Family and Health Lab
Health behaviors and environmental risk factors contribute significantly to global burden of disease. Many of these risk factors are preventable, and our research team is interested in understanding these risk factors and their causes. Our research also includes studies on screening, assessment, prevention, treatment, and implementation. Current topics of interest include physical activity, family maltreatment, mental health, parenting, child behavioral symptoms, stress management, and interpersonal dysfunctions such as social isolation.
Family Psychology
Family problems and family maltreatment are major public health problems that can affect physical and mental health across the lifespan.
- Improve screening and assessment of family problems and maltreatment
- Understand the role of interpersonal processes in health behaviors and disease progress
- Develop and test family-based interventions
Digital Health
Digitalization presents opportunities and challenges for health research and health care.
- Evaluate online user health behaviors and health information
- Develop and test innovative technology-based health interventions
- Conduct implementation studies on behavioral health offers
Public Health
Behavioral risk factors such as low physical activity, alcohol use, and psychological disorders are important for reducing global burden of disease. Prevention and early interventions targeting behavioral risk factors among children has wide-ranging implications for public health.
- Conduct interdisciplinary research on behavioral public health
- Coordinate the university research cluster on Public Health
- Disseminate science-based health promotion offers to the community
Lab Members
Lab Head
Research topics:
family health, intimate partner violence, depression, parenting, public health
Post-Doc
Research topics:
intimate partner violence, health psychology, psychosocial support interventions, families and children affected by war
Post-Doctoral Scientist
Research topics:
loneliness, older adults, family relationships, digital health
Post-Doctoral Scientist
Research topics:
Parenting Interventions, Implementation Science, Mental Health, Agent-based Modeling
Doctoral Student
Research topics:
parental stress, psychological distress, emotional functioning, couple relationships, parent-child relationships, child mental health
Doctoral Student
Research topics:
Post-Doctoral Scientist
Research topics:
parenting behaviors, screen use, parenting programs, alcohol screening & prevention, dissemination of alcohol prevention efforts
Doctoral Student & Research Project Staff
Research topics:
family health, parent-child relationships, parental stress, child wellbeing, psychosocial interventions for adolescents, meta-analyses, psychometrics
Research Project Staff
Student Assistant
Student Assistant
Student Assistant
Family and Health
Selected Projects
FLOURISH
Family-Focused Adolescent and Lifelong Health Promotion. Prevention of adolescent mental health problems in Eastern Europe. Funded by the European Union Horizon Europe research and innovation program, 2023-2026 https://www.flourish-study.org
Klagenfurt Team members: Univ.-Prof. Heather Foran (Principal Investigator), Dr. Antonio Piolanti, Dr. Janina Müller, Dr. Franziska Waller, Dr. Christina Glasauer, Michael Radloff, Stefan Haan
Co-Operation
Co-Operation, Mental health among individuals in critical professions involved in complex crises. The project will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Ljubljana. Funded by the FWF from 2023-2027.
Klagenfurt Team members: Prof. Heather Foran, Ass.-Prof. Mag.Dr. Heidi Ulrike Siller (on leave), Dr. Janina Müller, Dr. Rita Helena Phillips, Katharina Buß (Doctoral student), Stefan Haan
WELL
Testing new ways to improve well-being through self-care tools. The project is being conducted through a collaboration between the University of Klagenfurt and FAIR, Meta’s Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Research team. https://wellsurvey.aau.at/well/project.html
Klagenfurt Team members: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heather Foran (Principal Investigator), Dr. Christian Kubb, Dr. Janina Müller
RISE
RISE, “Prevention of child mental health problems in Southeastern Europe – Adapt, Optimize, Test, and Extend Parenting for Lifelong Health”. EU-Horizon 2020, Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases funded project, 2018-2022
Klagenfurt Team members: Univ.-Prof. Heather Foran (Principal Investigator), Dr. Elena Jansen, Dr. Janina Müller, Dr. Franziska Waller, Hugh Murphy
Family Validation Study
Validation of the criteria and interview for parent-child relational problems.
Klagenfurt Team members: Iris Fraude, Janina Mueller, Univ.-Prof. Heather Foran (Principal Investigator) 2018-2020. Collaboration with Prim. Dr. Wolfgang Wladika, Klinikum Klagenfurt, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Neurology.
Augmented Reality for Healthy Youth
Novel virtual reality intervention for health promotion with youth.
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heather Foran (Principal Investigator), Dr. Antonio Piolanti, Dr. Christian Kubb
Connect2Family
A Psychoeducation Family Intervention via Social Technology to Improve Social Support, Health and Well-Being among Elderly.
Klagenfurt Team: Janina Müller (Doctoral student), Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heather Foran (Supervisor)
Online Health-Related Information Seeking for Self and Family Members
Klagenfurt Team: Dr. Christian Kubb, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heather Foran
Evaluation and Improvement of Measurement in the Parenting Domain
Katharina Prandstetter (Doctoral student), Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heather Foran (Supervisor)
PREVENT
Development of a Criteria Catalog for Substance Abuse Prevention Among High Risk Families
Klagenfurt Team members: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heather Foran, Ao.Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Brigitte Jenull, Franziska Waller (Doctoral student)
Collaboration with Amt der Kärntner Landesregierung, Abteilung 5 – Kompetenzzentrum Gesundheit
Automated Facial Affect Coding to Understand Couple Processes
Klagenfurt Team: Iris Fraude, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heather Foran, in Collaboration with Ulm University
Relationship Functioning, Depression and Anxiety in American and German couples
This project examines the 10 year course of family functioning and psychopathology among German families who participated in a previously DFG-funded RCT of Triple P Parenting program. We also have been examining the associations between family functioning, psychopathology, and physical health outcomes over the ten year period. Klagenfurt Team: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heather Foran, in Collaboration with TU Braunschweig, Germany.
International Parental Burnout Study
Klagenfurt team: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heather Foran, Hugh Murphy, Katharina Prandstetter in collaboration with overall international lead (Prof. Isabelle Roskam & Prof. Moira Mikolajczak). This study was supported by a collaboration with FOKUS KIND Medien www.babyforum.at
Relational Processes and the ICD-11
In collaboration with the Relational processes working group. See recent publications:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1697260018300073
Selected Publications
2024
Dănilă, I., Balazsi, R., Tăut, D., Băban, A., Foran, H. M., Heinrich, N., Lachman, J. M., & Hutchings, J. (2024). Linking child adjustment difficulties with mother’s maladaptive parental behavior: The mediating roles of parental cognitions and parenting stress. Family process. ⊕
Kubb, C., & Foran, H. M. (2024). Health anxiety by proxy among parents: Measuring health anxiety for self, child and partner and its associations with family functioning. Health Psychology Open. ⊕
Domínguez Martínez, T., Arango de Montis, I., Robles García, R., García, J. Á., Medina Mora, M. E., Burns, S. C., Kogan, C. S., Heyman, R. E., Foran, H. M., Smith Slep, A. M., Keeley, J. W., & Reed, G. M. (2024). Clinicians’ diagnostic accuracy of intimate partner relational problems and maltreatment: An international field study. Psychology of Violence. ⊕
2023
Shenderovich, Y., Piolanti, A., Babii, V., Calovska-Hertzog, N., Evans, R. E., Heinrichs, N., Burgund Isakov, A., Lesco, G., Moore, G., Mueller, J., Raleva, M., Shimbov, B., Simon, J., Waller, F., Wienand, D., & Foran, H. M. (2023). Family-focused intervention to promote adolescent mental health and well-being in Moldova and North Macedonia (FLOURISH): Feasibility study protocol. BMJ Open. ⊕
Roskam, I., Aguiar, J., Akgun, E., Arena, A. F., Arikan, G., Aunola, K., … & Mikolajczak, M. (2023). Three reasons why parental burnout is more prevalent in individualistic countries: a mediation study in 36 countries. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. ⊕
Wood, M. D., Foran, H. M., & Britt, T. W. (2023). Limitations of benefit finding as a coping mechanism for combat-related PTSD symptoms. Military Psychology. ⊕
Piolanti, A., Waller, F., Schmid, I. E., & Foran, H. M. (2023). Long-term adverse outcomes associated with teen dating violence: a systematic review. Pediatrics. ⊕
Murphy, H., Prandstetter, K., Ward, C. L., Hutchings, J., Kunovski, I., Tăut, D., & Foran, H. M. (2023). Factor structure of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale among caregivers in Southeastern Europe. Family Relations. ⊕
Waller, F., Prandstetter, K., Jansen, E., Nikolova, G., Lachman, J. M., Hutchings, J., & Foran, H. M. (2023). Screen use: Its association with caregiver mental health, parenting, and children’s ADHD symptoms. Family Relations. ⊕
Zhao, X., Perle, I., & Foran, H. M. (2023). Emerging ideas. Filial piety, substance use, adverse childhood experiences, and parental support: An intergenerational perspective. Family Relations. ⊕
Lin, G. X., Mikolajczak, M., Keller, H., Akgun, E., Arikan, G., Aunola, K., … & Roskam, I. (2023). Parenting Culture (s): Ideal-Parent Beliefs Across 37 Countries. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. ⊕
Prandstetter, K., Murphy, H., & Foran, H. M. (2023). The role of intimate partner violence, couple dissatisfaction and parenting behaviors in understanding parental burnout. Journal of Child and Family Studies. ⊕
2022
Piolanti, A., Jouriles, E. N., & Foran, H. M. (2022). Assessment of psychosocial programs to prevent sexual violence during adolescence: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Network Open. ⊕
Williams, M. E., Foran, H. M., Hutchings, J., Frantz, I., Taut, D., Lachman, J. M., … & Heinrichs, N. (2022). Exploring Factors Associated with Parent Engagement in A Parenting Program in Southeastern Europe. Journal of Child and Family Studies. ⊕
Martin, M., Lachman, J. M., Murphy, H., Gardner, F., & Foran, H. (2022). The development, reliability, and validity of the Facilitator Assessment Tool: An implementation fidelity measure used in Parenting for Lifelong Health for Young Children. Child: Care, Health and Development. ⊕
Kopystynska, O., Mueller, J., Bradford, K., Chandler, A. B., Foran, H. M., & Higginbotham, B. J. (2022). The influence of interparental conflict and violence on parenting and parent–child relationships. Personal Relationships. ⊕
Jansen, E., Frantz, I., Hutchings, J., Lachman, J., Williams, M., Taut, D., … & Foran, H. M. (2022). Preventing child mental health problems in southeastern Europe: Feasibility study (phase 1 of MOST framework). Family Process. ⊕
Zhao, X., Prandstetter, K., & Foran, H. M. (2022). Using Dyadic Modeling in Nursing Research: Introduction of Theory and Application. Western Journal of Nursing Research. ⊕
Burns, S. C., Kogan, C. S., Heyman, R. E., Foran, H. M., Slep, A. M. S., Domínguez-Martínez, T., … & Reed, G. M. (2022). Evaluating the relationship between intimate partner violence-related training and mental health professionals’ assessment of relationship problems. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. ⊕
Prandstetter, K., Waller, F., Heinrichs, N., Hutchings, J., Ward, C. L., Dănilă, I., … & Foran, H. M. (2022). Measuring dysfunctional parenting: Psychometrics of three versions of the Parenting Scale. Family Relations. ⊕
Piolanti, A., & Foran, H. M. (2022). Psychological violence in dating relationships among adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prevention programs. Preventive Medicine. ⊕
Zhao, X., Dichtl, F. F., & Foran, H. M. (2022). Predicting smoking behavior: intention and future self-continuity among Austrians. Psychology, Health & Medicine. ⊕
Kubb, C., & Foran, H. M. (2022). Online Health Information Seeking for Self and Child: An Experimental Study of Parental Symptom Search. JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting. ⊕
Foran, H. M., Mueller, J., Schulz, W., & Hahlweg, K. (2022). Cohabitation, relationship stability, relationship adjustment, and children’s mental health over 10 years. Frontiers in Psychology. ⊕
Roskam, I., Gallée, L., Aguiar, J., Akgun, E., Arena, A., Arikan, G., … & Mikolajczak, M. (2022). Gender equality and maternal burnout: A 40-country study. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. ⊕
Piolanti, A., & Foran, H. M. (2022). Efficacy of interventions to prevent physical and sexual dating violence among adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics. ⊕
Burns, S. C., Kogan, C. S., Heyman, R. E., Foran, H. M., Smith Slep, A. M., Dominguez-Martinez, T., … & Reed, G. M. (2022). Exploring mental health professionals’ experiences of intimate partner violence–related training: results from a global survey. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. ⊕
2021
Zhao, X., Prandstetter, K., Foran, H.M. (2021). Using dyadic modeling in nursing research: Introduction to theory and application. Western Journal of Nursing Research. ⊕
Shenderovich, Y. Lachman, J.M. Wessels, I., Ward, C.L., Gardner, F. Tomlinson, M. Oliver, D. Janowski, R. Martin, M., Okop, K., Sacolo-Gwebu, H., Ngcobo, L.L., Fang, Z., Alampay, L., Baban, A., Baumann, A.A., Benevides de Barros, R., Bojo, S., Butchart, A., Dippenaar, W., Exavery, A., Fang, X., Ferdinandi, I, Foran, H.M., Heinrichs, N., Hutchings, J., Kisyombe, D., Massetti, G., Mazak, J., Mbuyi, H., Singh, P. Polsky, K., Rakotomalala, S., Raleva, M., Savo, R., & Cluver, L. (2021). The science of scale for violence prevention: A new agenda of family strengthening in low- and middle-income countries. Frontiers in Public Health, section Life-Course Epidemiology and Social Inequalities. ⊕
Burns, S.C. Kogan, C.S., Heyman, R.E., Foran, H.M., Smith Slep, A.M., Dominquez-Martinez, T., Grenier, J., Matsumoto, C., & Reed, G.M. (2021). Evaluating the relationship between intimate partner violence-related training and mental health professionals’ assessment of relationship problems. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. ⊕
Roskam, I., Aguiar, J., Akgun, E., Arikan, G., Artavia, M., Avalosse, H., … & Mikolajczak, M. (2021). Parental burnout around the globe: A 42-country study. Affective Science. ⊕
Heyman, R. E., Baucom, K. J., Xu, S., Slep, A. M. S., Snarr, J. D., Foran, H. M., … & Linkh, D. J. (2021). High sensitivity and specificity screening for clinically significant intimate partner violence. Journal of Family Psychology. ⊕
Zhao, X., Prandstetter, K., Jansen, E., Hahlweg, K., Schulz, W., & Foran, H. M. (2021). Interparental relationship adjustment, parenting, and offspring’s cigarette smoking at the 10‐year follow‐up. Family Process. ⊕
2020
Roskam, I., Gross, J., Aguiar, J., Akgun, E., Aunola, K., Bahati, M.E., Besson, E., Boujut, E., Brianda, M.E…Mikolajczak, M. (2020). Parental burnout around the globe: A 40-country study. Affective Science. ⊕
Zhao, X., Prandstetter, K., Jansen, E., Hahlweg, K, Schultz, W., & Foran, H.M. (2020). Interparental relationship adjustment, parenting, and offspring’s smoking at the ten-year follow-up. Family Process. ⊕
Kubb, C. & Foran, H. M. (2020). Measuring COVID-19 Related Anxiety in Parents: Psychometric Comparison of Four Different Inventories. Journal of Medical Internet Research. ⊕
Zhao, X., Dichtl, F., & Foran, H.M. (2020). Predicting smoking behavior: intention and future self-continuity among Austrians. Psychology, Health & Medicine. ⊕
Kubb, C., & Foran, H.M. (2020). Online health information seeking by parents for their children: Systematic review and agenda for further research. Journal of Medical Internet Research. ⊕
Foran, H. M., Fraude, I., Kubb, C., & Wamboldt, M. Z. (2020). Assessment of the parent-child relationship. In The Handbook of Systemic Family Therapy (Karen Wampler, Eds, et al.): Wiley. ⊕
Heyman, R. E., Baucom, K. J. W., Xu, S., Slep, A. M. S., Snarr, J. D., Foran, H. M., Lorber, M. F., Wojda, A. K. & U.S. Air Force Family Advocacy Program (2020). High sensitivity and specificity screening for clinically significant intimate partner violence. Journal of Family Psychology. ⊕
Burns, S.C. Kogan, C.S., Heyman, R.E., Foran, H.M., Slep, A.M., Dominquez-Martinez, T., Grenier, J., Matsumoto, C., & Reed, G.M. (2020). Exploring mental health professionals’ experiences of intimate partner violence –related training: Results from a global survey. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. ⊕
Jansen, E., Lachman, J., Heinrichs, N., Hutchings, J., Baban, A., & Foran, H.M. (2020). Hunger in vulnerable families in Southeastern Europe: Associations with mental health and violence. Frontiers in Public Health. ⊕
Foran, H.M. (2020). The military family: Dynamics, strengths, and challenges. Contemporary Military Challenges. ⊕
Foran, H. M., Lorber, M., Malik, J., Heyman, R. E., & Slep, A. M. S. (2020). The intimate partner flooding scale. Assessment. ⊕
2019
Lachman, J., Heinrichs, N., Jansen, E, Brühl, A., Taut, A., Fang, X., Gardner, F., Hutchings, J., Ward, C., Williams, M.E., Raleva, M., Båban, A., Lesco, G., & Foran, H.M. (2019). Preventing child mental health problems through parenting interventions in Southeastern Europe (RISE): Study protocol for a factorial trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials. ⊕
Frantz, I., Foran, H. M., Lachman, J., Jansen, E., Hutchings, J., Baban, A., Fang, X…et al. (2019). Prevention of Child Mental Health Problems in Southeastern Europe: A Multi-centre Sequential Study to Adapt, Optimise and Test the Parenting Programme “Parenting for Lifelong Health for Young Children” – Protocol for Stage 1, the Feasibility Study. BMJ Open. ⊕
Foran, H. M., Jansen, E., Kuhn, L., Restle, L., & Hahlweg, K. (2019). Parental aggression and adolescent physical health status 10 years later. Mental Health & Prevention. ⊕
Del Vecchio, T., Heyman, R. E., Slep, A. M., Foran, H. M., Vazsonyi, A. T., Flannery, D., & Delisi, M. (2019). Child abuse and neglect. In. The Cambridge Handbook of Violent Behavior and Aggression, Cambridge University Press. ⊕
2018
Foran, H. M. (2018). Daniel K. O’Leary. In Jay L. Lebow, Anthony L. Chambers, & Douglas C. Breunlin (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer. ⊕
Foran, H. M. & Restle, L. (2018). Classification in Couples and Families. In Jay L. Lebow, Anthony L. Chambers, & Douglas C. Breunlin (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer. ⊕
Heyman, R. E., Kogan, C. S., Foran, H. M., Burns. S. C., Slep, A. M. S., Wojda, A., K., Keeley, J. W., Rebello, T. J., & Reed, G. M. (2018). A case-controlled field study evaluating ICD-11 proposals for relational problems and intimate partner violence. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. ⊕
Heyman, R. E., Kogan, C. S., Foran, H. M., Burns. S. C., Slep, A. M. S., Wojda, A., K., Keeley, J. W., Rebello, T. J., & Reed, G. M. (2018). Estudio de campo con casos controlados para evaluar propuestas de la CIE-11 en problemas relacionales y de violencia de pareja. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. (Spanish version) ⊕
Kliem, S., Lohman, A., Moeble, T., Hellmann, D. F., Foran, H. M., Hahlweg, K., Zenger, M., Stöbel-Richter, Y., & Brähler, E. (2018). Development and validation of an eight-item short form of the Parenting scale based on a German representative population sample. Journal of Child and Family Studies. ⊕
Frate, N., Jenull, B. & Foran, H. M. (2018). Overweight and obesity in early childhood: A systematic review of individual, family and peer risk factors. Advances in Pediatric Research. ⊕
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Adresse
Universitätsstraße 65-67
9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Austria
+43 463 2700
uni [at] aau [dot] at
www.aau.at
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