Mark Greenberg is the founding director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center and is Emeritus Professor at Penn State. He was the first recipient of the Bennett Chair of Prevention Research in Human Development and Family Studies, which he held from his arrival at the University until his retirement. Mark began his career in prevention research 40 years ago because he wanted to intervene with families and children in early development, before they could form serious mental health or drug and alcohol problems. Currently, his areas of research include prevention of behavioral health problems, and promotion of wellbeing in youth and their caregivers. Mark’s most recent interest is researching theory and testing effects of programs that facilitate mindfulness and compassion. He also is passionate about conceptual and statistical models for understanding the effects of universal intervention. Throughout his many years in prevention research, Mark has authored over 350 peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters and has collaborated with organizations such as the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), Conduct Disorder Prevention Research Group, PROSPER, and the Family Life Project, for which he served as co-director.
At the Center, Mark has made an impact in prevention science through his work on key projects such as FAST Track, PROSPER, BREATHE, CARE and studies of the PATHS curriculum. He received the Presidential Award from the Society of Prevention Research, as well as the Urie Bronfenbrenner Award for Lifetime Contribution to Developmental Psychology in the Service of Science and Society from the American Psychological Association. For more information about Mark’s career and substantial contributions to the field of prevention science, please visit his Wikipedia page.
Developmental Period(s)
Early Childhood, Childhood, Adolescence, Early Adulthood
Level(s) of Analysis
Individuals, Families, Schools, Communities, Legislation
Contact Information
814-777-0897
mxg47@psu.edu
Associated Lab(s)
Social Media
Mark Greenberg is the founding director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center and is Emeritus Professor at Penn State. He was the first recipient of the Bennett Chair of Prevention Research in Human Development and Family Studies, which he held from his arrival at the University until his retirement. Mark began his career in prevention research 40 years ago because he wanted to intervene with families and children in early development, before they could form serious mental health or drug and alcohol problems. Currently, his areas of research include prevention of behavioral health problems, and promotion of wellbeing in youth and their caregivers. Mark’s most recent interest is researching theory and testing effects of programs that facilitate mindfulness and compassion. He also is passionate about conceptual and statistical models for understanding the effects of universal intervention. Throughout his many years in prevention research, Mark has authored over 350 peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters and has collaborated with organizations such as the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), Conduct Disorder Prevention Research Group, PROSPER, and the Family Life Project, for which he served as co-director.
At the Center, Mark has made an impact in prevention science through his work on key projects such as FAST Track, PROSPER, BREATHE, CARE and studies of the PATHS curriculum. He received the Presidential Award from the Society of Prevention Research, as well as the Urie Bronfenbrenner Award for Lifetime Contribution to Developmental Psychology in the Service of Science and Society from the American Psychological Association. For more information about Mark’s career and substantial contributions to the field of prevention science, please visit his Wikipedia page.
Contact Information
814-777-0897
mxg47@psu.edu
Professional Links
Associated Lab(s)
Developmental Period(s) Studied
Early Childhood, Childhood, Adolescence, Early Adulthood
Levels of Analysis
Individuals, Families, Schools, Communities, Legislation
Program on Empathy, Awareness, and Compassion in Education (PEACE) 
Family Health Study: Stress and Obesity 
Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE) for Special Educators 
Mindfulness and Compassion Programs and Practices in K-12 Urban Educational Reform: Designing a Sustainable Future 
Project RESPECT: Teacher training program for responding to students in emotionally supportive and positive ways 
Learning to BREATHE: Promoting Adolescent Well Being Through Emotion Regulation Skills Instruction 
Future Directions in Social and Emotional Learning and Education 
A Low-Cost RCT for Evaluating the Impact of a Universal Substance Abuse Prevention Model on the Medicaid System 
CARE: Improving Classroom Learning Environments by Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education 
Early Life Stress and the Environmental Origins of Disease: A Population-based Prospective Longitudinal Study of Children in Rural Poverty (Family Life Project) (ECHO) 
Enhancing Outcomes of an Evidence-based Social-Emotional Program with a Schools Support Model 
Heartfulness in Education: The Effects of Mindful Self-compassion Training on Teachers’ Wellbeing, Student-Teacher Relationships, and Schools Climate 
Longitudinal Effectiveness of Communities That Care on Reducing Youth Risk Factors 
Partnership Model for Diffusion of Proven Prevention (PROSPER III) 
Research and Policy Briefs on Social and Emotional Development 
Stress Exposure and Immune Outcomes in Children (Family Life Project) 
Support Low-Cost Randomized Controlled Trial of Prevention Program Impact on Medicaid Burden 
Children in Rural Poverty: Risk and Protective Mechanisms (Family Life Project)
Expert opinion: How to reduce youth violence 
Helping special education teachers under stress 
Mindfulness practices shown to help teenagers deal with stress 
New report offers key recommendations for supporting principals and creating caring schools 
Prevention Research Center to chart course for social emotional learning 
"With a Little Help from My Friends - The Importance of Peer Relationships for Social-Emotional Development" 
Educating the heart' is focus of course on living a life of flourishing
- Implementation reporting recommendations for school-based mindfulness programs
Baelen, R. N., Gould, L. F., Felver, J. C., Schussler, D., & Greenberg, M. T. (2022). Mindfulness. Advance online publication.
- Can the academic and experiential study of flourishing improve flourishing in college students? A multi-university study
Hirshberg, M.J., Colaianne, B.A., Greenberg, M.T., Inkelas, K. K., Davidson, R. J., Germano, D., Dunne, J. D., & Roeser, R. W. (2022). Mindfulness.
- Does variability across three universities in the implementation of a college course on human flourishing affect student outcomes?
(2021). Journal of American College Health. Advance online publication.
- The effectiveness of a teacher delivered mindfulness-based curriculum on adolescent social-emotional and executive functioning
Frank, J. L., Broderick, P. C., Oh, Y., Mitra, J., Kohler, K., Schussler, D. L., Geier, C., Roeser, R., Berrena, E., Mahfouz, J., Levitan, J., Greenberg, M. T. (2021). . Mindfulness, 12.
- Stress and well-being: A systematic case-study of adolescents’ experiences in a mindfulness-based intervention
Schussler, D. L., Oh, Y., Mahfouz, J., Levitan, J., Frank, J. L., Broderick, P. A., Mitra, J. L., Berrena, E., Kohler, K., Greenberg, M. T. (2021). . Journal of Child and Family Studies 30, 431-446.
- Multi-tiered social-emotional learning: PATHS and friendship group in the Fast Track Program
Bierman, K. L., Greenberg, M. T., & The Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (2020). Multi-tiered social-emotional learning: PATHS and friendship group in the Fast Track Program. In T. W. Farmer, M. Conroy, E. M. Z., Farmer, & Sutherland (Eds.). Handbook of research on emotional & behavioral disorders: Interdisciplinary developmental perspectives on children and youth (pp. 254-260). Routledge.
- The Fast Track program for children at risk: Preventing antisocial behavior
Bierman, K.L., Coie, J.D., Dodge, K.A., Greenberg, M.T., Lochman, John E., McMahon, R.J., & Pinderhughes. E.E. (2019). Guilford Press.
- Principals' social and emotional competence: A key factor for creating caring schools
Mahfouz, J., Greenberg, M. T., & Rodriguez, A. (2019). University Park, PA: Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center.
- The relationship between adopting mindfulness practice and reperceiving: A qualitative investigation of CARE for Teachers
Schussler, D.L., DeWeese, A., Rasheed, D., DeMauro, A. A., Doyle, S. L., Brown, J. L., Greenberg, M. T., & Jennings, P. A. (2019). Mindfulness, 10, 2567-2582.
- Social and emotional development matters: Taking action now for future generations
Greenberg, M. T., & Weissberg, R. (2018). University Park, PA: Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University.
- Standards of evidence for conducting and reporting economic evaluations in prevention science
Crowley, M., Dodge, K., Barnett, S., Corso, P., Duffy, S., Graham, P., Greenberg, M., Hill, L., Haskins, R., Jones, D., Karoly, L., Kuklinski, M., & Plotnick, R. (2018). Prevention Science, 19(3), 366-390.
- On the role of mindfulness and compassion skills in students' coping, well-being, and development across the transition to college: A conceptual analysis
Dvorakova, K., Greenberg, M. T., & Roeser, R. W. (2019). Stress and Health, 35, 146-156.
- Supporting systemic social and emotional learning with a schoolwide implementation model
Meyers, D. C., Domitrovich, C. E., Dissi, R., Trejo, J., & Greenberg, M. T. (2019). Evaluation and Program Planning, 73, 53-61.
- Changes in mindful parenting: Associations with changes in parenting, parent-youth relationship quality, and youth behavior
Coatsworth, J. D., Timpe, Z., NIx, R. L., Duncan, L. G., & Greenberg, M. T. (2018). Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 9(4).
- Stress and release: Case studies of teacher resilience following a mindfulness-based intervention
Schussler, D. L., Deweese, A., Rasheed, D., Demauro, A. Brown, J., Greenberg, M., & Jennings, P. A. (2018). American Journal of Education, 125(1).
- Exploring relationships between CARE program fidelity, participant responsiveness, and uptake of mindful practices
Doyle, S. L., Jennings, P. A., Brown, J. L., Rasheed, D., DeWeese, A., Frank, J. L., Turksma, C., & Greenberg, M. T. (2018). Mindfulness, 10, 841-853.
- Compassion and human development: Current approaches and future directions
Roeser, R., Colaianne, B., & Greenberg, M. (2018). Research in Human Development, (15)3-4, 238-251.
- A science-driven model of community collaborations to improve youth outcomes
Greenberg, M. T. (2018). American Journal of Public Health, 108(5), e1-e2.
- Evaluating the quality of mindfulness instruction delivered in school settings: Development and validation of a teacher quality observational rating scale
Broderick, P. C., Frank, J. L., Berrena, E., Schussler, D. L., Kohler, K., Mitra, J., Khan, L., Levitan, J., Mahfouz, J., Shields, L., & Greenberg, M. T. (2018). Mindfulness.
- Coding semi-structured interviews: Examining coaching calls within the CARE for Teachers program
DeWeese, A., Jennings, P. A., Brown, J. L., Doyle, S. L., Davis, R. T., Rasheed, D. S., Frank, J. L. & Greenberg, M. T. (2017). SAGE Research Methods Cases, Part 2.
- Early Head Start start-up planning: Implications for staff support, job satisfaction, burnout, and turnover.
Gill, S., Nathans, L. L., Seidel, A. J., & Greenberg, M. T. (2017). Journal of Community Psychology.
- Universal interventions: Fully exploring their impacts and potential to produce population-level impacts
Greenberg, M. T. & Abenavoli, R. (2017). Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 1, 40-67.
- Impacts of the CARE for Teachers program on teachers’ social and emotional competence and classroom interactions
Jennings, P. A., Brown, J. L., Frank, J. L., Doyle, S. L., Oh, Y., Davis, R., Rasheed, D., DeWeese, A., DeMauro, A. A., Cham, H., & Greenberg, M. T. (2017). Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(7), 1010-1028.
- Improving the social emotional skills in childhood enhances long-term well-being and economic outcomes
Jones, D., Crowley, D. M., & Greenberg, M. T. (2017). University Park, PA: Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University.
- Inventory of parent and peer attachment
Armsden, Gay & Greenberg, Mark. (1987). The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment: Individual Differences and Their Relationship to Psychological Well-Being in Adolescence. Journal of youth and adolescence. 16. 427-54.
- Promoting social emotional learning in preschool: Programs and practices that work
Bierman, K. L., Greenberg, M. T., & Abenavoli, R. (2016). University Park, PA: Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University.
- PROSPER delivery of universal preventive interventions with young adolescents: Long-term effects on emerging adult substance misuse and associated risk behaviors
Spoth, R., Redmond, C., Shin, C., Greenberg, M. T., Feinberg, M. E., & Trudeau, L. (2017). Psychological Medicine, 47(13), 2246-2259. PMID:28399955
- Child conduct problems across home and school contexts: A person-centered approach
Sulik, M. J., Blair, C., & Greenberg, M. T. (2017). Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 39(1), 46-57.
- Identification and validation of school readiness profiles among high-risk kindergartners
Abenavoli, R., Greenberg, M. T., & Bierman, K. L. (2017). Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 38(1), 33-43.
- Transactions between substance use intervention, the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene, and peer substance use predicting youth alcohol use
Cleveland, H. H., Griffin, A. M., Wolf, P. A., Vandenbergh, D. J., Feinberg, M. E., Schlomer, G. L., Greenberg, M., Spoth, R., & Redmond, C. (2017). Prevention Science, 19(1), 1-12. PMCID: PMC5696096
- A qualitative exploration of implementation factors in a school-based mindfulness and yoga program: Lessons learned from students and teachers
Dariotis, J. K., Mirabal-Beltran, R., Cluxton-Keller, F., Feagans Gould, L., Greenberg, M. T., & Mendelson, T. (2017). Psychology in the Schools, 54(1), 53-69. PMCID: PMC5486971
- Social and emotional learning as a public health approach to education
Greenberg, M. T., Domitrovich, C. E., Weissberg, R. P., & Durlak, J. A. (2017). Future of Children, 27(1), 13-32.
- The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a mindfulness training programme in schools compared with normal school provision (MYRIAD): Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Kuyken, W., Nuthall, E., Byford, S., Crane, C., Dalgleish, T., Ford, T., Greenberg, M. T., Ukoumunne, O. C., Viner, R. M., & Williams, J. (2017). TRIALS, 18(1), 194. PMCID: PMC5406917
- PROSPER intervention effects on adolescents’ alcohol misuse vary by GABRA2 genotype and age
Russell, M., Schlomer, G. L., Cleveland, H. H., Vandenbergh, D. J., Feinberg, M. E., Greenberg, M. T., Spoth, R., & Redmond, C. (2017). Prevention Science, 19(1), 1-11. PMCID: PMC5552492
- Extending previous cGxI findings on 5-HTTLPR's moderation of intervention effects on adolescent substance misuse initiation
Schlomer, G. L., Cleveland, H. H., Feinberg, M. E., Wolf, Pedro S. A., Greenberg, M. T., Spoth, R. L., Redmond, C., Tricou, E. P., & Vandenbergh, D. J. (2017). Child Development, 88(6), 2001-2012.
- One or two years of participation: Is dosage of an enhanced publicly funded preschool program associated with the academic and executive function skills of low-income children in early elementary school?
Shah, H. K., Domitrovich, C. E., Morgan, N. R., Moore, J. E., Cooper, B. R., Jacobson, L. N., & Greenberg, M. T. (2017). Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 40, 123-137.
- Teacher stress and health: Effects on teachers, students, and schools
Greenberg, M. T., Brown, J. L., & Abenavoli, R. M. (2016). University Park, PA: Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University.
- An adolescent substance prevention model blocks the effect of CHRNA5 genotype on smoking during high school
Vandenbergh, D. J., Schlomer, G. L., Cleveland, H. H., Schink, A. E., Hair, K. L., Feinberg, M. E., Neiderhiser, J. M., Greenberg, M. T., Spoth, R. L., & Redmond, C. (2016). Nicotine & Tobacco Research: Official Journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 18(2), 212-220. doi: 14622203
- Thriving in school: The role of sixth grade adolescent-parent-school relationships in predicting eighth grade academic outcomes
Welsh, J. A., Chilenski, S., Johnson, L. E., Perkins, D. F., Greenberg, M. T., Berrena, E., & Spoth, R. L. (2016, In Press). Youth & Society.
- Pathways to sustainability: 8-year follow-up from the PROSPER project
Welsh, J. A., Chilenski, S., Johnson, L., Greenberg, M. T., & Spoth, R. L. (2016). The Journal of Primary Prevention, 37(3), 263-286. doi: 0278095X
- The program affects me cause it gives away stress: Urban students qualitative perspectives on stress and a school-based mindful yoga intervention
Dariotis, J. K., Cluxton-Keller, F., Mirabal-Beltran, R., Gould, L. F., Greenberg, M. T., & Mendelson, T. (2016). EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing, 12(6), 443-450.
- The power of a collaborative relationship between technical assistance providers and community prevention teams: A correlational and longitudinal study
Chilenski, S., Perkins, D. F., Olson, J. R., Hoffman, L., Feinberg, M. E., Greenberg, M. T., Welsh, J. A., Crowley, D. M., & Spoth, R. L. (2016). Evaluation and Program Planning, 54(1), 19-29.
- Universal prevention exposure as a moderator of the community context: Findings from the PROSPER project
Chilenski, S., Welsh, J. A., Perkins, D. F., Feinberg, M. E., & Greenberg, M. T. (2016). American Journal of Community Psychology, 57(12), 819. doi: 00910562
- A qualitative evaluation of student learning and skills use in a school-based mindfulness and yoga program
Dariotis, J. K., Mirabal-Beltran, R., Cluxton-Keller, F., Gould, L. F., Greenberg, M. T., & Mendelson, T. (2016). Mindfulness, 7(1), 76-89. doi: 18688527
- Short-term intervention effects of the PATHS curriculum in young low-income children: Capitalizing on plasticity
Fishbein, D., Domitrovich, C. E., Williams, J., Gitukui, S., Guthrie, C., Shapiro, D., & Greenberg, M. T. (2016). The Journal of Primary Prevention, 37(6), 493-511. doi: 0278095X
- Assessing Fidelity of Implementation (FOI) for school-based mindfulness and yoga interventions: A systematic review
Gould, L. F., Dariotis, J. K., Greenberg, M. T., & Mendelson, T. (2016). Mindfulness, 7(1), 5-33. doi: 18688527
- Associations between the awakening responses of salivary _-amylase and cortisol with self-report indicators of health and wellbeing among educators
Katz, D. A., Greenberg, M. T., Jennings, P. A., & Klein, L. (2016). Associations between the awakening responses of salivary _-amylase and cortisol with self-report indicators of health and wellbeing among educators. Teaching and Teacher Education, 54, 98-106.
- The Curriculum of Right Mindfulness: The relational self and the capacity for compassion
Mitra, J. L., & Greenberg, M. T. (2016). In K. Schonert-Reichl & R. W. Roeser (Eds.), The handbook of mindfulness in education: Integrating theory and research into practice (pp. 411-424). New York: Springer Nature. http://http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/9783319440194_27.
- Intervention designed to diminish substance use blocks the genetic effect of the Alpha 5 subunit of the nicotinic receptor (CHRNA5) on adolescent smoking
Vandenbergh, D. J., Schlomer, G., Cleveland, H. H., Feinberg, M. E., Greenberg, M. T., Spoth, R., Redmond, C., & Hair, K. (2016, In Press).Nicotine and Tobacco Research.
- Considering valuation of noncognitive skills in benefit-cost analysis of programs for children
Jones, D. E., Karoly, L. A., Crowley, M., & Greenberg, M. T. (2016). Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, 6(3), 471-507.
- Early social-emotional functioning and public health: The relationship between kindergarten social competence and future wellness
Jones, D., Greenberg, M., & Crowley, M. (2015). American Journal of Public Health, 105(11), 22832290.
- 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.
- Can we build an efficient response to the prescription drug abuse epidemic? Assessing the cost-effectiveness of universal prevention
Crowley, M., Jones, D. E., Greenberg, M. T., Coffman, D., & Spoth, R. (2014). Preventive Medicine, 62, 71-77.
- Nurturing mindfulness in education
- Interview with Professor Mark T. Greenberg on mindfulness for teachers and students
