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Megan Dolbin-MacNab

Megan Dolbin-MacNab, Associate Professor

Megan Dolbin-McNab
Megan Dolbin-MacNab, Associate Professor

Department of Human Development and Family Science
840 University City Boulevard, Suite 1
Blacksburg, VA 24061
540-231-6807 | mdolbinm@vt.edu

Megan Dolbin-MacNab is a Professor of Human Development and Family Science at Virginia Tech.

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In need of students for research team: Please Contact

  • Relational Processes in Custodial Grandfamilies 
  • Family-Based Interventions for Custodial Grandfamilies 
  • Policy and Grandfamilies Marriage and Family Therapy 
  • Family Therapy with Older Adults
  • Qualitative Methods
  • Ph.D., Purdue University
  • M.S., Purdue University
  • B.S., The Pennsylvania State University
  • Faculty Affiliate, Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology
  • Fellow, Gerontological Society of America
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
  • Clinical Fellow, American Association for American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
  • AAMFT Approved Supervisor
  • Alumni Award for Excellent in Graduate Academic Advising, Office of the Provost, Virginia Tech, 2023
  • Fellow, Gerontological Society of America, 2019
  • Excellence in Advising Award, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2015–2016
  • Best Article Award, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 2013
  • Excellence in Graduate Student Advising Award, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2009-2010
  • Certificate of Teaching Excellence, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2007–2008

Journal Articles

Dolbin-MacNab, M. L., & Yancura, L. A. (2018). International perspectives on grandparents raising grandchildren: Contextual considerations for advancing global discourse. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 86, 3-33. doi:10.1177/0091415016689565

Hayslip, B., Fruhauf, C. A., & Dolbin-MacNab, M. L. (2017). Grandparents raising grandchildren: What have we learned over the past decade? The Gerontologist. doi:10.1093/geront/gnx106.

Dolbin-MacNab, M. L., Jarrott, S. E., Moore, L. E.*, O’Hora, K. A.*, De Chavonnes Vrugt, M., & Erasmus, M. (2016). Dumela Mma: An examination of resilience among South African grandmothers raising grandchildren. Ageing and Society, 36, 2182-2212. doi:10.1017/S0144686X15001014

Dolbin-MacNab, M. L. (2015). Critical self-reflection questions for professionals who work with grandfamilies. Grandfamilies, 1(2), 139-159.

Book Chapters

Dolbin-MacNab, M. L., Stucki, B. D., Natwick, J. E. (2019). Grandparenthood: Clinical issues and interventions. In B. Hayslip, Jr. & C. A. Fruhauf (Eds.), Grandparenting: Influences on the dynamics of family relationships (pp. 217-232). New York, NY: Springer.

Dolbin-MacNab, M. L., & Yancura, L. A. (2019). Global perspectives on grandparenting: A conceptual metaframework. In B. Hayslip, Jr. & C. A. Fruhauf (Eds.), Grandparenting: Influences on the dynamics of family relationships (pp. 347-364). New York, NY: Springer.

Dolbin-MacNab, M. L. (2019). Grandparenthood. In B. H. Fiese (Ed.), APA handbook of contemporary family psychology (pp. 557-574). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

Dolbin-MacNab, M. L., & Few-Demo, A. L. (2018). Grandfamilies in the United States: An intersectional analysis. In V. Timonen (Ed.), Grandparenting practices around the world (pp. 189-208). Bristol, UK: Policy Press.

  • 2017 – 2022 Social Intelligence Training for Custodial Grandmothers and their Adolescent Grandchildren Agency: National Institute on Aging (R01AG054571-01A1; $3,586,372) Co-PIs: Greg Smith, Frank Infurna Co-I: Max Crowley, Megan Dolbin-MacNab, Eva Zautra
  • 2015 – 2019 Nonresidential Parental Involvement in Custodial Grandparent Families: Research, Agency: National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA)/USDA Hatch Federal Capacity Funds ($90,000) PI: Megan Dolbin-MacNab (2018-2019), Rachel Dunifon (2015-2018) Co-I: Kimberly Kopko
  • 2010 – 2012 Grandparent-Headed Families and Virginia WIC: An Examination of Service Awareness, Utilization, and Delivery Agency: Virginia Department of Health ($253,984) PI: Megan Dolbin-MacNab; Co-I: Elena Serrano

Featured Books