Paul Florsheim, PhD

Curriculum Vitae

Education

PhD, Clinical Psychology, Northwestern University
MA, Social Sciences, University of Chicago
BA, History, Wesleyan University

Bio

Dr. Paul Florsheim’s research interests focus on: (1) public health issues relevant to high-risk adolescents, including the prevention of relationship problems and mental illness (intimate partner violence. substance abuse, psychosis, and behavioral disorders); (2) interpersonal developmental processes related to health and mental health across the lifespan.

Dr. Florsheim’s current projects are described below.

Preparing for Parenthood: A Father Inclusive Model of Prenatal Care. In collaboration with Dr. Wrenetha Julion at Rush University and the Erie Family Health Center in Chicago, we are testing the Father Inclusive Prenatal Healthcare (FIPH) mode to prepare young men for parenting. The FIPH model is designed to support the development of coparenting relations and fathering skills as part of routine prenatal healthcare (Florsheim & Moore, 2020). The project is being implemented through a large multi-site healthcare center in Chicago that is well positioned to engage young fathers through their prenatal clinics. Outcome measures focus on: (a) relationship/co-parenting skills; (b) parent behavior and role identification; (c) job stability and financial support for children. All services are offered in English and Spanish. This grant is supported with funding from the Administration for Children and Families to Rush and UWM ($5,500, 000 from 11/20 to 10/25)

The Parents Empowering Parents (PEP) In collaboration with The Parenting Network, a local community-based not-for-profit, this project uses a multilevel approach to engage parents in family support and parenting education activities in neighborhoods with high rates of child abuse reports. The goals of the project are to reduce child abuse/family separations by 1) providing community-based parent engagement activities using the Parent Café model and 2) offering parent education and support services to parents in community settings using the Triple P model. If successful, the approach will help diminish racial/ethnic health disparities in child welfare involvement. This project is supported by a grant from the Wisconsin Partnership Program to UWM and The Parenting Network ($1,000,000 from 1/20 to 12/25)

The Peru Young Parenthood Program Study. In collaboration with the Peruvian National Institute of Mental Health, we are working on a three-year project to test the effectiveness of an adapted version of our Young Parenthood Program (Florsheim, 2014) in preventing domestic violence and promoting positive coparenting relation among young fathers and mothers in Lima Peru. This project is directed by Dr. Victor Cruz and Dr. Elba Luna at the Peruvian National Institute of Public Health and supported with a grant from the Peruvian National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development.

Access to Youth Mental Health Study (AYMH). We are piloting a study to understand and address disparities in access to mental health services among children, adolescents and young adults. Before the COVID 19 pandemic, we were collecting data from parents in community settings using vignette-based survey which allowed parents to share their beliefs and perceptions of mental health providers and services. We are interested in developing a multi-leveled model for reducing disparities in access to mental health.

Paul Florsheim is also a Co-Investigator on the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study (ABCD) which is following the neurocognitive development of 11,000 children from preadolescence to adulthood. The Milwaukiee ABCD site is directed by Dr. Krista Lisdahl in the Psychology Department at UWM and supported by multi-year NIH grant (PI is Lisdahl). For more information see https://abcdstudy.org/.

Courses Taught by Paul Florsheim

PH 306: Adolescent Health and Development
PH 327: Foundations for Action in Public Health
PH 752: Public Health and Mental Health
PH 826: Principles of Community Intervention Research
Ph 919: Core Seminar in Community and Behavioral Health Promotion

Books by Paul Florsheim

Adolescent Romantic Relations and Sexual Behavior

The Young Parenthood Program: A Guide To Helping Young Mothers And Fathers Become Effective Co-Parents

Lost and Found: Young Fathers in the Age of Unwed Parenthood