Biography
Dr. Halpern is professor and chair of the Department of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) in the Gillings School of Global Public Health and a Faculty Fellow at the Carolina Population Center. She is also a developmental psychologist and deputy director/co-investigator of the Waves IV and V National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) program project.
Dr. Halpern’s research interests center on improving understanding of healthy sexual development and the implications of adolescent experiences for developmental and demographic processes into adulthood, particularly as these relate to sexual and romantic relationships. Her early research focused on the hormonal underpinnings of pubertal change and how the interactions of physical, psychological and social changes contribute to adolescent sexual initiation and behavior. Her current research examines comprehensive sexual initiation patterns among youth, and the implications of those patterns for later sexual behavior and adult health. Most of her research uses data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), for which Dr. Halpern serves as Deputy Director.
Dr. Halpern has nearly 30 years of research experience in the study of adolescent and young adult sexuality and risk-taking in both U.S. and global settings, and more than 100 peer-reviewed publications on these topics.
Industry Expertise (2)
Research
Education/Learning
Areas of Expertise (5)
Sexual Development
Adolescent Health
Demography
Reproductive Health
Risk Taking
Accomplishments (3)
Recipient John E. Larsh Jr. Student Mentorship Award (professional)
Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2016
Recipient National Association of Teachers of Maternal and Child Health Loretta Lacey Academic Leadership Award (professional)
2010
Recipient Graduate School Faculty Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring (professional)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2009
Education (3)
University of Houston: Ph.D., Developmental Psychology 1982
University of Houston: M.A., Developmental Psychology 1979
University of Houston: B.S., Psychology 1976
Affiliations (4)
- Association of Teachers of Maternal and Child Health
- Society for Research in Child Development
- Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
- American Public Health Association
Links (1)
Articles (3)
Variations in the timing of first sexual experiences among populations with physical disabilities in the United States
Disability and Health Journal
NF Kahn, CM Suchindran, CT Halpern
2019-04-01
"Timing of first sex has important implications for later sexual health, but little research has considered this in populations with physical disabilities."
Cohort Profile: The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health)
International Journal of Epidemiology
Kathleen Mullan Harris, Carolyn Tucker Halpern, Eric A Whitsel, Jon M Hussey, Ley A Killeya-Jones, Joyce Tabor, Sarah C Dean
2019-06-29
"The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) was developed in the 1990s in response to a mandate from the United States Congress to fund a study of adolescent health, and was designed by a team of multidisciplinary investigators from the social, behavioural and biomedical sciences."
Adherence to gender-typical behavior and high-frequency substance use from adolescence into young adulthood.
Psychology of Men & Masculinity
Wilkinson, Andra L. Fleming, Paul J. Halpern, Carolyn Tucker Herring, Amy H. Harris, Kathleen Mullan
2008 "Substance use is prevalent among adolescents in the U.S., especially males. Understanding the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between gender norms and substance use is necessary to tailor substance use prevention messages and efforts appropriately."