Greg Fosco directs the Family PrOcess and Well-being Enrichment Research (POWER) Lab, working with colleagues and students to investigate the family as a context of adolescent development with the ultimate goal of informing interventions to better serve families and youth. His research, and that of the Family POWER Lab, follows two inter-related lines of inquiry.
The first line focuses on understanding the family system and its influence on adolescent development. He has conducted research on adolescent social/emotional outcomes (e.g., romantic relationship competence, self-regulation), psychopathology and substance use risk, and positive well-being (e.g., subjective well-being, purpose in life). He has conducted work examining interparental conflict and relationships, family-level cohesion and conflict, and parent-child relationship quality as key facets of the family system.
The second line of research has focused on family-based prevention programs, such as the Family Check-Up, on adolescent substance use, problem behaviors, and emotional distress. He is particularly interested in examining the change processes during interventions (e.g., skill acquisition, mechanisms of change) so that we can better understand how interventions work and direct future work toward optimization of programs to be more effective and efficient.
All of his work is grounded in a family systems framework, which calls for a more complex understanding of how family relationships impact adolescent development by considering a broader range of family functioning (i.e., multiple family relationships), the interconnectedness of these family processes, and the reciprocal influence processes that unfold within families over time. For more information about the Family POWER Lab, family systems theory, current research projects, or lab activities, please visit his lab website: www.gregfosco.weebly.com
Dr. Fosco served as Associate Director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center from 2017-2023.
I am dedicated to understanding and improving the lives of families and adolescents.
- Greg Fosco
Contact Information
306 BBH Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-5622
gmf19@psu.edu
he/him
Associated Lab(s)
Social Media
Greg Fosco directs the Family PrOcess and Well-being Enrichment Research (POWER) Lab, working with colleagues and students to investigate the family as a context of adolescent development with the ultimate goal of informing interventions to better serve families and youth. His research, and that of the Family POWER Lab, follows two inter-related lines of inquiry.
The first line focuses on understanding the family system and its influence on adolescent development. He has conducted research on adolescent social/emotional outcomes (e.g., romantic relationship competence, self-regulation), psychopathology and substance use risk, and positive well-being (e.g., subjective well-being, purpose in life). He has conducted work examining interparental conflict and relationships, family-level cohesion and conflict, and parent-child relationship quality as key facets of the family system.
The second line of research has focused on family-based prevention programs, such as the Family Check-Up, on adolescent substance use, problem behaviors, and emotional distress. He is particularly interested in examining the change processes during interventions (e.g., skill acquisition, mechanisms of change) so that we can better understand how interventions work and direct future work toward optimization of programs to be more effective and efficient.
All of his work is grounded in a family systems framework, which calls for a more complex understanding of how family relationships impact adolescent development by considering a broader range of family functioning (i.e., multiple family relationships), the interconnectedness of these family processes, and the reciprocal influence processes that unfold within families over time. For more information about the Family POWER Lab, family systems theory, current research projects, or lab activities, please visit his lab website: www.gregfosco.weebly.com
Dr. Fosco served as Associate Director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center from 2017-2023.
I am dedicated to understanding and improving the lives of families and adolescents.
- Greg Fosco
Contact Information
306 BBH Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-5622
gmf19@psu.edu
he/him
Associated Lab(s)
Program on Empathy, Awareness, and Compassion in Education (PEACE) 
Prevention and Methodology Training Program (PAMT) 
The Family Life Optimizing Well-Being (FLOW) Study 
Families, Adolescents, and Schools Thriving in Everyday Living (FASTEN) Study 
Penn State SELF (Student Engagement, Learning, and Flourishing) 
Developing an App to Promote the Well-being of Families with Adolescents 
Pathways to Health from Adolescence through Young Adulthood (PROSPER 2nd Generation)
PRC awards Melia Brown dissertation support to study whole-school social-emotional learning 
PRC to have strong presence at SPR Annual Meeting, May 30-June 2 
Prevention Research Center funds projects promoting the health of diverse groups 
PRC-affiliated faculty and trainees to present at 2023 SRCD Biennial Meeting 
Bennett Lecture to focus on moving a family-centered intervention online 
New study shows links between family dynamics and COVID-19 preventative measures 
Understanding the life aspirations of urban adolescents in Cambodia 
An ounce of prevention: Research center aims to stop problems before they start 
Expert on the health of Hispanic families to deliver 2021 Bennett Lecture 
Closeness with dads may play a special role in how kids weather adolescence 
Parents may underestimate impact of involving adolescent children in conflicts 
Parenting teens: Is there an app for that? 
Training scientists in substance use prevention the focus of $3.2 million grant 
New conceptualizations and directions in the study of family context 
Video: Penn State prevention researchers respond to COVID-19 
Parental warmth on high-conflict days helps teens to feel loved - Emotionally Supportive Parenting Can Help Disadvantaged Children Stay On The Rails
Researchers to study impact of COVID-19 and social distancing on families 
Research by Xia, Feinberg, Fosco featured in July 31 issue of NIH Research Matters 
Parents may help prep kids for healthier, less violent relationships
- COVID-19 family dynamics and health protective behavior adherence: A 16-wave longitudinal study
Fosco, G. M., Feinberg, M. E., Fang, S., & Sloan, C. J. (2023). Health Psychology. Advance online publication.
- Adolescents' and parents' affect in relation to discrepant perceptions of parental warmth in daily life
Jansenn, L. H. C., Sloan, C. J., Verkuil, B., Van Houtum, L. A. E. M., Wever, M. C. M., Fosco, G. M., & Elzinga, B. M. (2023). Journal of Research on Adolescence. Advance online publication.
- Interparental conflict, family climate, and threat appraisals: Early adolescent exposure and young adult psychopathology risk
Fosco, G. M., Weymouth, B. B., & Feinberg, M. E. (2023). Journal of Family Psychology (37)5, 731-742.
- Protective effect of parental monitoring on early-to-mid adolescents displaying high-level and increasing aggressive behavior
Yang, P., Lippold, M. A., Schlomer, G. L., Feinberg, M.E., & Fosco, G. M. (2023). Applied Developmental Science. Advance online publication.
- Age-varying associations between attempts to lose weight and nicotine vaping across adolescence: Results from a nationally representative sample
Hochgraf, A. K., Fosco, G. M., & Lanza, S. T. (2022). Journal of Adolescent Heath. Advance online publication.
- The roles of caregivers and friends in adolescent daily emotion dynamics
Mak, H. W., Lydon-Staley, D. M., Lunkenheimer, E., Lai M. H. C., & Fosco, G. M. (2022). Social Development, 32, 263-282.
- Long-term effects of adolescent substance use prevention on participants, partners, and their children: Resiliency and outcomes 15 years later during the COVID-19 pandemic
Feinberg, M. E., Fang, S., Fosco G. M., Sloan, C. J., Mogle, J., & Spoth, R. L. (2022). Prevention Science. Advance online publication.
- Profiles of future expectations among urban adolescents in Cambodia
Knapp, K. S., Chimed-Ochir, U., Apsley, H. B., Eng, S., Fosco, G. M., & Cleveland, H. H. (2022). Developmental Psychology. Advance online publication.
- Family vulnerability, disruption, and chaos predict parent and child COVID-19 health-protective behavior adherence
Fosco, G. M., LoBraico, E. J., Sloan, C. J., Fang, S., & Feinberg, M. E. (2021). Families, systems & health: The Journal of Collaborative Family Healthcare. Advance online publication.
- Triadic family structures and their day-to-day dynamics: A multilevel latent profile analysis
Xia, M., Bray, B.C., & Fosco, G.M. (In Press). Family Process.
- Intraindividual differences in adolescent threat appraisals and anxiety associated with interparental conflict
MacNeill, L.A. & Fosco, G.M. (2021). Journal of Marriage and Family, 84, 583-601.
- Family vulnerability and disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic: Prospective pathways to child maladjustment
Fosco, G.M., Sloan, C. J., Fang, S., & Feinberg M.E. (2021). The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Advance online publication.
- Distal and proximal family contextual effects on adolescents’ interparental conflict appraisals: A daily diary study
Fosco, G.M, McCauley, D.M., Sloan, C.J. (2021). Journal of Family Psychology, 35, 927-938.
- New conceptualizations and directions in the study of family context
Teti, D.M. & Fosco, G.M. (2021). Journal of Family Psychology, 35(2), 123-127.
- The role of child negative emotionality in parenting and child adjustment: Gene-environment interplay
Shewark, E.A., Ramos, A.M., Liu, C., Ganiban, J.M., Fosco, G.M., Shaw, D.S., Reiss, D., Natsuaki, M.N., Leve, L.D., & Neiderhiser, J.M. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Advance online publication.
- Links between school and home: Associations between adolescent school day experiences and maternal perceptions of family relations
Mayfield, K. & Fosco, G.M. (2021). Journal of Child and Family Studies, 30, 121-133.
- Developmental timing of parent-youth intimacy as a protective factor for adolescent adjustment problems
Hochgraf, A. K., Fosco, G. M., Lanza, S. T., & McHale, S. (2021). Journal of Family Psychology. Advance online publication.
- Sensitization in situ: Identifying interindividual differences in adolescents’ intraindividual responsiveness to interparental conflict
Sloan, C. J., Fosco, G. M., & Ram, N. (2021). Family Relations, 22, 583-601.
- Same family, divergent realities: How triangulation preserves parents’ illusory harmony while adolescents navigate interparental conflicts
McCauley, D. M., Sloan, C. J., Xia, M., & Fosco, G. M. (2021). Journal of Family Psychology, 35(2), 128-137.
- Predictors of attendance patterns in a universal family-based preventive intervention program
LoBraico, E.J., Fosco, G.M., Feinberg, M.E., Spoth, R. Redmond, C. & Bray, B.C. (In Press). Journal of Primary Prevention.
- Dynamic associations of parent-adolescent closeness and friend support with adolescent depressive symptoms across ages 12-19
Mak, H. W., Fosco, G.M., & Lanza, S. T. (2021). Journal of Research on Adolescence, 31, 299-316.
- When do adolescents feel loved? A daily within-person study of parent-adolescent relations
Coffey, J., Xia, M. & Fosco, G.M. (In Press). Emotion.
- Day-to-day changes in parent-adolescent connectedness: Relations with daily subjective well-being and eudaimonia differ for parents and adolescents
Fosco, G.M., Brinberg, M. & Ram, N. (2021). The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5, 640-650.
- Youth internalizing problems and changes in parent-child relationships across adolescence: Lability and developmental trends
Lippold, M.A., Hussong, A., Fosco, G.M., & Ram, N. (2021). Journal of Early Adolescence, 41, 472-497.
- Parental support of self-regulation among children at risk for externalizing symptoms: Developmental trajectories of physiological regulation and behavioral adjustment
Zhang, X., Gatzke-Kopp, L.M., Fosco, G.M., & Bierman, K.L. (2020). Developmental Psychology, 56, 528-540.
- Age-varying associations of parental knowledge and antisocial peer behavior with adolescent substance use
Mak, H.W., Russell, M.A., Lanza, S.T., Feinberg, M.E., & Fosco, G.M. (2020). Developmental Psychology, 56, 298-311.
- Constellations of family risk for long-term adolescent antisocial behavior: A latent profile analysis
LoBraico, E.J., Bray, B.C., Feinberg, M.E., & Fosco, G.M. (2020). Journal of Family Psychology, 34, 587-597.
- Implications of family cohesion and conflict for adolescent mood and well-being: Examining within- and between-family processes on a daily timescale
Fosco, G.M. & Lydon-Staley, D.M. (2020). Family Process, 59, 1672-1689.
- Exploring processes in day-to-day parent-adolescent conflict and angry mood: Evidence for circular causality
LoBraico, E. J., Brinberg, M., Ram, N., & Fosco, G.M. (2020). Family Process, 59, 1706-1721.
- Exploring influence of triadic family relationship profiles on adolescents’ early substance initiation
Xia, M., Weymouth, B., Bray, B.C., Lippold, M. A., Feinberg, M.E., & Fosco, G.M. (2020). Prevention Science, 21, 519-529.
- Elaborating on premature adolescent autonomy: Linking daily family processes to developmental risk
Fosco, G.M. & LoBraico, E. (2019). Development and Psychopathology, 31, 1741-1755.
- A within-family examination of interparental conflict, cognitive appraisals, and adolescent mood and well-being
Fosco, G.M. & Lydon-Staley, D.M. (2019). Child Development, 90, e421-e436.
- Exploring the promise of assessing dynamic characteristics of the family for predicting adolescent risk outcomes
Fosco, G.M., Mak H.W., Ramos, A. LoBraico, E.J., & Lippold, M.A. (2019). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 60, 848-856.
- Adolescent emotion network dynamics in daily life and implications for depression
Lydon-Staley, D.M., Xia, M., Mak, H.W., & Fosco, G.M. (2019). Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47, 717-729.
- Hostile interactions in the family: What are the patterns and how are they linked to youth externalizing problems?
Glatz, T., Lippold, M.A., Jensen, T.M., Fosco, G.M., & Feinberg, M.E. (2020). Journal of Early Adolescence, 40, 58-82.
- Examining inter-family differences in intra-family (parent-adolescent) dynamics using grid-sequence analysis
Brinberg, M., Fosco, G.M., & Ram, N. (2017). Journal of Family Psychology, 31, 994-1004.
- Dynamical systems modeling of couple interaction: A new method for assessing intervention impact across the transition to parenthood
Feinberg, M. E., Xia, M., Fosco, G. M., Heyman, R. E., & Chow, S.-M. (2017). Prevention Science, 18(8), 887-898. PMID:28597177
- Nurturant-involved parenting and adolescent substance use: Examining an internalizing pathway through adolescent social anxiety symptoms and substance refusal efficacy
Weymouth, B. B., Fosco, G. M., & Feinberg, M. E. (2017). Development and Psychopathology, 7, 1-14. PMID:29212564
- Trajectories of adolescent hostile-aggressive behavior and family climate: Longitudinal implications for young adult romantic relationship competence
Fosco, G.M., Van Ryzin, M., Xia, M., & Feinberg, M.E. (2016).Developmental Psychology, 52(7), 1139-1150.
- Preventing adolescent depression with the Family Check-Up: Examining family conflict as a mechanism of change
Fosco, G. M., Van Ryzin, M. J., Arin, C. M., & Stormshak, E. A. (2016).Journal of Family Psychology, 30, 82-92.
- Triangulation and parent-adolescent relationships: Implications for adolescent dating competence and abuse
Fosco, G. M., Xia, M., Lynn, M. G., & Grych, J. H. (2016). Journal of Research on Adolescence, 26, 1179-1202.
- Seven reasons to invest in well-being
Howell, K. H., Coffey, J. K., Fosco, G. M., Kracke, K., Nelson, S. K., Rothman, E. F., & Grych, J. H. (2016). Psychology of Violence, 6, 814.
- Knowledge lability: Within-person changes in parental knowledge and their associations with adolescent problem behavior
Lippold, M. A., Fosco, G. M., Ram, N., & Feinberg, M. E. (2016). Prevention Science, 17, 274-283.
- The Circle of Care: Extending beyond the nuclear family to examine the role of collaborative caretaking in adolescent development
Margolis, K., Fosco, G. M., & Stormshak, E. A. (2016). Journal of Family Issues, 37, 1179-1202.
- A component-centered meta-analysis of family-based prevention programs for adolescent substance use
Van Ryzin, M. J., Roseth, C., Fosco, G. M., Lee, Y.-K., & Chen, I.-C. (2016). Clinical Psychology Review, 45, 72-80.
- Examining reciprocal influences among family climate, school attachment, and academic self-regulation: Implications for school success
Xia, M., Fosco, G. M., & Feinberg, M. E. (2016). Journal of Family Psychology, 26, 442-452.
- Profiles of adolescents
Fosco, G. M., & Bray, B. C. (2016). Journal of Family Psychology, 30, 533-542.
- The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Short Form (DERSSF)
Kaufman, E. A., Xia, M., Fosco, G. M., Yaptangco, M., Skidmore, C. R., & Crowell, S. E. (2016). Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 38, 443-455.
- Family-based prevention programs for children and adolescents: Theory, research, and large-scale dissemination
Van Ryzin, M.J., Kumpfer, K.L, Fosco, G.M., & Greenberg, M.F. (Eds.) (2015). Psychology Press.
