Tweens on Screens
The Tweens on Screens project, led by Dr. Jessica Dollar (Psychology), Dr. Michaeline Jensen (Psychology), and Dr. Laurie Wideman Gold (Kinesiology), is studying how kids ages 10–12 use technology in daily life, and how children's self-regulation skills and parents guide them to have healthy technology habits. By looking closely at these patterns, we hope to uncover what helps kids thrive, what puts them at risk, and how families can build healthy digital habits together.
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Our goal is simple: to give parents science-backed tools and tips for raising confident, well-balanced kids in the digital age.
iGrowUp
The iGrowUp project, led by the project team of Dr. Esther Leerkes (HDFS), Dr. Jessica Dollar (Psychology), Dr. Lenka Shriver (Nutrition), and Dr. Laurie Wideman Gold (Kinesiology), aims to examine the biopsychosocial predictors of childhood obesity from infancy through age 5. Most relevant to Dr. Dollar’s research interests, the project aims to identify if children’s general self-regulation or self-regulation specifically in response to food, is most important in predicting childhood obesity.
College Students Daily Health Behaviors Study
This study, led by Dr. Jessica Dollar (Psychology), Dr. Michaeline Jensen (Psychology), and Dr. Jaclyn Maher (Kinesiology), is interested in understanding how and why some young adults engage in health risk behaviors and experience mental health challenges that compromise their academic success and long-term health. Little research has taken a comprehensive, daily-level approach to examining how health behaviors (e.g., technology use, physical activity, substance use, sleep) interact in real-time and may be influenced by and/or influence one's ability to control their attention, behavior, and emotions. This study aims to examine the daily health behavior patterns of college students, using baseline and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys and objective methodology (accelerometry, screen shots of technology engagement) to examine key research questions. Findings will provide insight into how multiple behavioral and psychological factors co-occur and potentially interact at a daily and trait level to inform future health promotion efforts targeting this population.
The RIGHT Track Project
The RIGHT Track Project is a collaborative effort of the Psychology, Kinesiology, Human Development and Family Studies, and Nutrition departments to explore how self-regulation in childhood impacts development in adolescents and young adults. Across four NIH R01 grants, the RIGHT Track project aimed to examine the role of self-regulatory development across childhood and adolescence in predicting psychological and social adjustment, academic functioning, engagement in risk taking behaviors, and physical health.
