RESEARCH INTERESTS

- resilience and adolescent lifestyle choices, risk behaviours
- positive psychology, flow
- academic motivation and underachievement
- developmental pathways
- media-technology influences on social interaction and learning
- self-regulation

As a developmental psychologist, one of my research interests is adolescent resilience, particularly with regard to academic underachievement, risk behaviours, optimal experiences, and media/technology influences on lifestyle choices. A better understanding of resilience could suggest how and why lowered achievement and risk behaviours persist and escalate among some adolescents, but decrease and discontinue among others. The goal of my research program is to examine the relation between developmental pathways and protective factors that promote and strengthen adolescent well-being. Another research interest is the impact of technology-based environments on social interaction and learning.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

Willoughby, T., & Wood, E. (Eds.) (2008). Children's Learning in a Digital World. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, UK.

Willoughby, T. (in press). Internet and computer game use by adolescent boys and girls: Prevalence,, frequency of use, and psychosoocial predictors. Developmental Psychology.

Desjarlais, M., & Willoughby, T. (2007). Supporting learners with low domain knowledge when using the Internet. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 37(1), 1-17.

Good, M., & Willoughby, T. (2007). The role of religious faith in the identity formation experiences of church-attending rural adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 22, 387-412 .

McNamara, J.K., Vervaeke, S-L., & Willoughby, T. (in press). Risk taking in adolescents with learning disabilities with and without comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Learning Disabilities.

Wood, E., Specht, J., Willoughby, T., & Mueller, J. (in press). Integrating computer technology in early childhood education environments: Issues raised by early childhood educators. Alberta Journal of Educational Research.

Busseri, M., Willoughby, T., & Chalmers, H. (2007). A rationale and method for examining reasons for linkages among adolescent risk behaviors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36, 279-289 .

Willoughby, T., Chalmers, H., Busseri, M., Bosacki, S., Dupont, D., Marini, Z., Rose-Krasnor, L., Sadava, S., & Ward, T. (2007). Adolescent non-involvement in multiple risk behaviors: An indicator of successful development? Applied Developmental Science, 11(2), 89-103.

Busseri, M., Rose-Krasnor, L., Willoughby, T., & Chalmers, H. (2006). A longitudinal examination of breadth and intensity of youth activity involvement and successful development. Developmental Psychology, 42(6), 1313-1326.

Busseri, M., Willoughby, T., Chalmers, H., & Bogaert, A. (2006). Same-sex attraction and successful adolescent development. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35(4), 561-573.

Chalmers, H. & Willoughby, T. (2006). Do predictors of gambling involvement differ across male and female adolescents? Journal of Gambling Studies, 22(4), 373-372.

Good, M., & Willoughby, T. (2006). The role of spirituality versus religiosity in adolescent psychosocial adjustment. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35(1), 1-15.

Rose-Krasnor, L., Busseri, M.A., Willoughby, T., & Chalmers, H. (2006). Breadth and intensity of youth activity involvement as contexts for positive development. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35(3), 365-379.

Holmes, E., & Willoughby, T. (2005). Play behaviour of children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 30(3), 156-164.

McNamara, J., Willoughby, T., Chalmers, H., & YLC-CURA. (2005). Psychosocial status of adolescents with learning disabilities with and without comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 20(4), 234-244.

Shaffer, D.R., Wood, E., & Willoughby, T. (2005). Developmental psychology: Childhood and adolescence, Second Canadian Edition. Toronto: Nelson .

Wood, E., Mueller, J., Willoughby, T., Specht, J., & DeYoung, T. (2005). Teachers' perceptions: Barriers and supports to using technology in the classroom. Education, Comunication, & Information, 5, 183-206.

Wood, E., Willoughby, T., Schmidt, A., Porter, L., & Gilbert, J. (2005). Use of computer input devices by older adults. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 24, 419-438 .

Willoughby, T., Chalmers, H., & Busseri, M. (2004). Where is the syndrome? Where is the risk? Co-occurrence among multiple "problem" behaviors in adolescence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72, 1022-1037.

Wood, E., Willoughby, T., Schmidt, A., Porter, L., Specht, J., & Gilbert, J. (2004). Assessing the use of input devices for teachers and children in early choldhood education programs. Information Technology in Childhood Education Annual, 16, 261-280.

Wood, E., Willoughby, T., Desmarais, S., Groves, A., & Bruce, S. (2003). Can gender stereotypes facilitate memory when elaborative strategies are used? Educational Psychology, 23(2), 169-180.

Willoughby, T., Wood, E., & Kraftcheck, E.R. (2003). When can a lack of structure facilitate strategic processing of information? British Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 59-69.

Wood, E., Willoughby, T., Specht, J., & Porter, L. (2002). An examination of how a cross-section of academics use computer technology when writing academic papers. Computers in Education, 38, 287-301.

Wood, E., Willoughby, T., Specht, J., Stern-Cavalcante, W., & Childs, C. (2002). Developing a computer workshop to facilitate computer skills and minimize anxiety for early childhood educators, Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(1), 164-170 .

Willoughby, T., Wood, E., McDermott, C., & McLaren, J. (2000). Enhancing learning through strategy instruction and group interaction. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 14, 19-30.

Wood, E., Willoughby, T., McDermott, C., Motz, M., Kaspar, V., & Ducharme, M.J. (1999). Developmental differences in study behavior. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91, 527-536.

Willoughby, T., Porter, L., Belsito, L., & Yearsley, T. (1999). Use of elaboration strategies by students in grades 2, 4, and 6. Elementary School Journal, 99(3), 221-232.

Willoughby, T., Wood, E., Desmarais, S., Sims, S., & Dalra, M. (1997). Mechanisms that facilitate the effectiveness of elaboration strategies. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(4), 682-685.

Wood, E., Woloshyn, V.E., & Willoughby, T. (1995). Cognitive strategy instruction for middle and high schools. Cambridge: Brookline Books.