Renee Galliher

Professor of Psychology, Utah State University

Renee Galliher's research is generally focused on examining interpersonal relationships in adolescence, with particular emphasis on adolescents from diverse cultural backgrounds and adolescents in rural communities. Currently, her work focuses on adolescent romantic relationships as an important context for social and emotional development. Using a combination of observational and survey methodology, she examines the associations among relationship processes and individual or couple developmental outcomes. Specifically, she is interested in associations among couple interaction, couple members' expectations for and subjective understandings of relationships, individual couple members' dating and sexual histories, psychological functioning, and relationship outcomes, such as dating aggression. Current and proposed work in her lab will begin to more closely examine the role of culture in understanding the development and function of romantic relationships. Planned projects include an analysis of the associations between cultural identity and relationship development among Latino adolescents and an evaluation of a school based intervention program designed to enhance relationship building skills and reduce risk behavior among high-risk high school students. Dr. Galliher's teaching responsibilities dovetail with her research and clinical interests. She teaches undergraduate courses in psychological statistics and graduate courses in Theories of Psychotherapy, Rural Psychology, and Personality Research and Theory.