Children, Youth & Families

Family Science faculty specialize in family theory, and family policy and practice across many dimensions including parent-child relationships, work-family integration, family poverty and marginalized youth and families. In conducting research about family dynamics, and working with government and community partners, the broad aim of the research programs is to enhance the well-being of children, youth and families across the lifecourse.

Rhonda Breitkreuz, Professor

Dr Breitkreuz is the Director of the Gender, Family and Policy Research Initiative. Her research interests include social policy related to the well-being of children and families, the extent to which social policy trajectories facilitate social and gender equality, and the role of the welfare state in contemporary society.


Pushpanjali Dashora, Associate Professor

Dr. Dashora's research interests include: homelessness; poverty; child and adolescent development; participatory action research; and qualitative analysis


Adam Galovan, Associate Professor

Adam Galovan's primary research objective as a family scientist is to understand how couples negotiate their relationships across many different roles, dimensions, and contexts in such a way as to live healthy and productive lives


Matthew Johnson, Professor

Matthew Johnson's research program is centered on understanding intimate relationship development from the transition to adulthood into midlife, with a focus on identifying the behaviors and beliefs that contribute to relational and individual health


Laurel Sakaluk, Adjunct Professor

Strathcona County Family & Community Services


Deanna Williamson, Associate Professor

Dr. Williamson's broad research interest is the well-being of families and their members within the context of social, economic, and political conditions. A central focus of her current research is the conceptualization and measurement of family functioning in contemporary families.


Rebecca Gokiert, Adjunct Professor

Rebecca utilizes a community-based research approach to examine cultural group differences and the validity of commonly used measurement tools in early childhood development.


Maria Mayan, Adjunct Professor

Maria is a community-based researcher and a qualitative methodologist. Her community-based research interests are in the area of partnerships and knowledge translation and how citizens, community-organizations, clinicians, governments and universities can work together to address disparities and improve health outcomes.

Research Websites:

Gender, Family & Policy Studies Research Initiative