If we value our children, we must cherish their parents.
My work focuses on examining emotional experiences in the context of parenthood. More specifically, I explore factors that influence how adults perceive and experience parenting, including attachment, relationship quality, and socioeconomic status. I am particularly interested in understanding in-the-moment emotional experiences of parents and the impact those experiences have on children. I also work on brief interventions, such as relational savoring, that support parents’ well-being by helping them to identify and relish moments of positive connection with their children. My ultimate goal is to promote family resiliency through developing and implementing parent-focused interventions that improve parents’ experiences and parent-child relationships.
Education
PhD, Positive Developmental Psychology, Claremont Graduate University
MA, Positive Developmental Psychology, Claremont Graduate University
BS, Psychology, Michigan State University
Social Media
Twitter: @DrMaggieKerr
Affiliations
State Specialist in Vulnerable and Underserved Children, UW Division of Extension Institute of Human Development & Relationships
Affiliate, Institute for Research on Poverty
Affiliate, UW Center for Child & Family Well-Being