Barnett Research Lab

Melissa Barnett Research Lab

Our Mission

To Leverage Relationship Quality Across Contexts to Promote Positive Child Development

Our program of research identifies how relationships with caregivers, including mothers, fathers, grandparents and early childhood teachers independently and interactively impact early childhood development. We examine factors that influence the quality of these relationships, including caregiver mental health, family conflict, coparenting and co-caring dynamics, poverty, community characteristics (e.g., rurality) and social support. Across our research projects, we focus on identifying familial and contextual assets among families at risk for compromised relationships and caregiver and child wellbeing. The ultimate goal of this research is to inform policy and program development that promotes resilience and wellbeing of caregivers and young children from economically disadvantaged and marginalized communities.

Dr. Barnett will be accepting new graduate students for the 2025-2026 academic year

Connect with the researcher

Melissa Barnett, Ph.D.

Professor, Human Development and Family Science

Norton Endowed Chair in Fathers, Parenting and Families

Director, Frances McClelland Institute for Children, Youth & Families

barnettm@arizona.edu

Current Projects

Typologies of Family Partnerships in Head Start: Links to Children’s School Readiness

This secondary data analysis project, which focuses on the ways families and teachers work together to impact the school readiness of children attending Head Start, was funded by the Administration for Children and Families.Collaborators include Katherine Paschall (Child Trends) and Ann Mastergeorge (Texas Tech University).

Independent and Interactive Links between Individual and Classroom-level Teacher-Child Relationship Quality and Children’s Academic School Readiness Skills

This secondary data analysis project, which focuses on teacher-child relationships and interactions in Head Start classrooms, was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Collaborators include Katherine Paschall (Child Trends) and Ann Mastergeorge (Texas Tech University).

Family Relationships and Child Development Among Low-Income, Unmarried Families

We are currently engaged in a series of projects related to a secondary data analysis grant focusing on the transition to parenthood for predominantly low-income, unmarried couples. The focus of these projects include fathers' parenting, understanding how family and contextual factors influence young children's development, and examination of how the quality of multiple family relationships (e.g., parenting, coparenting, parental romantic relationships) jointly impact adult and child wellbeing. Collaborators include Melissa Curran (Human Development and Family Science, UA) and current and former graduate students.

Grandparenting In the 21st Century 

The goal of this project is to understand the experiences and wellbeing of grandparents who are highly involved in raising their grandchildren. Collaborators are Loriena Yancura (University of Hawaii) and Danielle Nadorff (Mississippi State University).

Caregiving Experiences of Toddlers Across Contexts: Parent-Child and Teacher-Child Relationship Quality in Early Head Start
This secondary data analysis project focuses on identifying matches or mismatches between the quality of relationships toddlers experience with their caregivers at home and with their teachers in Early Head Start classrooms. We consider child, family, teacher and child care center characteristics that influence relationship quality combinations across these two critical contexts. This project is funded by the Administration for Children and Families. Collaborators include Caroline Black (Northern Arizona University)

Find Dr. Barnett’s publications at Research Gate or Google Scholar.

Find Student Presentations at National Conferences.

Melissa A. Barnett, Ph.D. | Associate Professor, Family Studies & Human Development

Maria Belinda VasquezMS | Graduate Research Assistant

Victoria Cooper | Graduate Research Assistant

Priscilla Zambrano, MS | Graduate Research Assistant

Each semester the lab includes a talented team of undergraduate research assistants.