Mellissa Gordon

Associate Professor

My program of research examines the ways that at-risk families and their communities impact adolescent and young adult developmental outcomes. In particular, I examine the mechanisms underlying such relations, and I explore the complex ways that interactions between these systems (families, communities, and youth) inform youth and young adult outcomes. My work is situated at the intersection of several theoretical frameworks, including Ecological Theory and Critical Race Theory. Situating my work in Ecological Theory allows me to examine development as a multifaceted process that takes place within a set of nested and interrelated settings. I integrate this ecological approach with Critical Race Theory, a perspective that recognizes that race is an engrained and pervasive element of our society which intersects with many other aspects of an individuals’ daily living. Finally, I apply a Positive Youth Development lens to my work. My ultimate goals in integrating these three approaches are to identify protective factors that can mitigate the adverse circumstances that emerge in the lives of ethnoracial minority youth, and to promote meaningful, sustainable, life-long success.

My research uses primarily large-scale secondary data sets, and in addressing the questions that guide my work I employ various statistical techniques such as multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling, and growth curve modeling.