Susan M. McHale, Ph.D.

1979, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Director, Social Science Research Institute

Professor of Human Development

601 Oswald Tower
(814) 865-2663
x2u@psu.edu

Research

Family Relationships Research Website

I am interested in children's and adolescents' family relationships, roles, and everyday activities. Highlighted in my work are sibling relationship dynamics and the family experiences that foster similarities and differences in the interests, attributes, and developmental trajectories of sisters and brothers. My earlier research on children's and adolescents' family experiences pointed to the significance of gender dynamics in everyday family life and served as a basis for my current interest in the family as a context for gender socialization. The extent to which sisters versus brothers assume different family roles, experience different kinds of relationships with their parents, and have access to different kinds of resources and opportunities are important ways in which families differ. I am interested in the ways in which such family dynamics are linked to girls' and boys' well-being and development. A body of research has uncovered sex differences in a range of adjustment problems in childhood and adolescence, with problems such as depression and weight concerns more common in girls and risky behaviors and conduct problems more common in boys. Findings such as these suggest that the study of gender socialization in the family may be central to an understanding of child and adolescent mental health and adjustment. I am also interested in how gender dynamics in families are connected to the choices girls and boys make later in adolescence in the areas of education, career, and family formation, choices that play a defining role in adult life.

Together with Ann Crouter, I co-direct the Penn State Family Relationships Project, a longitudinal study of families focused on these themes that has been funded by NICHD since 1995. Most recently my research has examined the cultural contexts of family gender dynamics. In two new studies, also funded by NICHD, I am working with my Penn State colleagues, Ann Crouter, and Linda Burton, to study gender dynamics in a sample of two-parent African American families in the Philadelphia, PA region and with Kim Updegraff a former HDFS graduate student, now on the faculty at Arizona State University, to study similar dynamics in Mexican American families in Phoenix AZ.

These longitudinal family studies have produced a rich data base of information on the experiences of mothers, fathers, and siblings as these change over time, in families from a range of backgrounds and circumstances. Graduate students have been extensively involved in all of our work, and our projects will continue to provide a variety of opportunities for students interested in family dynamics and youth development.

Education

Bucknell University, B.A., 1975, Psychology
Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, M.A., 1979, Developmental Psychology
Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Ph.D., 1979, Developmental Psychology

Research and Professional Experience

1979-80: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center.
1980-86: Assistant Professor of Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University.
1986-94: Associate Professor of Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University.
1994-Present: Professor of Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University.
2002-2003: Interim Department Head, Human Development and Family Studies.

Research Grants

1984-85: The Ecology of Children's Daily Activities. Foundation for Child Development, Program for Young Scholars in Social & Affective Development (with A. C. Crouter)
1984-86: Daily activities with siblings: A comparison of children with disabled and nondisabled brothers and sisters. March of Dimes Foundation (with W. Gamble)
1986-89: Parenting in Dual-Earner Families. Research Grant funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Development (with A. C. Crouter).
1993-95: Collaborative Community Intervention Strategies for Adolescents. Research Grant funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York (with A. C. Crouter and K. Fennelly).
1994-99: Gender Role Socialization in Middle Childhood National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (with A. C. Crouter).
1995-00: Parental Work, Family Dynamics, and Adolescent Development. National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (with A. C. Crouter).
1999-2004 Teen vs. Adult-Led Drug Prevention in Schools via 4-H. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (T. St. Pierre, Principal Investigator; S. M. McHale and C. Mincemoyer, Co-Investigators)
2001-2004 Gender Socialization in Mexican-American Families. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (Kimberly Updegraff, Principal Investigator, A. C. Crouter and S. M. McHale, Co-P.I.'s; N. Gonzalez, M. Roosa, and R. Milsap, Co-I.'s)
2001-2004 Gender role Development and HIV risk in emerging adulthood. National Institutes of Health (NIMH and NICHD). (Eva Lefkowitz, Principal Investigator, E. Loken, S. McHale, D. Swanson and M. Rovine, Investigators).
2001-2007 Gender Socialization in Middle Childhood and Adolescence. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (Co-PI with A. C. Crouter)

Selected Publications

Kim, J. Y., McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C. & Osgood, D. W., (in press). Longitudinal course and family correlates of sibling relationships from childhood through adolescence. Child Development.
McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C., Kim, J. Y., Burton, L. M., Davis, K. A, Dotterer, A., & Swanson, D. P. (in press). Mothers' and fathers' racial socialization in African American families: Implications for youth. Child Development.
McHale, S. M., Kim, J. I., Whiteman, S. D. & Crouter, A. C. (in press). Sibling relationships in two-parent African American families. Journal of Family Psychology.
Shanahan, L., McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C. & Osgood, D. W., (in press). Warmth with mothers and fathers from middle childhood through adolescence: Within and between family comparisons. Developmental Psychology.
Shanahan, L., McHale, S. M., Osgood, D. W., & Crouter, A. C. (in press). Conflict with mothers and fathers from middle childhood through adolescence: Within and between family comparisons. Developmental Psychology.
Updegraff, K. A., McHale, S. M., Whiteman, S. D., Thayer, S. M., & Crouter, A. C. (in press). The nature and correlates of Mexican American adolescents' time with parents and peers. Child Development.
May, A., Kim, J. Y., McHale, S. M. & Crouter, A. C. (2006). Parent-adolescent relationships and the development of overweight concerns from early to late adolescence. International Journal of Eating Disorders.
McHale, S. M., Kim, J., & Whiteman, S. D. (2006). Sibling relationships in childhood and adolescence. In P. Noller & J. Feeney (Eds.), Close Relationships, pp.127-150, Psychology Press.
McHale, S. M. & Crouter, A. C., (2006). Sibling relationships in childhood: Implications for life course study. In V. Bengston, A. Accock, K. Allen, P Dilworth-Anderson, & D. Klein (Eds). Sourcebook of Family Theory and Research, pp.184-190. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Crouter, A. C., & McHale, S. M. (2005). Work time, family time, and children's time: Implications for child and adolescent relationships, development, and well-being. In S. Bianchi, L. Casper, K. E. Christensen, & R. B. King (Eds.). Workforce/workplace mismatch: Work, family, health, and well-being, pp. 49-66. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
McHale, S. M., Updegraff, K. A., Shanahan, L., & Killoren, S. A. (2005). Siblings' differential treatment in Mexican American families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67, 1259-1274.
Updegraff, K. A., McHale, S. M., Whiteman, S. D., Thayer, S. M., & Killoren, S. A. (2005). Cultural correlates of sibling relationships in Mexican American families. Journal of Family Psychology.
Updegraff, K. A., Thayer, S. M., Whiteman, S. D., Denning, D. A., & McHale, S. M. (2005). Sibling relational aggression in adolescence: Links to Parent-Adolescent and Sibling Relationship Quality. Family Relations, 54, 373-385.
McHale, S. M., Kim, J. Y., Whiteman, S. D., & Crouter, A. C. (2004). Links between sex-typed activities in middle childhood and gender development in early adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 40, 868-881.
McHale, S. M. & Crouter, A. C., (2004). Sibling relationships in childhood: Implications for life course study. In V. Bengston, A. Accock, K. Allen, P Dilworth-Anderson, & D. Klein (Eds ). Sourcebook of Family Theory and Research , pp.184-190. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Crouter, A. C., Tucker, C. J., Head, M. R., & McHale, S. M. (2004). Family time and the psychosocial adjustment of adolescent siblings and their parents. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 66, 147-162.
McHale, S. M. Shanahan, L.., Updegraff, K. A., & Crouter, A. C., (2004). Developmental and individual differences in girls' sex-typed activities from middle childhood through middle adolescence. Child Development, 75, 1575-1593.
Whiteman, S. D., McHale, S. M., & Crouter, A. C. (2003). What parents learn from experience: The firstborn as a rough draft? Journal of Marriage and the Family, 65, 608-621.
Tucker, C., McHale, S. M., & Crouter, A. C. (2003). Dimensions of mothers' and fathers' differential treatment of siblings: Links with adolescents' sex-typed personal qualities. Family Relations, 52, 82-89.
Tucker, C. J., McHale, S. M., & Crouter, A. C. (2003). Conflict resolution: Links with adolescents' family relationships and individual well-being. Journal of Family Issues, 24, 715-726.
McHale, S. M., Dariotis, J. K. & Kauh, T. J. (2003). Social development and social relationships in middle childhood. In T. B. Weiner (Series Editor) & R. M. Lerner, M. Ann Easterbrooks, & J. Mistry, (Vol. Eds.), Comprehensive handbook of psychology: Vol 6, Developmental psychology (pp. 241-266). New York: Wiley.
McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C. & Whiteman, S. D. (2003). The family contexts of gender development in childhood and adolescence. Social Development, 12, 125-148.
McHale, S. M. & Crouter, A. C. (2003). How do children exert an impact on family life? In A. C. Crouter & A. Booth (Eds). Children's influence of family dynamics: The neglected side of family relationships. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Helms-Erikson, H., Crouter, A. C., & McHale, S. M. (2003). Marital quality and spouses' marriage work with close friends. Journal of Marriage and the Family.
Feinberg, M., McHale, S. M., Cumsille, P., & Crouter, A. C. (2003). Sibling differentiation: Sibling and parent relationship trajectories in adolescence. Child Development, 74,1245-1260.
Booth, A., Johnson, D. R., Granger, D. A., Crouter, A. C., & McHale, S. M. (2003). Testosterone and child and adolescent adjustment: The moderating role of parent-child relationships. Developmental Psychology, 39, 85-98.
Updegraff, K. A., McHale, S. M., & Crouter, A. C. (2002). Adolescents' sibling relationship and friendship experiences: Developmental patterns and relationship linkages. Social Development, 11, 182-211.
Klute, M., Crouter, A. C., Sayer, A. G., & McHale, S. M. (2002). Occupational self-direction, values, and egalitarian relationships: A study of dual-earner families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 139-151.
Updegraff, K. A., McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C., & Kupanoff, K. (2001). Parents' involvement in adolescents' peer relationships: A comparison of mothers' and fathers' roles. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63, 655-668.
McHale, S. M., Updegraff, K. A., Helms-Erikson, H., & Crouter, A. C. (2001). Sibling influences on gender development in middle childhood and early adolescence: A longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 37, 115-125.
McHale, S. M, Crouter, A. C., & Tucker, C. J. (2001). Free time activities in middle childhood Links with adjustment in early adolescence. Child Development, 72, 1764-1778.
McHale, S. M., Corneal, D. A., Crouter, A. C., & Birch, L. L. (2001). Gender and weight concerns in early and middle adolescence: Links with well-being and family characteristics. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30, 338-348.
Crouter, A. C., Bumpus, M. F., Head, M. R., & McHale, S. M. (2001). Implications of overwork and overload for the quality of men's family relationships. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63, 404-416.
Bumpus, M. F., Crouter, A. C., & McHale, S. M. (2001). Parental autonomy-granting during adolescence: Exploring gender differences in context. Developmental Psychology, 37, 163-173.
Updegraff, K. A., McHale, S. M., & Crouter, A. C. (2000). Adolescents' sex-typed friendships: Does having a sister versus a brother matter? Child Development, 71, 1597-1610.
McHale, S. M., Updegraff, K. A., Tucker, C. J., & Crouter, A. C. (2000). Step in or Stay out? Parents' roles in adolescent siblings' relationships. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62, 746-760.
McHale, S. M, Crouter, A. C., & Tucker, C. J. (1999). Family context and gender socialization in middle childhood: Comparing girls to boys and sisters to brothers. Child Development, 70, 990-1004.
Crouter, A. C., Helms-Erikson, H., Updegraff, K., & McHale, S. M. (1999). Conditions underlying parents' knowledge about children's daily lives in middle childhood: Between- and within-family comparisons. Child Development, 70, 246-259.
Bumpus, M., Crouter, A., McHale, S. (1999). Work demands of dual-earner couples: Implications for parents' knowledge about children's daily lives in middle childhood. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61, 465-475.
Tucker, C. J., Updegraff, K. A., McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C. (1998). Siblings as socializers of empathy. Journal of Early Adolescence, 19, 176-198.
McHale, S. M., Tershakovec, A. M. Corneal, D., Tournier, B. A., & Shannon, B. M. (1998). Psychosocial factors in nutrition education for hypercholesterolemic children. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 20, 233-240.
Graham, J. E., Updegraff, K. A., Tomasick, C., & McHale, S. M. (1997). Evaluation of school advisor programs in two community settings. Journal of Applied Developmental Science, 1, 28-42.
Boer, F., Westenberg, P., McHale, S., Updegraff, K., & Stocker, C. (1997). The factorial structure of the Sibling Relationship Inventory (SRI) in American and Dutch Samples. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 14, 851-859.
Updegraff, K. A., McHale, S. M., & Crouter, A. C. (1996). Egalitarian and traditional families: What do they mean for girls' and boys' achievement in math and science? Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 25, 73-88.
McHale, S. M., & Lerner, R. M. (1996). University-community collaborations on behalf of youth. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 6, 1-7.
McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C., Fennelly, K., Tomasick, C., Updegraff, K., Graham, J., Baker, A., Dreisbach, L., Ferry, N., Manlove, E., McGroder, S., Mulkeen, P., & Obeidallah, D. (1996). Community-based interventions for young adolescents: The Penn State PRIDE Project. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 6, 23-36.
McHale, S. M., & Crouter, A. C. (1996). The family contexts of sibling relationships. In G. Brody (Ed.), Sibling relationships: Their causes and consequences (pp. 173-196). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
McGuire, S. A., McHale, S. M., & Updegraff, K. A. (1996). Experiences with siblings during middle childhood: Connections within and between family relationships. Personal Relationships, 3, 229-239.
McHale, S. M., & Crouter, A. C., McGuire, S. A., & Updegraff, K. A. (1995). Congruence between mothers' and fathers' differential treatment: Links with family relations and children's well-being. Child Development, 66, 116-128.
Crouter, A., Manke, B., & McHale, S. (1995). The family context of gender intensification in early adolescence. Child Development, 66, 317-329.
Crouter, A. C., & McHale, S. M. (1993). Temporal rhythms in family life: Seasonal variation in the relation between parental work and family processes. Developmental Psychology, 29, 198-205.
Stocker, C., & McHale, S. M. (1992). Linkages between sibling and parent-child relationships in preadolescence. Journal of Personal and Social Relationships, 9, 179-196.
McHale, S. M., & Pawletko, T. M. (1992). Differential treatment of siblings in two family contexts. Child Development, 63, 68-81.
McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C., & Bartko, W. T. (1992). Traditional and egalitarian patterns of parental involvement: Antecedents, consequences, and temporal rhythms. In D. Featherman, R. Lerner, & M. Perlmutter (Eds.), Life-span development and behavior, Vol. 11. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
McHale, S. M., & Crouter, A. C. (1992). You can't always get what you want: Incongruence between sex role attitudes and family work roles and its implications for marriage. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54, 537-547.
McHale, S. M., Freitag, M., Crouter, A. C., & Bartko, W. T. (1991). Connections between dimensions of marital quality and school-aged children's adjustment. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 12, 1-18.
McHale, S. M., Bartko, W. T., Crouter, A. C., & Perry-Jenkins, M. (1990). Children's housework and their psychosocial functioning: The mediating effects of parents' sex-role behaviors and attitudes. Child Development, 61, 1413-1426.
MacDermid, S. M., Huston, T. L., & McHale, S. M. (1990). Changes in marriage associated with the transition to parenthood: Individual differences as a function of sex role attitudes and change in the division of household labor. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 52, 475-486.
McHale, S. M., & Gamble, W. C. (1989). Sibling relationships of children with disabled and nondisabled brothers and sisters. Developmental Psychology, 25, 421-429.
Pope, A. W., McHale, S. M., & Craighead, W. E. (1988). Enhancing self-esteem in children and adolescents. New York: Pergamon.
McHale, S. M., & Gamble, W. C. (1987). Sibling relationships and adjustment of children with disabled brothers and sisters. Journal of Children in Contemporary Society, 19, 131-158.
McHale, S. M. & Huston, T. L. (1985). A longitudinal study of the transition to parenthood and its effects on the marriage relationship. Journal of Family Issues, 6, 409-433.
Huston, T. L., McHale, S. M., & Crouter, A. C. (1985). Changes in the marital relationship during the first year of marriage. In R. Gilmour & S. Duck (Eds.), The emerging field of personal relationships (pp. 109-132). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
McHale, S. M. & Huston, T. L. (1984). Men and women and parents: Sex role orientations, employment, and parental roles with infants. Child Development, 55, 1349-1361.

Penn State University