Research Expertise and Interest
adolescent health, puberty, sexual development, cultural factors, contextual factors, community-engaged research/scholarship, community-based research partnerships
Research Description
Dr. Deardorff’s research focuses on early adversity, adolescent development and risk and protective factors for negative health outcomes. She is particularly interested in health and mental health among Latinx youth and young adults. Her research currently focuses on the contribution of early life stress, family contextual factors, and cultural context to Mexican-origin youths' developmental trajectories and sex and substance use outcomes.
In the News
Timing of Puberty Varies by Up To 14 Months Among Asian Youth
Berkeley Researchers Awarded $2.7 Million Grant to Study Impact of Early Life Stressors on Mexican-Origin Children
New Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program grant will serve underrepresented undergrads at Berkeley Public Health
Deportation worries fuel anxiety, poor sleep, among U.S.-born Latinx youth
Heart health at risk for Latinas worried about deportation
Maternal overweight or obesity before and during pregnancy may lead to early menstruation in daughters
A mother’s weight before pregnancy and the amount of weight she gains while pregnant may have important implications for the hormonal development of her daughter, according to recent research from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.
Father absence linked to earlier puberty among certain girls
Girls in homes without a biological father are more likely to hit puberty at an earlier age, according to a new study led by researchers at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health. The findings held only for girls in higher income households, and even after the girls’ weight was taken into account