Research:
Applied research related to understanding healthy couple and marital relationships and positive parenting practices across various contexts in order to inform the development of educational programs and resources that promote healthy and stable families. As well, my research focuses on the efficacy of family life programs in advancing knowledge and creating lasting changes in behaviors that lead to healthy relationships and development.

Outreach:
Areas of outreach and Extension work include relationship and marriage enrichment education, parenting education with a particular interest in fathering and adolescent parenting, stepfamily relationships, supporting community collaborations to cultivate healthy families, and children and families at risk.

Interests:
My research and programmatic interests stem from three current trends impacting the health and stability of today’s families and consequently the well-being of children: the fragility of marital relationships and the increasing prevalence of single-parent and unmarried couple families; the continued (albeit declining) occurrence of adolescent pregnancies and births; and an increasing number of fathers who are missing contributors in the lives of their biological children. Specifically, I achieve to understand and promote the factors and processes that foster the active and positive involvement of fathers in their children’s lives across family contexts. According to research, one of the most salient factors related to father involvement is the quality of the couple and coparental relationship. Therefore, my current efforts focus on the establishment of programs, resources, and community initiatives that support individuals and couples preparing for, developing and enriching healthy relationships and healthy marriages.

Education:

Selected Publications/Presentations:

Van Epp, M. C., Futris, T. G., Van Epp, J.C. & Campbell, K. (2008).The impact of the P.I.C.K. a Partner relationship education program on single army soldiers. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 36 (4), 328-349.

Futris, T. G., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. (2007). Mothers' perceptions of barriers, parenting alliance, and adolescent fathers' engagement with their children. Family Relations, 56 (3), 258-269.

Futris, T. G. (2007). Building community collaborations to support healthy and stable marriages. The Forum for Family and Consumer Issues [On-line], 12 (1). Available at: http://ncsu.edu/ffci/publications/2007/v12-n1-2007-spring/index-v12-n1-may-2007.php.

Futris, T. G. (2007). Cultivating healthy couple and marital relationships: Introduction from the Guest Editor. The Forum for Family and Consumer Issues [On-line], 12 (1). Available at: http://ncsu.edu/ffci/publications/2007/v12-n1-2007-spring/index-v12-n1-may-2007.php.

Ferrari, T. M., Futris, T. G., Smathers, C. A., Cochram, G. R., Arnett, N. & Digby, J. K. (2006). Parents' perceptions of family involvement and youth outcomes at an urban 4-H education center. The Forum for Family and Consumer Issues [On-line], 11 (2). Available at: http://ncsu.edu/ffci/publications/2006/v11-n2-2006-december/fa-1-parents.php


Futris, T. G., Bloir, K., Tsai, D. S. (2005). Strengthening marriages: An evaluation and assessment of a couple's and marital enrichment newsletter. Journal of Extension. [On-line], 43 (5). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2005october/rb8.shtml

Maiorano, J. J. & Futris, T. G. (2005). Fit 2-B Fathers: The effectiveness of Extension programming with incarcerated fathers. Journal of Extension. [On-line], 43 (5). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2005october/a7.shtml.

Futris, T. G., Adler-Baeder, F., Dean, K., & McFadyen, J. M. (2005). Best practices for couples education: Summary of a dialogue between researchers and educators. The Forum for Family and Consumer Issues [On-line], 10(1). Available at: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/pub/10_1/fa2.html.

Futris, T. G., Adler-Baeder, F, & Dean, K. J. (2004). Using Technology to Link Researchers and Educators: Evaluation of Electronic Conferencing. Journal of Extension. [On-line], 42 (1). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2004february/rb1.shtml.

Futris, T. G., & Pasley, K (2003). Adolescent Parenthood. In J. J. Ponzetti (Ed.), International encyclopedia of marriage and family relationships (2nd ed., Vol. 1, pp. 25-31). New York: Macmillan Reference, USA.

Pasley, K., Futris, T. G., & Skinner, M. (2002). The effects of commitment and psychological centrality on fathering. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 130-138.