The Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute is a not-for-profit organization engaging in activities that enhance and promote healthy child, parent, and family functioning. Our goal is to foster adoption of evidence-based practices that build on the capacities and strengths of children, parents, families, communities, and public and private organizations. This is accomplished using different approaches and strategies that draw from a wealth of knowledge and experiences for improving efforts directed at supporting and strengthening family functioning.
Our research-to-practice activities emphasize positive aspects of behavior that support and strengthen child, parent, and family development.
The Puckett Institute is dedicated to the advancement of policies and practices that are respectful and sensitive to cultural, racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity.
Open Access Papers and Reports:
Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and governmental policies on rehabilitation services and physical medicine in Jordan: a retrospective study. Almasri, N. A., Dunst, C. J., Hadoush, H., Aldaod, J., Khader, Y., & Alrjoub, A. 2023.
A meta-analysis of informal and formal family social support studies: relationships with parent and family psychological health and well-being. Dunst, C. J 2023.
Meta-analyses of the relationships between family systems practices, parents’ psychological health, and parenting quality. Dunst, C. J. 2023.
Meta-analyses of the relationships between family systems practices, parents’ psychological health, and parenting quality: supplemental report. Dunst, C. J. 2023.
Early childhood intervention practitioners’ competence and confidence appraisals using recommended practices and relationship with parent involvement. Garcia-Ventura, S., Mas, J., Balcells-Balcells, A., Dunst, C. J., & Canadas, M. 2023.
Child studies through the lens of applied family social systems theory. Dunst, C. J. 2022.
Functional social support and psychological health and functioning: a meta-analysis of studies of parents of children and adolescents with identified disabilities. Dunst, C. J. 2022.
Associations between perceived family social support and the psychological health of caregivers of children and adolescents: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Dunst, C. J. 2022.
Systematic review and meta-anaylsis of the relationships between family social support and parenting stress, burden, beliefs, and practices. Dunst, C. J. 2022.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationships bewteen family social support and parenting stress, burden, beliefs, and practices: supplemental report. Dunst, C. J. 2022.
Systematic review and meta-anaylsis of family needs studies: Relationships with parent, family and child functioning. Dunst, C. J. 2022.
Systematic review and meta-anaylsis of the relationships between the adequacy of family resources and parenting stress. Dunst, C. J. 2022.
Meta-analysis of the relationships between the adequacy of family resources and personal, family and child well-being. Dunst, C. J. 2021.
Meta-analysis of the relationships between the adequacy of family resources and parenting beliefs and practices. Dunst, C. J. 2021.
Differential relationships between the adequacy of different types of family resources and psychological health and well-being: a meta-analysis. Dunst, C. J. 2021.
Family hardiness and parent and family functioning in households with children experiencing adverse life conditions: a meta-analysis. Dunst, C. J. 2021.
Family strengths, the circumplex model of family systems, and personal and family functioning: A meta-analysis of the relationships among study measures. Dunst, C. J. 2021.
Meta-analysis of the relationships between family strengths and parent, family and child well-being. Dunst, C. J., Serrano, A. M., Mas, J. M., and Espe-Sherwindt, M. 2021.
A meta-analytic investigation of the relationships between different dimensions of family strengths and personal and family well-being. Dunst, C. J. 2021.
Development and psychometric properties of the arabic parent nutritional assessment scale (A-PNAS) for children with developmental disabilities. Almasri, N. A., Dunst, C. J., Saleh, M., Tayyem, R. 2021.
Parents' interests and abilities as sources of young children's everyday learning opportunities. Dunst, C. J. 2020.
Modeling the relationship between parent strengths, parenting efficacy beliefs, and child social-affective behavior. Dunst, C. J. 2020.
Everyday learning opportunities of young children with and without developmental disabilities or delays. Dunst, C. J. 2020.
Predictors of practitioners’ use of recommended early childhood intervention practices. Dunst, C. J., Bruder, M. B., Maude, S. P., Schnurr, M., Van Polen, A., Frolek Clark, G., Winslow, A., & Gethmann, D. 2020.
Research synthesis of meta-analyses of preservice teacher preparation practices in higher education. Dunst, C. J., Hamby, D. W., Howse, R. B., Wilkie, H., & Annas, K. 2020.
Parent empowerment and coaching in early intervention: study protocol for a feasibility study. Pellecchia, L., Beidas, R. S., Mandell, D. S., Cannuscio, C. C., Dunst, C. J., & Stahmer, A. C. 2020.
Future directions and considerations in the continued evolution of early childhood intervention Dunst, C. J. 2019.
Review of the effects of technical assistance on program, organization and systems change. Dunst, C. J., Annas, K., Wilkie, H., & Hamby, D. W. 2019.
Scoping review of the core elements of technical assistance models and frameworks. Dunst, C. J., Annas, K., Wilkie, H. & Hamby, D. W. 2019.
Professional development practices and practitioner use of recommended early childhood intervention practices. Dunst, C. J., Bruder, M. B., Maude, S. P., Schnurr, M., Van Polen, A., Frolek Clark, G., Winslow, A., & Gethmann, D. 2019.
Does capacity-building professional development engender practitioners’ use of capacity-building family-centered practices? Dunst, C. J., Espe-Sherwindt, M., & Hamby, D. W. 2019.
Parent perspectives of desired and experienced child and family practices in the early elementary grades. Dunst, C. J., & Hamby, D. W. 2019.
Metasynthesis of preservice professional preparation and teacher education research studies. Dunst, C. J., Hamby, D. W., Howse, R., Wilkie, H., & Annas, K. 2019.
Metasynthesis of preservice professional preparation
and teacher education research studies: Supplemental report. Dunst, C. J., Hamby, D. W., Howse, R., Wilkie, H., & Annas, K. 2019.
Family-centered practices and the parental well-being of young children with disabilities and developmental delay. Mas, J. M., Dunst, C. J., Balcells-Balcells, A., Garcia-Ventura, S., Gine, C., & Canadas, M. 2019.
Modeling the relationships between practitioner capacity-building practices and the behavior and development of young children with disabilities and delays. Dunst, C. J., Raab, M., & Hamby, D. W. 2019.
Developing evidence-informed early childhood intervention e-learning lessons, performance checklists and practice guides. Dunst, C. J., Raab, M., Embler, D., & Roberts, K. 2018.
Meta-analysis of the relationship between different leadership practices and organizational, teaming, leader, and employee outcomes. Dunst, C. J., Bruder, M. B., Hamby, D. W., Howse, R., & Wilkie, H. 2018.
Meta-analysis of the relationship between different leadership practices and organizational, teaming, leader, and employee outcomes: Supplemental report. Dunst, C. J. & Hamby, D. W. 2018.
Effects of contrasting approaches to the response-contingent learning of young children with significant developmental delays on parents' social-affevtive behavior. Dunst, C. J., Raab, M., & Hamby, D. W. 2018.
Evaluation of e-learning lessons for strengthening early childhood practitioner use of family capacity-building practices. Dunst, C. J., Howse, R. R., Embler, D., & Hamby, D. W. 2018.
Multilevel linear modelling of the response-contingent learning of young children with significant developmental delays. Raab, M., Dunst, C. J., & Hamby, D. W. 2018.
Practitioner-informed improvements to early childhood intervention performance checklists and practice guides. Dunst, C. J., Hamby, D. W., Wilson, L. L., Espe-Sherwindt, M., & Nelson, D.E. 2017.
Research foundations for evidence-informed early childhood intervention performance checklists. Dunst, C. J. 2017.
Parents' social validity appraisals for early childhood intervention practice guides. Dunst, C. J. 2017.
Family socioeconomic status and ethnicity, acculturation and enculturation, and parent beliefs about child behavior learning methods, and parenting roles. Dunst, C. J., Hamby, D.W., Raab, M., & Bruder, M.B. 2017.
Procedures for developing evidence-informed performance checklists for improving early childhood intervention practices. Dunst, C. J. 2017.
Contrasting approaches to the response-contingent learning of young children with significant delays and their social-emotional consequences. Dunst, C. J., Raab, M., & Hamby, D.W. 2017.
Early childhood practitioner judgements of the social validity of performance checklists and parent practice guides. Dunst, C. J. 2017.
Predictors of the social validity judgements of early childhood intervention performance checklists and practice guides. Dunst, C. J. & Hamby, D.W. 2017.
Efficacy trial of contrasting approaches to the response-contingent learning of young children with significant developmental delays and multiple disabilities. Raab, M., Dunst, C. J., & Hamby, D.W. 2017.
Interest-based everyday child language learning. Dunst, C. J., Raab, M., & Hamby, D.W. 2016.
Review of single participant studies investigating the relationship between the interests and social-communication behavior of young child with autism spectrum disorder. Dunst, C. J. & Hamby, D.W. 2016.
Effects of cumulative family risk factors on american students' academic performance. Dunst, C. J. & Hamby, D.W. 2016.
A case study approach to secondary reanalysis of a quantitative research synthesis of adult learning practices studies. Dunst, C. J. & Hamby, D.W. 2015.
Professional-family help giving relationships in family support programs. Dunst, C. J. 2015.
Metasynthesis of in-service professional development research: Features associated with positive educator and student outcomes. Dunst, C. J., Bruder, M. B., & Hamby, D. W. 2015.
Meta-analysis of the effects of puppet shows on attitudes toward and knowledge of individuals with disabilities. Dunst, C. J. 2015.
Family capacity-building in early childhood intervention: Do context and setting matter? Dunst, C. J., Bruder, M. B., & Espe-Sherwindt, M. 2014.
Relationships between family risk and opportunity factors and parent and child functioning. Dunst, C. J., Trivette, C. M., & Hamby, D. W. 2014.
Factors associated with head start staff participation in classroom-based professional development. Trivette, C. M., Raab, M., & Dunst, C. J. 2014.
Guide for evaluating professional development: Opportunities in early childhood education. Dunst, C. J. 2013.
Effects of puppetry on elementary students' knowledge of and attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. Dunst, C. J. 2012.
Interest-based child participation in everyday learning activities. Dunst, C. J., & Raab, M. 2012.
Moderators of the effectiveness of adult learning method practices. Dunst, C. J. & Trivette, C. M. 2012.
Meta-analysis of studies incorporating the interests of young children with autism spectrum disorders into early intervention practices. Dunst, C. J., Trivette, C. M., & Hamby, D.W. 2012.
Interest-based learning as an intervention practice for very young children with autism. Dunst, C. J. 2012.
Improving child find through tailored outreach to primary referral sources. Dunst, C. J., Trivette, C. M., & Hill, G. 2011.
Meta-analysis of the effectiveness of four adult learning methods and strategies. Dunst, C. J., Trivette, C.M., & Hamby, D. W. 2011.
Meta-analysis of the effectiveness of four adult learning methods and strategies: Supplemental tables and references. Dunst, C. J., Trivette, C.M., & Hamby, D. W. 2011.
Characteristics of naturalistic language intervention strategies. Dunst, C. J., Raab, M., & Trivette, C. M. 2011.
Factors associated with employee appraisals of adherence to learning organization principles and practices. Dunst, C. J., Watson, A., Roper, N., & Batman, D. 2011.
Consequences of interest-based learning on the social-affective behavior of young children with autism. Trivette, C.M. & Dunst, C. J. 2011.
Confidence and competence appraisals of early intervention and preschool education practitioners. Bruder, M. B., Dunst, C. J., & Mogro-Wilson, C. 2011.
Practitioners' self-evaluations of contrasting types of professional development. Dunst, C. J., & Raab, M. 2010.
Influences of family-systems intervention practices on parent-child interactions and child development Trivette, C. M., Dunst, C. J., & Hamby, D. 2010.
Preschool children's emerging participotion in leisure and recreation activities. Dunst, C. J., Hamby, D., & Snyder, D. 2009.
Meta-analytic structural equation modeling of the influences of family-centered care on parent and child psychological health. Dunst, C. J. & Trivette, C.M. 2009.
Early contingency learning and child and teacher concomitant social-emotional behavior. Raab, M., Dunst, C. J., Wilson, L. L., & Parkey, C. 2009.
Caregiver sensitivity, contingent social responsiveness, and secure infant attachment. Dunst, C. J. & Kassow, D. Z. 2008.
Modeling the effects of early childhood intervention variables on parent and family well-being. Dunst, C. J., Hamby, D. W., & Brookfield, J. 2007.
Characteristics of operant learning games associated with optimal child and adult social-emotional consequences. Dunst, C. J., Raab, M., Trivette, C. M., Wilson, L. L., Hamby, D. W., Parkey, C., Gatens, M., & French, J. 2007.
Child and adult social-emotional benefits of response-contingent child learning opportunities. Dunst, C. J., Raab, M., Trivette, C. M., Parkey, C., Gatens, M., Wilson, L. L., French, J., & Hamby, D.W. 2007.
Relative efficiency of response-contingent and response-independent stimulation on child learning and concomitant behavior. Dunst, C. J., Raab, M., Wilson, L. L., & Parkey, C. 2007.
Community-based parent support programs. Trivette, C. M., & Dunst, C. J. 2014.
An integrated framework for practising early childhood intervention and family support. Dunst, C. J. 2004.
Parenting experiences scale. Trivette, C.M. & Dunst, C. J. 2004.
Family-centered practices: birth through high school. Dunst, C. J. 2002.
Family-oriented program models and professional helpgiving practices. Dunst, C. J., Boyd, K., Trivette, C. M., & Hamby, D.W. 2002.
Young children's participation in everyday family and community activity. Dunst, C. J., Trivette, C. M., Hamby, D. W., & Raab, M. 2002.
The family support scale: reliability and validity. Dunst, C. J., Jenkins, V., & Trivette, C. M. 1984.