Professor
Contact Information
304 E Poucher Hall
315.312.5518
[email protected]
Office hours
Tuesday, Thursday 1:00 am -2:00 pm, and by appointment
Appointment Link and Zoom Meetings Link
Research Gate Profile, LinkedIn Profile, and X Profile
Biography
Dr. Saxena is an Professor in the Department of Human Development at the State University of New York at Oswego. She completed her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Connecticut and her M.S. in Child Development from the University of Delhi, India. Dr. Saxena teaches courses on lifespan development, research methods, and special topics such as siblings and extended family, study abroad programs, and mental health issues.
Leadership Positions
- Senior Chair of the sibling relationship focus group at the National Council on Family Relations
- Program Evaluation Consultant, Sibshops, a national support program for siblings of individuals with disabilities
- Chair, 2025 Teaching Family Science Conference 2025, Costa Rica
- Chair, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, SUNY Oswego
Research
Dr. Saxena’s teaching, research, and service focus on human development across the lifespan, with particular interests in family caregiving, sibling relationships, well-being, stress, and coping, and how these can inform programs, their evaluation and policies, and practices that support individuals and families. Her 2020-2025 project aimed to study trends and patterns in demands, family routines, coping, life satisfaction, and perceptions of stress in post-pandemic contexts. Currently, she is examining the role of AI in Human Development and Family Science courses while developing responsible, pedagogically grounded approaches to incorporating AI tools into coursework, assessment, and student learning
Publications
Saxena, M., Banks, T., Elias, A. & Holl, E. (accepted) Supporting siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in North America. In
Siblinghood and Developmental Disability: A Global Perspective. Palgrave Macmillan series: Palgrave Studies in Disability and International Development
Lyu, S., Hu, Y., Uva, S., Saxena, M., Horton, A., & Russell, B. (2026). Stress and Emotional Wellbeing Across Age Groups: Moderating Effects of Healthy Routines
and Social Support. Journal of Health Psychology. DOI: 10.1177/
13591053261428919 - Banks, T., DeVries, L., Saxena, M., Weaver, G., & Gregory, E. (Winter 2025). Forgotten kin: Supporting sibling caregivers through policy action. Family Focus, Issue # FF102, National Council of Family Relations Report.
- Banks, T., DeVries, L., Saxena, M., Weaver, G., & Gregory, E. (2024). The Sibling Leadership Network: Ethical Considerations and Policy Recommendations Impacting Sibling Caregivers. Retrieved from https://siblingleadership.org/2024/08/20/ethical-considerations-and-policy-recommendations-impacting-sibling-caregivers/
- Saxena, M. (2024). Statistics and writing in human development. A laboratory workbook. Open Access, Retrieved from https://oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/117381/overview
- Saxena, M., Shedlock, D., & Gold, Z. (2023). Gender and disruptions in family routines and stress amid COVID-19. Frontiers in Communication. DOI:10.3389/fcomm.2022.820882
- Saxena, M. (2022). Resilience among sibling caregivers: Vulnerabilities and adaptations. In ed. K. Adamson, Sourcebook of Family Theories and Methodologies: Springer Nature: UK
- Saxena, M. (April 2022). Research methods and statistics: Instructional practices in the times of a pandemic. Family Science Review. DOI: 10.26536/WSNS2187
- Saxena, M. (March 2022). Navigating the Pandemic: Protective proximal processes in the microsystem of families worldwide. Family Focus, National Council of Family Relations Report. https://www.ncfr.org/ncfr- report/spring-2022/navigating-pandemic-protective-proximal-processes-microsystem-families
- Saxena M. (Oct 2021). This, too, shall pass: Age-based perceptions of changes in routine, coping, and stress. Journal of Gerontology and Geriatrics. DOI:10.24966/GGM-8662/100101
- Saxena, M. Burch, R. L. (2020). Higher survival with older siblings. In: Shackelford T., Weekes-Shackelford V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1164-1
- Saxena, M. (2020). Cultural variation. In: Shackelford T., Weekes-Shackelford V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1164-1
- Saxena, M. (2020). Presence of siblings. In: Shackelford T., Weekes-Shackelford V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham.https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1164-1
- Saxena, M. (2020). Grandparenting. In: Shackelford T., Weekes-Shackelford V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham.https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1164-1
- Saxena, M. (2020). Kinship and emotional closeness. In: Shackelford T., Weekes-Shackelford V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1164-1
- Saxena, M. (2019). Social context. In: Shackelford T., Weekes-Shackelford V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1164-1
- Saxena, M. (2019). Aunt care. In: Shackelford T., Weekes-Shackelford V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1164-1
- Saxena, M., Farrell, A. F., & Adamsons, K. (2019). An empirical examination of caregiving processes and outcomes among adult siblings of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. OBM Geriatrics, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.geriatr.1902054
- Mauldin, L. & Saxena, M. (2017). Mutual exchange: Caregiving and life enhancement in siblings of individuals with developmental disabilities. Journal of Family Issues, https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X17746452
- Saxena, M. & Ali, S. (2016). Parenting: Behaviors, cultural influences, and impact on childhood health and well-being (Book review). Interpersonal Acceptance. 10(3), 3-6.
- Saxena, M. (2015). Variables that can enhance and complicate adult sibling caregiving of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 12, 210-219. https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.12127
- Saxena, M., & Adamsons, K. (2013). Bioecological framework and siblings of individuals with disabilities. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 5, 300-316. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12021
Saxena, M., & Sharma, N. (2000). Growing up with a mentally retarded child: A study of adolescent siblings. Journal of Personality and Clinical Studies, 16, 16-23.
Awards and Honors
- Best Presentation Award (May 2023). Juggling Chaos: Gender Issues in Navigating Demands, Family Routines and Stress during the Pandemic, The World Conference for Women Studies, Singapore.
- Awarded The Cognella Innovation in Teaching Award for Family Science (Nov 2022), the National Council of Family Relations Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
Education
- Ph.D., Human Development and Family Studies, University of Connecticut, 2013
- MSc, Child Development, University of Delhi, India, 1998
- BSc, Home Science, University of Delhi, India, 1996
Classes Taught
- HDV 403 – Internships and Supervision in Human Development
- GLS 402 – Adopt a Village Program: A Trip to India
- HDV 400 – Research Designs and Applications in Human Development
- HDV 368 – Diversity and Social Justice
- HDV 322 – Child Development
- HDV 303 – Applied Field Experience and Analysis in Human Development
- HDV 302 – Methods in Human Development II
- HDV 301 – Methods in Human Development I
- HDV 342 – Siblings and Close Relatives
- HDV 198 – Finding Calm in Chaos
- HDV 101 – Introduction to Human Development