Melissa Curran

Melissa Curran, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at the University of Arizona’s Norton School of Human Ecology. Since 2006, she has been a faculty member, focusing on couple and family relationships, particularly in the areas of finances, relational sacrifices, the transition to parenthood, and attachment theory. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, following undergraduate and master’s degrees from Ball State University and Illinois State University, respectively.

Her research employs dyadic approaches such as Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (APIMs) and daily diary data to study relationship quality, commitment, and sacrifices. Key collaborations include work on family finances with emerging adults and cohabiting couples, as well as cancer co-survivors’ experiences. She has held editorial leadership roles, including Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (2020–2024), overseeing nearly 5,000 submissions.

Teaching responsibilities include undergraduate courses like HDFS 487 (Advanced Family Relations) and graduate courses such as HDFS 546 (Foundations of Family Theory). Current research projects involve collaborations with doctoral students exploring relational sacrifices, financial behaviors, and parenting transitions. She emphasizes inclusive methodologies in relationship science, advocating for marginalized populations’ representation in research.

Her work integrates feminist theory and family systems perspectives, addressing topics like heterosexist discrimination in same-sex couples and the role of financial socialization in relationship flourishing. She resides in Tucson with her husband and their adopted pugs, maintaining active involvement in hiking and family-centered outreach programs.