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Staff Full Name

Marva Lewis, PhD

Specialty Areas:

racism-based stress and birth outcomes, community-based parenting

VPI Core Areas

VPI Core Areas: #Child Maltreatment

Angles of Approach

#Societal Structural

Biography

Dr. Marva Lewis' research focuses on the development of culturally valid research methods, child abuse and neglect, and racism-based stress. Dr. Lewis uses culture-centered methods to prevent the intergenerational transmission of the legacies of the historical trauma of slavery such as the acceptance or rejection of children based on hair type and the practice of Colorism (valuing light skin color over darker skin tones). She is interested in the prevention and reduction of child abuse and neglect while strengthening parent-child attachment through the everyday ritual and routine of the hair combing task plus community-based parent support.

 

Publications: Google Scholar

Selected Publications

Dr. Lewis’ school of social work profile page