Brittany Schuler

Associate Professor
Social Work
Office
1301 Cecil B Moore Ave

Biography

Brittany Schuler, PhD, is an assistant professor in Temple University’s School of Social Work. Prior to joining Temple, Dr. Schuler completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work. Dr. Schuler completed her doctoral training in social work at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and earned both her BSW and MSW at Temple University. 

Through her research, Dr. Schuler aims to understand the complex system of interactions that influence health disparities across the socioeconomic spectrum, primarily in the areas of pediatric obesity, chronic illness, and maternal and child health. Dr. Schuler is also interested in research at the intersection of health and child welfare, as well as food and nutrition policy, and the role of social work in developing interventions for the promotion of optimal growth in early childhood, particularly within low-resourced, underserved communities.

Her research actively works to advance the Grand Challenge for Social Work to close the health gap by examining the social determinants of pediatric obesity and the parental, socio-environmental, and policy-related factors that influence risk and adverse health and developmental outcomes in early childhood. Ultimately, Dr. Schuler’s research goals are to develop and test community-based interventions that provide low-income neighborhoods with the resources needed to buffer the effects of systemic stressors and promote optimal health behaviors to protect children from preventable chronic health conditions that can result in impaired quality of life, disability, and premature death.

Education

  • PhD, Social Work, University of Maryland
  • MSW, Temple Unversity
  • BSW, Temple University

Curriculum Vitae 

Courses Taught

Number

Name

Level

SSWU 4396

Introduction to Social Research

Undergraduate

SSWG 8403

Children and Families in the Social Environment

Graduate

Selected Publications

  • Schuler, B.R., Gardenhire, R.A., Jones, S.D., Spilsbury, J.C., Moore, S.M., & Borawski, E.A. (2024). Exploring the Association Between Trauma, Instability, and Youth Cardiometabolic Health Outcomes Over Three Years. J Adolesc Health, 74(2), pp. 301-311. United States. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.08.049

  • Schroeder, K., Schuler, B.R., Kobulsky, J.M., & Sarwer, D.B. (2021). The association between adverse childhood experiences and childhood obesity: A systematic review. Obes Rev, 22(7), p. e13204. England. doi: 10.1111/obr.13204

  • Daundasekara, S.S., Schuler, B.R., Beauchamp, J.E.S., & Hernandez, D.C. (2021). The mediating effect of parenting stress and couple relationship quality on the association between material hardship trajectories and maternal mental health status. J Affect Disord, 290, pp. 31-39. Netherlands. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.04.058

  • Daundasekara, S.S., Schuler, B.R., & Hernandez, D.C. (2021). RETRACTED: Independent and combined associations of intimate partner violence and food insecurity on maternal depression and generalized anxiety disorder. J Anxiety Disord, 81, p. 102409. Netherlands. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2021.102409

  • Daundasekara, S.S., Schuler, B.R., & Hernandez, D.C. (2021). Retraction notice to "Independent and combined associations of intimate partner violence and food insecurity on maternal depression and generalized anxiety disorder" [Journal of Anxiety Disorders Volume 81, June 2021, 102409]. J Anxiety Disord, 81, p. 102431. Netherlands. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2021.102431

  • Schuler, B.R., Vazquez, C., Kobulsky, J.M., Schroeder, K., Tripicchio, G.L., & Wildfeuer, R. (2021). The early effects of cumulative and individual adverse childhood experiences on child diet: Examining the role of socioeconomic status. Prev Med, 145, p. 106447. United States. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106447

  • Vazquez, C. & Schuler, B. (2020). Adolescent Physical Activity Disparities by Parent Nativity Status: the Role of Social Support, Family Structure, and Economic Hardship. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities, 7(6), pp. 1079-1089. Switzerland. doi: 10.1007/s40615-020-00731-9

  • Schuler, B.R., Bauer, K.W., Lumeng, J.C., Rosenblum, K., Clark, M., & Miller, A.L. (2020). Poverty and Food Insecurity Predict Mealtime Structure: Mediating Pathways of Parent Disciplinary Practices and Depressive Symptoms. J Child Fam Stud, 29(11), pp. 3169-3183. United States. doi: 10.1007/s10826-020-01806-1

  • Schuler, B.R., Daundasekara, S.S., Hernandez, D.C., Dumenci, L., Clark, M., Fisher, J.O., & Miller, A.L. (2020). Economic hardship and child intake of foods high in saturated fats and added sugars: the mediating role of parenting stress among high-risk families. Public Health Nutr, 23(15), pp. 2781-2792. England. doi: 10.1017/S1368980020001366

  • Daundasekara, S.S., Schuler, B.R., & Hernandez, D.C. (2020). Stability and Change in Early Life Economic Hardship Trajectories and the Role of Sex in Predicting Adolescent Overweight/Obesity. J Youth Adolesc, 49(8), pp. 1645-1662. United States. doi: 10.1007/s10964-020-01249-3

  • Schuler, B.R., Fowler, B., Rubio, D., Kilby, S., Wang, Y., Hager, E.R., & Black, M.M. (2019). Building Blocks for Healthy Children: Evaluation of a Child Care Center-Based Obesity Prevention Pilot Among Low-Income Children. J Nutr Educ Behav, 51(8), pp. 958-966. United States. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2019.04.017

  • Schuler, B.R. (2019). Social work and toddler overweight risk: Identifying modifiable child and parent factors across the socioeconomic gradient. Soc Work Health Care, 58(10), pp. 952-969. United States. doi: 10.1080/00981389.2019.1680478