My research focuses on trauma and quality of relationships as predictors of developmental psychopathology across the lifespan, in early childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, with a specific emphasis on gender issues.  There are two main aspects of my research program.  First, I empirically examine adolescents’ authenticity in relationships, which is defined as the extent to which they can be open and honest in meaningful relationships.  My research has demonstrated that low levels of authenticity in relationship is a risk factor for developmental psychopathology, and also that high levels of authenticity in relationships are a protective factor against developing psychopathology. Second, I study trauma and early relationships as predictors of later outcomes.  My research highlights the influence of early experiences, such as the quality of the mother-child relationship, on developmental psychopathology.

• Theran, S.A. (in press). Authenticity in relationships.  In R.J.R. Levesque (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Adolescence. New York: Springer.

• Theran, S.A., Newberg, E.M., & Gleason, T.R.  (in press). Adolescent girls’ parasocial interactions with media figures. Journal of Genetic Psychology: Developmental and Educational Psychology.

• Theran, S.A.  (2010). Authenticity with authority figures and peers: Girls’ friendships, self-esteem, and depressive symptomatology.  Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 27, 519-534.

• Theran, S.A.  (2009). Predictors of level of voice in adolescent girls: Ethnicity, attachment, and gender role socialization. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38, 1027-1037.

• Theran, S.A., Sullivan, C.M., Bogat, G.A., & Sutherland, C. (2006).  Abusive partners versus ex-partners: Understanding the effects of relationship to the abuser on well-being and social support. Violence Against Women, 12, 950-969.

• Theran, S.A., Levendosky, A.A., Bogat, G.A., & Huth-Bocks, A.C.  (2005). Stability and change in mothers’ internal representations of their infants over time.  Attachment and Human Development, 7, 253-268.

• Levendosky, A.A., Bogat, G.A., Theran, S.A., & Trotter, J.S., von Eye, A., & Davidson, W.S. (2004). The social networks of women experiencing domestic violence.  American Journal of Community Psychology, 34, 95-109.

• Huth-Bocks, A. C., Levendosky, A. A., Theran, S. A., & Bogat, G. A. (2004). The impact of domestic violence on mothers' prenatal representations of their infants. Infant Mental Health Journal, 25, 79-98.

• Bogat, G.A., Levendosky, A.A., Theran, S.A., von Eye, A., & Davidson, W.S. (2003).  Predicting the psychosocial effects of interpersonal partner violence: How much does a woman’s history of abuse matter?  Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18, 1271-1291.

• Theran, S.A., & Han, S.C. (2010, March).  Early childhood traumatic experiences as predictors of authenticity in relationships.Poster session presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Adolescence, Philadelphia, PA.

• Theran, S.A. (2010, February). Predictors of level of voice in adolescent girls: Ethnicity, attachment, and gender role socialization. Invited paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Women in Psychology, Portland, OR.

• Dour, H.J., & Theran, S.A. (2009, April).  Perfectionism’s moderating role on eating attitudes and the Superwoman ideal. Poster session presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Denver, CO.

• Cheek, J.M., Bourgeois, M.L., Theran, S.A., Grimes, J.O., & Norem, J.K. (2009, February).  Interpreting the factors of the Highly Sensitive Person scale. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Tampa, FL.

• Theran, S.A., & Newberg, E.M.  (2008, March).  Understanding adolescent girls’ parasocial relationships.  Poster session presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Adolescence, Chicago, IL.

• Gleason, T., Newberg, E.M., & Theran, S.A.  (2007, August).  Adolescent gender differences in imaginative activities and imaginary relationships.  Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.

• Huth-Bocks, A., Theran, S.A., Levendosky, A.A., & Bogat, G. A.  (2007, April).  Continuity and discontinuity between prenatal maternal representations and infant attachment: The role of domestic violence.  Paper presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Boston, MA.

• Theran, S. A., & Muszynski, M.E. (2006, March). Understanding gender differences in adolescents' level of voice. Poster session presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Adolescence, San Francisco, CA.

• Huth-Bocks, A., Theran, S.A., Weatherill, R.P., Levendosky, A.A., & Bogat, G. A.  (2005, April).  Factors related to continuity and discontinuity from mothers' prenatal representations to infants' attachment classifications.  Poster session presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Atlanta, GA.

• Theran, S. A., Bogat, G. A., & Weatherill, R. P. (2004, March). The impact of level of voice on girls' relationships and psychological well-being. Poster session presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Adolescence, Baltimore, MD

• Theran, S.A. (2003, April).  Ethnicity, attachment, and gender role socialization: The impact on level of voice in adolescent girls.  Poster session presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Tampa, FL.

• Theran, S.A., & Levendosky, A.A. (2003, April).  Continuity of maternal attachment over time in a high-risk sample.  Poster session presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Tampa, FL.

• Theran, S., Schettini, A., & Huth-Bocks, A. (2002, February).  A group treatment approach to treating preschoolers experiencing domestic violence or loss.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Michigan Head Start Association, East Lansing, MI.

• Theran, S., Trotter, J., Bogat, G.A., & Levendosky, A.A. (2001, August).  Social networks of  women in abusive relationships.  Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.

• Weatherill, R., O'Toole, E., Theran, S., DeJonghe, E., Levendosky, A.A., Bogat, G.A., & von Eye, A.  (2001, August).  Assessment of attachment style in high-risk pregnant women.   Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.

• Huth-Bocks, A., Levendosky, A.A., & Theran, S.  (2001, May).  The impact of domestic violence on mothers’ prenatal representations of their infants.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Michigan Association Infant Mental Health. 

• Levendosky, A.A., Theran, S.A., Bogat, G.A., von Eye, A., & Davidson, W.S.  (2000, June).  Profiles of violence: Understanding women’s experiences in abusive relationships.  Paper presented at the UNH Family Violence Conference. 

• Theran, S.A., & Foster-Fishman, P., & Davidson, W.S. (1999, June).  Increasing organizational effectiveness through an outcome-based evaluation.  Poster session presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Community and Research Action.

• Theran, S.A., Sebastian, M., Foster-Fishman, P., & Davidson, W.S.  (1998, August). Discord or harmony:  The multiple voices within a disability coalition.  Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.

• Wellesley College Brachman-Hoffman Small Grant Award, Trauma and authenticity in adolescents, $4,000, 2008-2009

• Wellesley College Faculty Award, Gender differences in authenticity in relationships, $3,000, Summer 2009

• Woodrow Wilson Dissertation Grant in Women’s Studies, The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, Attachment and gender role socialization as predictors of level of voice in a diverse group of adolescent girls: The cumulative impact on relationships and psychological well-being, $3,000, 2003.

• Student Award Program Grant, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, Level of voice as a mechanism for understanding mental health outcomes in adolescent girls, $3,000, 2002-2003.