My program of research broadly focuses on the behavioral and biological exploration of child-parent relationship processes during early childhood (0-7 years). I am especially interested in understanding the role that the quality of early caregiving experiences play in predicting the development of young children’s attachment relationships. As such, I seek to identify contextual factors (e.g., work-family interface, marital conflict, culture) that may influence quality of parental care both directly and indirectly through altered parental well-being. The goal of my research is to identify factors that lead to positive developmental outcomes for both parents and children while simultaneously identifying potential risk factors related to negative developmental trajectories.
My teaching interests focus on young children's development, social-emotional development across the lifespan, and parenting, including family-school connections.
Courses Taught
- HDFS 525: Human Development
- HDFS 623: Dev Persp Infancy&Early Chldhd
- HDFS 695: Independent Study
- HDFS 707: Practicum/Child
- HDFS 743/843: Families, Schools, & Community
- INCO 590: Student Research Experience
Research Interests
- Children/Youth
- Early Childhood Development
- Family Services
- Parent Involvement
- Quantitative analysis
- Parent Education
- Emotional/Mental Health--Child/Adolescent
- Women, work and motherhood
- Child Psychology/Development
Selected Publications
Trumbell, J. M., Posada, G., Anaya, L., Kim, G., & Liu, M. (2024). Child-father and child-mother attachment relationships in naturalistic settings.. Child Dev. doi:10.1111/cdev.14173
O'Brien, J. E., Trumbell, J. M., O'Brien, A. J., & Fischer, C. (2023). Pivots and Partnerships: Successes, Challenges, and Lessons Learned From Conducting Research During a Global Pandemic.. Violence Against Women, 10778012231222490. doi:10.1177/10778012231222490
Trumbell, J. M., Posada, G., & Anaya, L. (2022). Interparental conflict predicts developmental trajectories of maternal sensitivity across early childhood. FAMILY RELATIONS. doi:10.1111/fare.12770
Jones, L. M., Nolte, K., O'Brien, A. J., Trumbell, J. M., & Mitchell, K. J. (2021). Factors Related to Providers Screening Children for Behavioral Health Risks in Primary Care Settings. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC NURSING-NURSING CARE OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES, 59, 37-44. doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2020.12.014
Posada, G., Vaughn, B. E., Verissimo, M., Lu, T., Nichols, O. I., El-Sheikh, M., . . . Kaloustian, G. (2019). Preschoolers' secure base script representations predict teachers' ratings of social competence in two independent samples. ATTACHMENT & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, 21(3), 238-252. doi:10.1080/14616734.2019.1575547
Posada, G. E., Trumbell, J. M., Lu, T., & Kaloustian, G. (2018). III. THE ORGANIZATION OF ATTACHMENT BEHAVIOR IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: LINKS WITH MATERNAL SENSITIVITY AND CHILD ATTACHMENT REPRESENTATIONS. MONOGRAPHS OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 83(4), 35-59. doi:10.1111/mono.12390
Posada, G., Trumbell, J., Noblega, M., Plata, S., Peña, P., Carbonell, O. A., & Lu, T. (2016). Maternal Sensitivity and Child Secure Base Use in Early Childhood: Studies in Different Cultural Contexts.. Child Dev, 87(1), 297-311. doi:10.1111/cdev.12454
Hibel, L. C., Trumbell, J. M., & Mercado, E. (2014). Work/non-workday differences in mother, child, and mother-child morning cortisol in a sample of working mothers and their children. EARLY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, 90(1), 1-7. doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2013.11.007
Posada, G., Lu, T., Trumbell, J., Kaloustian, G., Trudel, M., Plata, S. J., . . . Lay, K. -L. (2013). Is the secure base phenomenon evident here, there, and anywhere? A cross-cultural study of child behavior and experts' definitions.. Child Dev, 84(6), 1896-1905. doi:10.1111/cdev.12084
Hibel, L. C., Mercado, E., & Trumbell, J. M. (2012). Parenting Stressors and Morning Cortisol in a Sample of Working Mothers. JOURNAL OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY, 26(5), 738-746. doi:10.1037/a0029340
