Doug Coatsworth, PhD, is professor of human development and family studies at Colorado State University, and the director of the Colorado State University Prevention Research Center. He earned his AB from Harvard University in psychology and social relations and his PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Minnesota, and received postdoctoral training in prevention science at Arizona State University. His research has focused on understanding the developmental process of resilience in childhood and adolescence, and on evaluating interventions that promote competence, resilience, and well-being in children, youth, and families. Most of his studies involve intervening with families to promote positive parenting and effective family functioning as a mechanism for creating nurturing home environments and enhancing youth resilience. Recently, he and his collaborators developed a theoretical model of mindfulness in parenting that has guided pilot and large-scale randomized clinical trials of a mindfulness-enhanced, family skills program. Their program infuses brief mindfulness activities into an evidence-based program to study the additive effects of mindfulness on positive parenting, family functioning, parent-youth relationships, and youth behavior.
