Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science, one of NCFR's scholarly journals, seeks manuscripts to expand upon the theme of the 2021 NCFR Annual Conference. Full details below.

Special Section Call for Papers

The Science of Families: Nurturing Hope, Happiness, & Health  

Concept Papers (Recommended, not required): Due March 25, 2022   
Manuscript Submission: Due June 3, 2022
Proposed Publication Date: Early 2024

Hope, health, and happiness during periods of social upheaval are essential for supporting and strengthening families. The current crises of public health, COVID-19 pandemic, gender and sexual minorities inequality, racial injustice, and economic instability require the collective expertise of Family Scientists, mental health professionals, program specialists, public health experts, advocates, policymakers, and educators. Thus, an interdisciplinary approach for identifying, implementing, and sustaining evidence-based and proven solutions is required to surmount the challenges posed to families by the COVID-19 pandemic and related concerns.

In Family Science hope, happiness, health, and resilience are conceptualized as life satisfaction, quality of life, personal happiness, marital satisfaction, social support, family cohesion, resilience, and more. Other related social science constructs include agency, self-compassion, and gratitude. Work family balance researchers examine the impact of these constructs in relation to employee productivity. Professionals also make visible how the intersection of poverty, homelessness, race, class, gender, national origin, physical environment, and age influence physical and mental health.

We invite scholars across disciplines to highlight innovative, culturally variant, and strengths-based approaches that promote hope, happiness, and health in families. Jones suggests the need to overcome fear, a sense of helplessness, and inaction when addressing internalized, personally mediated, and institutional racism. Mindfulness, spirituality, physical activities, and helping others are other forms of resistance to the negative influence of challenges and resilience that foster hope, happiness, and health.

We are especially interested in:

• collaborations between Family Science scholars and scholars from other disciplines;
• new culturally-informed and strengths-based approaches examining families’ hopefulness, happiness, and healthy ways of living in the context of oppressive systems and intentional and unintentional consequences of laws, programs, or policies;
• scholarship that explores the intersection of current health, social justice, economic challenges, and the COVID-19 pandemic on family and community development;
• a translational science approach to writing;
• basic and translational science applied to collective action, grassroots organizing, membership in decision-making groups, political involvement, professional contributions, voting, personal resistance, and individual and collective agency; and
• approaches that remedy concerns and promote hope, happiness, and health.

Manuscripts should not exceed 35 double-spaced pages, including references. Please indicate in the cover letter & first page of the article that the paper is being submitted to the special collection The Science of Families: Nurturing Hope, Happiness, & Health. Prospective authors may find manuscript preparation guidelines at Family Relations Submission Guidelines.

Please contact Dr. Wendy Middlemiss, Editor, Family Relations, [email protected]; Co-Guest Editor: Dr. Tammy Henderson, [email protected]; Dr. DeAnna Harris-McKoy, Co-Guest Editor of Mental Health Submissions, [email protected]; and Dr. Suzanne Randolph Cunningham, Co-Guest Editor of Health Submissions, [email protected]