Margaret Kerr is Professor of Psychology and has been Co-director of the Center for Developmental Research since its inception in 1998. Her primary research interest is the development of problem behaviors, including delinquency and depression. Adolescent development is of special interest, although her research covers the lifespan from birth to midlife. Prof. Kerr earned her Ph.D. in the Psychology Department at Cornell University, U.S.A., and then completed a post-doctoral research fellowship with Richard Tremblay at the University of Montreal, Canada. She has recently served as associate editor for the Journal of Research on Adolescence and as national editor for Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. She has been the newsletter editor and an executive council member for the European Association for Research on Adolescence. In 2003 she received an Excellent Researcher award from the Swedish Research Council. Together with Professor Håkan Stattin, she has conducted several longitudinal studies, including a 5-year study of all youths between 10 and 18 years in an entire community. Currently, Prof. Kerr's research interests include: the role of behavioral inhibition in the life course; adolescents' choices of developmental contexts; peer influences in different contexts; parents' family management strategies and how they are influenced by children's characteristics and behaviors; and parent-child interactions and their roles in youth adjustment.
Publications since 2000
Edited Books
Kerr, M., Stattin, H., Engels, R., Overbeek, G., & Andershed, A-K. (in press). Understanding girls’ problem behavior: How girls’ delinquency develops in the context of maturity and health, co-occurring problems, and relationships. London: Wiley.
Kerr, M., Stattin, H., & Engels, R., Eds. (2008). What can parents do? New insights into the role of parents in adolescent problem behavior. London: Wiley.
Engels, R., Kerr, M. & Stattin, H., Eds. (2007). Friends, Lovers, and Groups: Key Relationships in Adolescence. London: Wiley.
Journal Articles & Book Chapters
Van Zalk, N., & Kerr, M. (accepted). Shy Adolescents’ Perceptions of Parents’ psychological Control and Emotional Warmth: Examining Bidirectional Links. Merrill Palmer Quarterly.
Van Zalk, N., Kerr, M., & Tilton-Weaver, L. (accepted). Shyness as a Moderator of the Link Between Advanced Maturity and Early Adolescent Risk Behavior. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology.
Van Zalk-Selfhout, M., Kerr, M., Branje, S., Stattin, H., & Meeus, W. (in press). Peer Contagion and Adolescent Depression: The Role of Failure Anticipation. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.
Van Zalk, N., Van Zalk-Selfhout, M., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (in press). Social Anxiety as a Basis for Friendship Selection and Socialization in Adolescents’ Social Networks. Journal of Personality.
Stattin, H., Persson, S., Burk, W. J., & Kerr, M. (in press). Adolescents’ perceptions of the democratic functioning in their families. European Psychologist.
Kakihara, F., Tilton-Weaver, L., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (in press). The Relationship of Parental Control to Youth Adjustment: Do Youths’ Feelings About Their Parents Play a Role? Journal of Youth and Adolescence.
Stattin, H., Kerr, M. & Bergman, L. R. (2010). On the utility of Moffitt’s typology trajectories in long-term perspective. European Journal of Criminology, 7, 1-25.
Stattin, H., Kerr, M., & Tilton-Weaver, L. (2010). Parental monitoring: A critical examination of the research. In V. Guilamo-Ramos, J. Jaccard, & P. Dittus (Eds.), Parental Monitoring of Adolescents. Current Perspectives for Researchers and Practitioners. (Ch. 1, pp. 3 – 38). New York: Columbia University Press.
Eklund, J., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2010). Romantic relationships and delinquent behavior in adolescence: The moderating role of delinquency propensity. Journal of Adolescence 33, 377-386.
Van Zalk, M. H. W., M., Kerr, M., Branje, S., Stattin, H., & Meeus, W. (2010). It takes three: Selection, influence, and de-selection processes of depression in adolescent friendship networks. Developmental Psychology, 46, 927-938.
Tilton-Weaver, L., Kerr, M., Tokic, A., Salihovic, S., & Stattin, H. (2010). Open up or close down: How do parents’ reactions affect youth information management? Journal of Adolescence, 33, 333–346.
Kerr, M., Stattin, H., & Burk, W. J. (2010). A reinterpretation of parental monitoring in longitudinal perspective. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 20, 39-64.
Stattin, H., & Kerr, M. (2009). Challenges in Intervention Research on Adolescent Development. Journal of Adolescence, 32, 1437-1442.
Amnå, E., Ekström, M., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2009). Political socialization and human agency: The development of civic engagement from adolescence to adulthood. Statsvetenskaplig Tidsskrift, 111, 27 – 40.
Bešić, N. & Kerr, M. (2009). Punks, Goths, and other eyecatching peer crowds: Do they fulfill a function for shy youths? Journal of Research on Adolescence, 19, 113 – 121.
Skoog, T., Stattin, H., & Kerr, M. (2009). The Role of Pubertal Timing in What Adolescent Boys Do Online. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 19, 1 – 7.
Stattin, H. & Kerr, M. (2009). Neighborhood contexts of peer relationships and groups. In K. H. Rubin, W. Bukowski, & B. Laursen (Eds.). Handbook of peer relationships. Peer interactions and groups, (Ch. 23, pp. 414 – 431). New York: Wiley.
Koutakis, N., Stattin, H., & Kerr, M. (2008). Reducing youth alcohol drinking through a parent-targeted intervention: The Orebro Prevention Program. Addiction, 103, 1629 - 1637.
Burk, W.J., Stattin, H., & Kerr, M. (2008). The co-evolution of early adolescent friendship networks, attitudes toward school, and delinquent behaviors. Revue Français Sociologie, 49, 499 - 522.
Laursen, B., Popp, D., Burk, W. J., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2008). Incorporating interdependence into developmental research: Examples from the study of homophily and homogeneity. In N. A. Card, T. D. Little, & J. P. Selig (Eds.) Modeling interdependent data in studies of human development. New York: Routledge, pp. 11-37.
Popp, D., Laursen, B., Kerr, M., Stattin, H. & Burk, W.J. (2008). Modeling homophily over time with an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Developmental Psychology, 44, 1028 – 1039.
Muñoz, L. C., Kerr, M., & Bešić, N. (2008). A matter of perspective: The peer relationships of youths with psychopathic personality traits. Criminal Justice & Behavior, 35, 212-227.
Kerr, M., Stattin, H., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2008). What’s changed in research on parenting and adolescent problem behavior and what needs to change. In M. Kerr, H. Stattin, & R. C. M. E. Engels (Eds.), What can parents do? New insights into the role of parents in adolescent problem behavior, (pp. 1 – 8). London: Wiley.
Kerr, M., Stattin, H., & Pakalniskiene, V. (2008). Parents react to adolescent problem behaviors by worrying more and monitoring less. In M. Kerr, H. Stattin, & R. C. M. E. Engels (Eds.), What can parents do? New insights into the role of parents in adolescent problem behaviors, (pp. 91 – 112). London: Wiley.
Skeem, J., Johansson, P., Andershed, H., Kerr, M., & Louden, J. E. (2007). Two subtypes of psychopathic violent offenders that parallel primary and secondary variants. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 116, 395-409.
Persson, A., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2007). Staying in or moving away from structured activities: explanations involving parents and peers. Developmental Psychology, 43, 197-207.
Kerr, M., Stattin, H., & Kiesner, J. (2007). Peers and problem behavior: Have we missed something? In R. C. M. E. Engels, M. Kerr, & H. Stattin (Ed.) Friends, Lovers, and Groups: Key Relationships in Adolescence (pp. 125 – 153) London: Wiley.
Trost, K., Biesecker, G., Stattin, H., & Kerr, M. (2007). Not wanting parents’ involvement: Sign of autonomy or sign of problems? European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 4, 314-331.
Overbeek, G., Biesecker, G., Kerr, M., Stattin, H., Meeus, W., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2006). Co-occurrence of depressive moods and delinquency in early adolescence: The role of failure expectations, manipulativeness, and social contexts. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 30, 433-443.
Johansson, P., & Kerr, M. (2005). Psychopathy and intelligence: A second look. Journal of Personality Disorders, 19, 357 – 369.
Johansson, P., Kerr, M., & Andershed, H. (2005). Linking adult psychopathy with childhood hyperactivity-impulsivity-attention problems and conduct problems through retrospective self-reports. Journal of Personality Disorders, 19, 94 – 101.
Engels, R. C. M. E., Finkenauer, C., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2005). Illusions of Parental Control: Parenting and Smoking Onset in Dutch and Swedish Adolescents. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 35, 1912 – 1935.
Stattin, H., Kerr, M., Mahoney, J., Persson, A. & Magnusson, D. (2005). Explaining why a leisure context is bad for some girls and not for others. In J. L. Mahoney, R. W. Larson, & J. S. Eccles (Eds.), Organized activities as contexts of development: Extracurricular activities, after-school and community programs. (pp. 211 – 244). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Persson, S., Stattin, H., & Kerr, M. (2004). Adolescents’ Conceptions of Family Democracy: Does Their Own Behavior Play a Role? European Journal of Developmental Psychology 1, 317 - 330.
Kiesner, J., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2004). “Very Important Persons” In Adolescence: Going Beyond In-School, Single Friendships in the Study of Peer Homophily. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 545 – 560.
Persson, A., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2004). Why a leisure context is linked to normbreaking for some girls and not others: Personality characteristics and parent-child relations as explanations. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 583 - 598.
Kiesner, J., & Kerr, M. (2004). Families, peers, and contexts as multiple determinants of adolescent problem behavior. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 493 - 495.
Kerr, M. & Stattin, H. (2003). Straw men, untested ssumptions,and bi-directional models: A response to Capaldi and Brody. In A. Booth & A. Crouter (Eds.), Children’s influence on family dynamics: The neglected side of family relationships. Lawrence Earlbaum.
Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2003). Parenting of adolescents: Action or reaction? Chapter 9 (pp. 121-151) in A.C. Crouter & A. Booth (Eds.) Children's influence on family dynamics: The neglected side of family relationships. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Stattin, H. & Kerr, M. (2003). Eleanor Maccoby on the active child: Gender differences and family interactions. Chapter 16 (pp. 221- 226) in A.C. Crouter & A. Booth (Eds.) Children's influence on family dynamics: The neglected side of family relationships. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Kerr, M., Stattin, H., Biesecker, G., & Ferrer-Wreder, L. (2003). Relationships with parents and peers in adolescence. In R. M. Lerner, M. A. Easterbrooks, J. Mistry (Eds.) Handbook of Psychology (Volume 6: Developmental Psychology) (pp. 395-422). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Andershed, H., Kerr, M., Stattin, H., & Levander, S. (2002). Psychopathic traits in non-referred youths: A new assessment tool. In E. Blaauw, & L. Sheridan (Eds.), Psychopaths: Current International Perspectives (pp. 131-158). The Hague: Elsevier.
Andershed, H., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2002). Understanding the Abnormal by studying the Normal. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 106 (Suppl. 412), 75-80.
Andershed, H., Gustafson, S. B., Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2002). The usefulness of self-reported psychopathy-like traits in the study of antisocial behaviour among non-referred adolescents. European Journal of Personality, 16, 383-402.
Johansson, P., Andershed, H., Kerr, M., & Levander, S. (2002). On the operationalization of psychopathy: Further support for a three-faceted personality-oriented model. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 106 (Suppl. 412), 81-85.
Stattin, H., & Kerr, M. (2001). Adolescent values matter. In J.-E. Nurmi (Ed.), Navigating through adolescence: European perspectives (pp. 21-58). London, England UK: RoutledgeFalmer.
Andershed, H., Stattin, H., & Kerr, M. (2001). Bullying in school and violence on the streets: Are the same people involved? Scandanavian Journal of Criminality and Crime Prevention, 2, 31-49.
Kerr, M. (2000). Culture as a context for temperament: Suggestions from the life courses of shy Swedes and Americans. In T. Wachs and D. Kohnstamn (Eds.) Temperament in Context (pp. 139-152). Mahwah, NJ; Erlbaum.
Kerr, M. (2000). Childhood and adolescent shyness in long-term perspective: Does it matter? In R. Crozier (Ed.), Shyness: Development, consolidation, and change. Routledge Progress in Psychology Series (pp. 64-87). London, England UK: Routledge.
Kerr, M., & Stattin, H. (2000). What parents know, how they know it, and several forms of adolescent adjustment: Further evidence for a reinterpretation of monitoring. Developmental Psychology, 36, 366–380.
Stattin, H. & Kerr, M. (2000). Parental monitoring: A Reinterpretation. Child Development, 71, 1070-1083.
Noack, P., Kerr, M., & Olah, A. (1999). Family Relations at Adolescence: Editorial to Special Section. Journal of Adolescence, 22, 713-717.
Kerr, M., Stattin, H., & Trost, K. (1999). To know you is to trust you: Parents’ trust is rooted in child disclosure of information. Journal of Adolescence, 22, 737-752.
Stattin, H. & Kerr, M. (1999). Future directions and challenges in the study of morningness-eveningness. Human Development, 42, 199-205.
Pagani, L., Tremblay, R. E., Vitaro, F., Kerr, M., & McDuff, P. (1998). The impact of family transition on the development of delinquency in adolescent boys: A 9-year longitudinal study. Journal of Clinical and Counseling Psychology, 39, 489-499.
Kerr, M., Tremblay, R. E., Vitaro, F., & Pagani, L. (1997). Boys’ behavioral inhibition and the risk of later delinquency. Archives of General Psychiatry, 54, 809-816.
Vitaro, F., Tremblay, R. E., Kerr, M., Pagani, L., & Bukowski, W. M. (1997). Disruptiveness, friends’ characteristics, and delinquency in early adolescence: A test of two competing models of development. Child Development, 68, 676-689.
Kerr, M., Lambert, W. W., & Bem, D. J. (1996). Life course sequelae of childhood shyness in Sweden: Comparison with the United States. Developmental Psychology, 32, 1100-1105.
Kerr, M., Tremblay, R. E., Pagani-Kurtz, L., & Vitaro, F. (1996). Disruptiveness, Inhibition, and Withdrawal as Predictors of Boys’ Delinquency and Depression. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences: Understanding aggressive behavior in children, 794, 367-368.
Bowen, F., Vitaro, F., Kerr, M. & Pellitier, D. (1995). Childhood internalizing problems: Prediction from kindergarten, effect of maternal overprotectiveness, and sex differences. Development and Psychopathology, 7, 481-498.
Kerr, M., Lambert, W.W., Stattin, H., & Klackenberg-Larrson, I. (1994). Stability of inhibition in a Swedish longitudinal sample. Child Development, 65, 138-146.
Gilovich, T., Kerr, M., & Medvec, V.H. (1993). The effect of temporal perspective on subjective confidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64, 552-560.
