sciences
      • Marceau, K., Rolan, E., Leve, L. D., Ganiban, J. M., Reiss, D., Shaw, D. S., … & Neiderhiser, J. M. (2019). Parenting and prenatal risk as moderators of genetic influences on conduct problems during middle childhood. Developmental Psychology, 55(6), 1164. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000701

      2019 – He Would Never Let Me Just Give Up”: Communicatively Constructing Dyadic Resilience in the Experience of Breast Cancer

      • Maria Venetis, Brian Lamb School of Communication, College of Liberal Arts; Lead author Helen Lillie
      • Lillie, H. M., Venetis, M. K., & Chernichky-Karcher, S. M. (2018). “He Would Never Let Me Just Give Up”: Communicatively Constructing Dyadic Resilience in the Experience of Breast Cancer. Health Communication, 33(12), 1516-1524. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2017.1372049

      2018 – Do older parents’ relationships with their adult children affect cognitive limitations, and does this differ for mothers and fathers?

      • Patricia Thomas, Sociology, College of Liberal Arts
      • Thomas, P. A., & Umberson, D. (2017). Do Older Parents’ Relationships With Their Adult Children Affect Cognitive Limitations, and Does This Differ for Mothers and Fathers?. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbx009

      2017 – Post-Adoption Depression: Parental Classes of Depressive Symptoms Across Time

      • Karen Foli, Nursing, College of Health and Human Sciences
      • Foli, K. J., South, S. C., Lim, E., & Jarnecke, A. (2016). Post-Adoption Depression: Parental Classes of Depressive Symptoms Across Time. Journal of Affective Disorders, 200, 293- 302. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.01.049

      2016 – Dilemmas Families Face in Talking With Returning U.S. Military Service Members About Seeking Professional Help for Mental Health Issues

      • Steven R. Wilson, Communication, College of Liberal Arts
      • Wilson, S. R., Gettings, P. E., Hall, E. D., & Pastor, R. G. (2015). Dilemmas Families Face in Talking with Returning US Military Service Members About Seeking Professional Help for Mental Health Issues. Health Communication, 30(8), 772-783. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2014.899659

      2015 – Low-Income Women’s Navigation of Childbearing Norms Throughout the Reproductive Life Course

      • Christie Sennott, Sociology, College of Liberal Arts
      • James-Hawkins, L., & Sennott, C. (2014). Low-Income Women’s Navigation of Childbearing Norms Throughout the Reproductive Life Course. Qualitative Health Research, 1049732314548690. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1049732314548690

      2014 – Filling the Void: Bolstering Attachment Security in Committed Relationships

      • Ximena Arriaga, Psychological Sciences, College of Liberal Arts
      • Arriaga, X. B., Kumashiro, M., Finkel, E. J., VanderDrift, L. E., & Luchies, L. B. (2013). Filling the Void Bolstering Attachment Security in Committed Relationships. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 1948550613509287. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1948550613509287

      2013 – Parenting, Race, and Socioeconomic Status: Links to School Readiness​

      • Aryn Dotterer, Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Sciences
      • Dotterer, A. M., Iruka, I. U., & Pungello, E. (2012). Parenting, Race, and Socioeconomic Status: Links to School Readiness.Family Relations, 61(4), 657-670. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2012.00716.x