1st Edition

An Introduction to the History of Human Development and Family Science

Edited By Andrea Roach, Ashley Ermer Copyright 2025
246 Pages 5 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

246 Pages 5 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

246 Pages 5 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

This comprehensive textbook offers an interdisciplinary introduction to the history of human development and family science. It provides insights from home economics, sociology and psychology to explain and analyze how the field was established and how it is developing and showcases the contribution of its unique transdisciplinary nature. Expert authors cover key topics and highlight historical... Read more

List of Contributors
Preface
Acknowledgments

Chapter 1 – Introduction
Andrea Roach and Ashley Ermer
Section I – Human Development
Chapter 2 – Child Development History: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
Chang Su-Russell, Dan Lannin, Laura Finan, Keith Pluymers, and Maria Tudela
Chapter 3 – The Historical Foundations of Adolescence & Emerging Adulthood
Anthony G. James, Jr.
Chapter 4 – Historical and Contemporary Studies of Adulthood and Aging
Jaclyn Elisa Keenoy, Kelly Munly, and Ashley Ermer
Section II – Family Science
Chapter 5 – Historical and Contemporary Research on Marriage Formation and Maintenance
Jeremy Kanter and Caroline Sanner
Chapter 6 – From Parenting to Parenthood: A Multidisciplinary History of Scientific Research on Parents
Kathleen D. Dyer
Chapter 7 – A History of Divorce and Relationship Dissolution Research
Luke T. Russell and Micheal Rowley
Chapter 8 – Historical and Contemporary Studies of Family Stress
Autumn M. Bermea, Ellison Luthy, and Andrea Roach
Chapter 9 – Kinship Chronicles: Exploring Siblings, Cousins, Aunts, and Uncles Through Time
Erika Duarte and Mary Marshall
Chapter 10 – The Changing Role of Grandparents: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
Mary Marshall and Erika Duarte
Chapter 11 – Historical and Contemporary Studies of Chosen Kin Relationships
Sarah N. Mitchell and Chalyss Evans
Section III: The Intersection of Human Development AND Family Science
Chapter 12 – The Evolution of Human Development and Family Science Programs in Extension
Lorna Saboe-Wounded Head
Chapter 13 – Human Development and Family Science in Applied Settings Over Time
Youngjin Kang and Weimiao Zhou
Chapter 14 – Where are we Headed?: The Future of Human Development and Family Science as a Discipline
Ashley Ermer and Andrea Roach

Biography

Andrea Roach, Ph.D., CFLE, is an Associate Professor at California State University, Fresno, in the Department of Child and Family Science. Her research interests include the history of human development and family science, family relationships, and intimate partner violence.

Ashley Ermer, Ph.D., CFLE, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Science and Human Development at Montclair State University. As a family gerontologist, her primary research focuses on the interplay between older adults’ social relationships (e.g., romantic partnerships and friendships) and well-being.