Ted Futris
College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Extension and Outreach, Human Development and Family Science
Georgia Athletic Association Professor in Family and Consumer Sciences
Extension Family Life Specialist
Graduate Coordinator
Dr. Futris advances family life education and research that elevates the quality and stability of couple relationships.
227 Hoke Smith Annex
300 Carlton St.
Athens, GA 30602
workFax: 706-542-1799
Education
| Degree | Field of Study | Institution | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ph.D. | Human Development and Family Studies | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 2000 |
| M.S. | Human Development and Family Studies | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 1997 |
| B.A. | Psychology/Child and Family Development | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 1994 |
Research
As director of the Couple and Relationship Enrichment (CARE) Laboratory, my research informs and evaluates educational programs and resources that promote healthy couple and coparenting relationships.
Awards
| Award Name | Awarded By | Year Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| National Council on Family Relations Fellow | National Council on Family Relations | 2021 |
| Bill and June Flatt Outstanding Extension and Outreach Faculty Award | College of Family and Consumer Sciences (UGA) | 2021 |
| Chris Todd Outstanding Outreach Award | College of Family and Consumer Sciences (UGA) | 2021 |
| Margaret E. Arcus Outstanding Family Life Educator Award | National Council on Family Relations | 2018 |
Editorial Appointments
| Position | Name of Journal | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Editor | NCFR Report: Family Focus | 2020-2024 |
Service
| Organization | Title | Year(s) | Service Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Council on Family Relations | Board of Directors | 2024-present | Board Member-at-Large |
Outreach
As an Extension Specialist, I provide statewide support in promoting family health and stability through youth-focused and couples relationship education, parenting education, and community-capacity building efforts. To learn more about my active projects, visit healthyrelationships.uga.edu.
Books
Futris, T. G. & Richardson, E. W. (2022). Evaluation of the ELEVATE program. In K. Adamsons, A. Few-Demo, C. Proulx, & K. Roy (Eds.) Sourcebook of family theories and methodologies: A dynamic approach (pp 699-703). New York: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92002-9_51
Futris, T. G., Mallette, J. K, & Richardson, E. W. (2015). Relationship and marriage education program design and implementation. In J. J. Ponzetti (Ed.), Evidence-based approaches to relationship and marriage education (pp. 31-59). New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis
Current Research
I direct a federally funded initiative, Project F.R.E.E. (Fostering Relationship and Economic Enrichment), that is implementating the evidence-informed program, ELEVATE, to couples across Georgia. We are evaluating changes in indvidual and couple functioning and well-being following the program, and how these changes vary based on individual, couple, and program deliver (i.e., in-person vs. virtual) characteristics. To learn more about my active research projects, visit http://www.fcs.uga.edu/hdfs/care-lab
Journal Articles
Recent Publications. See my Curriculum Vita for a complete listing of journal articles
Marshall, A. & Futris, T. G. (2024). Navigating race talk: An examination of racial dialogue between White college students. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000593
Duncan, J. C., Zhang, X., Futris, T. G., & Sims, K. M. (2024). Examining predictors of relationship dissolution among unmarried parents: Applying the vulnerability–stress–adaptation framework. Journal of Family Psychology. 38(5), 732–742. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001216
Arroyo, A., Richardson, E. W., Hargrove, C. & Futris, T. G. (2024). Foster Caregivers' Depressive Symptoms and Parenting Stress: Applying the Theory of Resilience and Relational Load. Family Relations. 73(2), 1438-1454. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12908
Richardson, E. W., Mallette, J. K., Futris, T. G., & Pettit, M. (2023). Non-relative foster caregivers’ changes in mindfulness and couple relationship skills following relationship education.Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. 40(5), 1332-1353. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231157774
Stanford, W., Futris, T., Brown, G., Lemons, J. D. (2024). Parental and contextual influences on religious transmission in adolescence. Applied Developmental Science. 28(3), 391–408. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2023.2223999
Richardson, E. W., Mallette, J. K., Futris, T. G., & Pettit, M. (2023). Non-relative foster caregivers’ changes in mindfulness and couple relationship skills following relationship education. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(5), 1332-1353. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231157774
Stanford, W. D., Futris, T. G., Richardson, E. W., Koss, K. J., & Brown, G. L. (2022). Social integration buffers the impact of financial distress on coparenting. Journal of Family Psychology, 36(6), 919-931. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/fam0000995
Peterson, C. T., O’Neal, C.W., & Futris, T.G. (2022). Military couples’ childhood experiences and romantic relationship satisfaction: The role of accepting influence. Family Process, 61, 689-704. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12689
Adler-Baeder, F., Futris, T. G., McGill, J., Richardson, E. W., Yildirim, E. D. (2022). Validating the couple relationship skills inventory. Family Relations, 71(1), 279-306. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12590
Publications
See my Curriculum Vita for a complete listing of outreach publications, and visit healthyrelationships.uga.edu to learn more about my outreach programs.
- The National Extension Relationship and Marriage Education Model: Core Teaching Concepts for Relationship and Marriage Enrichment Programming.
- ELEVATE: Taking your Relationship to the Next Level.
- Healthy Relationship and Marriage Education Training Curriculum.
- Cultivating Healthy Couple and Marital Relationships: A Guide to Effective Programming.
Working Papers
See my Curriculum Vita for a complete listing of journal articles under review or in preperation.