Psychology & Brain Sciences 297R - ST-Risk&Resilience/1stTimePrnt

This course is designed to provide a strong theoretical and practical background into the risk and resilience factors facing young families today who are experiencing the transition to parenthood. A central theme of this course will be to highlight the role of resilience as a protective and motivational factor, in the face of serious social and economic risks, that can lead to positive outcomes for parents and children. Students will also learn about infant and toddler development, parenting styles, and the important role of both parents in the family, or co-parenting. Students will gain an understanding of how important social contexts, such as race, ethnicity, social class, family structure and gender, shape the experiences of young parents. Specifically, unique topics will be examined across unique contexts such as single-parent families, adolescent-parent families, LGBTQ families, immigrant families, families of different racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and high risk families. This course is unique in that it will capitalize on the experiences of individuals already working in the field, as home visitors, who will bring real world challenges and successes into the classroom. Family home visitors and UMass students will benefit from applying theoretical and research knowledge to addressing the practical, every day challenges facing young families with an aim of supporting resilience and well-being in families.

Students must obtain permission to enroll by contacting Dr. Perry-Jenkins at mpj@psych.umass.edu