Larry F. Forthun, Ph.D. CFLE
Assistant Professor of Human Development
Intergenerational Approaches to Healthy Families and Communities
(352) 273-3528
Areas of Specialization
Adolescent Risk Taking
Youth Development Program Evaluation
Intergenerational Relationships and Psychosocial Development
Educational Background
B.S. in Psychology; Utah State University (1992)
M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy; Utah State University (1995)
Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies; Texas Tech University (1999)
Profile
Prior to my employment at the University of Florida, I was an Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State University, DuBois, where I conducted research and taught several courses related to youth development, human service interventions, and professional development.
My current appointment is 70% extension and 30% research. As an extension specialist in Intergenerational Approaches to Healthy Families and Communities, my responsibility is to provide leadership for state-wide program initiatives related to intergenerational programs. My current programming efforts include intergenerational youth development, parenting, and nutrition programs.
In my research, there are several areas of specialization that I have cultivated over the past decade. Most prominent is my work examining the relational context of troubled youth. I am particularly interested in examining the impact of family relationships and friendships on substance use, disordered eating, and delinquency, and the role of healthy psychosocial development in mediating or moderating this process. Over the past several years I have examined identity development, religiousness, and emotion regulation as possible mediators or moderators of the link between family functioning, parenting, parental attachment, and risk taking behavior. More recently, I have begun to examine the parental socialization practices that impact spiritual and identity development among youth and how these developmental processes are related to decisions to engage in risk-taking behaviors, including selection of risk-taking friends.
My work with troubled youth has also led to research evaluating youth development programming. I have conducted evaluative studies on school and community based initiatives to reduce adolescent substance use and delinquency and improve the skills of educators who work with troubled youth. My current evaluation research is focused on strengths-based programs that target both parents and their children in order to promote positive developmental outcomes.
Grant Awards
Grants
United Way of America (Funded 2008-2010)
Strengthening Families United: Learning Through Participatory Evaluation
Individual Honors/Awards
Who’s Who in America (2007 & 2008)
Penn State University, Commonwealth College Award for Distinguished Faculty Service and/or Outreach
Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.
Collaborative Honors/Awards
Penn State University, Commonwealth College Award for Innovation. Awarded to PSU DuBois Undergraduate Research Committee
The Commission for the Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Abuse, Award for Education and Awareness. Awarded to the DuBois PSU-PLCB Partnership for Prevention
Selected Publications
Refereed Publications
Poyrazli, S., Ferrer-Wreder, L, Meister, D., Forthun, L., Coatsworth, J.D., & Grahame, K.M. (In Press). Academic achievement, employment, age, gender and students’ experience of alternative school. Adolescence.
Forthun, L.F. (2008). Review of the book Science-based programs for children and adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 23, 114-116.
Fischer, J.L., Forthun, L.F., Pidcock, B.W., & Dowd, D.A. (2007). Parent relationships, emotion regulation, psychosocial maturity and college student alcohol use problems. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36, 912-926.
Forthun, L.F., & McCombie, J. (2007). A Preliminary Outcome Study of Response Ability Pathway Training. Reclaiming Children and Youth: The Journal of Strength-Based Interventions, 16, 27-34.
Ferrer-Wreder, L., Poyrazli, S., Bedard, B., Coatsworth, J.D., Meister, D., Forthun, L.F., & Grahame, K. (2007). Alternative school students’ normative beliefs about aggression. The Journal of Educational Alternative: Principles, Practices, and Leadership, 3, 66-87.
Forthun, L.F., McCombie, J. W., & Freado, M. (2006). A study of LSCI in a school setting. Reclaiming Children and Youth: The Journal of Strength-Based Interventions, 15, 95-102.
Forthun, L. F., Montgomery, M. J., & Bell, N. J. (2006). Identity formation in a relational context: A person-centered analysis of troubled youth. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research, 6, 141-167.
Fischer, J.L., Pidcock, B.W., Munsch, J., & Forthun, L.F. (2005). Parental abusive drinking and sibling role differences. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 23, 79-97.
Forthun, L.F., Pidcock, B.W., & Fischer, J.L (2003). Religiousness and disordered eating: Does religiousness modify family risk? Eating Behaviors: An International Journal, 4, 7-26 .
Pidcock, B.W., Fischer, J.L., Forthun, L.F., & West, S.L. (2000). Hispanic and Anglo college women’s risk factors for substance use and eating disorders. Addictive Behaviors: An International Journal, 25, 705-723.
Bell, N.J., Forthun, L.F., & Sun, S-W. (2000). Attachment, adolescent competencies, and substance use: Developmental considerations in the study of risk behaviors. Substance Use & Misuse, 35, 1177-1206.
Forthun, L. F., Bell, N. J., Peek, C. W., & Sun, S-W. (1999). Religiosity, sensation seeking, and alcohol/drug use in denominational and gender contexts. Journal of Drug Issues, 29, 75-90.
Roggman, L. A., Moe, S. T., Hart, A. D., & Forthun, L. F. (1994). Family leisure and social support: Relations with parenting stress and psychological well-being in head start parents. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 9, 463-480.
Extension Publications
Forthun, L. (2008). Family nutrition: The truth about family meals. Gainesville, FL: Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication number: FCS8871. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY1061.
Forthun, L. & Kaplan, M. (2008). Family nutrition: A RECIPE for good communication. Gainesville, FL: Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication number: FCS8670. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY1060.
Forthun, L. (2008). Family nutrition: Parenting and family life. Gainesville, FL: Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication number: FCS8869. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1059.
Warstadt, T. W., Forthun, L. F., Jenson, G. O., & Rogers, D. L. (1992). Utah families the issues they face (No. Ec 448). Logan, UT: Utah State University, Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Station.
Evaluation Reports
Forthun, L.F. (December, 2007). Risk and protective factors for substance use and other troubling behaviors among Clearfield and Jefferson County youth. DuBois, PA: Clearfield-Jefferson Drug Free Communities Coalition.
Forthun, L.F. (2006, November). Life Space Crisis Intervention: An evaluation study within a rural Pennsylvania school district. DuBois, PA. DuBois Area School District
Forthun, L.F. (2005, November). An evaluation of Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI): Second year report. DuBois, PA. DuBois Area School District.
Forthun, L.F. (2005, January). A Challenge to Succeed (A.C.T.S.) student survey: Final report. Harrisburg, PA: Penn State University, Harrisburg.
Forthun, L. F. & McCombie, J. (2004, August). Life Space Crisis Intervention: Year 1 final report. DuBois, PA: DuBois Area School District.
Forthun, L.F., Coatsworth, D.J., Ferrer-Wreder, L., Grahame, K.M., Meister, D.G., Melnick, S.A., & Poyrazli, S. (August, 2003). A Challenge to Succeed (A.C.T.S.): Year one executive summary. Harrisburg, PA: Penn State University, Harrisburg.
Professional Societies
National Council on Family Relations
Society for Research on Adolescence
Society for Research on Identity Formation
Extension Professional Associations of Florida
