Professor Farver’s research and teaching specialties are in the area of development psychology, especially the social development of young children (including play, prosocial and aggressive behavior); cross-cultural developmental psychology; violence and young children; and early literacy. Professor Farver’s current research projects include: 1). Cross-cultural studies of Mainland Chinese school age children’s social development and socio-emotional functioning; 2). Carrying out a large scale, 6-year project funded by the National Science Foundation to enhance the emergent literacy skills of at-risk inner city preschoolers, on which she is the Principal Investigator, 3). Developing a Spanish language early literacy skill assessment funded by the U.S. Department of Education, and testing a bilingual/transitional model of early literacy for Latino children by varying the language of instruction funded by the NICHD. Email Dr. Farver here.

Funded Research

  • Promoting School Readiness Skills of Spanish-speaking English Language Learners (NICHD), JoAnn M. Farver, Christopher J. Lonigan, $2,771,619, 01/2009-12/2014
  • Intergenerational Transmission of Alcohol Involvement (NIH), Luczak, S., Farver, J.M., McArdle, J., & Prescott, C. (Co-investigators), $3,382,397, 07/2009-06/2014
  • Development of a Comprehensive Assessment System for Spanish-Speaking English-Language Learners’ (US Department of Education IES), JoAnn M. Farver, Christopher J. Lonigan, $1,712,848, 04/2009-04/2013
  • Enhancing Literacy Outcomes For Young Children (National Science Foundation), Farver, JoAnn Marie, $6,212,993, 10/01/2001-09/30/2009

Selected Publications

    • Goodrich, J. M., Lonigan, J. C., Farver, J. M. (2013). Do Early Literacy Skills in Children’s First Language Promote Development of Skills in Their Second Language?: An Experimental Evaluation of Transfer. Journal of Educational Psychology.
    • Lonigan, C. J., Farver, J. M., Nakamoto, J., Eppe, S. (2012). Developmental trajectories of preschool early literacy skills: A comparison of English-language learners and monolingual English-speakers. Developmental Psychology.
    • Farver, J. M., Xu, Y., Lonigan, C. J. (2012). Home Environments and Latino Preschoolers’ Early Literacy Skills. Developmental Psychology.
    • Usta, J., Farver, J. M., Dandachi, D. (2011). Child Maltreatment: The Lebanese Children’s Experiences. Child: Care, Health & Development.
    • Lonigan, C. J., Farver, J. M., Phillips, B., Clancy-Menchetti, J. (2011). Promoting the Development of Preschool Children’s Emergent Literacy Skills: A Randomized Evaluation of a Literacy-Focused Curriculum and Two Professional Development Models. Reading and Writing Quarterly: An interdisciplinary journal. (24), pp. 305-337.
    • Usta, J., Farver, J. M. (2010). Child Sexual Abuse and Maltreatment in Lebanon During War and Peace. Child: Care, Health and Development. Vol. 36, pp. 361-368.
    • Xu, Y., Farver, J. M., Zhang, Z. (2009). Temperament, harsh and indulgent parenting, and Chinese children’s proactive and reactive aggression. Child Development. Vol. 80, pp. 244-258.
    • Xu, Y., Farver, J. M. (2009). What makes you shy? Situational elicitors of shyness in Chinese children. International Journal of Behavioral Development. Vol. 33, pp. 97-104.
    • Farver, J. M., Lonigan, C. J., Eppe, S. (2009). Effective Early Literacy Skill Development for Young Spanish-Speaking English Language Learners: An Experimental Study of Two Methods. Child Development. Vol. 80, pp. 703-719.
    • Xu, Y., Farver, J. M., Yu, L., Zhang, Z. (2009). Three Types of Shyness in Chinese Children and the Relation to Effortful Control. Journal of Social and Personality Psychology. Vol. 97, pp. 1061-1073..
    • Usta, J., Farver, J. M. (2008). Women, war and violence: Surviving the Lebanese experience. Journal of Women’s Health. Vol. 17, pp. 1-12.
    • Xu, Y., Farver, J. M., Yang, Y., Zeng, Q. (2008). Chinese children’s conception of shyness: A prototype approach. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly. Vol. 54, pp. 515-544.
    • Farver, J. M., Nakamoto, J., Lonigan, C. J. (2007). Assessing Preschoolers’ Emergent Literacy Skills in English and Spanish with the Get Ready to Read! Screening Tool. Annals of Dsylexia/Elsevier. Vol. 2007
    • Usta, J., Farver, J. M. (2007). Domestic Violence: The Lebanese experience. Public Health. Vol. 121, pp. 208-219.