The Development of Coping

Ellen A. Skinner, Ph.D., is a leading expert on the development of children's motivation, coping, and academic identity in school. She is a Professor in the Psychology Department at Portland State University, in Portland Oregon. As part of Psychology's concentration in Developmental Science and Education, her research explores ways to promote students' constructive coping, ongoing classroom engagement (marked by hard work, interest, and enthusiasm), and perseverance in the face of obstacles and setbacks. She is especially focused on two ingredients that shape motivational resilience: (1) close relationships with teachers, parents, and peers, and (2) academic work that is authentic and intrinsically motivating.
Melanie J. Zimmer-Gembeck, Ph.D., is a leading expert on social relationships, stress and coping, and autonomy and identity during adolescence. She is a Professor in the School of Applied Psychology and Menzies Health Institute ofQueensland, at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. She also directs The Family Interaction Program, a center that develops, pilots, evaluates and disseminates innovative programs for children, adolescents, and families, focusing especially on building family supports for children aged 1 to 12. Her broad range of research interests and funded projects include parent-infant attachment, stress and other important family issues, adolescent development as associated with couple (dating), peer and family relationships, adolescent sexual behavior and sexuality, the development of emotional, cognitive and behavioral regulation, interpersonal rejection and sensitivity to rejection, and appearance-related concerns.