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Primary Research and Clinical Interests
Dr. Clark has a B.S. and M.S. in Sociology and a PhD in Prevention Science. With her educational background in sociology and prevention science, Dr. Clark is trained to use a preventative framework to understand how to develop interventions and policies that can best support marginalized children and families. In her work, she studies risk and protective factors for families experiencing (or at risk of experiencing) adverse events such as incarceration and child welfare involvement. By shedding light on these risk and protective factors, her work informs intervention development and policy level changes.
Her most recent and upcoming publications focus on three key issues: 1. Examining school-level risk factors for future incarceration; 2. Examining the experiences of families who have been impacted by incarceration (including experiencing parental incarceration); and 3. Examining how KEEP (an OSLC intervention for foster parents) can be adapted to better support the needs of specific families. Dr. Clark uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand the lived experiences of children and families.
A full list of her publications can be found in her Google Scholar profile.
Selected Publications
Clark, M. G., Metcalfe, R. E., Caffery, C. M., Conn, A. D., & Kjellstrand, J. M. (2023). Parenting Through Re-Entry: Ecologically-Grounded Perspectives of Parents Returning to the Community after Incarceration. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1-17
Clark, M., Loan, C., & Kjellstrand, J. (2022). Predictors of Parent-Child Contact During a Parent’s Incarceration. Corrections, 1-18
Clark, M., Kjellstrand, J., & Morgan, K. (2021). Service Needs for Corrections-Involved Parents With a History of Problematic Opioid Use: A Community Needs Assessment. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 667389
Clark, M., Buchanan, R., Kovensky, R., & Leve, L. D. (2018). Partner influences on young women’s risky drug and sexual behavior. Reproductive Health, 15, 1-15. doi:10.1186/s12978-018-0598-0
Recent Publications
Clark, M., Buchanan, R., Estrin, G., Brooks, L. Chamberlain, P. (2025) Adapting KEEP, an Evidence-Based Parenting Preventive Intervention, for Sexual and Gender Minority Youth in the Child Welfare System. Children and Youth Services Review. Published online June 2, 2025 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108381.
Koo, D., Clark, M., Watts, S., Chaffin, A*. (2025) Assessing Intersectionality in Parent-Child Contact, Sex, and Race/ethnicity on Prison Misconduct. Justice, Opportunities, and Rehabilitation, 64(4), 221-253. DOI: 10.1080/2997965X.2025.2480057
Clark, M., Quan, L., Chamberlain, P. A (2025) Preventionist Framework for Reducing Drowning: A Case for Parenting Interventions. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education. Vol. 14: No. 4, Article 6. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/ijare/vol14/iss4/6
McCuddy, T., Clark, M., Guha, A., Mcleod, E*. (2024) A Longitudinal Examination of Gun Reporting by Middle and High-School Students. Journal of School Violence, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220.2024.2356562
Clark, M., Gibbs, B. (2023) Retention and Educational Inequalities in the U. S. Educational Policy 39(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/08959048231209258
Clark, M. G., Metcalfe, R. E., Caffery, C. M., Conn, A. D., & Kjellstrand, J. M. (2023). Parenting Through Re-Entry: Ecologically-Grounded Perspectives of Parents Returning to the Community after Incarceration. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1-17
Clark, M., Watts, S., McCuddy, T., Mcleod, E*. (2023) The Impact of Parental Incarceration, Race, and ACEs on the Development of Legal Cynicism. Journal of Criminal Justice. 88(102116) doi: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2023.102116