Dr. Aileen Garcia obtained her Ph.D. in Child, Youth and Family Studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2018. Her research interests include cultural influences on parenting and caregiving, early childhood education and care, and quality of life among parents of young children the United States. Dr. Garcia’s overarching research agenda is to extend current knowledge on supporting parents and early childhood professionals, especially those from underrepresented groups. Her scholarship is grounded in applied research, with an emphasis on translating empirical findings into research-based trainings, resources, and professional development courses that bridge research and practice. She has published qualitative and quantitative studies on alleviating parenting stress and parental involvement in education among low-income families, best practices in childcare centers and family childcare homes in urban and rural areas, and childrearing practices. Dr. Garcia also engages in multidisciplinary research projects, working with scholars and practitioners from the fields of human development, early childhood education, leisure science, nursing, and nutrition.

Affiliations

• Society for Research in Child Development
• Society for Cross-Cultural Research
• National Council on Family Relations

Areas of Expertise

• Protective factors against parenting and caregiving stress
• Children’s socio-emotional development and school readiness
• Quality of life among immigrants and ethnic minorities in the US
• Parental involvement in education
• Research at HDFS