LaRen Morton
Research Scientist
LaRen Morton, PhD, is a research scientist at BU Wheelock’s Center on the Ecology of Early Development (CEED) where she contributes to research projects that support the healthy development and well-being of Black children and their families. A skilled social science researcher, Dr. Morton is passionate about connecting research, policy, and practice to improve educational and developmental outcomes for children.
Using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches, Dr. Morton’s research explores how school, home, neighborhood, and broader sociopolitical factors shape children’s academic, social, and emotional outcomes. Dr. Morton earned her PhD in human development and family science from the University of Georgia, where she also completed a certificate in quantitative research methods. Prior to joining BU Wheelock, she was a Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD)/American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Executive Branch Fellow at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Her work at OPRE spanned across Early Head Start/Head Start, child care, coordinated services, and workforce development. Throughout her career, Dr. Morton has managed research labs, supported research studies on child development and academic achievement, and translated data into insights that inform programs and policy.
Education
PhD, Human Development & Family Science, University of Georgia
MD, Human Development & Family Science, University of Georgia
BS, Family Science, University of Maryland, College Park
Selected Publications
Suma, K., Morton, L., Allen, K., & Caughy, M.O. (2024). Actively changing the narrative: An exploration of culturally grounded parenting and social skills. Infant Mental Health Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.22137
Morton, L., Caughy, M., & Koss, K. (2024). School racial composition and changes in Black children’s academic engagement and motivation during late elementary school. Journal of Child and Family Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-024-02853-8
Barjas-Gonzalez, R.G., Morton, L., Perez-Berna, N., Diaz-Lara, G., & Garcia Coll, C. (2024, April). Weakening U.S. child labor protections stands to harm youth health and education outcomes. SRCD Latinx Caucus, Society for Research in Child Development. https://shorturl.at/mLur9
Morton, L., Osborne, K.R., Anderson, L. A., & Caughy, M.O. (2024). “At the end of the day, someone done lost their child”: A mixed methods analysis of Black families’ experiences of the sociopolitical climate. Family Process. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12968
Morton, L, Anderson, L.A., Caughy, M.O., Osborne, K., Suma, K., & Odejimi, O., Little, T.D. (2023). Changes in ethnic identity in middle childhood: Family and neighborhood determinants. Journal of Early Adolescence, Advance Online Publication, 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1177/02724316231182292
Anderson, L.A., Morton, L., & Trejo, A. (2022). To be young, conscious and Black: The cumulative witnessing of racial violence for Black youth and families. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12466