March 2025 was another month where MSU Department of Human Development and Family Studies members celebrated awards, funding, publications and media attention.
Publications
"Out of the Mouths of Babes: Black Children’s Experiences of Emotion-Focused Racial–Ethnic Socialization, Coping, and Antiracist Resistance," by Emilie Phillips Smith, Simone E. Bibbs, Deborah J. Johnson, Lekie Dwanyen, Kendal Holtrop and LaVelle Gipson-Tansil was published in Behavioral Sciences: https://www.mdpi.com/3184766.
Dr. Yijie Wang, HDFS associate professor, published," Sleep as a Protective Factor: Multiple Forms of Discrimination and Substance Use Intention Among Racially and Ethnically Minoritized United States Youth," in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Dr. Amy Nuttall, HDFS associate professor, collaborated in a new MSU study bringing to light the impact of prenatal stress.
Dr. Sarah Douglas and doctoral candidate Emily Jensen published, “’I need everybody to understand that he's a whole child’: A mixed-methods study exploring caregivers' experiences with their children with medical complexities,” in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing.
Dr. Jamie Wu recently published research, “All Work and All Play: Participation in Leisure Activities in Academically Focused Afterschool Programming Is Linked to Better Math Grades,” in the Journal of Healthy Eating and Active Living, and “Using the child opportunity index to examine equity in access to a state-funded prekindergarten program,” in Early Child Research Quarterly. Additionally, she published, “From 'Survival Mode' to '#winning': Michigan Pre-K Teachers’ Experiences During the First Year of COVID-19," in the Early Childhood Education Journal.
Dr. Yuya Kiuchi published “Positive body image, multidimensional sport-confidence and subjective performance in Botswana athletes: The contributing role of perceived body acceptance by coaches and teammates,” in the Journal of Sports Sciences.
Dr. Jamie Wu, and her research team at Community Evaluation Programs - University Outreach and Engagement, have received five statewide grants in 2025 with an annual budget of 1.7 million. Their continued work monitors the current state of Michigan's childcare sector and examines the accessibility, quality and impacts of Michigan's publicly funded preschools (for 3- and 4-year-olds), and out-of-school time programs (for K-12 graders). Building upon the sustained partnerships with the State and regional networks, their work applies knowledge to practice and helps improve Michigan youth's and families' access to quality care and enrichment opportunities. Learn more: cep.msu.edu.
Congratulations to Dr. Chi-Fang Tseng and her co-investigator for having their new research project funded by the College of Social Science that will investigate the mental health needs of Southeast Asian refugees in the Lansing area and what barriers prevent them from getting services.
In the Media
Dr. Claire Vallotton was interviewed on USA Today about sibling gifts at birthdays with a potential reach of 209 million views.
The MSU College of Social Science featured Deja Young in their article about the Women’s Leadership Institute.
Awards/Accomplishments
This year, Dr. Yuya Kiuchi received the Great IDEA Faculty Excellence Award, and Family and Community Services, the program Laurie Bulock leads, received the Great IDEA Award.
100% of students in the Child Development: Birth to Kindergarten and Special Education B.A. program passed the state teaching licensure exam between 2021 and 2024.
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