Barrett Scroggs

Barrett Scroggs serves as an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State Mont Alto, part of The Pennsylvania State University, and contributes to the Penn State Presidential Commission on LGBTQ Equity while directing the Scroggs Growth and Mental Health Lab.

His academic background features:

• Ph.D. in Life-Span Human Development from Kansas State University (2018)
• M.A. in Drama Therapy from Kansas State University (2015)
• B.S.Ed. in Theatre Education from Columbus State University (2010)

Research centers on substance use patterns in sexual and gender minority (SGM) emerging adults through ecological and developmental lenses, investigating community identification dynamics, contextual impacts on self-esteem, and mental health trajectories. His work advances Foundational Science and Promoting Human Flourishing during Early Adulthood, emphasizing minority population experiences within individual-level analysis frameworks.

Teaching responsibilities include HDFS 129 (Introduction to Human Development), HDFS 239 (Adolescent Development), HDFS 254N (Diversity Through Memoirs), HDFS 433 (Developmental Transition to Adulthood), HDFS 497 (Identity Development), and PSYCH 412 (Adolescence), integrating his commitment to highlighting marginalized communities' lived experiences.

The Scroggs Growth and Mental Health Lab focuses on developmental trajectories and mental health outcomes for SGM youth and emerging adults, examining how community belonging and contextual factors influence substance use vulnerabilities and resilience strategies.