Sigan Hartley
Ph.D., University of Wyoming
Assistant Professor, Human Development & Family Studies

Contact Information:
Waisman Center
UW-Madison
1500 Highland Ave, Room 559
Madison, WI 53705
Phone: (608) 262-8860
E-mail: hartley@waisman.wisc.edu

Research Statement

My research examines the individual resources and family contexts underlying positive well-being in adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorders, down syndrome, and fragile X syndrome are lifelong conditions. Yet research and services are heavily focused on the early stages of the life course; relatively little is known about the mechanisms promoting well-being during adulthood. Even less is known about the experiences and well-being of aging parents, and particularly fathers, who have an adult child with a developmental disability. My research explores the biological and environmental risk and resiliency factors related to psychological and physical well-being in aging parents caring for adult children with developmental disabilities.

The challenges of parenting a child with a developmental disability or mental health condition can take a toll on marriages. One line of my research is focused on understanding the factors that promote resiliency in marriages in the context of stressful parenting. My research also examines the bidirectional relation between marital quality and child psychological well-being and functioning across the lifespan.

I am also interested in understanding the factors contributing to mental health disorders and the experience of stress in adults with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities. My research explores how biological, cognitive, and behavioral factors interact with the environmental context, including the family, support services, and broader community, to contribute to these experiences. The long-term objective of this research is to develop interventions aimed at promoting effective emotion regulation and adaptive coping to improve the psychological well-being of adults with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities. The research in my lab is done in collaboration with other Waisman Center Investigators including Drs. Marsha Mailick Seltzer, Jan Greenberg, Leonard Abbeduto, and Brad Christian.

Representative Publications

Hartley, S.L., Barker, E.T., Seltzer, M.M., Floyd, F.J., Orsmond, G.I., Greenberg, J.S. et al. (2010). Divorce in families of children with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Family Psychology, Aug;24(4):449-57. PMID: 20731491

Barker, E.T., Hartley, S.L., Seltzer, M.M., Floyd, F.J., Greenberg, J.S., & Orsmond, G.I. (in press). Ten-year trajectories of well-being in mothers of adolescents and adults with autism. Developmental Psychology.

Hartley, S.L., Barker, E.T., Seltzer, M.M., Floyd, F.J., & Greenberg, J.S. (in press). Marital satisfaction and parenting experiences of mothers and fathers of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders. American Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Hartley, S.L., Seltzer, M.M., Raspa, M., Olmsted, M.G., Bishop, E.E., & Bailey, D.B. (in press). Adult life for men and women with fragile X syndrome: Results from a national survey. American Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Hartley, S.L., & Sikora, D.S. (2009). Sex differences in autism spectrum disorders: An examination of developmental functioning, autism symptoms and coexisting behavior problems in toddlers. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 1715-1722 PMID: 19582563

Hartley, S.L. & Sikora, D.S. (2009). Which DSM-IV-TR criteria best differentiate high-functioning autism spectrum disorder from ADHD and anxiety disorders in older children? Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 13, 485-509. PMID: 19759063

Hartley, S.L., & MacLean, W.E., Jr. (2009). Depression in adults with mild intellectual disability: The role of stress, attributions, and coping. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 114, 147-160. PMID: 19374469

Hartley, S.L., & MacLean, W.E., Jr. (2009). Stressful social interactions experienced by adults with mild intellectual disability. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 114, 71-84. PMID: 19391674

Hartley, S.L., Sikora, D.S., & McCoy, R. (2008). Prevalence and risk factors of maladaptive behaviour in young children with Autistic Disorder. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 52, 819-829. PMID: 18444989

Hartley, S.L., & MacLean, W.E., Jr. (2008). Coping strategies of adults with mild intellectual disability for stressful social interactions. Journal of Mental Health Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1, 109-127. PMID: 20234803

Hartley, S.L., MacLean, W.E., Jr., Butler, M., Thompson, T. & Zarcone, J. (2005). Maladaptive behaviors and risk factors among the genetic subgroups of Prader-Willi syndrome. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 136, 140-145. PMID: 15940679