Coordinator - Human Development & Family Studies
Ph.D., Texas Tech University, 2015
Dr. Timothy Oblad began his academic career at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, earning a Bachelor of Science in Marriage, Family, and Human Development with a minor in psychology. He continued his graduate studies at Texas Tech University, where he obtained both a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies, with a minor in Cross-Cultural research.
Research Focus and Contributions
Dr. Oblad’s research centers on the impact of online behaviors on an individual's psychological well-being. His master's thesis, a meta-analysis, investigated motivation and impact from cyber-aggressive behaviors. In his comprehensive review, he also addressed the atheoretical nature of cyberbullying research.
His doctoral dissertation, which comprised three distinct studies from two separate datasets, explored the relationship between college students' online behaviors (such as cyberbullying and social networking) and their self-esteem, depression, social capital, and suicidal ideation. One study employed a mixed-methods approach to examine the experiences of minority college students, while another tested two theoretical frameworks: deindividuation theory and the social identity model of individuation.
Dr. Oblad’s current research interests include the ever-changing effects of social media and other online behaviors and their psychological internalization. Dr. Oblad has also become more involved in teaching pedagogy research, recently presenting at the Teaching Professor on his learner-centered conceptual model. Dr. Oblad has been a faculty member Texas A&M University-Kingsville for 10 years, arriving in the fall of 2015.
Recent Works/Projects
Kwon, S., Oblad, T., & Perera, C. (2025). Family as a buffer or burden: Trauma exposure and mental health among Latino immigrants in the U.S. International Journal of Social Psychiatry Mental Health Among Latino Immigrants in the U.S. International Journal of Social Psychiatry.
Loredo, M., Varela, D., Jones, D., Oblad, T., Coleman, H., Hall, K., & Castro M. (2024). Understanding workplace bullying in higher education and its impact on workplace culture. International Journal of Organizational Behavior in Education, 12(1).
Sharp, E., Brooks, E., Velez, P., Fang, D., Nickles, D., Oblad, T., et al. (2023). The paradox of closeness and distance in a family science interactive video conferencing seminar: Lessons for teaching in a time of covid-19 and beyond. Family Science Review, 27(1).
Oblad, T. (2022). Dating Motivation among Hispanic Emerging Adults: Revisiting the DEARR Model. In Proceedings of International Conference on Social and Education Sciences (pp. 218-223).
Oblad, T. (2021). Understanding self-harm and coping among minority youth. International Journal of Science & Academic Research, 02, 736-738.
Oblad, T., & Walz, O. (2021). A review of emerging adult literature: Navigating challenges and predicting successful aging. In A. Demoura (Ed.), Emerging Adults & Adulthood: Hauppauge, NY: Nova.
Research Interests
Cyberbullying and other online activities (deindividuation, sexting, social capital)
Suicidal Ideation/Prevention
Innovative Teaching
Outreach and Community Service
Tim is an active research member with the Society for Cross-Cultural Research, American Society of Criminology, and regional Southwestern Social Science Association. Tim is also a member of the National Association of Social Workers. For service, Tim provides regular guest lectures across South Texas in several community venues and schools to students, educators and parents on cyberbullying, suicide, prevention, and parenting education training. Tim is also a certified AS+K? suicide prevention workshop leader.
Teaching Appointments
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2320 Foundations of Human Development |
3333 Child Abuse Prevention & Intervention Strategies |
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2321 Prenatal, Infant, Toddler Development |
4320 Family in Later Life |
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2322 Family & Community Health |
4321 Development in Young Adulthood |
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2323 Marriage & Family Relations |
4322 Family Theory |
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3320 Development of Early Childhood |
4343 Special Topics in HDFS (Cyberbullying, Human Strengths) |
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3322 Parenthood |
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Contact Information
Department of Psychology & Sociology
Manning 233
MSC 177 Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, Texas 78363-8202
voice: 361.593.2703
email: timothy.oblad@tamuk.edu
Twitter: @timoblad
