Beth Russell (She | Her)

Associate Professor & Associate Dept Head for Graduate Studies


I am an Associate Professor in the HDFS department, the Director of the Center for Applied Research in Human Development (CARHD), co-Director of the Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH), and Associate Department Head for Undergraduate Studies. I mentor graduate students through the following HDFS program specializations:

  • Health and Well-being
  • Parenthood and Parent-Child Relationships
  • Prevention & Early Intervention

I am currently accepting graduate student applicants for the 2023-2024 academic year. Please email me if you’re interested in learning more about joining my research team!

Research Interests: Self-regulation in normative and at-risk samples

I study the development of self-regulation in normative and at-risk samples, with a specific focus on the regulation of distress. I am deeply committed to community-engaged scholarship and building sustainable research-practice partnerships. The current topics of my research include

  • mindfulness interventions to bolster self-regulation in high risk samples (early childhood, adolescent, and young adult samples)
  • substance use and recovery
  • families coping with a chronic health condition
  • stress, coping, & resilience

Selected Recent Publications (*student co-authors):

Hutchison, M., Russell, B. S., Gans, K., & Starkweather, A. (2022, in press). Online administration of a pilot mindfulness-based intervention for adolescents: Feasibility and acceptability. Current Psychology,

Park, C. L., Wilt, J., Russell, B. S., Fendrich, M. (2022). Does perceived post-traumatic growth predict better psychological adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic? Results from a national longitudinal survey in the USA. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 146, 179-185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.12.040

Russell, B. S., D’Aniello, C., Tambling, R. R., *Horton, A. L. (2022, in press). Distress among parents of individuals with Substance Use Disorders: Factors that shape the context of care. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.

Zhang, N., Russell, B. S., Park, C. L., & Fendrich, M. (2022). Effects of mindful emotion regulation on parents’ loneliness and social support: a longitudinal study during the covid-19 pandemic in the United States. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221098419.

Park, C. L., *Finkelstein-Fox, L., Russell, B. S., Fendrich, M., *Hutchison, M., & Becker, J. (2021). Psychological resilience early in the Covid-19 pandemic: Stressors, resources, and coping strategies in a national sample of Americans. American Psychologist, https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000813

Russell, B. S., *Hutchison, M., Park, C. L., Fendrich, M., & *Finkelstein-Fox, L., (2021). Short-term impacts of COVID-19 on family caregivers: Emotion regulation, coping, and mental health. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 78, 357-374. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23228

Russell, B. S., Tambling, R., *Horton, A. L., *Hutchison, M., & *Tomkunas, A. J. (2021). Clinically significant depression among parents during the COVID-19 pandemic: Examining the protective role of family relationships. Journal of Couple and Family Psychology, 10(3), 190–201. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000175

Fish, J., Russell, B. S., Watson, R. J., & Russell, S. (2020). Parent-child relationships and sexual minority youth: Implications for adult alcohol abuse. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49, 2034-2046

Park, C. L., Russell, B. S., Fendrich, M., Finkelstein-Fox, L.*, Hutchison, M.*, & Becker, J. (2020). Americans’ Covid-19 stress, coping, and adherence to CDC guidelines. Journal of General Internal Medicine, doi: 10.1007/s11606-020-05898-9

Russell, B. S., *Collins, C, *Tomkunas, A. J., & *Hutchison, M. (2020). Exploring the factor structure of the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-12) for young children in a disadvantaged community. Children and Youth Services Review,  doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105746

Russell, B. S., Guite, J. W., Homan, K., Teppe, R., & Williams, S. (2020). Complementary parent components for pediatric pain families: Innovations in treatment. Children, 7, 4. doi:10.3390/children7010004

Russell, B. S., Hutchison, M.*, Tambling, R., Tomkunas, A. J.*, & Horton, A. L.* (2020). Initial challenges of caregiving during COVID-19: Caregiver burden, mental health, and the parent-child relationship. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 51(5), 671-682. doi: 10.1007/s10578-020-01037-x

Gordon, M., Russell, B. S., & Finan, L.* (2019). The influence of parental support and community belonging on socioeconomic status and adolescent substance use over time. Substance Use and Misuse, https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2019.1654513

Russell, B. S., & Guite, J. W. (2019). Parenting impacts from a mindfulness-based intervention for families facing pediatric chronic pain. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 29(7), 1861-1872. doi: 10.1007/s10826-019-01635-x10.1007/s10826-019-01635-x

Russell, B. S., Hutchison, M.*, & Fusco, A.* (2019). Emotion regulation outcomes and preliminary feasibility evidence from a mindfulness intervention for adolescent substance use. Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse. doi: 10.1080/1067828X.2018.1561577

Beth Russell
Contact Information
Emailbeth.russell@uconn.edu
Russell CV Russell CV2022 Full
Mailing Address348 Mansfield Rd, U-1058
Office LocationFSB 303F
CampusStorrs