B.A., 1975 Ashland University
M.S. , 1977 Purdue University
Ph.D., 1981 Purdue University
Fellowship, 1982 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Dr. Wallander’s research is focused on the quality of life, well-being, and health experienced by chronically ill or disabled children and adolescents and how they develop socially and emotionally. He is also interested in how their family members cope with the extra stress they typically encounter when a child in the family has a chronic illness or disability. Dr. Wallander has proposed a conceptual model identifying factors thought to influence adaptation in these children and their parents.

These issues have been examined in numerous projects involving groups of children and adolescents with different conditions. Currently, he is directing a project that will address these issues in 350 adolescents with a physical disability affecting mobility. CDC funds this project. Previous projects have targeted youth with cognitive disability and diabetes and have been funded by agencies including the NIH.

An additional research project that Dr. Wallander has become involved in focuses on risk and protective factors for multiple child and adolescent health behaviors, including tobacco use, alcohol and other drug abuse, violence, injurious behaviors, physical activity and nutrition, and sexual behavior. Referred to as the Healthy Futures Project, this research project is funded by the CDC and is part of a three-site study (other institutions include UCLA and the University of Texas-Houston). Annual data are to be collected for 13 years from 9,000 children beginning at age eight.

His scholarly activities also include writing or editing books. One example includes a volume on quality of life in children and adolescents, with contributions from experts around the world. Dr. Wallander recently completed a monograph examining the links between social-emotional learning in childhood and physical health outcomes over the life span.

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS:

Wallander, J.L. & Marullo, D.S. (1997) Handicap-related problems in mothers of children with physical impairments. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 18, 151-165.

Noojin, A.B., & Wallander, J.L. (1997). Perceived problem-solving ability, stress, and coping in mothers of children with physical disabilities: Potential cognitive influences on adjustment. International Journal of behavioral medicine, 4, 415-432.

Wallander, J.L., Larsson, B., & Sartory, G. (1997). Special issue: Health, Illness, and Behavior in Childhood. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

Wallander, J.L., & Varni, J.W. (1998). Effects of pediatric chronic physical disorders on child and family adjustment. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 39, 29-46.

Wallander, J.L., & Becker, L. (1998). Cognitive status as a risk factor for maladjustment in children with a physical disability. Analise Psicologica, 16, 77-80.

Frison, S.L., Wallander, J.L., & Browne, D. (1998). Cultural factors enhancing resilience and protecting against maladjustment in African American adolescents with mild intellectual disability. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 10, 409-420.

Pack, R. P., Wallander, J.L., & Browne, D. (1998). Health risk behaviors in African American adolescents with mild intellectual disability: Prevalence depends on measurement method. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 102, 409-420.

Fournet, D.L., Wilson, K.L., & Wallander, J.L. (1998). Growing or just getting along? Technical and adaptive competence in coping among adolescents. Child Development, 69, 1129-1144.

Madan-Swain, A., & Wallander, J.L. (1999). Reintegration of chronically ill children to the classroom. In R. Brown (Ed.), Cognitive aspects of chronic illness in children. New York: Guilford.

Koot, H.M., & Wallander, J.L. (In press). Quality of life in children and adolescents: Concepts, methods, and findings. London, United Kingdom: Harwood Academic Publishers

Wallander, J.L. (In press). The role of theory in quality of life research. In H.M. Koot, & J.L. Wallander (Eds.), Quality of life in children and adolescents: Concepts, methods, and findings. London, United Kingdom: Harwood Academic Publishers

Wallander, J.L. (In press). Intellectual disability. In H.M. Koot, & J.L. Wallander (Eds.), Quality of life in children and adolescents: Concepts, methods, and findings. London, United Kingdom: Harwood Academic Publishers

Koot, H.M., & Wallander, J.L. (In press). Future challenges in child and adolescent quality of life research. In H.M. Koot, & J.L. Wallander (Eds.), Quality of life in children and adolescents: Concepts, methods, and findings. London, United Kingdom: Harwood Academic Publishers

Wallander, J.L., Robinson, S., & Marullo, D. (In press). Chronic medical illness. In R. Ammerman, C.G. Last, & M. Hersen (Eds.), Handbook of prescriptive treatments for children and adolescents (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Wolters, & Wallander, J.L. (In press). Illness in children. In A, Kaptein, A, Appels, & K. Orth-Gomer (Eds). Psychology in medicine. Philadelphia: Lippincott Raven.

TEACHING INTERESTS:

Dr. Wallander teaches courses in psychological measurement, child and adolescent abnormal psychology, and pediatric psychology. He is also an active mentor of graduate students in medical and developmental psychology, having directed over 25 theses or dissertations thus far.