Behavioral Health Research

Director: Jeff Temple PhD

We are a multi-disciplinary team of researchers and public and mental health professionals dedicated to conducting funded research on the behavioral and psychosocial aspects of adolescent and women’s health across the lifespan. 

BHAR research projects involve longitudinal studies on the risk and protective factors of teen dating violence, school-based youth violence and healthy relationship interventions, social media and texting interventions, adolescent obesity and disordered eating, mental health, cognitive behavioral therapy, depression, sleep interventions, psychological well-being pre-post hysterectomy, sleep in pre and post-acute hospital stay in aging patients, and bedrest study of aging participants.

We also run the Center for Violence Prevention which was founded in an effort to reduce the burden of violence in Texas and across the United States through research, best practices, policy making, evaluation, training, and partnerships with community agencies. With support from the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute of Justice, and multiple state and foundation awards, the Center conducts innovative research to prevent multiple forms of violence. It serves as a resource for research, training, and technical assistance for schools, communities, policy-makers, and the general public and supports researchers, advocates, practitioners, and policy-makers in violence prevention efforts.