Research Signature Areas
Health and Well-being of Children and Youth
Our researchers are dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of all children and youth, which lays the foundation for health and well-being over many decades of adult life.
College of Health faculty focus on the critical roles that social policies, families, educational settings, and communities play in promoting positive early child and youth development.
Child-focused researchers study self-regulation, early education and readiness for school, parenting styles and behaviors, housing, and poverty.
Faculty also have expertise in improving quality of life through physical activity and motor skill development and providing those with developmental and acquired disabilities equitable access to play and mobility, including toy- and game-based technologies.
Because youth is a critical period connecting childhood and adulthood, faculty focus on healthy and risky behaviors of teens and young adults.
For example, some study behaviors such as safer sexual activity (e.g., preventing sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies, promoting sexual health for LGBTQ+ individuals, treating hepatitis C) and substance use (e.g., vaping and smoking, marijuana, misuse of prescription stimulants or opioids).
Others focus on leadership development, social belonging/isolation, and healthy relationships with peers and partners.
News and stories
Recent health and well-being of children and youth news and stories.
HDFS doctoral student Mehwish Dawood shared research on parenting styles and child engagement at SSHD 2025, highlighting the role of family-teacher relationships in early learning.
David Rothwell, Knudson Chair in Family Policy and associate professor of human development and family sciences, spoke with The Oregonian about the implications of “Trump Accounts” on child well-being across Oregon.
Mary Arnold co-edited a new volume that brings together scholars and practitioners to bridge research and practice in positive youth development.
Will Massey and graduate students co-led a national panel on youth sport mental health guidelines at a Nike-hosted convening in NYC.
The OSU 2Play Lab and Associate Professor Will Massey were recognized for their impact on youth well-being in the 2025 federal review of Jackson Street Youth Services.
Ashley McKelvey switched from nursing to nutrition research at OSU. Learn how her work on preterm infant digestion and human milk peptides impacts infant health.
Recent publications
Recent health and well-being of children and youth publications
(This is not an exhaustive list. Visit individual faculty profiles for more extensive lists of their publications.)
2026
Projects, programs and laboratories
Health and well-being of children and youth projects, programs and laboratories.
(This is not an exhaustive list. Contact individual faculty for more information of their current and past research.)
Research programGo Baby Go Oregon
Go Baby Go is a national, community-based research, design and outreach program that provides modified ride-on cars to children birth to age 3 who experience limited mobility.
OSU Co-Director: Sam Logan, PhD
OHSU Co-Director: Bethany Sloane, DPT
Website: Go Baby Go Oregon
Research programKindergarten Readiness Research Program
The Kindergarten Readiness Research Program is dedicated towards helping young children enter school ready to learn. As a research lab, our team works to develop ways to measure and improve self-regulation skills in young children.
Director: Megan McClelland, PhD
Research laboratoryMilk Protein Digestion Laboratory
The overall aim of the Milk Protein Digestion Laboratory's research is to improve the health of premature infants, a population with poor health outcomes (including early mortality, developmental disorders, and high risk of infection) in comparison with term-delivered, breast milk-fed infants. We apply peptidomics, proteomics and enzyme analyses to examine how milk proteins are degraded in infants and functional assays to examine the antimicrobial and immunomodulatory actions of milk peptides.
Director: David Dallas, PhD
The Dallas Lab website
Research programNew and Emerging Tobacco Study
We identify the patterns of use and perceptions of new and emerging tobacco products by high risk populations. We are interested in understanding race/ethnic health disparities and designing health communications to reduce the impact of tobacco on those communities.
Director: Kari-Lyn Sakuma, PhD, MPH
Website: New and Emerging Tobacco Study
Research programOregon Child Care Research Partnership
The Child Care Research Partnership ensures that basic information about child care and early education in Oregon is current, accurate, and available on local, regional, and state levels and is accessible to all decision-makers. The Partnership's work informs state and national early learning policy.
Director: Megan Pratt, PhD
Research programOregon Parenting Education Collaborative
The Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative (OPEC) is a partnership between four of Oregon's largest foundations (The Oregon Community Foundation, The Ford Family Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, and The Collins Foundation) and Oregon State University. With support from OPEC, Parenting Education Hubs have been established throughout the state, providing access to and coordination of parenting education in all counties in Oregon as well as Siskiyou County, California. OPEC supports grantees through research and evaluation, technical assistance, and professional development led by OSU.
Co-Director: Shauna Tominey, PhD
Co-Director: Michaella Sektnan, MS