Linda Halgunseth
Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies and Chicano/Latino Studies | Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI, UNITED STATES
Linda Halgunseth's research focuses on parenting and children’s health and well-being in African, European, and Latin American families.
Biography
Linda C. Halgunseth is an associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Michigan State University. Her research focuses on parenting and children’s health and well-being in African, European, and Latin American families. Dr. Halgunseth is Past Chair of the Latinx Caucus of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD). She received the Early Career Award in Teaching Excellence from AAUP and the Early Career Award in Research from the SRCD Latinx Caucus. She earned a BA in psychology and Spanish at the University of Texas at Austin, and a MS and PhD in human development and family studies from the University of Missouri.
Industry Expertise (1)
Education/Learning
Areas of Expertise (5)
Minority Health and Well-Being
Children of Immigrants
Mexican/American and African American Parenting
Cultural Influences on Parent-Child Relationships and Parenting
Culturally-Appropriate Measurement Development
Accomplishments (5)
Academic Advisory Board Member for NSF Early Career Award (professional)
2023
UConn Inclusive Excellence/Spirit Award Finalist (professional)
2020, 2022
UConn CETL Teaching Fellow Award, Department Nominations (professional)
2020, 2021
UConn Provost General Education Course Enhancement Grant Competition (professional)
2017, 2020
UConn CETL e-Campus Summer Online Course Development Grants (professional)
2016, 2020
Education (3)
University of Missouri: Ph.D., Human Development and Family Studies 2007
University of Missouri: M.A., Human Development and Family Studies
The University of Texas at Austin: B.A., Psychology and Spanish 1997
Affiliations (8)
- International Society for Interpersonal Acceptance and Rejection (ISIPAR)
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
- National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI)
- National Council for Family Relations (NCFR)
- National Latino Children’s Institute (NLCI)
- Society for Cross Cultural Research (SCCR)
- Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA)
- Society for Research on Child Development (SRCD)
Links (3)
News (2)
Child’s Second Language: Advantage or Distraction?
About Islam online
2022-05-24
Linda C. Halgunseth, Coordinator of the Office of Applied Research at the National Association for the Education of Young Children in the United States says that children under the age of three who are exposed to two languages together are called Simultaneous learners.(“How Children Learn a Second Language”).
Boosting the role of parents of English learners in preschools
EdSource online
2016-01-14
Linda Halgunseth, a professor at the University of Connecticut who contributed to the report, said that if a parent can develop a strong relationship with their child’s preschool program, it will give them “the confidence and skills” to be involved in their child’s education throughout their school careers.
Event Appearances (3)
Early sexual and romantic behaviors in Latine adolescents: Differences by national origin
(2023) Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence San Diego, CA
Examining the association between acculturation and parental psychological control in Chinese immigrant mothers
(2023) Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Child Development Salt Lake City, UT
Investigating the association between sources of parental knowledge and Mexican adolescents’ psychological adjustment
(2023) Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Child Development Salt Lake City, UT
Journal Articles (3)
Parent-Child Grief Interactions: A Qualitative Analysis and Conceptual Framework of the Lived Experiences of Young Widowed Parents
OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying2023 A young parent’s death is an unexpected event that incurs family stress and grief for the surviving parent and young children. However, few studies have examined widowed parents’ grief experiences and parent-child interactions following a co-parent’s death. Guided by phenomenology, this qualitative study examined the lived experiences of (N = 12) surviving parents grieving the loss of their co-parent. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using an inductive analytic procedure.
Resilience and Well-Being of Korean Unwed Mothers: A Moderated Mediation Model
Journal of Child and Family Studies2022 Even in the face of social stigma and discrimination, the number of unwed mothers in Korea who are choosing to raise their children as single parents, instead of placing them up for adoption, is increasing. However, less is known on the well-being of these mothers and their resilience as they begin to advocate for their rights as mothers and seek to change public perceptions of and cultural assumptions about unwed mothers in Korea. The purpose of this research was to explore the pathways of resilience on the well-being of Korean unwed mothers. Participants included 255 Korean unwed mothers who completed measures that assessed their resilience, perceived discrimination, adverse childhood experiences, identity, and well-being.
Parental reasons for engaging in or avoiding weight talk with children
Childhood Obesity2022 Parental weight talk with children can have negative consequences; yet, it is not well understood why parents engage in it and if demographic differences exist. Utilizing the extant qualitative literature, we developed two scales to quantitatively examine parental reasons for engaging in and avoiding weight talk. An Internet sample of 408 US parents (64% mothers; 34% White, 33% Black, and 32% Hispanic/Latinx) completed the scales. Parents cited concern for their child's health as a primary reason for weight talk, whereas avoidance stemmed from not wanting their child to be weight-obsessed. White and Hispanic vs. Black parents, and parents with experienced weight stigma, were more likely to cite personal struggles with body weight as reasons to both engage in and avoid weight talk.
