Eva S. Lefkowitz (She | Her)

Professor

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Dr. Lefkowitz is accepting graduate students for Fall 2027.

To learn more about Dr. Lefkowitz’s research, please visit her website.

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Educational Background:

Ph.D., Developmental Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles

M.A., Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles

B.A., Psychology, Brandeis University

Current projects: 

• CREW 2: LGBTQ+ College-Related Experiences and Well-being (CREW 2) Study
• Young Adults Risk Behavior Survey (with Kari Adamsons, PI)
• Sexual and Reproductive Health Communication in Foster Care (with Christina Ross, PI)
• LGBTQ+ CREW Study: LGBTQ+ COVID-related RElationships and Wellbeing
• DASH: Developmental Aspects of Sexual Health

Professional Interests:

• Sexual health across adolescence and the transition to adulthood
• LGBTQ+ college students’ well being
• Romantic relationship development
• Communication about sexuality and other health topics
• The role of gender in sexuality development, romantic relationships, and risky behaviors
• Religiosity and wellbeing

Selected Publications (total = 118):

* indicates student co-author

• *Hanna-Walker, V., *Caba, A., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2026). Sexual and gender diverse young adults’ affiliations with disaffirming religions: A qualitative examination. LGBTQ+ Family, 22, 1-18.
• *Inman, N. F., *Hanna-Walker, V., *Hebert, M., *Caba, A., Denes, A., Ross, C., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2026). Changes in LGBTQ+ college students’ sexual orientation and gender identity expression over academic breaks. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 41, 442-463.
• *Clark, A. N., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2025). Sexual and affectionate behaviors and satisfaction for adults in romantic relationships: A latent profile analysis. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 54, 175-188.
• Weiser, D., Knopik, V., Horn, S, Kirkorian, H., Lefkowitz, E. S., Lohman, B., Russell, S., Stein, G., Swanson, D., & Wittenborn, A. (2025). Unifying human development and family science: Navigating identity challenges in higher education. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 17, 29-42. (Note: after first 2 authors, all authors in alphabetical order).
• *Hanna-Walker, V., *Lawrence, S. E., *Clark, A. N., *Walters, T. L., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2024). “It’s like an elephant in the room with my family”: LGBTQ+ college students’ identity expression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Adolescent Research, 39, 1512-1538.
• *Walters, T. L., *Clark, A. N., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2024). “They mostly preached abstinence which didn’t work”: Young adults’ perception of sex-related messages from caregivers prior to initiation of sex. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 53, 3173-3186.
• *Clark, A­. N., Lefkowitz, E. S., & Zimmerman, C. (2023). Sexual and affectionate behaviors in asexual and allosexual adults. Journal of Sex Research, 60, 242-252.
• *Hanna-Walker, V., *Walters, T. L., Wesche, R., Leavitt, C. E., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2025). Religiosity, sexual behaviors, sexual motivations, and gender: A three year longitudinal study. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 33(3), 943-956.
• *Walters, T. L., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2023). Does sex improve with experience? A latent transition analysis of college students’ penile-vaginal sex-related consequences. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 52, 461-474.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., & *Walters, T. L. (2022). Selection and socialization effects of living on vs. off campus. Emerging Adulthood, 10(5), 1108-1117.
• *Zhang, Y., *Farina, R. E., *Clark, A. N., *Lawrence, T. L., *Walters, T. L., *Hanna-Walker, V., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2022). How social support and parent-child relationship quality relate to LGBTQ+ college students’ well-being during COVID-19. Journal of Family Psychology, 36(5), 653-660.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., *Vasilenko, S. A., *Wesche, R., & Maggs, J. L. (2019). Changes in diverse sexual and contraceptive behaviors across college. Journal of Sex Research, 56, 965-976.
• Leavitt, C. E., *Waterman, E. A., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2019). The role of sexual mindfulness in sexual wellbeing, relational wellbeing, and self-esteem. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 45, 497-509.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., *Wesche, R., *Picci, G., & *Hochgraf, A. K. (2018). Daily associations between kissing and affect during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 28, 779-785.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., *Wesche, R., & *Leavitt, C. E. (2018). Never been kissed: Correlates of lifetime kissing status in U. S. university students. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 47, 1283-1293.
• *Waterman, E. A., *Wesche, R., *Leavitt, C. E., Jones, D. E., & Lefkowitz, E. S. (2017). Long-distance dating relationships, relationship dissolution, and college adjustment. Emerging Adulthood, 5, 268-279.
• *Wesche, R., Kreager, D. A., Lefkowitz, E. S., & Siennick, S. E., (2017). Early sexual initiation and mental health: A fleeting association or enduring change? Journal of Research on Adolescence, 27, 611-627.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., *Vasilenko, S. A., & *Leavitt, C. E. (2016). Oral vs. vaginal sex experiences and consequences among first year college students. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 45, 329-337.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., *Waterman, E. A., *Morgan, N., & Maggs, J. L. (2016). College students’ perceptions of the links between alcohol use and sex. Emerging Adulthood, 4, 272-283.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., *Kelly, K. M., *Vasilenko, S. A., & Maggs, J. L. (2014). Correlates of human papillomavirus vaccination among female university students. Women and Health, 54, 487-501.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., *Shearer, C. L., *Gillen, M. M., & *Espinosa-Hernandez, G. (2014). How gendered attitudes relate to women’s and men’s sexual behaviors and beliefs. Sexuality & Culture, 18, 833-846.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., & *Vasilenko, S. A. (2014). Healthy sex and sexual health: New directions for studying outcomes of sexual health. In E. S. Lefkowitz & S. A. Vasilenko (Eds), New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development: Positive and negative outcomes of sexual behavior, 144 (pp. 87-98). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., *Gillen, M. M., & *Vasilenko, S. A. (2011). Putting the romance back into sex: Sexuality in romantic relationships. In F. D. Fincham & M. Cui (Eds.), Romantic relationships in emerging adulthood (pp. 213-233). New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., & *Espinosa-Hernandez, G. (2007). Sex-related communication with mothers and close friends during the transition to university. Journal of Sex Research, 44, 17-27.
• Lefkowitz, E. S. (2005). “Things have gotten better”: Developmental changes among emerging adults after the transition to university. Journal of Adolescent Research, 20, 40-63.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., Romo. L. F., Corona, R., Au, T. K., & Sigman, M. (2000). How Latino American and European American adolescents discuss conflicts, sexuality, and AIDS with their mothers. Developmental Psychology, 36, 315-325.
• Lefkowitz, E. S., Sigman, M. D. & Au, T. K. (2000). Helping mothers discuss sexuality and AIDS with adolescents. Child Development, 71, 1383-1394.