Jennie Noll
Professor, HDFS; Director, Network on Child Protection and Wellbeing
209 HHD Building
814-867-4751
jgn3@psu.edu
Introduction & Projects
Jennie Noll is the Founder and Director of the Center for Healthy Children, the first national center for child maltreatment research. Her primary research foci are (1) the bio-psycho-social consequences of child maltreatment, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect, (2) pathways to teen pregnancy and high-risk sexual behaviors for abused and neglected youth, (3) the long-term adverse health outcomes for victims of child sexual abuse, including HPA dysregulation, cognitive deficits, various cancers, immunodeficiencies, healthcare utilization, diabetes and obesity, (4) midlife reversibility of neurocognitive deficits in stress-exposed populations, (5) the propensity for abused and neglected teens to engage in high-risk internet and social media behaviors, and (6) policies and programs for the prevention of child maltreatment.
In 2020, she was awarded fellow status in the American Psychological Association (APA), Division 37, the Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice, for her outstanding contributions in research, professional service, and practice.
For more information on Dr. Noll, click here.
Prevention-related Projects
Recent Publications
Taking a school-based child sexual abuse prevention program to scale: A cost analysis
Shipe, S. L., Guastaferro, K., Noll, J. G., Connell, C. M., Morgan, P. L., & Crowley, D. M. (2022). Taking a school-based child sexual abuse prevention program to scale: A cost analysis. Prevention Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-022-01401-4
Obesity and accelerated epigenetic aging in a high-risk cohort of children
Etzel. L., Hastings, W. J., Hall, M., Heim, CM; Meaney, M. J.; Noll, J. G., O’Donnell, K.J., Pokhvisneva, I., Rose, E. J., Schreier, H. M. C., Shenk, C. E., & Shalev, I. (2022). Obesity and accelerated epigenetic aging in a high-risk cohort of children. Scientific Reports, 12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11562-5
Crowley, D.M., Connell, C.M., Noll, J., Green, L., Scott, T., Giray, C. (2021). Legislating to prevent adverse childhood experiences: Growth and opportunities for evidence-based policymaking and prevention. Prevention Science. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-021-01292-x
An observational study of Internet behaviours for adolescent females following sexual abuse
Noll, J.G., Haag, A-C., Shenk, C.E., Wright, M.F., Barnes, J.E., Kohram, M., Malgaroli, M., Foley, D.J., Kouril, M. & Bonanno, G.A. (2021). An observational study of Internet behaviours for adolescent females following sexual abuse. Nature Human Behaviour. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01187-5
Trauma-informed neighborhoods: Making the built environment trauma-informed
Schroeder, K., Noll. J.G., Henry, K.A., Suglia, S.F., & Sarwer, D.B. (2021). Trauma-informed neighborhoods: Making the built environment trauma-informed. Preventive Medicine Reports. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101501
Childhood sexual abuse and exposure to peer bullying victimization
Kennedy, R. S., Font, S. A., Haag, A.-C., & Noll, J. G. (2021). Childhood sexual abuse and exposure to peer bullying victimization. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211037420
Guastaferro, K., Font, S. A., Miyamoto, S., Zadzora, K. M., Walters, K. E., O’Hara, K., Kemner, A., & Noll, J. G. (2021). Provider attitudes and self-efficacy when delivering a child sexual abuse prevention module: An exploratory study. Health Education & Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198121997731
Romantic, sexual, and sexual risk behaviours of adolescent females with severe obesity
Becnel, J. N., Zeller, M. H., Noll, J. G., Sarwer, D. B., Reiter-Purtill, J., Michalsky, M., Peugh, J., & Biro, F. M. (2016, In Press). Romantic, sexual, and sexual risk behaviours of adolescent females with severe obesity. Pediatric Obesity. doi: 20476302
Childhood sexual abuse and early timing of puberty
Noll, J. G. (2016). Childhood sexual abuse and early timing of puberty. Journal of Adolescent Health, 60(1), 65-71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.09.008
Contamination in the prospective study of child maltreatment and female adolescent health
Noll, J. G. (2016). Contamination in the prospective study of child maltreatment and female adolescent health. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 41(1), 37-45. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsv017
Cortisol profiles: A test for adaptive calibration of the stress response system in maltreated and nonmaltreated youth
Peckins, M. K., Susman, E., Negriff, S., Noll, J. G., & Trickett, P. K. (2016). Cortisol profiles: A test for adaptive calibration of the stress response system in maltreated and nonmaltreated youth. Development and Psychopathology, 12. doi: 09545794
Child maltreatment as a root cause of mortality disparities
Shalev, I., Heim, C. M., & Noll, J. G. (2016). Child maltreatment as a root cause of mortality disparities. JAMA Psychiatry, 73(9), 897-898. http://http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.1748. ISBN/ISSN #/Case #/DOI #: 2168622X
Related News
January 14, 2022
How do the effects of childhood abuse extend into middle age?
Read more.
October 05, 2021
At-risk teens may face increased online threats
While the Internet has many benefits such as increased access to education, it also has risks like access to pornography and the potential for online victimization and exploitation — and new research has found that certain teens may be at higher risk for these threats.
Read more.
April 23, 2021
Training helps parent educators talk about childhood sexual abuse
Read more.
October 20, 2020
Noll named American Psychological Association Fellow
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jennie Noll, director of Penn State’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Network and professor of human development and family studies, was recently awarded fellow status in the American Psychological Association (APA), Division 37, the Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice, for her outstanding contributions in research, professional service, and practice.
Read more.
May 26, 2020
New Penn State program will train next generation of child maltreatment scholars
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Child maltreatment is a significant health issue, affecting more than 12% of children in the U.S. by the time they reach age 18, and is associated with a myriad of behavioral, emotional, and physical health problems for survivors.
Read more.