Daniel F. Perkins, Ph.D.

Daniel F. Perkins, Ph.D.

  • Professor of Youth and Family Resiliency and Policy
  • Principal Scientist and Founder, Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness
  • Social Science Research Institute, Co-fund Faculty
107 Ferguson Building
University Park, PA 16802

Areas of Expertise

  • Youth and Family Resiliency
  • Service Members, Veterans and Military Families
  • Applied Research and Evaluation
  • Dissemination and Implementation Science
  • Evidence-based Programs
  • Community Collaboration

Websites

Education

  • Ph.D., Family and Child Ecology, Michigan State University
  • M.S., Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University
  • B.A., Psychology (with High Distinction), The Pennsylvania State University

Vitae

Alternate Contact Information

Penn State Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness 
402 Marion Building, University Park, PA 16802

Phone: 814-867-4182
http://www.militaryfamilies.psu.edu/

Responsibilities

  • 75% Research
  • 25% Extension

Research and Extension Areas

  • Dissemination and Implementation Science
  • Youth and Family Resiliency
  • Service Members, Veterans and Military Families
  • Evaluation of Community-based Programs

Funding Agencies/Foundations

  • NIFA (DoD Partnership)
  • National Science Foundation
  • The Heinz Endowments
  • T. Grant Foundation
  • Pew Charitable Trust
  • May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust
  • Walmart Foundation
  • Arthur M. Black Foundation
  • Wounded Warrior Project
  • Henry Jackson Foundation

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications 

McCarthy, K. J., Balotti, B. A., Aronson, K. R., Morgan, N. R., & Perkins, D. F. (2025). Veteran Transition Screener (VTS): A personalized empirical approach to assessing well-being during the military-to-civilian transition. Consulting Psychology Journal. https://doi.org/10.1037/cpb0000302

Aronson, K. A., Chesnut, R. P.,  & Perkins, D. F. (2025). Evaluating the interpersonal theory of suicide among post-9/11 veterans: Suicidal desire and intent in the early transition to civilian life. Journal of Affective Disorders, 382, 558-566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.04.105

Mitchel, M. M., Chesnut, R. P., Aronson, K. R., Perkins, D. F. (2025). Military sexual trauma and mental health counseling: Effects on resilience over time among recent-era U.S. veterans. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.23137

Karre, J. K., Perkins, D. F., Morgan, N., Davenport, K., Aronson, K., Maury, R., Bradbard, D., Armstrong, N., Wright, A., Sargent, R., & Andros, M. (2024). What do successful military-to-civilian transitions look like? A revised framework and a new conceptual model for assessing veteran well-being. Armed Forces & Society, 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X231216678 

Perkins, D. F., McCarthy, K. J., Morgan, N. R., Balotti, B. A., Davenport, K. E., Aronson, K. R., Lockwood, W., & Andros, M. (2024). Translation of a longitudinal survey of veterans’ well-being into action by a Research-Practice-Policy Partnership. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1346057 

Donohue, E., Halgunseth, L. C., Chilenski, S. M., Perkins, D. F. (2023). Parent-child recurring conflict: A mediator between Parental anger management and adolescent behavior. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 51 (1), 6-19. DOI: 10.1111/fcsr.12450

Schulte, J. A., Boone, M. K., Aronson, K. R., & Perkins D. F. (2023). A Non-Clinical Referral Tool to Help Identify Problematic Child Sexual Behavior: Development, Training, and Initial User Feedback.  Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 32:8, 1016-1035. DOI: 10.1080/10538712.2023.2276289

Perkins, D. F., Davenport, K. E., Morgan, N. R., Aronson, K. R., Bleser, J. A., McCarthy, K. J., Vogt, D., Finley, E. P., Copeland, L. A., & Gilman, C. L. (2022). The influence of employment program components upon job attainment during a time of identity and career transition.  International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-022-09527-1