May 3, 2023

Dr. Melanie Domenech Rodríguez Appointed Editor for the Academic Journal Family Process

Dr. Melanie Domenech Rodríguez

Dr. Melanie Domenech Rodríguez, a professor within the Utah State University Department of Psychology, has been appointed to serve as the next editor for the academic journal Family Process. “I feel a tremendous sense of awe and responsibility as a person who will be helping shape knowledge production in family studies for the next five years,” said Domenech Rodríguez.

Established in 1962, Family Process is a peer-reviewed academic journal focusing on family interactions and family relationships within larger systems. According to the Family Process Institute, they are “an independent, multidisciplinary, transnational organization dedicated to developing and exchanging new theory, research, applied practice, and policy related to families.” The journal emphasizes their commitment to social justice by being an independent voice for scholarly work in the field to help shape future directions for research and practice. The journal is highly rated; as of 2022, it is #5 of 48 family studies journals and #38 of 132 clinical psychology journals.

In her new position as editor elect, Domenech Rodríguez will be in charge of the operation of the journal, ensuring that articles are submitted to securing reviewers and making editorial decisions based on assessment and peer reviewer’s recommendations. “I have been fortunate to have the support of the Family Process Institute board of directors and of Dr. Jay Lebow, outgoing editor of Family Process,” said Domenech Rodríguez. “This editor elect year is giving me the opportunity to learn how to be the best possible editor for such a premier journal.”

Domenech Rodríguez’s own research focuses on Latinx mental health, parenting intervention, cultural adaptation, cultural competence, and multicultural psychology. She was the recipient of the 2022 D. Wynne Thorne Career Research Award, one of the most prestigious faculty awards at USU, which is given annually to an individual who has completed outstanding research in their career. “In some ways, the appointment as editor of Family Process and the D. Wynne Thorne Award serve as points of evidence for a long and fruitful career,” said Domenech Rodríguez. “I am profoundly humbled by both, and very grateful for having had the opportunity to make substantive contributions to psychological science and practice.”