Brianne Kothari

Brianne Kothari is an Associate Professor in the School of Human Development and Family Sciences at Oregon State University–Cascades, where she also serves as Program Coordinator. She is actively involved in research, teaching, and mentorship, with a focus on child and family well-being within the child welfare system. Her affiliations include the Child Welfare and Child Well-being (2CW) Research Lab, the Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children & Families, the Family Policy Group, and the Oregon School Readiness Research Consortium.

Her research focuses on resilience, foster care systems, youth mental health, and family-centered interventions. Key areas include:

• Child welfare and child well-being
• Youth relationships with caregivers, siblings, and peers
• Mental and behavioral health of youth
• Prevention and intervention programs
• Ecological contexts influencing youth development

Brianne's recent publications reflect a strong emphasis on longitudinal and intervention-based studies with youth in foster care, particularly examining sibling relationships, school outcomes, and psychosocial functioning. Her work integrates clinical, educational, and policy perspectives to improve systemic supports for vulnerable populations.

Scientific awards include:

• 2014 NIMH Child Intervention, Prevention, and Services (CHIPS) Fellow

Brianne advises graduate students and is currently accepting new ones. She has led significant research projects, including one of the first randomized controlled trials focused on siblings in foster care. Her work is supported by interdisciplinary collaborations and has been published in top-tier journals in social work, psychology, and child development. She teaches courses in child and adolescent development, family studies, research methods, statistics, and proposal writing.

Brianne leads the Child Welfare and Child Well-being (2CW) Research Lab, which focuses on developing and evaluating interventions to enhance outcomes for children, youth, and families involved in the child welfare system. The lab emphasizes family systems, resilience, and evidence-based practices.