CSC welcomes Professor Yo Jackson!

We are delighted to welcome Yo Jackson as a new faculty affiliate here at the Child Study Center!

Yo is a Professor in the Child Clinical area of the Psychology Department. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Child Psychology from the University of Alabama in 1995. Yo was a Professor of Clinical Child Psychology and Applied Behavioral Science from 1995 to 2017 at the University of Kansas, and the Director, supervisor and therapist at the University of Kansas Child and Family Services Clinic.

Yo’s overarching research goal is to develop and test models of resilience for children exposed to trauma with a particular emphasis on child maltreatment. This work includes focusing on a comprehensive definition and understanding of resilience. To do this, Yo examines all of the elements and dimensions of trauma exposure, including the frequency and severity of exposure, the age of exposure, the meaning of trauma exposure to the child, the circumstances under which the trauma occurred, and other factors. Yo is also interested in investigating the intergenerational transmission of trauma, with a focus on the family unit in terms of trauma exposure. In particular, she is interested in understanding what the intergenerational transmission of trauma is, what gets transmitted across generations, and how it gets transmitted. In doing so, she seeks to better understand the processes underlying the intergenerational transmission of trauma to design interventions to make families stronger and children more resilient.   

Yo is very much looking forward to collaborating with her Child Study Center colleagues and others at Penn State. Please join us in welcoming her to the CSC!