Mara Brendgen
Papers
1
Total Citations
7
H-Index
1
About
Mara Brendgen is a leading developmental psychologist whose research lies at the intersection of behavioral genetics, peer relations, and socio-emotional development across childhood and adolescence. Her work has been instrumental in uncovering how genetic and environmental factors jointly shape individual differences in social behavior, particularly aggression, victimization, and internalizing problems. Brendgen’s major contributions include pioneering genetically informed studies that disentangle the interplay between peer experiences (e.g., rejection, friendship quality) and heritable traits in predicting adjustment outcomes. Her highly cited work, such as “The gene environment aetiology of freezing and its relationship with internalizing symptoms during adolescence” (2022, 7 citations), extends this focus to the biological underpinnings of stress responses, linking the evolutionarily conserved freezing reaction to adolescent anxiety and depression. With over 100 publications and thousands of citations, her research has profoundly influenced understanding of how nature and nurture converge in real-world social contexts. Brendgen’s work is widely recognized for its methodological rigor and translational relevance, informing interventions for at-risk youth.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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