Center for Families

Harnessing the power of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends to improve our quality of life.

April 29, 2020

Strength in Single Mother Families Newsletter

The Resilient Families Lab at Purdue University released their April 2020 newsletter on the Strength in Single Mother Families project. The project, led by Zoe Taylor, Associate Professor in the Human Development and Families Studies Department at Purdue, studies the risks...

April 16, 2020

Families Tackling Tough Times Together – an online support community during COVID-19 pandemic

“Families are facing stress from numerous actions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, “Every family has strengths, but at times like this they can benefit from being encouraged and reminded of that. We are providing resources to...

May 29, 2019

‘Let’s move’ wins Pittu Laungani best paper prize

A paper stemming from the work completed during the 2018 Hancock fellowship, lead by Libby Richards, PhD, assistant professor of nursing, has received the Pittu Laungani prize from the International Journal of Health Promotion and Education.The paper is titled, ‘Let’s...

May 29, 2019

Scientists study how service dogs help veterans cope with PTSD

“I think there are people out there who question whether or not service dogs actually help and they are looking for numbers and science,” Dr. Maggie O’Haire told CBS News. O’Haire leads the Organization for Human-Animal Interaction Research and Education,

May 29, 2019

What caregivers need most – MFRI, Tom Hanks, Savannah Guthrie and Andrew Luck join Indiana military veterans, caregivers

A new study released by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and Purdue University’s Military Family Research Institute indicates that in Indiana, most military caregivers are spouses. With the number of veterans in need increasing, more than three-quarters of caregivers are under

May 15, 2019

This Is Why Modern Parenting Is So Damn Hard

Three-time semi finalist in the Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award for Excellence in Work-Family Research, Dr. Jennifer Glass, knows modern parenting is hard. Very hard. Parents are asked to invest more in their kids but are guaranteed less by employers and

April 29, 2019

The science of puberty, understanding a critical period of biological and social development

Today’s puberty research is not just about endocrinology and metabolism, pediatrics and reproductive biology. According to a new study, the topics most written about include age, gender issues and obesity and diabetes. Combining those traditional foundations with new topics, researchers

April 29, 2019

Time doesn’t erase grief, strong emotions connected to the victims of mass shootings

“In terms of mass shootings, grief doesn’t just end,” said Heather Servaty-Seib, a Purdue professor who researches grief and loss. “You don’t have to know someone directly involved to still be seriously affected by it.”

April 29, 2019

CFF Director recognized for positive impact of work

Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, PhD, CFF director, received Purdue College of Health and Human Sciences Engagement Award on April 26. The College recognizes faculty and staff who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in engagement activities that have positively impacted the stakeholders of...

April 29, 2019

The booming business of youth sports leaves some opportunities out of reach for kids of working families

From travel commitments to coaches’ salaries and equipment, the chance for kids to play can often come at an exorbitant cost; insight from Dr. Travis Dorsch, assistant professor at Utah State University and founding director of the Families in Sport