Office Phone: (919) 613-9303
Email Address: dodge@duke.edu
Areas of Expertise
Education:
Ph.D, Duke University, 1978
BA (Awarded with Highest Distinction and Honors in Psychology), Northwestern University, 1975
Research Categories: Youth Violence and Child Abuse
Research Description: Research: Development and prevention of chronic violence in children and adolescents; violence prevention policy
Recent Publications (More Publications)
Bio/Profile
Kenneth Dodge is the William McDougall Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Psychology - Social and Health Sciences. Additionally, Dodge is the first director of the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke. In this role, he leads an effort to bridge basic scientific research in children’s development with public policy affecting children and families. The center provides an integrated system of research, debate and dissemination, public service and teaching, addressing issues of child and family policy.
Dodge is trained as a clinical and developmental psychologist, has published more than 130 scientific articles, and is the principal investigator for several large research grants. He is the recipient of a research scientist award from the National Institute of Mental Health and has been honored with several awards from the American Psychological Association, including the Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychopathology.
Dodge’s particular area of scholarship has addressed the development and prevention of chronic violence in children and adolescents. He has conducted both laboratory and longitudinal studies of how chronic aggressive behavior develops across the life span. His work has identified early family experience factors (such as child physical abuse), peer relations factors, and social-cognitive patterns that serve as catalysts for aggressive behavioral development. With colleagues, Dodge used these findings to create the Fast Track Program, a comprehensive effort to prevent the development of chronic violence in high-risk children. This program is being implemented and evaluated in four regions of the country, with positive preliminary results.
Dodge joined the faculty of the Sanford Institute in September of 1998. Previously Dodge served on the faculty at Indiana University, the University of Colorado and Vanderbilt University. He is married to Claudia Jones, M.D. They have two children, Graham and Zoe.
