My research on human development and family processes examines the differential impact of coparenting conflict types on the emergence of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in children. Using an evolutionary-developmental framework, I am working in a theoretical hypothesis about the evolutionary function of coparenting behavior. We are now exploring how cooperation and conflict in coparenting dyads may be explained by individuals¿ sociosexual orientation, attachment orientations and evolutionary social behaviors, as well as how individuals make `trade-offs¿ between life history strategies. We are also working on cumulative ecological risk models of family violence (intimate partner violence and child physical maltreatment) for the prediction of family members¿ well-being and family functioning.
My lab has two additional lines of work: research on psychological assessment methods and validation of evidence-based psychological intervention programs for children and families.