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How intimate partner violence affects custody decisions

URBANA, Ill. – Intimate partner violence (IPV) can have significant implications for the wellbeing of mothers and children during separation and divorce. Yet IPV is often not included in custody cases or factored into court decisions, a new University of Illinois study shows.

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Campus awards recognize excellence in public engagement

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Outstanding individual and group outreach efforts were recognized with the 2022 Campus Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement. The awards spotlight individuals at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who have consistently applied their knowledge and expertise to issues for the public good.

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How mother-youth emotional climate helps adolescents cope with stress

URBANA, Ill. – Transition to middle school can be a stressful time for adolescents. They must adjust to a new peer group and social environment while going through the developmental changes of puberty. A recent University of Illinois study looks at how emotional aspects of parenting can help youth better cope with peer stressors during this transitional period.

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Dariotis honored as Pampered Chef Endowed Chair in Family Resiliency

URBANA, Ill. – The Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) honored Jacinda Dariotis as Pampered Chef Ltd. Endowed Chair in Family Resiliency during an investiture ceremony at the University of Illinois on May 11. 

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Relationship quality affects depressive symptoms in African American couples

URBANA, Ill. – For individuals in a committed relationship, there is a well-established two-way association between relationship quality and each partner’s mental health. But what exactly about relationships shapes mental health? And which direction is stronger – from mental health to relationship quality or relationship quality to mental health?

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Three ACES instructors honored with Campus Awards for Excellence

URBANA, Ill. — Two ACES faculty members and a graduate teaching assistant were among those honored at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign this week for excellence in teaching, mentoring and advising, collectively known as the Campus Awards for Excellence in Instruction.

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Drug use beliefs found to be strongest predictor of youth substance use

URBANA, Ill. – What are the most important factors to consider for developing effective drug use prevention programs? Many current programs for adolescents focus on elements including peer and family relationships, school connection, and youth’s self-confidence and self-assertion. However, a new study from the University of Illinois suggests another factor may be equally–or even more–influential: whether the youth believes drug use is wrong.

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How toddler-mother attachment impacts adolescent brain and behavior

URBANA, Ill. – Interpersonal trust is a crucial component of healthy relationships. When we interact with strangers, we quickly gauge whether we can trust them. And those important social skills may be shaped by our earliest relationship with caregivers.

Adolescents who had an insecure attachment to their mothers as toddlers are more likely to overestimate the trustworthiness of strangers, according to a new study from the University of Illinois.

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Oncology dietitians rarely ask cancer patients about food insecurity, study finds

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Although studies suggest that many cancer patients experience food insecurity, few oncology dietitians routinely ask them if they are having problems affording or obtaining food, new research has found.

Despite awareness that many cancer patients are food insecure, most of the 41 registered dietitian nutritionists interviewed by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign said they did not use a validated tool to screen patients for it.

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DOJ grant funds study of domestic violence awareness training for divorce attorneys

URBANA, Ill. – Two University of Illinois researchers have received a $1.2 million grant from the Department of Justice to study the effectiveness of training attorneys to identify and address intimate partner violence in divorce and custody cases.

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