Todd Jensen

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of a New Measure of Stepparent–Adolescent Interaction Stepparent-adolescent relationship quality is a key correlate of stepfamily functioning and adolescent well-being, yet research on stepparent-adolescent relationship development is limited by outda...

New paper! We developed a measure of stepparent-adolescent interaction, with 71 items measuring 14 interaction types. This measure could be useful both for researchers and professionals seeking to understand and promote stepparent-adolescent relationship development. doi.org/10.1080/2837...

New study in Journal of Adolescent Health! We found that: feeling a strong sense of family belonging predicts fewer depressive symptoms later AND higher depressive symptoms predict lower belonging over time across family types. Free download for 50 days:
👉 authors.elsevier.com/a/1lmU%7E,Nz...

Types and Attributes of Stepparent-Adolescent Interaction: A Qualitative Analysis This study explores the characteristics of stepparent-adolescent interaction as experienced by emerging adults who lived with a stepparent as they progressed through adolescence. Data were collecte...

New open-access paper! My in-depth exploration of how stepparents and adolescent stepchildren interact with each other highlights 14 distinct types of interaction (the "what" of interaction) and 10 distinct interaction attributes (the "how" and "why" of interaction). doi.org/10.1080/2837...

I am so pleased to share this new open-access article!
As a decade update to a previously conducted review, we systematically reviewed studies conducted over the last ten years focused on factors linked to stepparent-child relationship quality from children's perspectives.

Link: lnkd.in/e7zhDJ6C

Check out JFTR Symposium on the Paradigmatic Framework!

Have you explored the new Journal of Family Theory & Review symposium on the Paradigmatic Framework? bit.ly/43LWqiL
It features an original article by Larry Constantine, with commentary by @toddmjensen.bsky.social and several other NCFR members!

Excited to share this open-access publication! Using a representative sample of over 30,000 active-duty Air Force members, we found that assessing key personal and family strengths can predict self-directed harm and interpersonal violence.

doi.org/10.1177/0886...

I am very excited to share this new open-access (freely available!) article featuring findings from my qualitative analysis of advice for new stepparents from the the perspective of stepchildren who experienced stepfamily formation during adolescence.

doi.org/10.1177/0192...

One of my favorite days of the year—graduation! It was wonderful to celebrate the incredible achievements of our undergraduate and graduate students! @uncschoolofed.bsky.social

Screenshot of webpage about the special issue

Family Transitions (formerly the Journal of Divorce & Remarriage) is seeking submissions for a special issue on "Future Directions for Stepfamily Research and Practice," edited by @toddmjensen.bsky.social. Paper proposals due by June 30th. More info: think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issu...

Never underestimate the wisdom of young people. As I have engaged with emerging adult participants in my research, asking them to reflect on experiences they had during adolescence, they showcase in incredible amount of empathy, thoughtfulness, and maturity. Their insights can be truly brilliant.

Excited to share this new paper alongside my co-authors, Dr. Lisa de Saxe Zerden and Dr. Brianna Lombardi. Our study features a representative profile of Master of Social Work (MSW) graduates in the United States!

Accepted version (no paywall):
bit.ly/4hHroz1

Publisher version:
bit.ly/3AmrhIl

The great rewiring: is social media really behind an epidemic of teenage mental illness? The evidence is equivocal on whether screen time is to blame for rising levels of teen depression and anxiety — and rising hysteria could distract us from tackling the real causes.

Thank you @natureportfolio.bsky.social for making my review of the Anxious Generation open access for parents, policy-makers, and the public. The story told in this book runs counter science and is leading to poor policy decisions that will ultimately fail our kids. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

New paper! We (a) identified distinct patterns of family and school supports among Chinese youth residing in stepfamilies and (b) assessed associations between support patterns and sociodemographic characteristics and indicators of youth well-being. Full article here:
doi.org/10.1111/famp...

I have finally joined Bluesky! I am excited to start connecting with others on this platform and I have begun assembling a starter pack of individuals who might consider themselves family scientists. Please reach out if you would like to be added to this starter pack!