#MizzouHDFS PhD students Hanamori Skoblow and Matthew Ogan were awarded 1st and 2nd place respectively in the 38th Annual Research & Creative Activities Forum (RCAF). This event is hosted by the Graduate Professional Council (GPC) and offers graduate students the opportunity to present their work to a wide audience of professors from University of Missouri and other institutions in Missouri, research colleagues, and mentors.
Hanamori Skoblow
Hana received a BA in Psychology from Beloit College and taught in Spain and South Korea before completing her MS in Human Development and Family Science at MU in 2021. Hana is working toward her PhD with MU HDFS and her research examines the association between psychosocial resources and health in later life. Hana’s project, Sexual Activity and Satisfaction in Older Adult Dyads: The Role of Perceptions of Aging, examined the association between perceptions of aging (POA) and sexual frequency and satisfaction in older adult couples (aged 50-89). Her findings suggest that maximizing a healthy and satisfying sex life into older adulthood is not only related to health and physical functioning, but also our attitudes and social connections.
Matthew Ogan
Matthew received a BA in Family and Human Services from John Brown University and an MS in Human Development and Family Science from MU in 2020. He is also working toward his PhD with MU HDFS. Matthew research focuses on the role of stress in romantic relationship processes and outcomes. His project, Stress, Dyadic Coping, and Relationship Instability during the COVID-19 Pandemic, evaluated 117 different-gender couples across 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Matthew found that perceived stress, but not economic pressure or pandemic concerns, was associated with increases in relationship instability for both men and women, underscoring associations between stress, adaptive responses, and relationship instability.
Hana and Matt continue a strong HDFS tradition of success at this event. HDFS doctoral students Alaina Wilson (Social Sciences, Quantitative) and Shannon Dier (Social Sciences, Qualitative) each placed first in their categories in the 2020 competition.
Congratulations to these industrious scholars. We look forward to their contributions to the HDFS field and the practical implications their work holds for improving the lives of individuals and families.