David M Hansen
- Professor
- Chair
- Department Chair
- Professor
- Educational Psychology
Contact Info
Joseph R. Pearson Hall, room #605
Biography —
Dr. Hansen is a Professor at the University of Kansas in the School of Education where he teaches and maintains an active research program as a graduate faculty member. He completed his doctorate (2001) and post-doctorate experience (2001 to 2007) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a developmental scientist with an applied research focus. His expertise is on adolescent development and learning in a variety of out-of-school settings, including the full range of organized youth activities (e.g., extracurricular, community-based programs). Dr. Hansen is particularly invested in understanding how adolescents from impoverished communities learn "real-world" skills and competencies needed for adult life and engaged citizenship, such as strategic planning, engagement with challenge, initiative, teamwork, and leadership. He argues that adolescence is the second critical period of human development when an adolescent is neuro-developmentally primed to learn adult-like, real-world skills and competencies. Prior to returning to pursue graduate degrees, Dr. Hansen helped start a non-profit organization in Chicago whose aim was to provide the means for local faith-based organizations to hire full-time staff to assist in addressing issues of poverty and education an a community. Dr. Hansen specializes in adolescent development in the non-formal settings, including out-of-school activities and employment, and processes of real-world decision making and initiative.
Research —
Publications grouped by topic
Teaching —
Courses:EPSY 704:Advanced Educational Psychology: Learning Processes in EducationEPSY 705:Human Development through the LifespanEPSY 715:Understanding Research in EducationEPSY 800:Development During Youth and AdulthoodEPSY 980:Advanced Topics: _____
Teaching interests:
- Adolescent Development
- Human Development
- Research Methods
- Human Learning
Selected Publications —
Juneja, A., Hansen, D. (2026). Understanding mattering in adolescence and the role of salience and active balancing. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth - Issue 1 | Volume 31. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2026.2690124.
Hallingberg, B., Simpkins, S., Hansen, D., Badura, P., Belošević, M., Hamrik, Z., Van De Venter, E., Sarjeant, S., Lemon, M., Wallace, C., Barber, B. (2025). Global Perspectives on Organized Activities: Challenges and Future Directions to Supporting Young People's Health and Well-Being. Journal of Adolescent Health - Issue 3 | Volume 77. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JADOHEALTH.2025.04.025.
Juneja, A., Hansen, D., Lemon, M. (2024). Cultivating the capacity for active balancing during adolescence: pathways to a coherent self. Frontiers in Developmental Psychology - Volume 2. https://doi.org/10.3389/FDPYS.2024.1418666.
Bretl, B., Hansen, D. (2022). An exploration of the structure of moral intuitions in
early adolescence. Journal of Cognitive Development - Volume 62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101248.
Hansen, D., Kern, M., Romer, D., Wehmeyer, M. (2021). Positive Youth Development in Education. M.L. Kern, M.L. Wehmeyer (Eds.). The Palgrave Handbook of Positive Education. Palgrave Macmillan. [9783030645366].
Trang, K., Hansen, D. (2020). The Roles of Teacher Expectations and School Composition on Teacher-Child Relationship Quality. Journal of Teacher Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487120902404.
Zhao, Y., Wehmeyer, M., Basham, J., Hansen, D. (2019). Tackling the Wicked Problem of Measuring What Matters: Framing the Questions. ECNU Review of Education - Issue 3 | Volume 2. https://doi.org/10.1177/2096531119878965.
Hansen, D., Moore, E., Jessop, N. (2018). Youth Program Adult Leader's Directive Assistance and Autonomy Support and Development of Adolescents’ Agency Capacity. Journal of Research on Adolescence - Issue 2 | Volume 28. https://doi.org/10.1111/JORA.12355.
Hansen, D., Wehmeyer, M., Shogren, K., Little, T., Lopez, S. (2017). A Context for Self-Determination and Agency: Adolescent Developmental Theories. M.L. Wehmeyer, K.A. Shogren, T.D. Little, S.J. Lopez (Eds.). Development of Self-determination Through the Life-course. (pp. 27-46). Springer Verlag. [9789402410402].
Donnelly, J., Hillman, C., Greene, J., Hansen, D. (2017). Physical Activity and Academic Achievement Across the Curriculum (A+PAAC): Primary outcomes from a 3-year cluster-randomized trial. Preventive Medicine - Volume 99.
Hansen, D., Herrmann, S., Lambourne, K., Lee, J., Donnelly, J. (2014). Linear/Nonlinear Relations of Activity and Fitness with Children’s Academic Achievement. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise - Issue 12 | Volume 46. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000362.
Donnelly, J., Greene, J., Gibson, C., Sullivan, D., Hansen, D., Hillman, C., Poggio, J., Mayo, M., Smith, B., Lambourne, K., Herrmann, S., Scudder, M., Betts, J., Honas, J., Washburn, R. (2013). Physical activity and academic achievement across the curriculum (A + PAAC): rationale and design of a 3-year, cluster-randomized trial. BMC Public Health - Issue 1 | Volume 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-307.
Lambourne, K., Hansen, D., Szabo, A., Lee, J., Herrmann, S., Donnelly, J. (2013). Fitness mediates the relation between physical activity and academic achievement in elementary school students. Journal of Mental Health and Physical Activity - Issue 3 | Volume 6.
Moore, E., Hansen, D. (2012). Assessing the construct-validity of a new self-report measure of adolescents’ engagement with challenge: Evidence for structural- and criterion-validity. Psychology - Issue 10 | Volume 3.
Hansen, D., Skorupski, W., Arrington, T. (2010). Differences in developmental experiences for commonly used categories of organized youth activities. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology - Issue 6 | Volume 31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2010.07.001.
Hansen, D., Larson, R. (2007). Amplifiers of developmental and negative experiences in organized activities: Dosage, motivation, lead roles, and adult-youth ratios. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology - Issue 4 | Volume 28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2007.04.006.
Larson, R., Hansen, D., Moneta, G. (2006). Differing profiles of developmental experiences across types of organized youth activities. Developmental Psychology - Issue 5 | Volume 42. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.42.5.849.
Hansen, D., Larson, R., Dworkin, J. (2003). What adolescents learn in organized youth activities: A survey of self-reported developmental experiences. Journal of Research on Adolescence - Issue 1 | Volume 13. https://doi.org/10.1111/1532-7795.1301006.